Showcase Cinemas in E. Hartford to close

[uconn99]

EAST HARTFORD -- Suffering from fewer moviegoers, Showcase Cinema, a town fixture and eyecatcher along I-84 for more than 30 years, will close Sept. 4 after its last showing.

Company officials were preparing a press release about the theater after employees said they were told Tuesday about the closing.

"It wasn't a huge surprise but everyone was pretty sure it was going to stay around for a while," said Chris Devaux, an employee who has worked at the 14-screen theater since 1997.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ehfci...headlines-local

[mikel]

EAST HARTFORD -- Suffering from fewer moviegoers, Showcase Cinema, a town fixture and eyecatcher along I-84 for more than 30 years, will close Sept. 4 after its last showing.

Company officials were preparing a press release about the theater after employees said they were told Tuesday about the closing.

"It wasn't a huge surprise but everyone was pretty sure it was going to stay around for a while," said Chris Devaux, an employee who has worked at the 14-screen theater since 1997.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ehfci...headlines-local

Eh. Gives more hope that a theatre will someday open downtown again.

That also proves that putting your business out of the way, but in a place where people from the highway can see it, is overrated.

[sp1dey]

This is a case of National Amusements cannibalizing their sales. Opening the Showcase in Manchester while likely profitable, killed the E Hartford location. Like it or hate it, how can Silver Lane compete with Buckland Hills. That being said, I hate both places and would welcome a theater downtown in a heartbeat.

I hope the building gets quickly demolished and isn't left as an abandoned theater so visible from 84.

[blink55184]

This is a case of National Amusements cannibalizing their sales. Opening the Showcase in Manchester while likely profitable, killed the E Hartford location. Like it or hate it, how can Silver Lane compete with Buckland Hills. That being said, I hate both places and would welcome a theater downtown in a heartbeat.

I hope the building gets quickly demolished and isn't left as an abandoned theater so visible from 84.

Manchester has the stadium style seating.

E.Hartford did not!

still bad news though, always went to E.Hartford theatre as a kid

[drc72]

It's a shame that it is closing, but as others have said maybe a new theatre will open in downtown Hartford because of this.

[uconn99]

It's a shame that it is closing, but as others have said maybe a new theatre will open in downtown Hartford because of this.

Most people want stadium seating, at least I do. Not only is stadium seating nicer, but the theaters that have them usually are newer, have better sound and screens.

[HeartbeatHead]

also the theatre in hartford probably contributed also. once it open on New Park Ave, people from Hartford didnt really have to go to E. Hartford. I know thats what happened to me once the Crown Palace opened. If a Theatre was to open Downtown Id want it to show exclusive movies that would attract more people because they wouldnt be able to see it anywhere else

[drc72]

also the theatre in hartford probably contributed also. once it open on New Park Ave, people from Hartford didnt really have to go to E. Hartford. I know thats what happened to me once the Crown Palace opened. If a Theatre was to open Downtown Id want it to show exclusive movies that would attract more people because they wouldnt be able to see it anywhere else

Is that theater completely in Hartford, or are parts of it in West hartford?

[JimSawhill]

EAST HARTFORD -- Suffering from fewer moviegoers, Showcase Cinema, a town fixture and eyecatcher along I-84 for more than 30 years, will close Sept. 4 after its last showing.

Company officials were preparing a press release about the theater after employees said they were told Tuesday about the closing.

"It wasn't a huge surprise but everyone was pretty sure it was going to stay around for a while," said Chris Devaux, an employee who has worked at the 14-screen theater since 1997.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ehfci...headlines-local

Hmm....

I was the first person (ok, one of the first person) to watch a movie in the Showcase. I just lived nearby -- so my friend (who lived in Tudor Village) and I went to watch a movie there in 1973. (I think it was 'LIVE AND LET LIVE')l

I know Showcase killed the Eastwood (in Downtown EH) and Burnside (on Burnside), but I hope they'll raise the building and expand the COM.

JimS

[Captain59]

This is the theater I went to when I was a kid. Oh, well. I also hope they knock it down fast and do something good with the land.

[mikel]

This is the theater I went to when I was a kid. Oh, well. I also hope they knock it down fast and do something good with the land.

Same with me, in later years. I saw Problem Child and Back to the Future Part III there. As a small kid, I went to the Newington Theatre, Elmwood, even Cinema 123. All gone.

Cinema City still has non-stadium seating, right? Because I'd like to still be able to see movies the way I did as a kid.

As for the land, I would LOVE to see a farm there! Probably a longshot, but I love seeing farmland outside cities. Reminds me of Europe, the second you leave city boundaries, it turns into farms until you hit the next city.

[JimSawhill]

Same with me, in later years. I saw Problem Child and Back to the Future Part III there. As a small kid, I went to the Newington Theatre, Elmwood, even Cinema 123. All gone.

Cinema City still has non-stadium seating, right? Because I'd like to still be able to see movies the way I did as a kid.

As for the land, I would LOVE to see a farm there! Probably a longshot, but I love seeing farmland outside cities. Reminds me of Europe, the second you leave city boundaries, it turns into farms until you hit the next city.

Mikel:

Between Showcase and Silver Lane Plaza was the fairground (where Coleman Bros Shows used to have a fair.) I wonder what they'll do with it?

JimS

[MadVlad]

I used to walk to the Berlin Cinema 1&2. It was great, our feet would stick to the floor in a really nasty way. Also, not sure who remembers this place, but we also used to sneak through the woods to get a good look at the Berlin Drive In. It was located where Home Depot and Sam's Club is on the Berlin Turnpike, and it is the only XXX Adult Drive In that I have ever heard of....

[HartfordTycoon]

It's the end of the Era. That was the only theatre I went to as a kid, and sometimes the little one in Bloomfield. The one in Hartord, yes it's all in Hartford, helped kill this one for sure. The one in Manchester finished the job. All good things must come to an end. I haven't been in years, the only people I know who still go are my friends who live in Woodcliff Estates adjacent to that Plaza and they just walk over there. It has absolutely nothing to do with putting things off of the Highway as being "overated.". I bet if they put a new theatre there it would do OK. That one was just completely played out.

[mikel]

It's the end of the Era. That was the only theatre I went to as a kid, and sometimes the little one in Bloomfield. The one in Hartord, yes it's all in Hartford, helped kill this one for sure. The one in Manchester finished the job. All good things must come to an end. I haven't been in years, the only people I know who still go are my friends who live in Woodcliff Estates adjacent to that Plaza and they just walk over there. It has absolutely nothing to do with putting things off of the Highway as being "overated.". I bet if they put a new theatre there it would do OK. That one was just completely played out.

Well, you're completely wrong! The manager of the cinema said on the news that a big reason it's closing is because it was too confusing to find. And, obviously, it's confusing to find because they wanted to be right next to the highway.

[HartfordTycoon]

Well, you're completely wrong! The manager of the cinema said on the news that a big reason it's closing is because it was too confusing to find. And, obviously, it's confusing to find because they wanted to be right next to the highway.

Well, I kind of misinterpreted what you meant. We're on the same page here. Putting it where people can see it, may be a bit overated. Especially in CT where it's not part of the commercial or development culture. Which is a good thing. I don't want to see only big signs and stores from the highway like down south somewhere. I still say that location is viable, the old and outdated theatre was not.

[Bill Mocarsky]

Well, you're completely wrong! The manager of the cinema said on the news that a big reason it's closing is because it was too confusing to find. And, obviously, it's confusing to find because they wanted to be right next to the highway.

When it first opened, it had better highway access.

[ctman987]

Im pretty sure the Crown is in Hartford.

I would definitly go for a movie theater downtown. Whether it be a first run movie theater that somehow fit nicely into something downtown or if it showed something special that people had to go downtown to see.

And as the end of an area goes construction is in full swing on the site of the former Hartford Drive In on the turnpike

[HartfordTycoon]

Im pretty sure the Crown is in Hartford.

I would definitly go for a movie theater downtown. Whether it be a first run movie theater that somehow fit nicely into something downtown or if it showed something special that people had to go downtown to see.

And as the end of an area goes construction is in full swing on the site of the former Hartford Drive In on the turnpike

The Crown is definately in Hartford. I think a multiplex like Magic Johnson has in Harlem would be great Downtown.

[sp1dey]

The AMC Lowes on the Boston Common along Tremont St is awesome. it has a resedential tower just above it... the same would work in Larry's tower planned at the old Y.

[drc72]

The Crown is definately in Hartford. I think a multiplex like Magic Johnson has in Harlem would be great Downtown.

That's what I thought. I think a brand new theater downtown would do great.

[ctman987]

In New Haven Criterion Theaters opened downtown. Now considering some smaller theaters closed as a resuly the theater shows mostly first run movies (I think) but also some special movies and the theater has a whole bar, gourmet foods, coffees and ice creams which not many theaters (right now) have

[RogerAnthony]

Most people want stadium seating, at least I do. Not only is stadium seating nicer, but the theaters that have them usually are newer, have better sound and screens.

I personally can't stand stadium seating. With stadium seating it seems like every seat is a bad seat, either too close or too far from the screen. I'll choose an inclined floor any day.

As for Showcase Cinemas, it is a shame to see it go. This was the original multiplex in the Hartford area and where I saw a lot of movies as a kid. It started with four screens, but splitting auditoriums and an addition built in the 1990's expanded it to 14. Unlike today's modern boringplexes the old Showcase had character with its mishmash of buildings and mazelike hallways.

Many older theatres are shutting down. This year theatres have closed down in East Hartford, Bloomfield, Jewett City, and Willimantic.

[Captain59]

Yeah, the Crown is on New Park Avenue in Hartford, if that's the one you're talking about. It's a great theater. This one in East Hartford is the one I saw all the new flicks at (including the first showings of Star Treks III, IV, and V, plus the first three Star Wars movies, all the Indiana Jones movies, the three Back to the Future films...damn, good memories), but we occasionally went to the Hartford Drive-In on the Berlin Turnpike, which as mentioned above is a construction bonanza right now. They finally took down the arrow sign this week...so everything that made that a drive-in is gone.

The one other theater I went to was the one at the Manchester Parkade. We would call it the "99 Cent Theater" even after it cost more than 99 cents. I remember the ticket person having a load of pennies ready because we would give a dollar bill and get a penny back. That was a great place. I don't even know if it's there anymore.

[RogerAnthony]

The one other theater I went to was the one at the Manchester Parkade. We would call it the "99 Cent Theater" even after it cost more than 99 cents. I remember the ticket person having a load of pennies ready because we would give a dollar bill and get a penny back. That was a great place. I don't even know if it's there anymore.

It is still there, but has been closed for nearly 6 years. All the seats and equipment have been removed, but the electricity to the building is still on. Vandals have painted graffitti on the interior walls and shattered the large glass windows in the lobby area. The building would be perfect to renovate and reopen as a cinema if it were not so close to the Buckland Hills monsterplex.