Customer Reviews

Movie Palaces Renaissance and Reuse

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This 9 x 8-1/2 inch, 120-page manual is well done by practicing architects (Joseph M. Valerio of Chicago, is the principal author, actually) and is, in fact, the outgrowth of the Symposium On The American Movie Palace held at the University of Wis. at Milwaukee in April of 1980 which was well described in the issue of TIME magazine of May 5th of that year in a colorful 2-page spread entitled: "Lighting the Darkened Palaces".

The authors take one on a tour of theatres which have new lives courtesy of the tenacious and far-sighted individuals who had the foresight to look beyond the dust and gloom of often abandoned buildings and sometimes neighborhood decay. Often, these same neighborhoods have been rejuvinated by the rebirth of these sound and ornamental structures! Let this book also introduce you to the complete process of the Proposal which they call "RELIGHTING THE MARQUEE" which is the third chapter of the book: Assembling the renovation team, appraisal and analysis of uses, financing and the feasibility package, government rules and building codes and meeting them.

The chapter "REAL DREAMS" has 22+ case histories described according to the aegis of their rebirth: local performance groups, municipal centers, and private funds sources. It is in this chapter that the only obvious flaws occur with the sixty some black and white photos: the captions are wrong for some of them, due to the book being produced by a publisher and printer widely separated from the authors. Examples: the grand staircase on page 14 is not identified, but it is in the Chicago Th.; the caption for page 32 is correct for the upper photo, but the lower is of Chicago's late-lamented Paradise Th.; page 38 is a great view of the organ screen of the Ohio Th. in Columbus; that for the photos on page 73 is right for the left hand photo, but the other is the foyer of the Oriental in Chicago (now refurbished and open again!); page 96 is Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh; the lobby shown on page 99 is actually the Avalon in Chicago (now the New Regal Th., a glorious case of restoration!); and finally, the shot on page 104 is something the handsome Riverside Th. in Milwaukee could only wish to have, for this is the beautiful (and spacious) grand lobby of the former Stanley Th. in Jersey City, N.J. (now an Asssembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and they give free tours of this magnificently restored theatre.)

While this publication (it was issued only in paperback) contains no color photos, it doesn't need them since it is thorough and comprehensive and a good addition to one's bookshelf. Further information could be obtained from the Theatre Historical Society of America in Elmhurst, Il, or the League of Historic American Theatres.