I must say, you actually made a rare find by recording that 1970s era of the General Cinema Corporation's Coming Attractions screen! You should be proud!
In fairness, it's Greg Maletic's extremely faithful reproduction: vimeo.com/54835301 We do run the period-correct General Cinema bumpers as part of our preshow.
Greetings from Chicago! Came across this video again and saw the pinned comment. It's so awesome that you repurposed this theater and breathed in new life to it, I have to give you props for that!
I still love the theater experience but there's just something about film that's more refreshing (if that's the right word to use) than today's digital cinema.
I saw License to Drive back in the day at the Belvidere Mall Cinema. The theater was upstaged by the Lakehurst 12 Multiplex (one of the first multiplexes in the country, also run by GCC) not 2 miles down the road outside the now defunct and torn-down Lakehurst Mall. But the Belvidere Cinema got the last laugh as it still stands but the Lakehurst Multiplex was torn down in the mid-2000s.
License to Drive would've run around the end of GCC's operation at Belvidere. GC Lakehurst began as a triplex in 1974. By the end of the '70s Belvidere was converted to a twin showing second-run films, and during the 80s they kept expanding Lakehurst. Curtains finally fell in the summer of '89, when Lakehurst poached Montgomery Ward from Belvidere and the mall fell on hard times. Belvidere rebounded as a swap meet, then as a discounter; enough so that Belvidere Cinema was renovated into its current four-screen miniplex form. It soldiered on as an indie-run bargain house for about a decade, with tickets running no more than $2. The Village Entertainment chain scooped both Lakehurst and Belvidere in the early-aughts, but closed Belvidere again within a year - the last time it operated. Mall management now lets us run it once a month for the city's ArtWauk, on the third Saturday - in hopes of drawing someone to lease and reopen it full-time. As or Lakehurst: Village relocated their corporate offices there, but due to the financial strains of their rapid expansion in the early-2000s, they let it fall to shambles and be condemned in early 2007. It was demolished that summer, only recently was an Aldi finally built on the site.
That’s pretty awesome. Were the projectors and film reels left over? I’ll have to make the trek out there some time. I want to see something at the Cinema I-II in Griffith, but it probably won’t reopen.
The original projectors are there along with some random reels that were used for decor (one is part of "When a Stranger Calls") but they're beyond my knowhow, this was run off a cheap projector I got from Amazon... call it a proof of concept. We'll likely do this again sometime next year when COVID settles down. Griffith I-II is pretty nasty inside from what I've seen. With Kmart gone that entire shopping center is said to be on borrowed time, I'd like to snag the exterior signage and other GCC-period bits for Belvidere when the inevitable happens.
So the Belvidere Cinema closed 17 years ago. The original 35mm equipment is still in place, but far beyond my knowhow. This was a demonstration that I rigged up for a popup art gallery that was open to the public, trying to generate interest in re-opening it. I made a two-hour video loop of classic movie trailers sourced from CZcams and Vimeo, spacing one to start every five minutes. Ran it off an old laptop, used a projector from Amazon and some secondhand hi-fi equipment. The theater is small enough (220 seats or so) that it worked shockingly well, we screened Night of the Living Dead later to a couple-dozen people.
Belvidere Cinema is a former GC theatre that has been mothballed since 2003. I use the lobby as a venue for photography exhibitions and open the rest of the Cinema to public tours, as a means of showing the place to generate interest in reopening it.
@@CravingTheMagic At the time this was filmed we used an Amazon special projector that got returned right after the event and a 2.1 system built from components donated by friends or found at thrift stores. Those have since been upgraded to a 5.1 system and an older Hitachi projector that does the job. Old salvaged laptop feeds video. We're a DIY art gallery occupying this theater for events once or twice a month to promote it as a leasing opportunity, so we get by with what people throw us, or what we can find. Original 35mm equipment is still in the booths, but beyond my knowhow. Also there's a powered speaker above the screen but I need to rewire it.
Psst... we actually run this place now. Go follow @BelvidereCinema here, Insta and Facebook for all upcoming showtimes and events.
holy crap, that's amazing! congrats, and good luck with running the place!
@DayniraAndMatthew @BelvidereCinema
I did a theater rental once , and played some general cinema bumpers. Glad to hear what your doing ! Its great
I must say, you actually made a rare find by recording that 1970s era of the General Cinema Corporation's Coming Attractions screen! You should be proud!
In fairness, it's Greg Maletic's extremely faithful reproduction: vimeo.com/54835301
We do run the period-correct General Cinema bumpers as part of our preshow.
Greetings from Chicago!
Came across this video again and saw the pinned comment. It's so awesome that you repurposed this theater and breathed in new life to it, I have to give you props for that!
Jon , you have balls. Congrats to you sir.
My All time Favorite.....
I still love the theater experience but there's just something about film that's more refreshing (if that's the right word to use) than today's digital cinema.
I do missed going to one of these theaters when I used to lived in Gurnee, Illinois.
Dude. I'm impressed. Great work!
My hometown of Dallas remembers general cinema days and that's keep memories alive.
I remember going to General Cinema at Baybrook Mall in Friendswood, Texas, back in the day.
Our go to was Gulfgate but I did see Superman II, Porky’s II and Gross Anatomy at Baybrook
It seems like the theater's speakers have held up well. Good sound
This theater had mono sound and the component racks upstairs had been raided. I rigged up a system with stuff found at Goodwill, was happy with it.
glad to see you are still active!
Very nice!
SIX FLAGS IS FADING!! WAAAAAAHHHHH
ignore enthusiast culture
@@jonrev I Wasn’t Expecting a reply.
I saw License to Drive back in the day at the Belvidere Mall Cinema. The theater was upstaged by the Lakehurst 12 Multiplex (one of the first multiplexes in the country, also run by GCC) not 2 miles down the road outside the now defunct and torn-down Lakehurst Mall. But the Belvidere Cinema got the last laugh as it still stands but the Lakehurst Multiplex was torn down in the mid-2000s.
License to Drive would've run around the end of GCC's operation at Belvidere.
GC Lakehurst began as a triplex in 1974. By the end of the '70s Belvidere was converted to a twin showing second-run films, and during the 80s they kept expanding Lakehurst. Curtains finally fell in the summer of '89, when Lakehurst poached Montgomery Ward from Belvidere and the mall fell on hard times. Belvidere rebounded as a swap meet, then as a discounter; enough so that Belvidere Cinema was renovated into its current four-screen miniplex form. It soldiered on as an indie-run bargain house for about a decade, with tickets running no more than $2.
The Village Entertainment chain scooped both Lakehurst and Belvidere in the early-aughts, but closed Belvidere again within a year - the last time it operated. Mall management now lets us run it once a month for the city's ArtWauk, on the third Saturday - in hopes of drawing someone to lease and reopen it full-time. As or Lakehurst: Village relocated their corporate offices there, but due to the financial strains of their rapid expansion in the early-2000s, they let it fall to shambles and be condemned in early 2007. It was demolished that summer, only recently was an Aldi finally built on the site.
☺️ This is why the internet is such a glorious thing. 😉
In that cinema, you will see such pretty things
we just want to fix you, Belvidere
Wow I seen the intro on CZcams now i could see it look like in theater what I look like back then
You forgot the screen blue lights. GCC always played their logo snipes with the blue lights on.
They're in place, we want to bring them back, but are having problems with dimmers up in the booth.
I gotta be honest, I do not remember subscribing to this channel
mistakes were made
@@jonrev It was not a mistake
It was just something that happened sooner than expected
Wyoming incident thing I rhink
Not sure what I’m watching here but you have anything about Dixie Square?
Yes. Make it happen.
Used to work at a discount movie theatre.
That’s pretty awesome. Were the projectors and film reels left over? I’ll have to make the trek out there some time. I want to see something at the Cinema I-II in Griffith, but it probably won’t reopen.
The original projectors are there along with some random reels that were used for decor (one is part of "When a Stranger Calls") but they're beyond my knowhow, this was run off a cheap projector I got from Amazon... call it a proof of concept. We'll likely do this again sometime next year when COVID settles down.
Griffith I-II is pretty nasty inside from what I've seen. With Kmart gone that entire shopping center is said to be on borrowed time, I'd like to snag the exterior signage and other GCC-period bits for Belvidere when the inevitable happens.
@@jonrev make sure you take plenty of pictures.
Yo this is sick! Will there be more showings in the future?
likely next year
Did this used to be Lakehurst cinema or is this a different theatre in waukegan?
This is the theater at Belvidere Mall in Waukegan, Lakehurst 12 was torn down in 2007.
That's pretty sick honestly, how the heck did you even do that
So the Belvidere Cinema closed 17 years ago. The original 35mm equipment is still in place, but far beyond my knowhow. This was a demonstration that I rigged up for a popup art gallery that was open to the public, trying to generate interest in re-opening it.
I made a two-hour video loop of classic movie trailers sourced from CZcams and Vimeo, spacing one to start every five minutes. Ran it off an old laptop, used a projector from Amazon and some secondhand hi-fi equipment. The theater is small enough (220 seats or so) that it worked shockingly well, we screened Night of the Living Dead later to a couple-dozen people.
@@jonrev Now that is amazing
@@jonrev I hope that you revive this theater back from the dead once the pandemic is over.
Did you sneak in a abandoned general cinema? or you got permission to play something in a open theater?
Belvidere Cinema is a former GC theatre that has been mothballed since 2003. I use the lobby as a venue for photography exhibitions and open the rest of the Cinema to public tours, as a means of showing the place to generate interest in reopening it.
With thanks to Greg Maletic's faithful recreation:
vimeo.com/54835301
i feel like you’re the guy behind the max headroom incident
i'm batman
@@jonrev you sure about that? cause last time i checked I’M batman
He made that video unlisted to obscure the evidence
@@curaphix czcams.com/video/tWdgAMYjYSs/video.html
Cause I hear there’s a 35mm print of jaws on eBay
What movie is that from?
Titanic
You here since 2006?
I tried to comment, but everything I typed came out as Intamin Sh*tstick! 😁
Hope you’re doing well!!
are you sur ?
Do you play movies there
Yes, every third Saturday of the month at 4pm.
Cause I hear there’s a 35mm print of jaws on eBay
Disturbing!
whats with the av receiver
Sound, it's in the booth now. Original system was torn apart when the theater closed in 2003.
@@jonrev what speakers and projector do you have
@@CravingTheMagic At the time this was filmed we used an Amazon special projector that got returned right after the event and a 2.1 system built from components donated by friends or found at thrift stores. Those have since been upgraded to a 5.1 system and an older Hitachi projector that does the job. Old salvaged laptop feeds video. We're a DIY art gallery occupying this theater for events once or twice a month to promote it as a leasing opportunity, so we get by with what people throw us, or what we can find.
Original 35mm equipment is still in the booths, but beyond my knowhow. Also there's a powered speaker above the screen but I need to rewire it.
@@jonrev I'd love to see a video of the set up. I'm all for cinema gear
@@jonrev I would Imagine if you go to this theater before you get sucked in a theater for life in a Horror movie, What's the trailer called, Titanic?
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