Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America 's largest movie theatre operators and live theatre, with theatres in its home country of Canada and the United States . The Cineplex Odeon brand is still being used by Cineplex Entertainment at some theatres that were once owned by the Cineplex Odeon Corporation, with newer theatres using the Cineplex Cinemas ( French : Cinémas Cineplex ) brand. The company was the result of Cineplex Corporation in 1984 purchasing and merging with Canadian Odeon Theatres , which itself was the result of a merger between Canadian Theatres and Odeon Theatres of Canada in 1978.
129-526: Cineplex Inc. (formerly Cineplex Entertainment and Cineplex Galaxy ) is a Canadian operator of movie theater and family entertainment centers , headquartered in Toronto. It is the largest cinema chain in Canada; as of 2019, it operated 165 locations, and accounted for 75% of the domestic box office. The company was formed in 2003 via the acquisition of Loews Cineplex 's Canadian operations (which included
258-595: A D-Box VR experience launched at the Ottawa location. The IMAX VR centre closed in 2019, as part of the discontinuation of the IMAX VR pilot project. In July 2018, after having opened such an attraction at The Rec Room at Roundhouse Park , Cineplex Entertainment announced that it had reached an agreement to be the exclusive Canadian franchisee of The Void — a chain of mixed reality entertainment attractions. On September 13, 2018, Cineplex announced that it would acquire
387-415: A digital cinema format that uses dual 2K resolution projectors and a screen with a 1.90:1 aspect ratio; this system is designed primarily for use in retrofitted multiplexes, using screens significantly smaller than those normally associated with IMAX. In 2015, IMAX introduced an updated "IMAX with Laser" format, using 4K resolution laser projectors. The term " premium large format " ( PLF ) emerged in
516-651: A movie house , film house , film theater , cinema or picture house . In the US, theater has long been the preferred spelling, while in the UK, Australia, Canada and elsewhere it is theatre . However, some US theaters opt to use the British spelling in their own names, a practice supported by the National Association of Theatre Owners , while apart from Anglophone North America most English-speaking countries use
645-399: A "virtual monopoly " over the cinema market in Canada. In 2012, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Cineplex over locations refusing to honour the company's "Cheap Tuesdays" promotion. The company agreed to a $ 7,000 settlement, including a $ 25,000 charitable donation. In 2019, the producers of the anti-abortion film Unplanned criticized Cineplex for initially declining to pick up
774-495: A $ 1.50 surcharge on all online ticket orders since June 2022, but used dark patterns to hide this fee from listed ticket prices until the end of the transaction. In October 2024, Cineplex appealed the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal . Movie theater A movie theater ( American English ) or cinema ( Commonwealth English ), also known as a movie house , cinema hall , picture house , picture theater ,
903-520: A better view. Many modern theaters have accessible seating areas for patrons in wheelchairs. See also luxury screens below. Canada was the first country in the world to have a two-screen theater. The Elgin Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario became the first venue to offer two film programs on different screens in 1957 when Canadian theater-owner Nat Taylor converted the dual screen theater into one capable of showing two different movies simultaneously. Taylor
1032-537: A break in between. Separate admission for a short subject is rare; it is either an extra before a feature film or part of a series of short films sold as one admission (this mainly occurs at film festivals). (See also anthology film .) In the early decades of "talkie" films, many movie theaters presented a number of shorter items in addition to the feature film. This might include a newsreel , live-action comedy short films, documentary short films, musical short films, or cartoon shorts (many classic cartoons series such as
1161-607: A duopoly, and choking off the film supply so smaller theatres could not show the same products. Cineplex's control over the market allowed them to increase prices. They were criticized, including by Mayor Ed Koch , for raising ticket prices from USD$ 5 to USD$ 7 in New York City. In April 1998, Cineplex Odeon Theatres merged with New York City -based Loews Theatres (founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew ) to form Loews Cineplex Entertainment . Alliance Atlantis purchased Cineplex Odeon Films assets along with its home video division
1290-605: A former Cineplex chief financial officer . With investments from Onex Corporation and Famous Players, the new company focused on smaller markets that were usually served by smaller theatres and old equipment, opening large, major chain-style locations under the Galaxy Cinemas banner. By 2003, Galaxy Entertainment had grown to 19 theatres and $ 75 million in box office revenue. In 2001, Loews Cineplex Entertainment (a 1998 merger of Universal Pictures ' Cineplex Odeon and Sony 's Loews Theatres) underwent bankruptcy due to
1419-414: A full restaurant menu instead of general movie theater concessions such as popcorn or candy. In certain countries, there are also Bed Cinemas where the audience sits or lays in beds instead of chairs. 3D film is a system of presenting film images so that they appear to the viewer to be three-dimensional. Visitors usually borrow or keep special glasses to wear while watching the movie. Depending on
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#17327874207321548-464: A graveyard and ruins, formed an ideal location for his ghostraising spectacle. When it opened in 1838, The Royal Polytechnic Institution in London became a very popular and influential venue with all kinds of magic lantern shows as an important part of its program. At the main theatre, with 500 seats, lanternists would make good use of a battery of six large lanterns running on tracked tables to project
1677-679: A higher ticket price. Following the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, Cineplex reported that at least 80% of customers watched the film with one of its premium formats, and 40% of the company's overall box office revenue came from premium formats. Arcades at Cineplex locations are primarily operated under the branding Xscape Entertainment Centre ; the brand was first introduced in June 2009, and has since been deployed at 83 locations as of September 2024. Early Xscape locations (such as SilverCity CrossIron Mills near Calgary) were also built with licensed lounges and party rooms, but most of
1806-474: A licensed lounge with more premium offerings compared to Outtakes. Poptopia is a flavoured popcorn restaurant offered in a full-service format at 22 locations. Other Cineplex theatres may feature Poptopia at the concession stand, but only in the caramel corn and/or kettle corn flavours. Ice cream at Cineplex locations debuted with Baskin-Robbins and TCBY . Beginning in December 2007, Yogen Früz became
1935-482: A new 10-screen cinema at the site with three VIP screens. On December 16, 2019, Cineplex announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by the British cinema operator Cineworld Group , the second-largest film exhibitor worldwide, pending shareholder and regulatory approval. Cineworld would be paying $ 34 per-share—a 42% premium over Cineplex's share price prior to the announcement, valuing the company at CDN$ 2.8 billion. Cineworld planned to pay US$ 1.65 billion, and to fund
2064-626: A new cinema banner incorporating elements from The Rec Room's concept. The first Cineplex Junxion opened at Kildonan Place in Winnipeg in December 2022, succeeding the existing Famous Players location at the same site. Another location at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga opened on May 17, 2023. In November 2017, an IMAX VR centre opened at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto as IMAX VR's first location in Canada. The following month,
2193-479: A new concept, The Rec Room , amusement venues with live entertainment that serve food and drink. In the 2010s, Cineplex began to deploy "VIP Cinemas" featuring reclining seats, in-seat meal services, and a licensed lounge. On August 15, 2014, Cineplex opened a dedicated VIP Cinemas Don Mills location, the first to be devoted solely to the format. By 2017, the company had also begun to retrofit selected non-VIP auditoriums to feature reclining seating. On June 27, 2013,
2322-526: A new theatre chain while serving as president. His brother, Henry Nathanson, formed Odeon Theatres in April 1941. It initially started with four theatres in Vancouver and expanded using equal partnerships with Henry Morton's four theatres, Jack Barron's theatre, and Henry Friedman's theatre which were later bought out. Famous Players sued Nathan over the ownership of Regal Films, managed by Henry, in 1942, but
2451-504: A one-week limited release at 24 Cineplex locations. The decision was praised by opponents of abortion, but did lead to criticism from abortion-rights (pro-choice) groups due to disputes over the film's content (with the Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition stating that it planned to hold a peaceful protest outside Scotiabank Theatre Chinook Centre ). The film itself had already attracted criticism from groups, such as
2580-417: A result, the customer geography area of multiplexes and megaplexes typically overlaps with smaller theaters, which face threat of having their audience siphoned by bigger theaters that cut a wider swath in the movie-going landscape. In most markets, nearly all single-screen theaters (sometimes referred to as a "Uniplex") have gone out of business; the ones remaining are generally used for arthouse films, e.g.
2709-409: A screen in front of the stage and adding a projector; this conversion may be permanent, or temporary for purposes such as showing arthouse fare to an audience accustomed to plays. The familiar characteristics of relatively low admission and open seating can be traced to Samuel Roxy Rothafel , an early movie theater impresario . Many of these early theaters contain a balcony , an elevated level across
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#17327874207322838-583: A single screen. In the 2010s, most movie theaters had multiple screens. The largest theater complexes, which are called multiplexes —a concept developed in Canada in the 1950s—have up to thirty screens. The audience members often sit on padded seats, which in most theaters are set on a sloped floor, with the highest part at the rear of the theater. Movie theaters often sell soft drinks , popcorn and candy , and some theaters sell hot fast food . In some jurisdictions, movie theaters can be licensed to sell alcoholic drinks. A movie theater might also be referred to as
2967-734: A stake in VRStudios—a Seattle-based provider of virtual reality installations, and utilize its equipment for as many as 40 VR centres across the country. Launched in 2007, Scene+ is an entertainment rewards program jointly owned by Scotiabank and Cineplex Entertainment. Cineplex has an Outtakes ( French : Restoplex ) restaurant in many of its theatres, some which replace previous restaurant partners ( Burger King , KFC Express, Pizza Pizza / Pizza 73 , Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express and New York Fries ) and others which introduce restaurants at locations which did not previously feature one. VIP Cinemas and some Xscape locations feature
3096-584: A system is used that requires inexpensive 3D glasses, they can sometimes be kept by the patron. Most theaters have a fixed cost for 3D, while others charge for the glasses, but the latter is uncommon (at least in the United States). For example, in Pathé theaters in the Netherlands the extra fee for watching a 3D film consists of a fixed fee of €1.50, and an optional fee of €1 for the glasses. Holders of
3225-414: A total of over 500,000 visitors, with programs including Pauvre Pierrot and Autour d'une cabine . Thomas Edison initially believed film screening would not be as viable commercially as presenting films in peep boxes, hence the film apparatus that his company would first exploit became the kinetoscope . A few public demonstrations occurred since 9 May 1893, before a first public Kinetoscope parlor
3354-575: Is arguably the first cinema in the world. Claimants for the title of the earliest movie theatre include the Eden Theater in La Ciotat , where L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat was screened on 21 March 1899. The theatre closed in 1995 but re-opened in 2013. L'Idéal Cinéma in Aniche (France), built in 1901 as l'Hôtel du Syndicat CGT, showed its first film on 23 November 1905. The cinema
3483-586: Is credited by Canadian sources as the inventor of the multiplex or cineplex; he later founded the Cineplex Odeon Corporation , opening the 18-screen Toronto Eaton Centre Cineplex, the world's largest at the time, in Toronto, Ontario. In the United States, Stanley Durwood of American Multi-Cinema (now AMC Theatres ) is credited as pioneering the multiplex in 1963 after realizing that he could operate several attached auditoriums with
3612-458: Is increasing. The RealD company expects 15,000 screens worldwide in 2010. The availability of 3D movies encourages exhibitors to adopt digital cinema and provides a way for theaters to compete with home theaters . One incentive for theaters to show 3D films is that although ticket sales have declined, revenues from 3D tickets have grown. In the 2010s, 3D films became popular again. The IMAX 3D system and digital 3D systems are used (the latter
3741-503: Is mentioned in the 2010 Guinness World Records . The World's smallest solar-powered mobile cinema is Sol Cinema in the UK. Touring since 2010 the cinema is actually a converted 1972 caravan. It seats 8–10 at a time. In 2015 it featured in a Lenovo advert for the launch of a new tablet. The Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis , Minnesota has recently begun summer "bike-ins", inviting only pedestrians or people on bicycles onto
3870-576: Is still inconvenient and disturbing to find and claim it during the commercials and trailers, unless it is near an aisle. Some movie theaters have some kind of break during the presentation, particularly for very long films. There may also be a break between the introductory material and the feature. Some countries such as the Netherlands have a tradition of incorporating an intermission in regular feature presentations, though many theaters have now abandoned that tradition, while in North America, this
3999-516: Is the oldest known movie theater still in continuous operation. Traditionally a movie theater, like a stage theater , consists of a single auditorium with rows of comfortable padded seats, as well as a foyer area containing a box office for buying tickets. Movie theaters also often have a concession stand for buying snacks and drinks within the theater's lobby. Other features included are film posters , arcade games and washrooms. Stage theaters are sometimes converted into movie theaters by placing
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4128-474: Is used in the animated movies of Disney / Pixar ). The RealD 3D system works by using a single digital projector that swaps back and forth between the images for eyes. A filter is placed in front of the projector that changes the polarization of the light coming from the projector. A silver screen is used to reflect this light back at the audience and reduce loss of brightness. There are four other systems available: Volfoni, Master Image, XpanD and Dolby 3D . When
4257-806: Is usually called a " megaplex ". However, in the United Kingdom, this was a brand name for Virgin Cinema (later UGC). The first megaplex is generally considered to be the Kinepolis in Brussels, Belgium, which opened in 1988 with 25 screens and a seating capacity of 7,500. The first theater in the U.S. built from the ground up as a megaplex was the AMC Grand 24 in Dallas, Texas , which opened in May 1995, while
4386-424: Is very rare and usually limited to special circumstances involving extremely long movies. During the closing credits many people leave, but some stay until the end. Usually the lights are switched on after the credits, sometimes already during them. Some films show mid-credits scenes while the credits are rolling, which in comedy films are often bloopers and outtakes, or post-credits scenes , which typically set up
4515-640: The Looney Tunes and Mickey Mouse shorts were created for this purpose). Examples of this kind of programming are available on certain DVD releases of two of the most famous films starring Errol Flynn as a special feature arrangement designed to recreate that kind of filmgoing experience while the PBS series, Matinee at the Bijou , presented the equivalent content. Some theaters ran on continuous showings , where
4644-622: The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada , over its factual accuracy, with the Coalition describing it as "American propaganda". During the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival , festival organizers stated that Cineplex would no longer allow films distributed by an online video service (such as Prime Video or Netflix ) to be screened at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (which has been considered
4773-536: The Digital Cinema Package for the film. Control data is encoded in a monoaural WAV file on Sound Track channel 13, labelled as "Motion Data". Motion Data tracks are unencrypted and not watermarked. Movie theaters may be classified by the type of movies they show or when in a film's release process they are shown: Usually in the 2020s, an admission is for one feature film. Sometimes two feature films are sold as one admission ( double feature ), with
4902-790: The Empire Company announced that it would divest its Empire Theatres operations in order to focus on its real-estate assets and grocery chain Sobeys . Cineplex acquired 24 former Empire locations in the Atlantic provinces as well as 2 in Ontario, for around $ 200 million ( Landmark Cinemas acquired the remainder, predominantly in Western Canada and Ontario). In February 2014, Cineplex announced that it had acquired Empire's planned Lansdowne Park location in Ottawa, and would construct
5031-754: The Latham family, was demonstrated for members of the press on 21 April 1895 and opened to the paying public on 20 May, in a lower Broadway store with films of the Griffo-Barnett prize boxing fight, taken from Madison Square Garden 's roof on 4 May. Max Skladanowsky and his brother Emil demonstrated their motion pictures with the Bioscop in July 1895 at the Gasthaus Sello in Pankow (Berlin). This venue
5160-468: The Ministry of Technology campaign to raise standards. Using a very futuristic look, these 27-seat cinema vehicles were designed to attract attention. They were built on a Bedford SB 3 chassis with a custom Coventry Steel Caravan extruded aluminum body. Movies are also commonly shown on airliners in flight, using large screens in each cabin or smaller screens for each group of rows or each individual seat;
5289-666: The Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favour of Cineplex, and ordered Cineworld to pay US$ 1 billion in damages for breach of contract. The company planned to appeal the ruling; Cineworld's shares fell by 40% in the immediate aftermath of the ruling. In September 2022, it was reported that the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas had denied the appeal, amid Cineworld's Chapter 11 bankruptcy . It
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5418-522: The Pathé Unlimited Gold pass (see also below) are supposed to bring along their own glasses; one pair, supplied yearly, more robust than the regular type, is included in the price. IMAX is a system using 70 mm film with more than ten times the frame size of a 35 mm film . IMAX theaters use an oversized screen as well as special projectors. The first permanent IMAX theater was at Ontario Place in Toronto, Canada. Until 2016, visitors to
5547-670: The Sherman Antitrust Act if they did not provide first-run films to the Beverly Center. The first Cineplex location, an 18-screen complex in the basement of the Toronto Eaton Centre , earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest cinema at the time of its opening. In July 1982 they opened their first theater in the United States, with a 14-screen multiplex in
5676-770: The economic recession of the early 2000s . In June 2001, Onex Corporation announced its intent to acquire Loews Cineplex; as part of the deal, Loews Cineplex would close 46 cinemas (including 25 in Canada), and Onex would acquire the company for $ 1.3 billion with Oaktree Capital Management as a partner. In November 2003, Loews Cineplex Entertainment's Canadian operations merged with Galaxy Entertainment as Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund. The U.S. operations of Loews Cineplex were divested in 2004 to several investors including The Carlyle Group . On June 13, 2005, Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund announced its acquisition of Famous Players from Viacom for CA$ 500 million (about US$ 397 million). This deal
5805-533: The "primary" venue of the event for major screenings) due to company policy, as the services do not adhere to industry-standard theatrical windows. ScreenDaily stated that this was "believed to be the first time an exhibitor’s position on theatrical windowing has affected scheduling at a major film festival". On September 23, 2024, the Competition Tribunal ordered Cineplex to pay a $ 38.9 million fine for deceptive marketing practices. Cineplex added
5934-604: The 1570s in the English language. Movie theatres stand in a long tradition of theaters that could house all kinds of entertainment. Some forms of theatrical entertainment would involve the screening of moving images and can be regarded as precursors of film . In 1799, Étienne-Gaspard "Robertson" Robert moved his Phantasmagorie show to an abandoned cloister near the Place Vendôme in Paris. The eerie surroundings, with
6063-401: The 1940s The Rank Organisation sought to expand into markets dominated by American companies. J. Arthur Rank became fifty-fifty partners with Nathanson on 24 November 1944. Paul Nathanson, Nathan Nathanson's son, became the president of Odeon following Nathan's death and served until he sold his 50% stake in the company to The Rank Organisation in April 1946. Odeon grew from 107 theaters at
6192-418: The 1970s, subwoofers have been used for low-pitched sounds. Since the 2010s, the majority of movie theaters have been equipped for digital cinema projection , removing the need to create and transport a physical film print on a heavy reel. A great variety of films are shown at cinemas, ranging from animated films to blockbusters to documentaries. The smallest movie theaters have a single viewing room with
6321-511: The 1980s the introduction of VHS cassettes made possible video-salons, small rooms where visitors viewed movies on a large TV. These establishments were especially popular in the Soviet Union , where official distribution companies were slow to adapt to changing demand, and so movie theaters could not show popular Hollywood and Asian films . In 1967, the British government launched seven custom-built mobile cinema units for use as part of
6450-490: The 5th richest person in the world, became the first president of the resulting entity, Famous Player Canadian Corporation. In 1923, Famous Players bought out rival Allen Theatres, acquiring many buildings in the process. Odeon Theatres of Canada was established in 1941, before merging with the Canadian Theatres chain in 1978, becoming Canadian Odeon Theatres . In 1979, Garth Drabinsky and Nat Taylor created
6579-782: The Canadian market, AMC sold four of its Canadian cinemas to Cineplex, including the Yonge Dundas 24 at 10 Dundas East (Cineplex's original location and namesake), and the Forum in Montreal . The company also earlier acquired the Tinseltown Movies 12 theatre from another American chain, Cinemark , in the Gastown neighbourhood of Vancouver. Over the subsequent years, Cineplex expanded into advertising, events programming and
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#17327874207326708-508: The Cineplex Corporation and opened its first "Cineplex" theatre complex, in the Toronto Eaton Centre . Odeon merged with Cineplex in 1984 to form Cineplex Odeon Corporation , before being acquired by Loews Theatres in 1998, thereby becoming Loews Cineplex Entertainment . Galaxy Entertainment Inc. was established in 1999 by Ellis Jacob , a former chief operating officer of Loews Cineplex Entertainment , and Stephen Brown,
6837-856: The Cineplex banner). The company also owns Family entertainment centers under the brands The Rec Room and Playdium , the rewards loyalty program Scene+ (in partnership with Scotiabank and the Empire Company ), the e-commerce Cineplex Store, film distributor Cineplex Pictures and the digital advertising business Cineplex Media. Cineplex stakes a partial claim to the history of the Famous Players Film Company (later Paramount Pictures ), founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor , as Cineplex's earliest predecessor; however, that company did not have any operations in Canada until 1920, when it bought Nathan Nathanson's Paramount Theatre chain, which Nathanson had established four years earlier. Nathanson,
6966-467: The Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento, California , small-scale productions, film festivals or other presentations. Because of the late development of multiplexes, the term "cinema" or "theater" may refer either to the whole complex or a single auditorium, and sometimes "screen" is used to refer to an auditorium. A popular film may be shown on multiple screens at the same multiplex, which reduces
7095-615: The Dark and Warner Bros. House of Wax , the first 3D feature with stereophonic sound. For many years, most 3D movies were shown in amusement parks and even "4D" techniques have been used when certain effects such as spraying of water, movement of seats, and other effects are used to simulate actions seen on the screen. The first decline in the theatrical 3D craze started in August and September 1953. In 2009, movie exhibitors became more interested in 3D film. The number of 3D screens in theaters
7224-722: The IMAX cinema attached to the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford , West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, could observe the IMAX projection booth via a glass rear wall and watch the large format films being loaded and projected. The largest permanent IMAX cinema screen measures 38.80 m × 21.00 m (127.30 ft × 68.90 ft) and was achieved by Traumplast Leonberg (Germany) in Leonberg, Germany , verified on 6 December 2022. IMAX also refers to
7353-512: The Old French word "theatre", from the 12th century and "...directly from Latin theatrum [which meant] 'play-house, theater; stage; spectators in a theater'", which in turn came from the Greek word "theatron", which meant "theater; the people in the theater; a show, a spectacle", [or] literally "place for viewing". The use of the word "theatre" to mean a "building where plays are shown" dates from
7482-545: The VIP theatres albeit from a selection of beer or cider beverages. The current Chief Executive Officer and President of Cineplex Entertainment is Ellis Jacob . Alongside with Jacob are Jordan Banks who serves as a Facebook executive, Robert Bruce, Joan Dea, Ian Greenberg , the founder of Astral Media , Sarabjit S. Marwah, Anthony Munk, Edward Sonshine, Christopher Medlock, Robert J. Steacy and Phyllis Yaffe, who serves as its chair. The Motley Fool described Cineplex as having
7611-591: The adoption of a subscription service scheme similar to Regal and Cineworld) by the end of fiscal year 2020. The sale was approved by Cineplex shareholders in February 2020. Activist shareholder Bluebell Capital Partners called for the Canadian government to block the sale due to the COVID-19 pandemic , which in turn led to the temporary closure of all Cineplex properties for several months starting on March 16. In May, Cineplex stated that Cineworld planned to complete
7740-613: The airline company sometimes charges a fee for the headphones needed to hear the movie's sound. In a similar fashion, movies are sometimes also shown on trains, such as the Auto Train . The smallest purpose-built cinema is the Cabiria Cine-Cafe which measures 24 m (260 sq ft) and has a seating capacity of 18. It was built by Renata Carneiro Agostinho da Silva (Brazil) in Brasília DF, Brazil in 2008. It
7869-735: The assets of the former Cineplex Odeon chain) by Onex Corporation and Oaktree Capital Management , and its subsequent merger with Onex's Galaxy Entertainment —a chain of cinemas that was established in 1999 by former Cineplex Odeon executives, and operated primarily in smaller markets. The company subsequently acquired Famous Players from National Amusements in 2005, went public in 2011, and acquired Empire Theatres ' operations in Atlantic Canada and parts of Ontario in 2013. In December 2019, Cineplex agreed to be acquired by British exhibitor Cineworld Group for $ 2.8 billion, pending regulatory and shareholder approval, but Cineworld abandoned
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#17327874207327998-442: The audience for a sequel. Cineplex Odeon Corporation Theatres formerly operated by the company are now operated by Cineplex Entertainment in Canada and as AMC Theatres in the United States. Nathan Nathanson attempted to create a theatre chain with Fox Film , but was unable to due to the company entering receivership . Nathanson returned to the board of Famous Players and became its president in May 1933, resulting in
8127-407: The audience sits upon chairs, blankets or even in hot tubs , and watch the movie on a temporary screen, or even the wall of a building. Colleges and universities have often sponsored movie screenings in lecture halls. The formats of these screenings include 35 mm, 16 mm, DVD , VHS, and even 70 mm in rare cases. Some alternative methods of showing movies have been popular in the past. In
8256-409: The auditorium above the theater's rearmost seats. The rearward main floor "loge" seats were sometimes larger, softer, and more widely spaced and sold for a higher price. In conventional low pitch viewing floors, the preferred seating arrangement is to use staggered rows. While a less efficient use of floor space this allows a somewhat improved sight line between the patrons seated in the next row toward
8385-461: The brand Cinescape Games. In January 2015, Cineplex announced The Rec Room , an entertainment restaurant chain similar to the U.S.-based chain Dave & Buster's . The Rec Room targets a young adult demographic, with its locations featuring restaurants and bars, arcade and recreational game areas, simulators, and an auditorium equipped with a cinema-style screen. Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob explained that
8514-470: The car's stereo system. Because of their outdoor nature, drive-ins usually only operate seasonally, and after sunset. Drive-in movie theaters are mainly found in the United States, where they were especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Once numbering in the thousands, about 400 remain in the U.S. today. In some cases, multiplex or megaplex theaters were built on the sites of former drive-in theaters. Some outdoor movie theaters are just grassy areas where
8643-429: The case of Coliseum and Colossus, the unique architectural features of these theatres have been preserved), and Scotiabank Theatre in the case of Famous Players' Paramount cinemas. The Galaxy Theatres brand is primarily used by small and medium-market locations, although some have since been converted to the Cineplex Cinemas banner. Selected Cineplex locations offer including large-screen formats, motion seats, and VIP for
8772-410: The case was dismissed in 1948. Nathan attempted to hire Nat Taylor , but he rejected Taylor's demands and Taylor was instead hired by Famous Players to manage 25 theatres. Nicholas Schenck , the president of Loews , whose company owned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer met with Nathanson, Fitzgibbons, Balaban, and other people in New York to allocate MGM films between Famous Players and Odeon months after Odeon
8901-426: The chain is meant to help the company diversify beyond its core cinema business in the wake of the growing streaming industry, The first location opened in Edmonton , Alberta on September 19, 2016, at the South Edmonton Common . A second location in Toronto, Ontario at Roundhouse Park opened in June 2017, followed by a third location at the West Edmonton Mall . The chain consists of 10 locations across Canada since
9030-436: The choice of other films but offers more choice of viewing times or a greater number of seats to accommodate patrons. Two or three screens may be created by dividing up an existing cinema (as Durwood did with his Roxy in 1964), but newly built multiplexes usually have at least six to eight screens, and often as many as twelve, fourteen, sixteen or even eighteen. Although definitions vary, a large multiplex with 20 or more screens
9159-419: The claims and made counter-allegations. The agreement with Cineworld included a condition that the latter would pay a penalty in case it decided to cancel the deal. In February 2021, CEO Ellis Jacob offered to temporarily convert Cineplex facilities into COVID-19 vaccination sites. In July, Cineplex started legal action against Cineworld claiming financial damages and Cineworld counter-sued. In December 2021,
9288-422: The company a $ 65 million line of credit before increasing it to $ 175 million over a ten-year period in 1987. The company's total screen ownership rose from 1,060 in 1985, to 1,501 screens in 1987, making it the largest theatre chain in North America. MCA Inc. acquired a 50% equity interest in the company for $ 219 million which allowed Cineplex to purchase the equity interest from its New York investors. In 1986,
9417-576: The company purchased the Loew chain of 222 screens for $ 325 million, RKO's chain of 97 screens for $ 169 million and taking on its $ 97.3 million of debt, Neighborhood Cinema Group 's 67 screens for $ 21 million, and Essaness Theatres ' 41 screens for $ 14.5 million. Walter Reade 's 143 screens were acquired for $ 32.5 million in 1987. The company's debt increased to $ 650 million by 1989, resulting in MCA and Claridge forcing Drabinsky's resignation on 1 December after he
9546-450: The company went public in order afford its expenditures and continue expanding. 3,653,573 shares were issued with 18.92% held by Max Tanenbaum, 15.89% held by Taylor, and 19.88% held by Andrew Sarlos. Only $ 3.85 million was raised and the stock price fell from $ 5 upon opening to between $ 2 and $ 2.50 in August 1983. The Ontario Securities Commission ordered the company to stop trading shares five months after it went public. The failure of
9675-434: The dark. Since the advent of stadium theaters with stepped aisles, each step in the aisles may be outlined with small lights to prevent patrons from tripping in the darkened theater. In movie theaters, the auditorium may also have lights that go to a low level, when the movie is going to begin. Theaters often have booster seats for children and other people of short stature to place on the seats to allow them to sit higher, for
9804-473: The early 1950s with the release of the first color stereoscopic feature, Bwana Devil . The film starred Robert Stack , Barbara Britton and Nigel Bruce . James Mage was an early pioneer in the 3D craze. Using his 16 mm 3D Bolex system, he premiered his Triorama program in February 1953 with his four shorts: Sunday In Stereo , Indian Summer , American Life , and This is Bolex Stereo . 1953 saw two groundbreaking features in 3D: Columbia's Man in
9933-661: The end of 2004, only the Mississauga location remained, which permanently closed on November 1, 2020. The chain was relaunched with two Ontario locations in 2019: Brampton on September 16, retrofitting the Cineplex Odeon Orion Gate theatre, and Whitby on November 4. A third Playdium location opened in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on February 20, 2021. Cineplex aims to have 10 to 15 Playdium locations across Canada. In 2022, Cineplex launched Cineplex Junxion,
10062-424: The end of 2021. Cineplex owns Playdium, an arcade and family entertainment centre chain focused on children and teens. The chain first launched in 1996 in Mississauga , Ontario . In 1997, Playdium partnered with Famous Players to operate arcades at its locations under the brand TechTown. It expanded to four locations by June 1999, including Toronto, Edmonton and Burnaby. The Toronto location closed in 2002, and by
10191-415: The feature film. Advertised start times are usually for the entire program or session, not the feature itself; thus people who want to avoid commercials and trailers would opt to enter later. This is easiest and causes the least inconvenience when it is not crowded or one is not very choosy about where one wants to sit. If one has a ticket for a specific seat (see below) one is formally assured of that, but it
10320-427: The film after securing a Canadian distributor. They felt it amounted to an effective "ban" of the film from Canada due to the company's scale. The film's co-director Cory Solomon also, along with other anti-abortion activists and religious groups, called for a boycott of Cineplex. The company later announced that it would— joining competitor Landmark Cinemas and a handful of independent cinemas — screen Unplanned with
10449-421: The film distribution outlet ceased operation in 1997 and the home video outlet a year later after MCA was renamed as Universal Studios . The company also operated Live Entertainment of Canada , which was established in 1989 after they acquired Pantages Theatre from Famous Players. Livent became an independent company after an internal conflict between Drabinsky and MCA. Cineplex Odeon had grown to become one of
10578-400: The finely detailed images of extra large slides on the 648 square feet screen. The magic lantern was used to illustrate lectures, concerts, pantomimes and other forms of theatre. Popular magic lantern presentations included phantasmagoria, mechanical slides, Henry Langdon Childe 's dissolving views and his chromatrope. The earliest known public screening of projected stroboscopic animation
10707-552: The first decade of motion pictures, the demand for movies, the amount of new productions, and the average runtime of movies, kept increasing, and at some stage it was viable to have theaters that would no longer program live acts, but only movies. The first building built for the dedicated purpose of showing motion pictures was built to demonstrate The Phantoscope , a device created by Jenkins & Armat, as part of The Cotton State Exposition on September 25, 1895 in Atlanta, GA. This
10836-546: The first megaplex in the U.S.-based on an expansion of an existing facility was Studio 28 in Grand Rapids, Michigan , which reopened in November 1988 with 20 screens and a seating capacity of 6,000. A drive-in movie theater is an outdoor parking area with a screen—sometimes an inflatable screen —at one end and a projection booth at the other. Moviegoers drive into the parking spaces which are sometimes sloped upwards at
10965-409: The front to give a more direct view of the movie screen. Movies are usually viewed through the car windscreen (windshield) although some people prefer to sit on the bonnet (hood) of the car. Some may also sit in the trunk (back) of their car if space permits. Sound is either provided through portable loudspeakers located by each parking space, or is broadcast on an FM radio frequency, to be played through
11094-510: The grounds for both live music and movies. In various Canadian cities, including Toronto , Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax , al-fresco movies projected on the walls of buildings or temporarily erected screens in parks operate during the Summer and cater to a pedestrian audience. The New Parkway Museum in Oakland, California replaces general seating with couches and coffee tables, as well as having
11223-523: The incumbent provider with 105 locations, all which offer Pike Place Roast coffee (regular or decaf) and Tazo tea. Select locations also offer premium drinks such as caffè mocha or caramel macchiato . Tim Hortons is available as a full-service restaurant in five locations, with Brossard being the only location to offer both Tim Hortons and Starbucks. In most theatres, Cineplex offers sale of alcohol to 19+ patrons in Ontario (18+ in Alberta) similar to
11352-413: The industry's annual revenues. The key to the success of the two organizations was in large part due to their supply chain. Cineplex Odeon had exclusive first-run rights to films made by Columbia and Universal Studios , which allowed them to seize a hefty market share. Controversy surrounded the practices of both Cineplex Odeon and Famous Players in 1998. The two companies had been accused of operating as
11481-681: The investigators rather than face trial in 1983, and they altered their theatrical distribution policies causing Cineplex to have better access to first-run films. After successfully winning a legal challenge against the Famous Players/Canadian Odeon duopoly and their exclusive contracts with major studios, Cineplex acquired Odeon on 28 June 1984, for $ 22 million and taking on Odeon's $ 35 million in debt. This increased its property ownership to 143 theatres, 383 screens, and 29 drive-in theatres. A lease with Landmark Cinemas in February 1985 added 22 screens. The Bronfman family
11610-436: The largest film exhibitors in North America by 1993, with 1,630 screens and operations in 365 locations within North America. At this point, Cineplex Odeon accounted for roughly 8% of box office revenues in North America, competing mostly with Famous Players in the Canadian market. Cineplex Odeon and Famous Players were two dominant forces in the Canadian film industry, with both organizations accounting for roughly two-thirds of
11739-653: The later builds have been designed as redemption -oriented refurbishments or conversions of existing space. In 2017, Cineplex began to expand the Xscape brand internationally, beginning with two standalone Xscape arcades at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota . Cineplex arcades in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador , and at other locations that have not adopted the Xscape format, use
11868-946: The mid-2010s to refer to auditoriums with high-end amenities. PLF does not refer to a single format in general, but combinations of non-proprietary amenities such as larger "wall-to-wall" screens, 4K projectors, 7.1 and/or positional surround sound systems (including Dolby Atmos ), and higher-quality seating (such as leather recliners). Cinemas typically brand PLF auditoriums with chain-specific trademarks , such as "Prime" ( AMC ), "Grand Screen” ( B&B Theatres ), "BTX" ( Bow Tie ), "Superscreen" ( Cineworld ), "BigD" ( Carmike , now owned by AMC), "UltraAVX" ( Cineplex ), "Macro XE" ( Cinépolis ), "XD" ( Cinemark ), "BigPix" ( INOX ), "Laser Ultra" ( Kinepolis and Landmark Cinemas ), "RPX" ( Regal Cinemas ), "Superscreen DLX"/"Ultrascreen DLX" ( Marcus ), "Titan" ( Reading Cinemas ), "VueXtreme" ( Vue International ), and "X-land" ( Wanda Cinemas ). PLFs compete primarily with formats such as digital IMAX;
11997-587: The name of its operating subsidiary Cineplex Galaxy LP to Cineplex Entertainment LP, to reflect their expanded operations. On March 31, 2006, Cineplex sold seven more theatres in Quebec to Chelsea-based Fortune Cinemas. On June 29, 2007, Cineplex Entertainment announced its purchase of three Cinema City theatres in western Canada, consisting of two theatres in Winnipeg and one in Edmonton. As Cineplex no longer held
12126-616: The newly built Beverly Center in Los Angeles, the largest in the US at the time. Also in 1982, the company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange . Cineplex was not financially successful and its debt rose to $ 24.6 million by the end of 1982 due to loans taken out with 22% interest rates. In September 1982, Pan-Canadian Film Distributors, Tiberius Productions, Toronto International Studios, Cineplex Theatres, and other companies were combined into Cineplex Corporation and
12255-544: The opening of its first theatre. The company received financial backing from the Bronfman family , Cadillac Fairview 's chair and chief executive officer John H. Daniels, and received a $ 1 million line of credit from the Toronto-Dominion Bank . The company grew to 202 theatres by July 1983. Taylor and Drabinsky also founded Pan-Canadian Film Distributors. Drabinsky threatened to sue American companies under
12384-434: The pictures , or simply theater , is a business that contains auditoriums for viewing films for public entertainment. Most are commercial operations catering to the general public, who attend by purchasing tickets . The film is projected with a movie projector onto a large projection screen at the front of the auditorium while the dialogue, sounds and music are played through a number of wall-mounted speakers. Since
12513-512: The popularity of such shows in France. The earliest public film screenings took place in existing (vaudeville) theatres and other venues that could be darkened and comfortably house an audience. Émile Reynaud screened his Pantomimes Lumineuses animated movies from 28 October 1892 to March 1900 at the Musée Grévin in Paris, with his Théâtre Optique system. He gave over 12,800 shows to
12642-693: The preferred partner. On January 1, 2014, Cineplex acquired a 50% stake in Yoyo's Yogurt Café. As of January 2017, 77 Cineplex theatres feature Yoyo's restaurants, while Yogen Fruz is still available in 23 Cineplex theatres while TCBY is available in 16 locations. Beverages are available in both cold and hot formats. Cold beverages include the Coca-Cola lineup, which replaced the Pepsi lineup used at locations formerly owned by Famous Players. 12 locations feature Coca-Cola Freestyle . Hot beverages include Starbucks as
12771-405: The production of motion pictures or in a large private residence. The etymology of the term "movie theater" involves the term "movie", which is a "shortened form of moving picture in the cinematographic sense" that was first used in 1896 and "theater", which originated in the "...late 14c., [meaning an] open air place in ancient times for viewing spectacles and plays". The term "theater" comes from
12900-579: The public venture resulted in Sarlos and Tanenbaum resigning from the board of directors and Barry Zuckerman, a principal shareholder, made a $ 1 million write-down for his investments. Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb, vice-chair of the board, increased their share of the risk and the Beverly Center was sold to TTI Movies Limited Partnership for $ 4.33 million. The company almost fell into receivership . An investigation into multiple distributors in Canada
13029-517: The remainder by taking on debt. Combined with its ownership of the 564-location Regal Cinemas chain in the United States (which it had acquired the previous year), the sale would have made Cineworld the largest cinema chain in North America. Cineworld stated that it planned to integrate Cineplex's operations with those of Regal, while maintaining Cineplex's banners for its Canadian operations. The company also stated that it planned to reach $ 120 million in cost efficiencies and revenue synergies (including
13158-483: The rest of the board resigning in protest. Holt and Ross, who left alongside Nathanson, returned with him. Zukor agreed to give control of the company back to Nathanson after the expiration of the voting trust on 8 March 1939. Barney Balaban replaced Zukor as president of Paramount-Publix Corporation in 1936, and rejected the agreement. Nathanson resigned from Famous Players on 14 May 1941, and Balaban selected J.J. Fitzgibbons to replace him. Nathanson worked on creating
13287-598: The rights to the branding, the Paramount Theatres locations were rebranded as Scotiabank Theatre as part of a joint venture with Scotiabank to launch a new loyalty program . With the bankruptcy of Fortune Cinemas, Cineplex Entertainment acquired (or in this case, re-acquired) some of Fortune Cinemas theatres. The Starcité Gatineau (Starcité Hull) and the Cavendish theaters were reopened as Cineplex Entertainment theatres. In June 2012, as part of its exit from
13416-522: The sale by June 2020, provided that it received federal approval under the Investment Canada Act , and that it met the terms of the sale agreement (including its debt not exceeding $ 725 million). On June 12, 2020, Cineworld abandoned the purchase, alleging that Cineplex had engaged in conduct that breached unspecified terms of the sale, and that the company had experienced a "material adverse effect" of an unspecified nature. Cineplex denied
13545-401: The sale in June 2020 due to unspecified breaches of the sale terms. The company operates cinemas across Canada, primarily under the brand Cineplex Cinemas . Some flagship locations operate as Scotiabank Theatre , while some locations use brands carried over from its corporate predecessors (such as Famous Players, SilverCity, Odeon, and Galaxy, although some of them have since been converted to
13674-554: The same items would repeat throughout the day, with patrons arriving and departing at any time rather than having distinct entrance and exit cycles. Newsreels gradually became obsolete by the 1960s with the rise of television news, and most material now shown prior to a feature film is of a commercial or promotional nature (which usually include " trailers ", which are advertisements for films and commercials for other consumer products or services). A typical modern theater presents commercial advertising shorts , then movie trailers, and then
13803-590: The same staff needed for one through careful management of the start times for each movie. Ward Parkway Center in Kansas City, Missouri had the first multiplex cinema in the United States. Since the 1960s, multiple-screen theaters have become the norm, and many existing venues have been retrofitted so that they have multiple auditoriums. A single foyer area is shared among them. In the 1970s, many large 1920s movie palaces were converted into multiple screen venues by dividing their large auditoriums, and sometimes even
13932-399: The same year. After the merger, the company ceased to exist and was merged into the operations of Loews Cineplex Entertainment. In 1999, Ellis Jacob and Steve Brown, former executives who left Cineplex Odeon Corporation during the ownership change, created Galaxy Entertainment designed to bring big-city entertainment to mid-sized markets across Canada. In 2001, Loews Cineplex Entertainment,
14061-477: The screen, provided they do not lean toward one another. " Stadium seating ", popular in modern multiplexes, actually dates back to the 1920s. The 1922 Princess Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii featured "stadium seating", sharply raked rows of seats extending from in front of the screen back towards the ceiling. It gives patrons a clear sight line over the heads of those seated in front of them. Modern "stadium seating"
14190-399: The silver screen (formerly sometimes sheet ) and the big screen (contrasted with the smaller screen of a television set). Specific to North American term is the movies , while specific terms in the UK are the pictures , the flicks and for the facility itself the flea pit (or fleapit ). A screening room is a small theater, often a private one, such as for the use of those involved in
14319-414: The stage space, into smaller theaters. Because of their size, and amenities like plush seating and extensive food/beverage service, multiplexes and megaplexes draw from a larger geographic area than smaller theaters. As a rule of thumb, they pull audiences from an eight to 12-mile radius, versus a three to five-mile radius for smaller theaters (though the size of this radius depends on population density). As
14448-402: The system used, these are typically polarized glasses . Three-dimensional movies use two images channeled, respectively, to the right and left eyes to simulate depth by using 3D glasses with red and blue lenses (anaglyph), polarized (linear and circular), and other techniques. 3D glasses deliver the proper image to the proper eye and make the image appear to "pop-out" at the viewer and even follow
14577-528: The term cinema / ˈ s ɪ n ɪ m ə / , alternatively spelled and pronounced kinema / ˈ k ɪ n ɪ m ə / . The latter terms, as well as their derivative adjectives "cinematic" and "kinematic", ultimately derive from Greek κίνημα, κινήματος ( kinema , kinematos )—"movement, motion". In the countries where those terms are used, the word "theatre" is usually reserved for live performance venues. Colloquial expressions, mostly applied to motion pictures and motion picture theaters collectively, include
14706-401: The time of Rank's acquirement in 1946, to 180 theatres by 1948. Earl Lawson , a former parliamentarian and member of Prime Minister R. B. Bennett 's cabinet, was selected to replace Paul as president in 1946. The board under Rank included president of Canadian Pacific Railway D.C. Coleman, president of Imperial Oil R.V. LeSueur, and Rank lawyer Leonard Brockington . Leonard Brockington
14835-572: The use of common " off-the-shelf " components and an in-house brand removes the need to pay licensing fees to a third-party for a proprietary large format. Although the term is synonymous with exhibitor-specific brands, some PLFs are franchised. Dolby franchises Dolby Cinema , which is based on technologies such as Atmos and Dolby Vision . CJ CGV franchises the 4DX and ScreenX formats. In some theaters, seating can be dynamically moved via haptic motion technology called D-BOX . In digital cinema , D-BOX codes for motion control are stored in
14964-470: The viewer when he/she moves so viewers relatively see the same image. The earliest 3D movies were presented in the 1920s. There have been several prior "waves" of 3D movie distribution, most notably in the 1950s when they were promoted as a way to offer audiences something that they could not see at home on television. Still the process faded quickly and as yet has never been more than a periodic novelty in movie presentation. The "golden era" of 3D film began in
15093-507: Was a major investor in the Odeon purchase. Drabinsky fired two-thirds of the staff at the head-office and the remainder had their salaries cut. By 1984, the company had a profit of $ 12 million. From 1985 to 1986, profits rose by 153% to $ 31.6 million. Merrill Lynch predicted that by 1988, the company's revenue would be above $ 659 million. The company paid USD$ 2.3 million for the worldwide distribution rights for The Glass Menagerie which
15222-861: Was also reported by The Wall Street Journal that Cineplex was exploring the possibility of a separate merger with Regal. Cineplex's flagship banners include Cineplex Cinemas ( French : Cinémas Cineplex in Quebec), with some older locations still using the previous "Cineplex Odeon" branding, and Scotiabank Theatre . Cineplex Junxion was announced as a new cinema banner in 2019; these locations feature expanded arcade, restaurant, and live entertainment areas in addition to traditional cinema auditoriums. Selected banners originating from Famous Players are still used by some locations, such as Famous Players and SilverCity ( French : StarCité in Quebec), but these banners, as well as others (such as Coliseum and Colossus) have been largely replaced by Cineplex Cinemas (although in
15351-537: Was appointed as president following Lawson's death in 1950. Rank controlled Odeon until January 1977, when they sold it, as Rank had stopped its activities in film production, to Michael Zahorchak for $ 31.2 million. Zahorchak combined his chain of 47 theatres with Odeon's 131 theatres. He died in 1982, leaving control of the company to his family. The Zahorchak family sold the company to the Cineplex Corporation on 28 June 1984. Taylor and Garth Drabinsky formed Cineplex in 1977, and started operating in April 1979 with
15480-646: Was closed in 1977 and the building was demolished in 1993. The "Centre Culturel Claude Berri" was built in 1995; it integrates a new movie theater (the Idéal Cinéma Jacques Tati). In the United States, many small and simple theaters were set up, usually in converted storefronts. They typically charged five cents for admission, and thus became known as nickelodeons . This type of theatre flourished from about 1905 to circa 1915. The Korsør Biograf Teater, in Korsør , Denmark, opened in August 1908 and
15609-533: Was completed on July 22, 2005. To satisfy antitrust concerns, on August 22, 2005, the group announced the sale of 27 locations in Ontario and western Canada to Empire Theatres . On June 21, Loews Cineplex announced that it would merge with AMC Theatres . While AMC Theatres also operated in Canada and was ranked third behind Cineplex Galaxy and the enlarged Empire Theatres, Cineplex Odeon and AMC Theatres remained competitors. In October 2005, Cineplex Galaxy changed
15738-414: Was formed. Famous Players retained MGM's films, but they would be distributed by Regal films. Theatre construction fell during World War II with nine theatres being built between 1941 and 1944 due to a ban on constructing entertainment facilities. Odeon expanded their amount of theatres from 107 to 180 between 1946 and 1948. Odeon and Famous Players accounted for 60.8% of box-office receipts in 1947. In
15867-650: Was later, at least since 1918, exploited as the full-time movie theatre Pankower Lichtspiele and between 1925 and 1994 as Tivoli. The first certain commercial screenings by the Skladanowsky brothers took place at the Wintergarten in Berlin from 1 to 31 November 1895. The first commercial, public screening of films made with Louis and Auguste Lumière 's Cinématographe took place in the basement of Salon Indien du Grand Café in Paris on 28 December 1895. During
15996-679: Was launched by the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs against 20th Century Fox , Astral Films Limited , Columbia Pictures , Paramount Pictures, United Artists , Universal Pictures , and Warner Bros. under the Combines Investigation Act in the 1980s. An application with the Restrictive Trade Practices Commission was filed on 22 December 1982, by the director of investigation and research. The distributors negotiated with
16125-557: Was opened on 14 April 1894, by the Holland Bros. in New York City at 1155 Broadway, on the corner of 27th Street. This can be regarded as the first commercial motion picture house. The venue had ten machines, set up in parallel rows of five, each showing a different movie. For 25 cents a viewer could see all the films in either row; half a dollar gave access to the entire bill. The Eidoloscope , devised by Eugene Augustin Lauste for
16254-536: Was presented by Austrian magician Ludwig Döbler on 15 January 1847 at the Josephstadt Theatre in Vienna , with his patented Phantaskop. The animated spectacle was part of a well-received show that sold out in several European cities during a tour that lasted until the spring of 1848. The famous Parisian entertainment venue Le Chat Noir opened in 1881 and is remembered for its shadow plays , renewing
16383-497: Was recovered by selling the home video rights to MCA. The company's subsidiary in the United States purchased Plitt Theatres , the fourth-largest theatre chain in the country, for $ 136 million on 15 August 1985, which added 574 screens and 209 theatres. A New York investor group financed the Plitt Theatres purchase through a 50% partnership and the company reported record financial results in 1985. The Bank of America gave
16512-652: Was unable to raise $ 1.1 billion. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in May 1987. They acquired 20 Circle Theatres in Washington DC and Maryland with 75 screens for $ 51 million in December 1987. In 1986, the corporation established a film distribution outlet, Cineplex Odeon Films , and a home video distribution outlet, Cineplex Odeon Home Video (Later Cineplex Odeon Video) replacing Pan-Canadian Video Presentations. It distributed all titles in Canada on MCA's behalf, but
16641-508: Was utilized in IMAX theaters, which have very tall screens, beginning in the early 1970s. Rows of seats are divided by one or more aisles so that there are seldom more than 20 seats in a row. This allows easier access to seating, as the space between rows is very narrow. Depending on the angle of rake of the seats, the aisles have steps. In older theaters, aisle lights were often built into the end seats of each row to help patrons find their way in
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