Your favorite movie theater

[helen]

Which movie theater is your favorite?

For me latey it's been the Ward 16. Kind of close to home, stadium seating, self serving soda machines (which makes for unlimited sodas) and a variety of places to eat around the area.

Dole Cannery 18, also has stadium seating, I think the hot dogs are better if the Critics Corner section is open and while it's farther away from home it's kind of close to work. With the exception of yesterday's viewing of The Good Shepherd it's been over a year since I last went there.

It's been years since I have gone to Kahala or the Pearlridge theaters, which are accesible by TheBus.

[poinographer]

Funny you should bring this up. I just came back from the Windward Mall theaters where our movie began with the picture, and the soundtrack, but NO AUDIO FOR THE CHARACTERS' SPEECH. At first everyone was puzzled as to if it was some novel introduction to a movie, but when it went on too long a few people went to complain. So a supervisor arrives and watches for another few minutes and deduces, "Yup, something is wrong." She then ambles up to the projection booth and a few minutes later the house lights come up and she says, "Sorry, but something is wrong but we have corrected the problem. We can't rewind the movie (?!) so you may either watch it when we re-start it from this point or you may move to another movie screen and see a different show."

The audience wasn't having that. We demanded, and received, refunds.

Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. Adds another layer of meaning to "Pursuit of Happyness." Heh.

[anapuni808]

My favorite is Ward Center - because they have the Concierge service & valet parking. I've been a member since they started & it's paid off for me. All I have to do is call them, tell them how many tickets I want (up to 6) and where I want to sit. They will hold the tix/seats & even stand in line at the concession stand for a small fee. Even on opening day of a blockbuster movie! I've haven't stood in a ticket line for quite a while so I'm really spoiled. If you're going to dinner after, they will make your reservations for you at any of the Ward restaurants. Yeah, I guess I'm spoiled...........and I like it.

[Hellbent]

waikiki twins #3

[mel]

Cinerama was my favorite. Long gone now with a Checker store filling in its shell. I also liked the Waikiki Twins & the original one too. All gone, shopping mail in its place today.

Currently perhaps Regal Dole Cannery, the ones with the very large screen and THX sound.

[anapuni808]

oh well - if we're also including old ones, definitely Cinerama. Thats where I saw Star Wars for the first time. and Mash.

and the original Waikiki Theater, with the stars on the ceiling & the organ. and then there was the Royal on Kuhio Ave. My daughter & I went there a lot because they showed a lot of Disney films.

and there used to be another one, on Kuhio - where Nick's Fishmarket is now. Saw Cleopatra there shortly after arriving on O`ahu.

Lots of very fond memories tied up with movies in Waikiki.

[Hellbent]

I miss drive-ins.

[hawaiiguy]

Cinerama? weren't their seat location/installation poorly planned? like one's seat would be directly behind the one in front of you---so if you had a tall person sitting, you really couldn't see the movie...

from what I remember, that was one of my gripes for the Cinerama...

I liked the Royal Theater on Kuhio Ave. then...

now, I like all theaters where there is stadium seating

[pzarquon]

The Ward Stadium 16 is on my shortlist, to be sure. Exactly what a city multiplex should be. I actually don't mind Dole Cannery, either. There was a time that those theaters were the ones to visit if you were a sound snob... and weren't they among the first 'stadium' configurations?

Theaters that are no more? The Cinerama (yeah, it had technical issues, but it was across the street from my intermediate school, and thus holds many fond memories) and the Waikiki 3, definitely. Don't forget the ol' Kam Drive Inn. I also went to the Kuhio Twins, Kapiolani, even Pearlridge 4-plex quite a bit.

I think the Varsity is just about the last old-school movie houses left. We went for "one last show" to say goodbye to Cinerama, Waikiki, Kuhio and Kam (almost all horrid movies, of course), and I'm dreading the day we'll have to do the same on University Avenue.

[DannyWilliams]

sniff........

goin down memory lane hea..........

Yeah kinda sad that there is no ol skool theaters its STADIUM Seating and Multiplex........ Da MOA da BETTAH.......


Well heres a listing of theaters I have been at and is no longer in operation .........

WAIKIKI:
Waikiki Twins #1 & #2
Waikiki #3
Kuhio Twins #1 & #2
The Marina Twins #1 & #2
Royal Theater

ALA MOANA:
Kapiolani
(btw, I am shocked no theaters in the vicinity of Ala Moana Center... wassup wit dat?)

DOWNTOWN HONOLULU:
King Twins #1 #2 (though the place was goin into ya know whats I do recall their double features during the 80's before they finally bowed out and anyone remember that the auditorium was sooooooo dark/poorly lit u could not see where da heck u were goin and even with the few lights they had on was still terrible to see wea ya was goin at times)

PEARLRIDGE:
Pearlridge 4plex (was it a mistake that they opened the 16plex at Phase 2 (I MEAN) Downtown?!?!?
Kam Drive In Twins (the last movie I saw there was "More American Graffiti" and were talkin 1980)

WAIPAHU:
Royal Sunset Drive In

KAILUA:
Kailua Drive In

and then there was the Royal on Kuhio Ave. My daughter & I went there a lot because they showed a lot of Disney films.

Yup, Royal must have had some kind of contract exclusive thing goin. When The future of the Royal Chain was lookin bleak Consolidated jumped right in and took over thus aquiring the Marina

[Palama Kid]

What else. Da Palama Theatre, of course. I miss those 10-cents Saturday morning cartoon / serials. Ah, Lash Larue and Flash Gordon were so good fun.

[anapuni808]

and lets not forget good old Queen Theater on Waialae Ave. - saw my first ever porno film there, "I am Curious Yellow" I think was the name of it. and back in the mid 60's to 70's - all the drive in movies. I think my husband & I went to Waialae at least 2 times a week! Maybe we were just bored with each other?

[shaveice]

and lets not forget good old Queen Theater on Waialae Ave. - saw my first ever porno film there, "I am Curious Yellow" I think was the name of it. and back in the mid 60's to 70's - all the drive in movies. I think my husband & I went to Waialae at least 2 times a week! Maybe we were just bored with each other?

ha! ha! thanks for a good laugh!

[zff]

Does anyone here remember the Kapiolani Drive-In theater (where Daiei/Don Quijote and the fire station is now)? You know, near Universal Motors?

[Palama Kid]

Does anyone here remember the Kapiolani Drive-In theater (where Daiei/Don Quijote and the fire station is now)? You know, near Universal Motors?

Here's a pitcher of someone taken when we lived at Kalakaua Homes, right next to that Drive-Inn. As a diversion, we used to watch some movies while sitting next to the fence . . . um, outside of the drive-inn, don't you know.

[helen]

Cinerama was my favorite.

Another thing I miss about the Cinerama was that in a couple of periods in the mid to late 90's was running classic film festivals. The first one ran for 4 to 5 weeks and had one movie running the entire week. The second group ran for two or three weeks and a movie would play for a couple of days.

Does anyone here remember the Kapiolani Drive-In theater (where Daiei/Don Quijote and the fire station is now)? You know, near Universal Motors?

Nope, this was way before my time. While I have been on Oahu since 1979 there was a time we visited Oahu during the 1960's and I remember visiting Holiday Mart (which then became Daiei and now Don Quijote).

[jdub]

No one loved the Kahala Drive In? Right next to the grave yard? And all the ghost stories that circulated? I remember not taking a shower for a month after my family went to see "Squirm," a laughable thriller about killer worms that featured a scene with worms coming out of the showerhead. My older sister used to torment me with ghost stories about the lady with no face in the bathroom mirror at the snack stand.

[D'Alani]

What else. Da Palama Theatre, of course. I miss those 10-cents Saturday morning cartoon / serials. Ah, Lash Larue and Flash Gordon were so good fun.

Also, Liliha and Kalihi Theatres...all had different cartoons on Saturday...yea da good ol days. And yea I remember going to Kapiolani Drive In and Waialae Drive In.

[achow]

My favorite movie theaters areL

-Kahala
-Pearlridge 16
-Ward
-All of the Waikiki Theatres (which is long gone now)

[jdub]

I remember a crazy uncle taking me down to see kung fu movies in Chinatown on the weekends. I want to say it was the Hawai'i Theatre, but I can't be sure it was because I was so manini at the time (maybe 5 or 6). I remember seeing movies at the old theaters on King Street in Downtown, and those aren't the one I'm talking about. Does anyone remember kung fu movies at the Hawai'i Theatre back in the day?

[anapuni808]

There was another theater down there, I think there is a church in it now? I think at the corner of Nu`uanu & Beretania.

What about the Toyo (?) on Kapiolani? I used to go watch samurai movies there. That was where I learned to love Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune films

[cezanne]

Koolau Theaters in Temple Valley because its less than 5 minutes away.

[mel]

Another thing I miss about the Cinerama was that in a couple of periods in the mid to late 90's was running classic film festivals.

Sure were. I caught reruns of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Lawrence of Arabia" at the Cinerama at that time.

[Palama Kid]

There was another theater down there, I think there is a church in it now? I think at the corner of Nu`uanu & Beretania.

What about the Toyo (?) on Kapiolani? I used to go watch samurai movies there. That was where I learned to love Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune films

Was that theatre on Beretania and Nuuanu called Kokusai? Between the Hawaii and Kokusai (?) Theatres, I recall a Liberty Theatre, on Nuuanu, mauka of the parking building.

Toyo was between Beretania and Kukui, on the Ewa side of Nuuanu Stream & had a koi pond in front. I recall another theatre (International?) behind Toyo (closer to Kukui, behind the temple - which was moved from its previous location nearer Beretania & King).

Oh, those scary obake-neko movies were BIG draws for me.

Before walking home, eating 25-cent saimin at close-by saimin stands after the movies . . . and those 10-cent BBQ sticks !!!

Am I the only one who can remember the Roosevelt Theatre on Maunakea between Pauahi and Beretania? They showed "adult" movies in the '60s and '70s . . . not that I went to see them. And not that there's anything wrong with those movies. And . . . awww, just forget I brought it up.

[Hellbent]

For those of Chinese decent or enthusiasts, dont forget about Empress and Golden Harvest.