Hollywood Theatre: 75+1

This weekend marks a year since Kitsilano’s Hollywood Theatre closed its doors, after being run by the same family for 75 years.  And, sadly, it has remained closed.  (Heritage Vancouver highlighted recent and potentially-pending losses of Vancouver Movie Theatres in its 2012 Top Ten Endangered Sites list.)

Though I had a long association with the second-run neighbourhood cinema, find I don’t have many pictures to share.  Got a couple from the fall/winter of 2000 digitised to post here, along with some taken this weekend and a few snapped on the cellphone thru intervening years.

So here are a few shots of the old theatre.  As usual, they’re not especially good (like this first one doesn’t show the “pick o’ the best plays” part clearly) – but my own.

neon at night (sans “D”) – November 2010

Have a lot of marquee shots, including a couple with the old-style letters  – during VIFF 2000 and when an especially odd double bill played at Christmastime that same year.  (BTW, those famous odd pairings were mostly cos distributors didn’t like sharing box office (hard to track how many who came in for the 7:30 stayed for the late show) – easier to book two from the same company.)

VIFF venue – October 2000

Meet The Parents + Rear Window – December 2000

Couple more chuckles (call ’em “marquee typos”?)…

Vicky “Christna” Barcelona – January 2009

Race to “Wich” Mountain – July 2009

Can’t believe I don’t have more shots of the interior of the theatre, like the lobby and washrooms and old signage and such. And that these are the best I have of the auditorium…

auditorium, back to front – February 2011

auditorium, front to back – March 2008

More marquee snaps, showing varied programming and rentals (including another example of mountain abbreviated) in winter 2009/10…

French double bill + upcoming events – November 2009

indie-appeal double bill + upcoming event – December 2009

… and even sponsorship of the 75th anniversary weekend (interior shots of celebration activities turned out too dark, so just another same-angle view of marquee)…

75th anniversary – October 2010

Some out-front shots of the box office, poster cases, etc…

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (original Swedish) – July 2010

Julie & Julia + District 9 – November 2009

nighttime shot – February 2011

alas, doors now closed, no coming soon poster – May 2012

Contrast of same view when opened and now closed…

Burn After Reading + Traitor – November 2008

poster from final night still in display case – May 2012

And still more marquee shots – these from the final night: May 29, 2011.  First from when arrived, in daylight…

final night marquee, daylight – May 2011

… and then after the sun went down (unfortunately, this cuts off right side of marquee – between trees and bus stop, never seem to get good full shot – tho’ it does show the neon “D” restored to its full glory!)…

final night marquee, nighttime – May 2011

Didn’t stay for the late show that final night.  If the Hollywood had to end, Cinema Paradiso was the perfect last film to watch.  From the booth…

projector – May 2011

Went back to see how things looked last September.  Still had the thank-you message on the marquee…

farewell marquee message – September 2011

And, finally, the view at present…

one year after closing – May 2012

Looks like graffiti’s been covered over with not-quite-matched-colour paint.  At least that means the current owner’s not letting it go to ruin. That door that used to let rain stream down the back exit has been boarded up…

back door boarded up – May 2012

Here’s hopin’ this ain’t the end of this lovely old cinema!