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| Author |
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| 25 new of 348 responses total. |
md
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response 69 of 348:
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Jul 13 15:28 UTC 1999 |
I saw a feature just last night on the Independent
film Channel about the AA Film Festival, which is
managed as a labor of love by a local hairdresser.
I think they said the films were shown at the AAT.
Is that true? Are they out on the street now? That
would be a great loss.
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mcnally
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response 70 of 348:
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Jul 13 17:10 UTC 1999 |
The public screenings of the Ann Arbor Film Festival are at the
Michigan Theater, not the Ann Arbor Theater.
I have no idea where the many, many preliminary screenings (for the
festival committee to choose which films will be shown) occur..
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krj
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response 71 of 348:
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Jul 13 18:06 UTC 1999 |
The Ann Arbor Theater was doomed once it abandoned the serving of
real butter on its popcorn.
Johnnie, the foreign/indie film business now pretty much goes to
the Michigan Theater, and to the State Theatre. (I believe I saw a
note somewhere that the Michigan is now running the State Theatre's
two screens.) The owners of the Ann Arbor Theatre have built a
megaplex on the western fringes of Ann Arbor; if it has a more
pleasant ambience than the Showcase, we'll probably become
regular customers there, since that's the side of town we live on.
(We hate the Showcase. It's the only movie theatre in the area with
armed security guards, and the theatre does something to piss us off
every time we go -- usually herding us around like cattle.)
Press coverage reports that the owners of the new mega-plex
promise to keep bringing in some indie/art/foreign films.
Indie American films seem to be doing decently right now, but
the USA market for foreign films has declined drastically.
I assume this , like the repertory film circuit, is
a casualty of the VCR.
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jiffer
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response 72 of 348:
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Jul 13 20:27 UTC 1999 |
I think the name of the new Theater is 'Quality 16'. I was driving the
long way home the other day and saw it. Nifty keen to see movies right
out of work.
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scg
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response 73 of 348:
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Jul 13 21:07 UTC 1999 |
I remember seeing lots of neat stuff at the Ann Arbor Theater when I was
younger. I haven't been there for years, largely because when they've been
showing stuff I wanted to see lately, I usually didn't get around to going
to see it until after it had stopped showing. When I heard that it was
closing I kept meaning to go there one last time, but I never got around to
it, figuring that I could always go the next week. The theater's last day,
which was announced in the Ann Arbor News that morning, conflicted with the
last night of this year's TOP, and TOP won out.
I do enjoy going to the Michigan, in part because of the archetecture, in part
because of the stuff they show, and in large part because I can walk to it
from home. Having another theater I could walk to close seems sad to me, but
I suppose by not having gone to that theater in several years, I'm part of
the problem that kept it from staying open.
Apparrently the owner of the Ann Arbor Theater was trying to sell it to
somebody who would keep operating it as a movie theater after he decided to
build his megaplex, but wasn't able to find a buyer.
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richard
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response 74 of 348:
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Jul 13 22:29 UTC 1999 |
A2 needs a theater like Film Forum in New York. Film Forum is a small
non-profit three screen multiplex in Greenwich Village that is owned and
operated by its patrons, similar to grex. Yearly memberships are sold to
to pay the rent on the theater, and those who buy memberships get
get discounted theater tickets, plus get to help decide what films are
are shown. The ticket takers, popcorn and soda vendors are all volunteer
members. They show mostly independent films and revivals, and film
festivals. This month they were showing an Erich Von Stroheim film
festival featuring the classic german silent film, "Greed" I like the
place, its a refreshing change from the monolithic Cineplex Odeon 18's of
the world.
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jiffer
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response 75 of 348:
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Jul 13 22:58 UTC 1999 |
Actually, A2 sort of does. It is a not-for-profit theater biult inthe 1920's
and usually shows a veriety of non-mainstream films. But the Ann Arbor Theater
is just as special as the Michigan Theater (The Michigan Theater is the
not-for-profit)
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mcnally
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response 76 of 348:
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Jul 14 00:52 UTC 1999 |
Ann Arbor also used to have a thriving film club scene, with groups like
the Cinema Guild, the Ann Arbor Film Co-op, and several others showing
classic, foreign, indie, and art films in campu auditoriums. The last
vestiges of these groups linger (the Cinema Guild still shows stuff) but
it's not like it was when I first came to Ann Arbor: at that time there
were typically four or more non-mainstream films being shown on campus on
any Friday or Saturday evening during the academic year.
Ken's theory about the VCR killing local film diversity probably applies
much better to the campus film groups.
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tpryan
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response 77 of 348:
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Jul 14 01:18 UTC 1999 |
Any mainstream movie that made it to those campus film groups had first
available showings at about the time the video was being released. I guess
the industry already had a business model for secondary markets.
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bookworm
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response 78 of 348:
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Jul 14 04:20 UTC 1999 |
Jon and I saw "wild wild west". It was hilarious.
Sorry, I'm not much of a movie critic. So far I've loved nearly every
movie I ever went to see in the theatre.
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omni
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response 79 of 348:
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Jul 14 04:42 UTC 1999 |
Someone should buy the old Ann Arbor Theatre, because if not we're going
to have an urban sprawl like Detroit has, only ours will be toward the west.
I noticed while coming home from Chelsea the other day how much Jackson is
being built up. It sounds like most people are abandoning downtown Ann Arbor.
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scg
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response 80 of 348:
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Jul 14 06:34 UTC 1999 |
Ann Arbor's also sprawling pretty heavily to the South, along the Ann Arbor
Saline road corridor, as well as out State Street.
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drewmike
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response 81 of 348:
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Jul 14 07:50 UTC 1999 |
Before I started going to U of M, the campus film group scene was still going
along moderately well, but by my second year, it was downright anemic.
M-Flicks decided not to compete with the VCR at all, and started mostly
showing sneak previews. This meant, though, that the films started becoming
more major-studio, with more corporate logos being tacked onto the promo
materials.
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senna
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response 82 of 348:
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Jul 14 14:51 UTC 1999 |
Jackson Road is Scio Township's only commercial corridor, and Scio
Township plans to keep it that way. I don't believe Pittsfield has any
such restrictions, however.
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krj
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response 83 of 348:
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Jul 14 19:20 UTC 1999 |
resp:79 :: My recollection is that the site of the Ann Arbor Theater was
slated to become more downtown condominium housing. So the closing
of the theatre doesn't really reflect a flight from the city.
The New York Times had a piece (yesterday?) on how consumers are flocking
to the new stadium-seating megaplexes, and the older "shoebox"
multiplexes like Briarwood (and to some degree the Ann Arbor)
are now a drag on exhibitor profits.
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md
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response 84 of 348:
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Jul 14 20:04 UTC 1999 |
I hear the government is taking some of the
stadium-seating chains to court under the
Americans with Disabilities Act. The stadium
seats are mostly inaccessible to wheelchair-
bound customers, so they have to use the
level-floor seats down in front, which can't be
a fun experience.
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scg
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response 85 of 348:
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Jul 14 21:19 UTC 1999 |
The stadium seating theaters I've seen have often had the entrances to the
theaters somewhere in the middle of the seats, and have had some slots for
wheelchairs on a flat area at that point. They're probably not the best seats
in the house, but it doesn't look awful.
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richard
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response 86 of 348:
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Jul 14 21:24 UTC 1999 |
"GODS AND MONSTERS"-- movie about the last days of James Whale, the openly
gay director of "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein" among others.
Ian McKellan plays Whale as an ill, deeply depressed, ouvertly sexual old
man living his last days in seclusion in the 1950's. Brendan Fraser plays
this young stud who mows his lawn for him, and lets Whale draw him.
McKellan and Fraser talk about their lives and develop a bond, though much
to McKellan/Whale's regret, Fraser is heterosexual. Its a movie about
loneliness and the need for friendship, and draws a parallell between
Whale and the Frankenstein monster, who in the movie is shown constantly
searching for companionship and affection and acceptance. The monster
never finds such in the movie; Whale however does or did in his life, but
was sadly unable to realize it. Good movie. *** 1/2 (three and a half
stars...good video rental)
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tpryan
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response 87 of 348:
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Jul 14 22:04 UTC 1999 |
I recall some old 'flashlight' movie theatres. You know, 10 seats
wide, fourty seats deep.
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senna
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response 88 of 348:
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Jul 15 00:34 UTC 1999 |
I concur with Steve. The stadium seating theaters I've seen have been
wheelchair accessible. In addition, Showcase has an additional
handicap accessible entrance at the top of its theaters.
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mcnally
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response 89 of 348:
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Jul 15 04:38 UTC 1999 |
Yes, most of the "stadium seating" theaters I've seen have had much
better accomodations for wheelchair-bound moviegoers than other theaters
I've seen. Not sure how they compare for people with disabilities that
don't require wheelchairs. I'm sure they must somehow offend someone --
everything does..
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scg
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response 90 of 348:
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Jul 15 04:53 UTC 1999 |
I'm assuming the wheelchair accomodations in newer theaters are partly a
function of the age of the theater (theater designers are presumably much more
aware of the usefulness of such accomodations now than they were in the past),
and partly because having the seats that steep means it's possible to have
a level area large enough for a wheelchair, and still not have it interfere
with the view from the rest of the seats. Thinking back to the multiplexes
built 10 or 15 years ago, which the steadily sloping floors and fairly densely
packed seats, I'm not sure where a wheelchair could have parked easily.
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md
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response 91 of 348:
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Jul 15 11:14 UTC 1999 |
Here's a web news item about it:
"After seven months of unsuccessful negotiations,
the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has
filed suit in the United States District Court in
Los Angeles against American Multi-Cinema, Inc. and
AMC Entertainment for failing to provide stadium-
style seating for individuals whose disabilities
prevent them from climbing stairs. Title III of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 USCA ''12181
et seq.) requires places of public accommodation to
provide equal access, service, and quality of goods
to individuals with disabilities as are provided to
members of the general public.
"Most of AMC's theaters contain the popular stadium-
style seats which are located on stepped 18-inch
risers and provide an unobstructed view of the movie
screen over the persons seated ahead. In all but a
few AMC theaters, wheelchair seating is located in
the front section of the theater, which does not
provide the same unobstructed view. The DOJ alleges
that, by placing almost all wheelchair seating in the
front section, access to the better, stadium-style
seats is denied to individuals whose disabilities
prevent them from climbing stairs. In addition to
requiring the availability of wheelchair seating,
the ADA also requires that those wheelchair seating
locations provide comparable lines of sight. In most
of AMC's stadium-style theaters, the lines of sight
for wheelchair seating are not comparable because they
are much closer to the screen with inferior viewing
angles.
"In addition to seeking civil penalties and damages for
individuals with disabilities who have patronized AMC
theaters, the DOJ seeks an order to compel AMC to build
new theaters in compliance with the ADA and to require
AMC to modify existing structures as necessary for ADA
compliance."
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other
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response 92 of 348:
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Jul 15 13:15 UTC 1999 |
They could install relatively low profile 'chair lifts' which run along the
stairs...
Jim, the growth of the Jackson area is not in the least an indication that
people are fleeing downtown Ann Arbor, it is *exactly* the opposite.
The development rate of downtown Ann Arbor is constrained by ordinance, and
the available office space, as reported in the June Observer, is filled
almost (but not quite) to capacity.
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mcnally
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response 93 of 348:
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Jul 15 16:08 UTC 1999 |
re #91: sigh..
you can't offer wheelchair users seating near the front (bottom) of the
theater. obviously you can't just put the theater entrance at the back (top)
either -- then you're giving them seats which are too far from the screen.
similarly, it's not fair, either to put the wheelchair spots at the sides,
along the aisles. some people prefer to sit in the center and it's not fair
to deny wheelchair users the same access as "temporarily abled" people get.
and let us not forget blind users. they can't see these "moving pictures"
at all. fairness dictates that we shouldn't offer sighted users a better
movie experience than blind users..
you get the picture. perhaps I'm exaggerating the case slightly, but
possibly not by much. I earnestly agree with what I *think* was the
original goal of the Americans With Disabilities Act. It's a good thing
for society to make whatever minor accomodations it can to help the
disabled, but it's wrong to expect the law to be able to make everything
equal for everyone.
does anyone else but me expect Diana Moon Glampers to file an amicus curiae
brief in this case?
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