Toronto adieu to the York?

From an article in the Toronto Star (www.thestar.com)

"Of course, there a few diehards who would rather see a movie at the Eglinton or the upstairs auditorium of the York," notes Weinzweig, "but we're a shrinking minority. Operating old-fashioned cinemas doesn't make sense for the landlord, and it doesn't work for the exhibitor, either."

...

At the York Theatre, a two-screen cinema on Eglinton Ave. east of Yonge, there is a for-sale sign above the marquee. Cineplex is renting the theatre on a month-to-month basis.

...

I hope that we don't lose the York. This was probably the one and only ideal location for lining up in the entire city.

 

Unfortunately it seems to be the case. The venerable York is for sale which begs the question, what else whould you put in that building in that neighbourhood? A bar a club? lame-o and seriously expensive.

I've been meaning to mention to you guys about the for-sale sign 'cause its been there for over a month now.

Even if the York is lost to us we still have our memories of that o-so awesome experience of lineing up and now that I am self-employed I am even more interested in doing it again.

Robin T.

 

I was going to post the article in its entirety myself... but all in good time.

More out of curiosity, since most of us are walking a fine line between having no money and having less than no money, how much would it cost to buy the York anyway?

And on to the important matters. What say you all to a boycott of all the SilverCity's and such megaplexes? This was mentioned before but never gained much weight, but having read that article and thinking about the situation I don't think I'll be going to any mega-mega-plexes again.

Oh Fearful leader, how can we make a difference and save our theaters?

 

BOYCOTT!!! BOYCOTT!!! BOYCOTT!!!

DAMN THE TACKY MEGAPLEXES!!! TEAR THEM TO THE GROUND!!! STOMP ON THEIR REMAINS!!! KILL!!! KILL!!! KILL!!!

No one knows a good theater anymore.



SZ

 

I'm starting to learn in life that you almost never have to get these companies, because they will get themselves. Famous Players, who was the latest evil, is obviously screwing themselves. Witness the dropping of listings. Witness the ever incresing cost of tickets. People are fed up with the Megaplex's and are either renting video's, going to smaller theatre's or just not watching. They over developed with these crazy googleplex's, and now they are hurting.

Cineplex Odeon did it a fgew years before, then Famous Players trumped them, and Cineplex was hurting.

I'm laughing my ass off watching the ever unfolding story of Chapters. As someone who wanted oh so badly to HURT THEM, I'm very pleased to watch them do it for me. Bought by Future Shop? SUPERFANTASTIC!!! (if you don't get it, go ask your local futurehell person to explain)

So, what can be done? Go to the smaller cinemas, go on tuesday, or on matinees, rent, whatever. They'll kill themsleves. And you might as well enjoy a theatre you like for less money.

Oh, and sneak in your own snacks. That's what winter coats are for.

 

Unfortunately I'm going to have to play Panaka here...
"This is a battle I do not think we can win."

Each megaplex costs them about 35 million to put up. Now, plopping down all these 35 mil. buildings in such a short amount of time is going to take a chunk out of the bottom line. Even assuming the York is making a profit - which it may not depending upon what rent is for Cineplex Odeon - but assuming that it is... when word comes down from on high that 200 screens have to be axed this year, are you as a manager going to do away with

a) a handful of marginally profitable single/double screen theatre
b) an entire 35 million dollar complex that is marginally profitable but that you approved the construction for not two years back.

Answer is rather obvious.

And even if internal corporate politics don't come into play, you have the marketing politics. Famous Players builds a mega-plex, so you have to build one just to make it look like you're as big and successful as they are. Gotta be hip. Gotta have neon.

Sadly, I think that the York might not hold in there. I hope I'm wrong. Or if I'm not, I'm hoping it can hang in till at least Star Wars II comes around.

Now I'll do my best to play Ric Ollie,
"That little theatre did it!!!!"

 

I think that the "smaller" theatres need to set themselves apart from the Megaplexes to save them.

To the masses these older theatres are poor in Screen, Sound, and Performance because the Megaplexes tell them so and they base their opinions of older theatres from what they have experienced at mall theatres--small screen, outdated sound, etc.

When in actual fact, The Eglinton, York, Hyland and others have better screens, better sound and ultimately better performance but because they are lumped in with the other mall/older theatres in the views of people and in newspaper listings, they don't get the recognition, praise and business they deserve.

Places like the York, Eglinton need to set distinguish themselves (in newspaper listings) the outdated mall theatres.

I have been lurking at The Home Theatre Forum for awhile and found that many of the people their purchased expensive home theatre systems because they really hate the megaplexes--expensive tickets, kids, ignorant people (cell phoners, talkers, those who feel the need to explain to everyone in the theatre what we all just saw on the screen, etc.)

If these movie enthuasiats went to older theatres, which were still top of the line quality, they would find those theatres generally lack the annoying people that keep them away from the megaplexes.

Having realized the quality and enjoying the experience, they would recommend the theatre to their friends to check out and by word of mouth, more people would end up going to the theatre again.

Home Theatre Owners helped to push DVD into the mainstream, I think to a much smaller extent they could help smaller theatres.

The Author of that article should do a follow up article, outlining to the public why these older theatres are worth keeping and more importantly, worth going to over the megaplexes. Detailing the York, Eglinton, Hyland etc.

I really hope we don't see the end of these theatres, there really is a place for them, and I wish more people would realize that.


I'll end here to see what I wrote, and await comments.

I think the worst thing of all though, is once those theatres are gone, people will wish they could have done something to save them, when they still can by choosing to go to those theatres instead of the multimeplexes.

 

BOYCOTT!

Now that that's out of the way, we can continue...

The death of a well-loved theatre is not something to look forward to. We've all been to the York at one point or another, and let's face it. We all loved it. Sure, it didn't offer the poofiest cushions, or the saltiest popcorn, but it offered something more. A feeling of adoration. This was a building that was well loved, a building that retained the atmosphere from when eager youngsters first saw Star Wars, waaay back in 1977. A 'taste of Old World Charm' will be lost forever in an ever growing sea of Cineplex Odeons, Silvercitys, and Famous Players. I had the misfortune to line up at a Silvercity in Kitchener. I know what I missed. There's really no atmosphere sitting in the equivalent of Costco/PriceClub. I really hope that the real estate business is cr@ppy in TO right now, (Although I really doubt it).
:-(

That is the way of things. The way of The Force.

 

I agree with the boycott. I find it despicable that they put the first run movies in the cheezy megaplexes and if you wait for the film to become old, it may not run in the good older theatres.

THEN the movie execs the nerve to tell the newspapers...well it's because magaplexes are where people want to go...

Whatever happened to being given a choice?

 

Okay... the word boycott is being bandied about a lot here. Boycotts, imho, are most often insignificant and largely ignored. We're an insignificant number. One hundred. One thousand. No - it would take tens of thousands staying away from the multiplexes before it made a blip on anyone's radar. Instead, let me propose the following...


Presenting the Eglinton/York Cinemas BUYCOTT.
I propose that from this point on, when watching a film in the city of Toronto, we do so in either the York or the Eglinton theatre.

What's more, I propose that every time you do so, you type off a letter and deliver a copy to the theater management, to the corporate headquarters and mayhap even to the local papers:

"Dear sir/madame,

This evening I chose to watch the opening of Blockbuster Film at the York, as opposed to one of your company's megaplexes. While I do watch the occasional film at your megaplexes, the York remains my first choice in theaters for an opening day release. The theater embodies the feeling and spirit of theater going that is often missing in the larger complexes. I appreciate that your company has the foresight to realize that often moviegoers prefer the more traditional movie going experience."

You get the idea. Use your own words and tell them why it is that you chose to be at the York or the Eglinton as opposed to one of their other theaters. Theater companies have got it stuck in their heads that the only thing the average joe wants is mega-plexes, and the only people who think different are a small small small minority of egg-heads who are cinema freaks. Show them different, and maybe we've got a chance.

 

Actually Tragic this was more or less what I had in mind, however you just seem to have a much better way with words than myself, also I didn't get the chance to post a follow-up yesterday.

I would propose that we add the Uptown 1, and possibly the Hyland and a few others to the list.

Now, anyone up for a movienight on Friday/this weekend to get this thing started?

 

Sure, but a late one. I'm working until 9pm (I think...could be 8pm).

Tragic: As for the potential threat to the York...maybe this (and our conclusions on how to deal with it) should be sent out over the listbot?

Cris~

 

Oops!
I forgot Sandwich was still logged in....

...I need my own computer... (wah)

Cris~

 

How about the late show of 13 Days at the York (assuming it's still playing there come Friday)

(Note: it's downstairs but probably better there than anywhere else)

 

I might be up for that....anyone else?

Cris~ (made sure I used my own login -this- time, hah hah!)

 

is it on then? I'll be there.



SZ

 

Well, I'll be down at the York with Subject Zero for the 10:15 show, we should arrive around 9:45, hope to see someone else there.

 

Well shoot, my fault for not checking the posts today.

Hope you enjoyed the movie!

 

Yup, I quite liked it.

 

Gah...I'd already left for work when that was posted... *sigh*
Oh well...next time.

Cris~

 

NEXT TIME GADGET!!! NEXT TIME!!!!

 

Yeah, Cris, next time there's a situation like this give me a call on a break or when you get off work or something.

 

..."situation"?

*shudder* I feel like someone died...

Cris~

 

someone did die...the question is whom?

 

I'll call Matlock, he'll find the culprit.