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Topic: Theatre Chain Designs
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Matthew Williams
New Member
Posts: 11
From: Philadelphia, PA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted June 15, 2008 10:47 PM
That chain history is very fascinating - and something I wondered myself after going to most of the AMCs in the Philadelphia area.
No pictures, but some background...
AMC Marlton 8 uses the same basic design as Narrows Plaza 8, but with lots of wood on the exterior like Ogden 6. It actually looks more like a barn than anything else.
Deptford 8 shares the same basic design as Marlton 8, complete with the exterior wood. That one is down the street from an ex-GCC six plex and both are managed together.
Marple 10 was built in 1990 and was one of the first theatres with the torus screen. This one was definitely late 80s/early 90s design, with the aqua blue on the exterior and neon signs on the interior. This one's part of three Delaware and Chester county theatres AMC built in the late 1980s - the other two are Granite Run 8 (1986?) and Painter's Crossing 9 (1989).
Woodhaven 10 is unlike any other theatre I've seen from them - a multiplex with megaplex flavor. It's the same screen count and size as Marple 10, down to the same layout. But the theatre was built in 1995 - after AMC built The Grand - so the complex had their usual megaplex amenities. The auditoriums are not stadium, but well-sloped and featuring the love seats. That one's down the street from Franklin Mills 14, an ex-GCC stadium build from 1997. That theatre just went to $5 weekday pricing, which is not featured here.
Neshaminy 24 is their flagship. It's the busiest theatre in the Philadelphia area, and one of their top grossers nationwide. The design is very unique, as the theatre is deeper than it is wide. The four biggest auditoriums (1, 2, 23, and 24, with 1 and 24 seating 600) are at the front, two hallways with the smallest theatres are just behind that, and the mid-size theatres are at the very back. The theatre numbering isn't standard - theatres 1-12 are on the left half of the complex, 13-24 are on the right. 1, 2, 23, and 24 are the big four auditoriums (1 and 24 seat 600), and none of them seem overly shoeboxy. There are three concession stands - two "Metropolis" stands at the big four, and one "Uptown" stand at the theatres near the back. None of the design has been copied at any of the AMC builds I've seen online; it's totally unique to this theatre.
Hamilton 24 in the Trenton area, not all that far from Neshaminy, is a much more conventional AMC build and is a carbon copy of Mesa Grand 24.
AMC still runs three ex-GCCs (Franklin Mills, Deptford 6, and Plymouth Meeting 12), and despite the sign changes they still LOOK like GCCs. Cherry Hill 24 still proudly wears Loews signage even though the digital board near the highway has put "AMC THEATRES" into the rotation of movie titles.
Finally, 309 Cinema 9 is their sole remaining ex-Budco. It got a remodel in the 1990s to AMC's then-current Aqua Blue, but the general design is way more spartan than an AMC build. You can tell that it was divided from a much larger design. AMC did keep the theatre's distinctive neon "309" hexagon signs on the exterior and the road pylon.
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Michael R. Rambo Jr.
New Member
Posts: 36
From: Bensalem, PA
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted June 17, 2008 04:18 PM
quote:
AMC Marlton 8 uses the same basic design as Narrows Plaza 8, but with lots of wood on the exterior like Ogden 6. It actually looks more like a barn than anything else.
Deptford 8 shares the same basic design as Marlton 8, complete with the exterior wood. That one is down the street from an ex-GCC six plex and both are managed together.
Marple 10 was built in 1990 and was one of the first theatres with the torus screen. This one was definitely late 80s/early 90s design, with the aqua blue on the exterior and neon signs on the interior. This one's part of three Delaware and Chester county theatres AMC built in the late 1980s - the other two are Granite Run 8 (1986?) and Painter's Crossing 9 (1989).
Woodhaven 10 is unlike any other theatre I've seen from them - a multiplex with megaplex flavor. It's the same screen count and size as Marple 10, down to the same layout. But the theatre was built in 1995 - after AMC built The Grand - so the complex had their usual megaplex amenities. The auditoriums are not stadium, but well-sloped and featuring the love seats. That one's down the street from Franklin Mills 14, an ex-GCC stadium build from 1997. That theatre just went to $5 weekday pricing, which is not featured here.
Neshaminy 24 is their flagship. It's the busiest theatre in the Philadelphia area, and one of their top grossers nationwide. The design is very unique, as the theatre is deeper than it is wide. The four biggest auditoriums (1, 2, 23, and 24, with 1 and 24 seating 600) are at the front, two hallways with the smallest theatres are just behind that, and the mid-size theatres are at the very back. The theatre numbering isn't standard - theatres 1-12 are on the left half of the complex, 13-24 are on the right. 1, 2, 23, and 24 are the big four auditoriums (1 and 24 seat 600), and none of them seem overly shoeboxy. There are three concession stands - two "Metropolis" stands at the big four, and one "Uptown" stand at the theatres near the back. None of the design has been copied at any of the AMC builds I've seen online; it's totally unique to this theatre.
Hamilton 24 in the Trenton area, not all that far from Neshaminy, is a much more conventional AMC build and is a carbon copy of Mesa Grand 24.
AMC still runs three ex-GCCs (Franklin Mills, Deptford 6, and Plymouth Meeting 12), and despite the sign changes they still LOOK like GCCs. Cherry Hill 24 still proudly wears Loews signage even though the digital board near the highway has put "AMC THEATRES" into the rotation of movie titles.
Finally, 309 Cinema 9 is their sole remaining ex-Budco. It got a remodel in the 1990s to AMC's then-current Aqua Blue, but the general design is way more spartan than an AMC build. You can tell that it was divided from a much larger design. AMC did keep the theatre's distinctive neon "309" hexagon signs on the exterior and the road pylon.
The AMC Neshaminy 24 Theatre is only 1 of 2 AMC Theatres with it's unique design, the other one is in Spain. And for the record, Audutoriums #1 & 24 seats 617, and Audutoriums #2 & 23 seats 433, but the seating for one of the big 4 will change with the addition of Digital IMAX in August 2008.
The Budco/AMC 309 Cinema 9 has had so many add-on's to it's building over the years. A screen was built to the left of the original Budco 309 Cinema Theatre in 1980. Another screen was added to the the left side of the 1980 addition in 1983. By 1989, 1 screen was added to the right of the original 309 Cinema Theatre and 4 screens were added to the front of the Budco 309 Cinema 4 Theatre complex.
The AMC Woodhaven 10 Theatre opened in 1995, and was built to the right of the original AMC Woodhaven Mall 4 Theatre, which opened in 1973 as "Woodhaven Mall 4 Cinema".
In 1989, AMC Theatres in the Philadelphia area were:
- AMC (Budco/William Goldman) Andorra 6
- AMC (Budco) Anthony Wayne Twin
- AMC (Budco) Barn 5
- AMC (Budco) Branmar Twin
- AMC (Budco/William Goldman) Bryn Mawr Twin
- AMC (Budco/William Goldman) City Line Twin
- AMC (Budco) Concord Mall Twin
- AMC Deptford 8
- AMC (Budco) Exton Twin
- AMC (Budco) Gateway 3
- AMC Granite Run 8
- AMC (Posel's) Leo Mall Twin
- AMC Marlton 8
- AMC (Budco/William Goldman) Midtown Twin
- AMC (Budco) Millside 4
- AMC (Budco) Olde City Twin
- AMC (Budco/William Goldman) Orleans 8
- AMC (Budco) Palace
- AMC (Posel's) Premiere Twin
- AMC (Budco) Springfield Twin
- AMC (Budco) 309 Cinema 9
- AMC (Budco) Walnut Mall 3
- AMC Woodhaven Mall 4
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Michael R. Rambo Jr.
New Member
Posts: 36
From: Bensalem, PA
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted June 19, 2008 10:52 AM
quote:
AMC Burbank 4 opened in 1991.
It was expanded to 8 screens in 1996 with the opening of the AMC 6.
The orignal 4 plex is 2 screens that are literally bowling allys (long and narrow with center aisle) and 2 screens that were better than most at the old 14 plex (side aisles, 3 sections and about 300 seats each).
When the expansion happened, it is the only 1996 theatre to have love seats, new projection, automated maskings, and non-stadium.
The AMC Woodhaven 10, in Bensalem, PA, also has the love seats, new projection, automated maskings, and non-stadium, and this opened in 1995, having been built next to the old AMC Woodhaven Mall 4 Theatre.
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Jeff Arellano
Senior Member
Posts: 685
From: Monterey Park, CA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted June 22, 2008 11:23 AM
Many of the early 90's builds in the LA area are still around today.
AMC Pasadena is now run by Laemelle. It is a pretty busy art house with some big releases. It helps the UA across the street closed. Most big movies are released at the Paseo.
AMC Montebello, 1992, is still doing good business. It has taken a hit with all the megaplexes open close by (Norwalk 20, Puente 20, Krikorian Pico Rivera 15, Pacific Commerce 14). It could close though in the future when AMC opens the AMC/Loews Atlantic Times Square 14 about 3 miles away.
AMC Pine Square 16 took a major hit when they opened the Cinemark Pike 14 two blocks south. It still does good business though, as most restaurants and night spots are by the Pine. I did read an article though a while back stating that Pine Square could close and become a parking structure.
AMC Burbank 8 still sells out shows. Since it is within the mall, parking is generally easier to get to than the 16 or even the 6. As long as you watch a movie in theatres 3, 4, 6 and 7 you will be fine. Avoid 1, 2 (old shoe box theatres) and 5 and 8 (smallest theatres in the expansion, 5 is only 60 seats and a screen that is so small, not worth paying for).
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