Film
The Carlton Cinema to be Saved
A few months ago came news that the Carlton Cinemas would close and on December 6th they did just that. But now comes word that the days of films screening near the corner of Yonge and Carlton is not a thing of the past. Last week, Magic Lantern Theatres, owner of the Rainbow Cinemas theatre chain, purchased the space and plan to refurbish and then re-open it this June.
Keep reading for more details in the just issued news release.
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CARLTON CINEMA TO RE-OPEN IN JUNE 2010
TORONTO, February 18, 2010: The Carlton Cinema, located in the hub of downtown Toronto, will be refurbished and re-opened in June 2010.
The 9-screen multiplex will operate under the banner of Magic Lantern Theatres, an Edmonton based Movie Exhibition Company, which also operates Rainbow Cinemas.
Magic Lantern Theatres has a proud history of providing communities with venues to enjoy thought-provoking art and independent movies from Canada and overseas, as well as Hollywood fare.
Plans are already underway to retrofit Carlton Cinema in a manner that will optimize its appeal to its regular and new patrons. Cinephiles will be able to enjoy a wide variety of art and alternative films, documentaries, special screenings and film festivals.
Details regarding admission prices and opening day celebrations are being developed and will be announced approximately two months prior to the re-opening of the Carlton Cinema.
Magic Lantern Theatres, a community-based Canadian company, was established in 1980. With the opening of the Carlton Cinema, the company will expanded its operations to 17 locations across Canada with a total of 87 screens.
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This is great news!
YAY!!! This makes me happy. I was just saying to a friend the other day how I miss the Carlton ... it always had interesting movies, kept them around for awhile, so you had a chance to see them. Now it seems like the only theatres downtown are the big behemoths, AMC Scotia or Varsity. And I hate AMC and Scotia.
I love the RAINBOW, it has decent movies at good prices. And I love that the Carlton will still be a movie theatre, instead of getting torn down. This is great news for Toronto movie lovers.
AMAZING!
this made my day!
its great news....gives us an option over the Scotia/AMC....although AMC seats are quite comfy!
This is tremendous. I already see flicks regularly down at Rainbow Market Square and i'll be sure to give this new venue the biz, too. Huzzah cheap movies!
YES! REHIRE THE CARLTON CREW!!1!
AMAZING! Reassemble the Carltonites!
:)
WHOOP DE DO!
This is so so good, I just hope the programming is similar to what the Carlton was (sounds like it will be) rather than just being Rainbow-style mainstream stuff.
Awesome!
Fine, the Carlton is alright.
But please, please do something about the AGO.
Check this out. http://wp.me/pIDFN-4E
Waste of money.
Tear her down and use the space for something more appropriate.
A Pottery Barn.
Fantastic! I am so happy that someone is (appropriately) using this space and returning the Carlton to its former indie glory.
To terrible: too terrible!
I walked past the old Carlton a few days ago and felt sadness at my loss. Yay! I will support it more in the future now that I know that sadness. I hope enough of us will do the same. A multiplex will allow them to show the same mainstream movies of other Rainbow Cinemas perhaps, plus the more interesting ones that we have missed.
Rainbow = cheap movies
Magic Lantern = ?
I imagine the focus will be on eclectic selection, rather than low prices.
This is GREAT NEWS! When I first heard of the Carlton's demise, I was so hoping Rainbow Cinemas might indeed pick them up! Hoo-RAY!
why did you waste my time with that drivel?
So I guess the lesson from the closure was that we should actually go to the Carlton, so hopefully there won't be too many 2-people-in-the-theatre moments when it reopens.
This is great news!
I do hope the renovations include size-accessible seating. For the amount of money tickets cost nowadays, I'm less than happy about finding I can barely squeeze into the seats. And with art films, there are usually few alternative theatre options.
What the hell is size-accessible seating? Do you mean you're fat cow and can't fit into a regular seat? Here's an idea: stop eating the buttered popcorn and 2 litre Coke.
Tell that to Kevin Smith and Southwest Airlines.
Bigger seats mean bigger people (its probably glandular, right ?) can see movies which means more money for Rainbow. Thats all that matters.
u should be hit upside the head with a pottery barn.
have some decency. i am sure you aren't perfect. if the only way you can amuse your self is by putting people down than u r an a**hole for even waking up. I am not larger and ranting iam skinny and caring. I am glad the carlton is reopening
Skinny, fat...who cares.
The Carlton is still a waste of prime real estate and it doesnt matter who buys up this place. Everyone who "loves" it will go once or twice for the "grand re-opening" then the exact same thing will happen again.
Art house crap.
Great news! Best of luck.
Don't bigger seats = less seats in same amount of space = less dollars?
And how does one determine at what size the seats should be in order to accommodate every size?
If they add XL seating, what about XXL, XXXL, etc? Someone still gets the shaft.
I agree with you.
No girthy people allowed.
Just makes it uncomfortable for everyone.
I believe that Magic Lantern wants everybody to be comfortable in their theatres, whatever their size. I have also heard that the new seats will feature flip up arm-rests, so that if the theatre isn't too full, people can use more than one seat, or two people can cuddle, or whatever. I have been to the Carlton lots of times when it wasn't full, and people would have had lots of room. The dimensions of the rooms can't change, but the seats can.
Hey Pointless, your views reflect those of a large percentage of people. But one thing I like is that "one size doesn't fit all". The company that owns the cinema monopoly in this country wants everyone to think that the only way you can enjoy a movie is at their theatre, in the way that they have designed it (today, not the ones they designed a few years ago). I like to have my choice of where to go and what to see. The Carlton helps give me choice.
Your choice may be different than mine, but at least celebrate that you have your choice, and so do I.
this is just fantastic! i'm going to move to the area in may, so this re-opening in june is just great for my cinephile heart :)
now let's just hope the prices will be affordable...