Meyer Park AMC 16 Theater At 4730 West Bellfort St.

[terrbo]

Went to the lovely park next door to the 610/Meyer Park Walmart and across from the AMC movie house I've been to lots:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa187/manos77035/BuffaloBayouandmore035.jpg

Tried to feet the cute ducks with some old bagels we had and they didn't go for it. Looked across the street and noticed that the AMC 16 was closed. Had no idea. I think it was kind of going downhill from last movie seen there. During the prevues the sound went off and didn't come back on until the feature film. Didn't like that as I love the prevues.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa187/manos77035/BuffaloBayouandmore038.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa187/manos77035/BuffaloBayouandmore039.jpg

[dalparadise]

I believe when that theater opened, it was the largest in the US. There was quite a bit of news coverage about it. For years, it was the only first-run theater convenient to Montrose, West U and Uptown. I used to go there for movies all the time in the late 80s. They had framed newspaper articles about their opening in the lobby, from various cities across the country. This was the first of the "megaplexes". It seems small now.

[Subdude]

Those 1980s-vintage theaters are slowly but surely vanishing. Meyer Park, the Cineplex Odeon by Fountainview, and the River Oaks multiplex are all gone, although I'm not saying it is necessarily a big loss.

[Pumapayam]

Those 1980s-vintage theaters are slowly but surely vanishing. Meyer Park, the Cineplex Odeon by Fountainview, and the River Oaks multiplex are all gone, although I'm not saying it is necessarily a big loss.

More movies are being made now, so people don't what to have to guess what theater to go to see that flick.

Most new ones are 24 or better now.

And all have stadium seating.

[mkultra25]

Those 1980s-vintage theaters are slowly but surely vanishing. Meyer Park, the Cineplex Odeon by Fountainview, and the River Oaks multiplex are all gone, although I'm not saying it is necessarily a big loss.

I'd consider the Cineplex Odeon (on Augusta, not the River Oaks one) to be a big loss - as far as I know, it was the last first-run theater in town that had the ability to run 70mm as well as 35mm. My fondest memory of it was seeing the 1989 rerelease of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA there - it was a stunning presentation of one of the greatest large-format epics.

I miss the River Oaks one too, but more for its convenience than anything else - it was by far the closest first-run theater to where I lived. Seems almost strange now to think that at one time there was a large multiplex practically on Montrose's doorstep.

[foxmulder]

I'd consider the Cineplex Odeon (on Augusta, not the River Oaks one) to be a big loss - as far as I know, it was the last first-run theater in town that had the ability to run 70mm as well as 35mm. My fondest memory of it was seeing the 1989 rerelease of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA there - it was a stunning presentation of one of the greatest large-format epics.

I miss the River Oaks one too, but more for its convenience than anything else - it was by far the closest first-run theater to where I lived. Seems almost strange now to think that at one time there was a large multiplex practically on Montrose's doorstep.

Wow am i the only one that likes going to "small quiet" theaters? These AMC 30 type are overkill too many people. The old "lowes" near 45 and 8 was good, Now it's a 1 dollar theather. I went and spent 7 buxs with a date.(yeah the girl actually wanted to go there. Maybe she thought it was Lowes.)

[terrbo]

Wow am i the only one that likes going to "small quiet" theaters? These AMC 30 type are overkill too many people. The old "lowes" near 45 and 8 was good, Now it's a 1 dollar theather. I went and spent 7 buxs with a date.(yeah the girl actually wanted to go there. Maybe she thought it was Lowes.)

One thing I was always curious about the Meyer Park 16.. it had a second floor with an elevator. Was there a screening room up there. All the years I went there, never went up there.

[foxmulder]

One thing I was always curious about the Meyer Park 16.. it had a second floor with an elevator. Was there a screening room up there. All the years I went there, never went up there.

Probably an exit for the main screens? AMC 30 on the beltway has exits for the 4 main screens that come out the top(.(If you're sitting up high) You can take the elevator down and the stairs.

[mkultra25]

Wow am i the only one that likes going to "small quiet" theaters? These AMC 30 type are overkill too many people. The old "lowes" near 45 and 8 was good, Now it's a 1 dollar theather. I went and spent 7 buxs with a date.(yeah the girl actually wanted to go there. Maybe she thought it was Lowes.)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big fan of megaplexes, but if you want to see a first-run movie, your options are pretty limited if you exclude the megaplexes. My absolute favorite place to see a movie is at the MFAH's Brown Auditorium, but they're a repertory theater, not a first-run one. For first-run, I prefer the River Oaks, the Angelika, or the Greenway, but again, the Angelika's the only one of those three likely to screen any of the big Hollywood blockbusters. As far as being even remotely convenient to where I live, that leaves the Edwards MarqE or the AMC Studio 30 on Dunvale, and both of those are still a bit of a drive. In the case of the AMC, the distance is mitigated somewhat by the fact that I almost always have a couple of AMC free passes laying around, so I usually wait until the pass restrictions are lifted after the first week or two a new film's in town, then head over to the Studio 30.

[VicMan]

Probably an exit for the main screens? AMC 30 on the beltway has exits for the 4 main screens that come out the top(.(If you're sitting up high) You can take the elevator down and the stairs.

All of the screens were on the first floor. I believe the high end began at the entrance to the screens. I guess the second floor was staff-only.

Remember that the AMC was NOT stadium seating. This led to the theater's slow death once the Edwards opened.

Anyway, does anyone know the names of the articles about the AMC? They would be fun to read.

[Southgater]

We quit going there years ago because of it had become a hangout for bad kids. I can't say I'm sad to see it go.

[Dan the Man]

Love the avatar, Southgater! Unfortunately the Village Theater was already closed by the time I was old enough to remember going to movies. However, I remember going to World Toys as a kid. That store had a very distinct smell that I will never forget - similar to the way that old houses smell when nothing inside has been changed for 40 yrs...

[Southgater]

Love the avatar, Southgater! Unfortunately the Village Theater was already closed by the time I was old enough to remember going to movies. However, I remember going to World Toys as a kid. That store had a very distinct smell that I will never forget - similar to the way that old houses smell when nothing inside has been changed for 40 yrs...

The toy store was very convenient...you could buy your pea shooters prior to the start of the movie.

[flipper]

I took some pics here last week:

flipper

[devonhart]

I took some pics here last week:

flipper

I now live in NY, but I just got back from visiting my parent's who live less than a 1/2 mile from Meyerpark I also drove by Westbury square, both look like ghosttowns.

[gwilson]

I remember back when they expanded it to 16 screens. It was THE hotness until Studio 30 got put up.

[NenaE]

I noticed the other day that the shopping strip where the Windsor movie theater was (east corner) which was later a night club, looked half bulldozed (Richmond & 610 Loop).

[Native Son]

I grew up in the neighborhood, going as far back as calling that area Meyer's Woods rather than Meyer Park, and all I can say is:

after the way AMC let that location denigrate - not RIP, but GOOD RIDDANCE

[Fringe]

I grew up in the neighborhood, going as far back as calling that area Meyer's Woods rather than Meyer Park, and all I can say is:

after the way AMC let that location denigrate - not RIP, but GOOD RIDDANCE

I agree. I hated those cracker jack box theaters.