Tag: montreal cinemas

Montreal Cinemas11 Comments

The Laurier Palace Theatre Fire

Eric Veillette

Today we look at the tragic Laurier Palace Theatre fire, which claimed the lives of 78 Montreal children in January of 1927. Many local parents considered the Laurier Palace Theatre a firetrap. Situated between a cafe and a bar, there were no lateral exits; the only way out of the theatre was through exits on either side of the ticket wicket and two rear exits on both sides of the stage, which led out onto a lane at the rear of the building. Few parents were aware their children had lined up to see a movie that cold and sunny … Continue reading The Laurier Palace Theatre Fire

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Single screens, megaplexes, and Michael Corleone

Eric Veillette

Last week, Cineplex wrapped its first Great Digital Film Festival. As I reported in the Toronto Star, a selection of twenty “classic” films played alongside Avatar and whatever else is currently in theatres. Anyone reading this blog knows I’m a big advocate for Toronto’s great rep cinemas and loathe the alienating, epilepsy-inducing feeling brought on by so many megaplexes, so I never thought I’d say this, but Cineplex did a great job. First off, the films looked great. Only a quarter of the titles were presented in true 2K digital cinema (The Thing, The Godfather, and the Bond flicks), the … Continue reading Single screens, megaplexes, and Michael Corleone

Toronto Cinemas10 Comments

Canada’s Atmospheric Theatres – The Empress

Eric Veillette

This week we continue our recent examination of the historic Atmospheric theatres that once existed in this fair country. We now leave Toronto and look to la belle province to the east. by Eric Veillette While walking in the Notre-Dame-De-Grace area of Montreal on a particularly cold winter night in January of 2007, I looked up and noticed a massive structure spanning most of the block. Noting the intersections of Sherbrooke and Old Orchard, I realized this must be the Egyptian theatre a friend of mine had just mentioned. Despite the darkness, it was a marvelous sight. Overlooking Girouard Park … Continue reading Canada’s Atmospheric Theatres – The Empress