North Carolina Multi Joins Streets at Southpoint Consolidated Bows 16 In Durham DURHAM, N.C. – On March 5, Consolidated Theatres held the grand opening of its 16-plex on the Streets at Southpoint, a new collection of restaurants and retail shops in Durham, N.C. Opening to the public March 8, the new multi during its first week offered free popcorn, samples from the snack bar, give-aways and other on-site activities in conjunction with the mall’s opening. The 2,800-seat plex houses a concession stand with multiple selling stations featuring traditional theatre fare as well as Uno’s Pizzeria Pizza, Fruitopia drinks and Dasani bottled water. Auditoria of the 16-plex feature wall-to-wall screens, stadium-style seating with an 18-inch height difference between rows, luxury high-back rocking chairs with headrests and retractable armrests, and Dolby and DTS sound systems. The multi also features 7-day advanced ticketing, with a remote ticketing kiosk in the mall’s food court. The Charlotte, N.C.-based circuit currently operates 222 screens at 16 sites in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Renovated Regent Returns With Specialty Program Landmark Lands In Westwood LOS ANGELES — Landmark Theatres celebrated the Feb. 23 reopening of its recently acquired and refurbished Regent Theatre with a two-day salute to nine films named “Best Picture” by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), followed by a March 1 opening of USA Films’ “Monsoon Wedding.” Promising the best big screen presentation of any art cinema in Los Angeles, the Regent offers new seating, décor, concessions, digital sound and 3-day advanced ticketing at the box office. Following the Feb. 23-24 LAFCA event — which featured screenings of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Kramer Vs. Kramer,” “Hope & Glory,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Brazil,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “L.A. Confidential” “Unforgiven” and “Atlantic City” — was a Feb. 25-27 retrospective of director Robert Altman’s films. The final evening of the Altman event featured a question and answer session with the filmmaker. The Regent, located at 1045 Broxton Avenue in Westwood Village, was built in 1966. WF Cinema Holdings owned the site before Landmark acquired it earlier this year. Landmark currently operates 170 screens at 54 sites, with an early spring bow planned for an 8-plex in Bethesda, Md. TOI Term Running 2002-04 Indiana Exhibs Choose Officers INDIANAPOLIS – Theatre Owners of Indiana (TOI) has announced its new officers, who began their 3-year term effective Jan. 1. 2002-04 officers are: David O. Wright, president; Allen Strahl, vice president; Fredrick Heise, treasurer; and Ann L. Craft, corporate secretary and general manager. Michael Rembusch moves to immediate past president; all TOI presidents serve on the board for life. ‘Pearl Harbor’ Promotion Consolidated 16 Takes Showmanship Honor CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Consolidated Theatres’ Valley View Grande 16 won two awards in ShoWest’s Showmanship Awards competition, “most creative” and “best in show” – thanks to its 2001 “Pearl Harbor” promotion. The Valley View Grande’s promotion team, lead by general manager Trent Jones, constructed a scale model of a Japanese Zero airplane and suspended it from the lobby’s ceiling in a diving position. The team also invited local war vets to the multi and received letters of thanks and encouragement from Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf, Sen. John McCain and Walter Cronkite. Submissions for the competition, sent in from promotional teams all over the country, must include a binder, photos and other relevant materials in order to compete in eight different categories. The winner of “best in show” is chosen from among the winners in the other categories. The Showmanship Awards, held every year at ShoWest, are sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter and Kodak Films.

‘Oprah’ Shrink Visits N.J. Multi Dr. Phil Makes NA House Call EDGEWATER, N.J. — National Amusements played host Jan. 31 to best-selling author and regular “Oprah” guest Dr. Phil McGraw (and a crowd of over 350) at its Multiplex 14 in Edgewater, N.J. Winners received free tickets to the event through a variety of sweepstakes held at several NA multis, the Bookends bookstore in Ridgewood, N.J., and radio stations WRKS-FM and WPLJ-FM. McGraw spoke about his lastest work, “Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out,” held a question and answer session, then autographed copies of the book for attendees. NA operates over 1,390 screens at sites in the United States, the United Kingdom and Latin America, and is also the parent company of Viacom. Alternative Weekly Veteran Paul Biondi New Loeks-Star Ad Man SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Loeks-Star Theatres announced on March 5 the appointment of Paul Biondi to the position of vice president, advertising and promotions, where he will oversee all media relationships, corporate partnerships, non-profit sponsorships and brand management for the circuit. Biondi, a graduate of Oakland University, served in the advertising department of Pontiac, Mich.-based daily, The Oakland Press. Before joining Loeks-Star, Biondi spent 10 years in the advertising department at The Metro Times, Detroit’s leading alternative weekly newspaper. “We are pleased and excited to have Paul on board,” said circuit executive VP and COO Brian Blatchley. “With his wealth of experience and relationships in Detroit media, Paul brings a fresh perspective to marketing movies.” Loeks-Star currently operates 156 screens at 10 Michigan sites. Virginia Pioneer Dalke’s Celebrates 90th Anniversary WOODSTOCK, Va. — Dalke’s Theatres celebrates 90 years in the exhibition industry this year. German-born circuit founder William F. Dalke Sr. (1890-1977) came to America in 1908. By 1912, he had already purchased his first portable projector and was touring Virginia with a trunk full of celluloid. Dalke exhibited movies throughout the state and eventually began to rent and buy empty buildings in Shenandoah County. He settled in Woodstock, Va., where he projected movies on the second floor of the Bank of America building, in a skating rink and in the old town hall. Through the 1920s Dalke expanded his circuit to six sites. Over the years, Dalke’s sites also served as venues for vaudeville shows, beauty pageants, concerts, community plays and school activities and commencements. In the mid-’50s, William Jr. took over the operation of the circuit, eventually employing all four of his sons at the family venues. William Jr. continued the expansion and operation of Dalke’s Theatres Inc., as it became known, until his death in 1991, at which time his son Tim took over the business. Dalke’s currently operates the Community Theatre-3 in Woodstock and the Family Drive-In-2 in Stephens City, Va., which Playboy magazine in 1998 cited as “one of the top 10 drive-ins” in the United States.