Day two of the Westmont Marquee

Day 2 continues with the complete removal of the lower ceiling and a portion of the roof. More will follow….

Westmont Marquee with removed lower ceiling

The marquee opened up

Is this the start of something big?

So today Haddon Township started work on the marquee. They’re goal is to remove all the damaged pieces so that the fence can be removed from the sidewalk. As we’ve noted in our two recent posts… a lot of positive steps are coming into play for the theatre and this is one of those steps. Below are some picture that were taken throughout today.

Westmont Theatre Marquee with damaged ceiling

Construction crew removing damaged pieces

Marquee without metal ceiling

Follow up meeting with Mayor

The meeting with the Mayor went well last Thursday. Topics that were discussed included restoration costs and parking. The follow up meeting scheduled for this week is to further discuss cost restoration, parking and theatre operation (day-to-day), and to create an action plan.

More info to follow…

Teaser trailer for new Westmont film

Since the premiere of The Grand Old Lady in May 2007, filmmaker Brent J. Donaway has continued to follow and film the status of the theatre and those who work to see it preserved/restored as a film and performing arts venue. Below is a teaser trailer for his new film, which is slated to be released in 2010.

done

Event at Camden County College

Last night’s event at Camden County College went well. NCW members Allen Hauss, Nancy Leggoe and Brent Donaway attended and had a table setup with NCW/Westmont info. Over the course of an hour they handed out  several copies of the awareness flyer, the Westmont postcard and The Grand Old Lady commemorative book. The NCW awareness video was screened to students, professors, administrators and visiting journalists/film critics throughout the event.

They spoke with several people who remember going to the Westmont to see movies when they were younger. The Exorcist, which had its South Jersey premiere at the Westmont, was a topic of conversation for a few people. They remember all the commotion about that film and how people had to taken out on stretches/wheelchairs to the EMT trucks because they got ill/fainted while watching the film.

 

 Below is a picture of Allen and Nancy and the NCW table before the event began.

 

NCW article in Film Threat Magazine

Recently the NCW conducted an interview with Phil Hart, journalist/film critic for Film Threat Magazine. That story is now on their website. You can view it here: Saving the Westmont

Additionally this story was picked up by Google News. You can view that one here: Westmont on Google

The NCW is working hard to increase their awarness not only in Camden County but throughout the Delaware Valley. If you have a love for the Westmont Theatre and want to get involved, please contact them with the email link in the side bar.

A fitting farewell…

If you were driving down Haddon Ave last night, you probably saw the crowds of people in the theatre’s parking lot for ToHIP’s sponsored “Movie Night” screening of “Grease”.

Well…if you showed up early to “movie night”, you were treated the the final screening of The Grand Old Lady.

We feel its a fitting farewell to the current version of the film by showing it one last time in the theatre’s parking lot. In fact last night’s screening was just 1-year and 4 days after its premiere at the Ritz and there still were people who came out to see it for the first time. People were coming up to me afterwards and shared their stories of going to the theatre, etc…, THEY ALL HOPED THE THEATRE WOULD BE REVITALIZED!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ToHIP FOR ASKING US TO PARTICIPATE!

Movie night at the Westmont this Friday

ToHIP, the Town of Haddon Improvement Project, is organizing a Move Night this Friday May 9th at 7PMin the Westmont Theatre Parking lot – the film will be projected on the white wall.

As part of the program, a special screening of The Grand Old Lady will play as the pre-show entertainment to the main feature, Grease. If the weather is bad, the program will commence on Saturday evening instead.

ALL REMAINING DVDS WILL BE SOLD AT A DRASTIC DISCOUNT DURING THE SCREENING.

DVDs: $5

Books: $ 7

Combo: $10

Come on out and enjoy an Old Fashion night at the movies with the Historic Westmont Theatre as your backdrop!

And the curtain now falls…

Last nights FINAL screening of the current version of The Grand Old Lady went well. There were about 35 people in the audience at the Rohrer Library.

The Q&A session went well too. The audience was very interested in the Spielberg legend, The Kramer vs. Kramer and The Exorcist stories, LAR’T, and the RFP process going on now. 

Special thanks to Bill Brahms and the Camden County Library System for inviting us to participate in “National Library Week”.

There are still a few DVDs left from last nights sales. If you or anyone you know wants a copy (they make great stocking stuffers), please send us an email.

They’re selling for only $10 and include the following:

1. The Film
2. A 20 minute Mini-Doc of the premiere screening at the Ritz Theatre last May
3. Photo Gallery
4. Behind the Scenes
5. Cutting Room Floor clips
6. Message from the Director

Final Screening of TGOL documentary this week!

Good Morning Everyone!

This Wednesday at the William G. Rohrer Library in Haddon Township, The Grand Old Lady is screening as part of a series of programs for “National Library Week”.  The program starts at 7PM

This is the last screening of the current version of the film. After Wednesday, The Grand Old Lady will be completely re-edited with new footage, interviews and b-roll

There is no release date yet for the new, more complete version of the film.

All remaining DVDs of the current version of the film will be sold at a discount!

The Commemorative Keepsake Book will be sold at a discount too!

DVDs: Originally $15 will sell for $10

Books: Originally $10 will sell for $7*

Combo: Orginally $25 will sell for $15

 * The book is sold at this discounted price only for this event.