Cinema Loews

The Loews Cinema opened November 19, 1917, and was originally a Vaudeville theatre. It then reopened as a cinema in 1940. It closed in 1975, only to reopn as a multiplex in 1976.

It had 5 cinemas, and they were all really extravagant, and one super extravagant with a balcony and all which was the orchestra area. The Loews Cinema was located on the corner of St.Catherine and Mansfield.

The last movie to play in the old Loews cinema was Jaws, and the first movie to play was KingKong.

The cinema finally closed in 1999. It was then reopened as a Club Med World, which didn't last long. It is now some boutiques and head location of the Mansfield gym, which is in the old Cinema 1.

Thanks to http://cinematreasures.org/theater/3043 for lots of information.

The Montreal Forum

Been away working, so haven't had much time to blog.

This entry will be about the Montreal Forum (or the Pepsi Forum, if you don't remember it). It has a long history. With 24 Stanley Cups (2 of which belong to the Montreal Maroons), 8 Conference Championships, and 22 Division Championships. And a lot of amazing concerts.

It opened in November 9, 1908 as a roller rink that encircled an outdoor ice rink.

It was then rebuilt in 1924.

It underwent a renovation in 1949. This incarnation hosted Jacques Plante, the Rocket and the incredible Canadiens of the 1950s.

It underwent another renovation in 1968. This incarnation hosted Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Ken Dryden and the phenomenal team of the 1970s.

It is now known as the Pepsi Forum. It is no longer a sports arena, but a shopping mall / cinema.

The sports and concerts have since moved, and the new building has changed names more than once, the Bell Center (aka The Phone Booth), the Molson Center... But it will never be as great as the forum once was. The Ghosts of the Forum are said to haunt the Molson Center, but they have yet to haunt us to a 25th Stanley Cup.