Best Remaining Seats

Rating:
Summary: THE original PRIME work on Movie Palace Architecture/History
Review: Theatres have taken many forms through the ages, but the American innovation of the "Movie Palace" theatre to originally showcase silent films, is perhaps the most delightful meeting of the arts under one roof. Mr. Hall spent years searching the nation for photos and history of these architectural wonders and his respect for and love of this architype is readily evident! His jocular style can seem irreverant, but he strives thereby to keep his delight from turning to awe. It is a shame his life ended Dec. 16, 1970 for the New York Times and the world lost a master wordsmith and researcher/writer. This lavishly illustrated volume is the appropriate 'epitaph' for this art form and its success is revealed in the three subsequent printings in soft cover (minus the color plates in this first edition) and in the fact that it indirectly led to the forming of two societies of afficianados: THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA,(publishers of MARQUEE magazine) and THE AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY,(publishers of THEATRE ORGAN magazine) both in Elmhurst, Ill. Mr. Hall would have been proud of the preservation movement for theatres which arose partially as a result of his engaging 266-page book. Its potential social impact was forseen by "AMERICAN HERITAGE" magazine in October 1961 when they excerpted it complete with the color plates as "The Best REE-MAINING Seats". Other books have followed, but they owe a tip of the hat to him who took the lead so well. If this is the story of NYC's ROXY, the "Cathedral of the Motion Picture" and of entrepreneur Roxy Rothafel, he is the foreshadow of Ben M. Hall and a glimmering showcase of the dazzling 'architecture of fantasy' to come. Tour the nation in a new way and Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: THE original PRIME work on Movie Palace Architecture/History
Review: Theatres have taken many forms through the ages, but the American innovation of the "Movie Palace" theatre to originally showcase silent films, is perhaps the most delightful meeting of the arts under one roof. Mr. Hall spent years searching the nation for photos and history of these architectural wonders and his respect for and love of this architype is readily evident! His jocular style can seem irreverant, but he strives thereby to keep his delight from turning to awe. It is a shame his life ended Dec. 16, 1970 for the New York Times and the world lost a master wordsmith and researcher/writer. This lavishly illustrated volume is the appropriate 'epitaph' for this art form and its success is revealed in the three subsequent printings in soft cover (minus the color plates in this first edition) and in the fact that it indirectly led to the forming of two societies of afficianados: THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA,(publishers of MARQUEE magazine) and THE AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY,(publishers of THEATRE ORGAN magazine) both in Elmhurst, Ill. Mr. Hall would have been proud of the preservation movement for theatres which arose partially as a result of his engaging 266-page book. Its potential social impact was forseen by "AMERICAN HERITAGE" magazine in October 1961 when they excerpted it complete with the color plates as "The Best REE-MAINING Seats". Other books have followed, but they owe a tip of the hat to him who took the lead so well. If this is the story of NYC's ROXY, the "Cathedral of the Motion Picture" and of entrepreneur Roxy Rothafel, he is the foreshadow of Ben M. Hall and a glimmering showcase of the dazzling 'architecture of fantasy' to come. Tour the nation in a new way and Enjoy!