I love classic films and in fact, I probably prefer to watch anything between 1877 and 1970…of course, as I’m saying that I’m reminding myself of all the movies since 1970 that I love (too many to even remember), not the least of which is the very recent Hamlet 2 which has had me in tears every time I watch it. If you haven’t seen it, you must. Anyway, I’m not sure if this is kitschy, but maybe the “frame” is? I used to scrounge for anything from old movie theaters and was heartbroken when one nearby closed and they wouldn’t save the tile ticket booth out front…..but, I at least got this from the junkshop nearby…it so happened that these are some of my favorite flicks preserved in one of my favorite mediums: lobby cards…..it was a cast off and I love it!
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Allee Willis
I absolutely love vintage displays for movie posters and you hit the motherload here.
How nice for the moviegoers that there were different movies playing from Monday through Thursday and then Friday through Sunday and, of course, that they were all double features. Those were the days when it was enough for movie houses to have great films and not charge a king’s ransom for stale popcorn and nachos slopped with drippy cheese (the latter of which of course I love).
The posters themselves are fantastic as they’re from such classic movies. And old lobby cards had such incredible designs, not just a big blowup of some overpaid stars and rows of fonts at the bottom. And I always love when the colors are completely blown out, Technicolor on acid.
It does make me super ill that the ticket booth from the theater wasn’t saved – I would have come up there and carried it home on my back.
Was there anything else left from the theater at the junk shop?
All in all, a spectacular find!
windupkitty
Yeah, old movie theaters are pretty much my favorite thing. I’m privileged to have the Stanford Theater just a 1/2 hour walk away (met Peggy Lee there once; my uncle used to accompany her,as well as many others. He was a drummer and the most decent man who ever lived).
Up north here we also have the Fox and the Paramount in Oakland. They often have musical acts but also sometimes show old movies (it’s kind of far for me to go, so I often miss out). These theaters are definitely worth a trip though; they are restored to perfection and every time I’m in one of them, I’m just overwhelmed at how beautiful they are.
Vintage lobby cards can seriously destroy me! I try not to look at them on ebay anymore because they get pricey and I just feel tortured..The good thing is that I presume the folks paying top dollar will take care of them and my whole vibe is preservation; that’s all that really counts. I do love them though and I agree about the pics themselves. They are just gorgeous tiny works of art!
This display is funny too, since CB Demille’s Cleopatra and 20th Century are from 34, Flying Down to Rio is from 33 and Anna Christie, is of course, earlier (1930), so presumably this was put together in 34 or anytime thereafter.
The ticket booth broke my heart. I called, wrote letters, etc…I don’t know what happened to it…I’d drive by and look at it and honestly considered trying to pilfer it in the night! :) This was the only good thing I could get ahold of….The guy who bought up a lot of stuff kept a lot (which is good,cause he cared about it) and most of the stuff he sold wasn’t great (large plastic marquee letters that were new). BUt I was lucky to get this….AND it was only 12 dollars……
k2dtw
OMGOMGOMG…THIS IS FABULOUS…
Such a great piece of history, and really wonderful films..
I love it so much, do you hang it like art??
windupkitty
Haha, thanks! Yeah, this is truly my style and great example of what I love/find important too :) Yep, it’s hanging above my couch! :)
denny
This post has me in such a tizzy that I almost can’t breathe. They are gorgeous and I still flip over this stuff! I lost tons of stuff to water damage in the northridge earthquake in LA.
I have one lobby card left and it’s Mamie van Doren from the film “Guns Girls And Gangsters”.
Allee Willis! I need to hit that jealous button right now!
Allee Willis
I know. It’s such a drag that we don’t have one. Don’t get me started on the limitations of WordPress. I’ve defeated the interface just about every way possible and am looking into other options. It kills me that we don’t have a jealous button.
windupkitty
awwww jeez, so sorry to hear about the damage done to your stuff.man, that’s a bummer.i fight our flooding potential by storing EVERYTHING in plastic tubs, but yeah, when the bad stuff goes down, what can you do?! A Mamie Van Doren poster is a treasure though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!