The Loma
Many San Diegans probably remember this great old theatre turned bookstore. Designed by architect S. Charles Lee, the Loma Theatre opened in 1945 and closed in 1988. I have fond memories of seeing E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial at this theatre when it came out in 1982. Do you remember The Loma?
posted by at Monday, March 03, 2008
7 Comments:
I do, and I associate the exact same movie with that cinema. I never actually saw it, though -- HATE SciFi.
That is a strange coincidental memory. I'm not a huge fan of scifi either, but ET is super cool, especially on the big screen when you're 10 years old.
Felicia,
I too HATE Sci Fi, and saw ET at the Loma. I remember that the rows of seats were REALLY long, and if you had to get up for any reason, you had to walk in front of a gazillion people to get out.
I remember the grand opening of Bookstar, it seemed pretty glamorous at the time... It was on my 21st birthday. Clearly, that was just a couple of years ago.... What was I doing at a book store on my 21st birthday?!
Susu
I saw the Sound of Music there; it's a wonderful re-use, saving the beautiful ceiling. Stepping down the levels between departments is no problem, and besides. the ramps on each side provide smoother access. There was another Cinerama on University (Dr. Zhivago, Grand Prix), but it was cut up into a multiplex.
Richard(SAN)
We waited around the block to see E.T. there! I do believe I also saw Return of the Jedi there.
While I was happy they kept so much of the look, and very happy it turned into a book store rather than the many things it could have become, I was still sad it changed from being a theatre.
ET at the Loma was probably my first theatrical movie going experience. I don't remember much, of course, but I do still have an image in my head of a lit up theather, rows of heads in front of me in white, during the scene where ET is about to die and all the scientists hover around him (somethign like that, it's been years since I've seen it).
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