Lorain was really on the move in the early 1970s, with various urban renewal projects getting underway, as well as the construction of the new City Hall.
In my own mind, I seem to mark the transition of 'old' Lorain to 'new' Lorain with the demolition and replacement of the old, decrepit City Hall. I've written about it many times here on the blog, initiating several debates as to its attractiveness and whether or not it was too big.
The above page from the May 11, 1973 Journal shows the old City Hall literally in the shadow of its replacement. The irony mentioned in the article is that the new one wasn't quite ready for the city officials to move into at the time they were being booted out of the old one.
I've included the whole page since its always interesting to see what else was going on – in this case what movies were showing on area screens. The one that leaps out to me is The Poseidon Adventure, an early disaster film, showing at the Tower Drive-in.
We saw The Poseidon Adventure at Amherst Theatre, naturally. I remember the movie was kind of depressing since so many of the main characters in the movie perished while trying to escape the overturned ship. (I also recall the hilarious Mad Magazine parody of the movie, which you can read here.)
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My wife and I were driving back to our home in Denver, from Phoenix, March 23. We stopped in Santa Fe for a couple of days of golf. As soon as we hit the Santa Fe exit and pulled into town, I immediately hit the gas pump. As I exited my vehicle at the pump, there was Ali MacGraw on the other side of the island, pumping her own gas into her Subaru. At 83 years old, she is stunning (still!). She’ s been in Santa Fe for years after leaving the Hollywood scene, along with several other movie people.
Don't forget "Deliverance" was playing at the Carlisle Drive Inn.Burt Reynolds finally broke through and made it big after this classic came out.He ruled the later 1970's box office with his car/buddy flicks.And John Voight also had a good run in the 70's as he picked up an Oscar later on.Deliverance is a classic to this day about the backwoods hillbillies of the deep south and what they do in the hills.The south still hasn't been able to shake this stereotype.
I took a date to see the The Poseidon Adventure.
There was this old, old, old lady sitting directly in front of us, all dressed up (like people used to be when they went to the movies) and she was really into the movie: singing Auld Lang Syne when the movie's characters did, and all that kind of stuff.
When they showed the wave coming, she went quiet for a moment, and then muttered, "Oh sh!t."
Still makes me laugh.
She's long gone, of course, just like the rest of will be, someday. And now, for some reason, that scene bring tears to my eyes. Auld Lang Syne, indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7o9NOrEdg
That was the last hurrah for the Ohio; it closed for good in July. I was there, as a quasi-sorta employee, working concessions, selling tickets, cleaning, running errands, and being enamored of Helen, the projectionist and daughter of the owner, who wore cherry perfume and bathing suits to work, the projection booth being hot .
The first movie we showed was Walt Disney 's DUMBO, whether an official rerelease or not, I never knew. I do remember that when the screen lit up for that first show, the film was slightly out of alignment, and onscreen, in glorious Technicolor, appeared the word "DUMB", perhaps a portent of things to come.
Alan. Great story. Cherry perfume.
My first crush always chewed JuicyFruit gum.
Every time I smell or taste it I think of her.
Yes, Alan. You transported me back in time with your writing skills. :) Funny about the unintended abbreviation to the movie, DUMBO.
That was the only time I liked cherries.
Did you get to the Ohio when it was open for the last time?
...We saw The Getaway at the Amherst, but saw The Poseidon Adventure at the Midway Cinema. Poseidon was a great flick - but since Dad worked at Amship, we knew when something truly unrealistic was on screen when Dad would kind of snort and shake his head.
There was a LOT of snorting and headshaking. ;)
Mike
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