Gwilliam Cinema

Description

Gwilliam Cinema in Crooketon is an old-fashioned movie theater that was built in 1935. Its façade, lobby, many of its seats and other accoutrements still bear the look of the classic old cinema that doubled in its early years as a stage theater for big band concerts and vaudeville. It was modified in the 1970s to accommodate a two-screen cinema complex. It is across the street due south of The Breeden Arms and both establishments prospered from their proximity to each other.

Gwilliam Cinema Crooketon [7,63] Bampfyld Drive The Breeden Arms Youl Drive Mesney Drive Railway Station Gwilliam Cinema a warehouse Clement Library Hewson Crescent Herman Square Basic Info: Cinemas are "shrouded in darkness" when unpowered. Cinemas are Dark buildings. In the presence of a fuelled portable generator, a Cinema's flavor text will change to one of the following: "…a black-and-white drama film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a recent horror film still looping silently on its main screen." "…an old horror film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a black-and-white documentary film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a recent drama film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a dramatic science-fiction film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a black-and-white science-fiction film playing on its main screen."

History

After the decline of the heavy industries of the 20th century, Malton city council wanted to change the city's image. It was designated to be a cultural center, with a large amount of public museums and art galleries. This is evident in the Crooketon neighborhood surrounding the Gwilliam Cinema. The theater is adjacent to two remnants of the industrial past, the Mesney Drive Railway Station and an apparently abandoned warehouse. Yet it is also nearby the Clement Library, and two museums (the Shenton Museum as well as Mornington’s Edgecombe Museum). There are four hospitals within four blocks of the cinema.

Gwilliam Cinema in Crooketon opened up as the Rialto Theater on the 28th October 1935. The Rialto was not just a cinema; it also doubled as a theater. There was an orchestra pit at the front, and behind the curtains to the right was a small washroom for the performers to use. There were many rooms underneath the stage, some for storage, one of which was the boiler room. The downstairs contained around 420 seats, and the upstairs contained around 250 seats.

Between June and September 1979, the theater was turned into a two-screen complex and in 2000 it was renamed Gwilliam Cinema. In November 2004, plans were unveiled for a 10-screen Multiplex near the Shenton Museum. The Gwilliam was scheduled to be closed within months of the opening of the new Cineplex. It immediately dropped its first-run movie format and began screening old Hollywood film classics. It was speculated that the building would become either a Bingo Hall, Nightclub or Casino... but then came the outbreak. With its location at the outskirts of Malton, the Gwilliam continued operating for a short time but soon the zombie epidemic overtook all of Crooketon. The last film shown before the cinema lost power was “From Here to Eternity.”

From Here to Eternity was the last film presented at Gwilliam Cinema

Status

Yep, it's still ruined and I'm leavin' right now. - Harm A Biff 06:32, 29 January 2011 (UTC)

ruined and abandoned, --John121 17:10, 18 June 2010 (BST)

June 30, 2007 - The Department of Emergency Management was using Gwilliam Cinema as a temporary clinic. Injured survivors are encouraged to go there to seek healing from DEM cadets.