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Photos: Walter Reade Theater Upgrades

By Nicholas Kemp on September 8, 2016 in Film Society

First we had to take down the old screen.
This is what a movie screen looks like folded up.
We also had to remove a bunch of seats to make room for other work.
We stored the seats in the Furman Gallery, along with a popcorn machine that was on its way out.
Replacing the lights was a bit of a balancing act.
We gutted the concession stand to make room for a new one.
Installing the new stand took several days.
We really like how it came out.
Our lobby carpet got a little dirty in the process.
The new screen came in this funky roller.
It was installed by three very meticulous workers.

In honor of the Walter Reade Theater’s 25th anniversary, and with the help of Kickstarter backers and generous donors who named seats in the theater, we undertook a series of upgrades to the historic movie house. The work included installing a new screen, updating its lighting and electrical systems, refurbishing projectors, and putting in a new concession stand. The project will continue next summer with further upgrades in the projection booth and more.

The Walter Reade Theater will reopen on Friday, September 9, with a run of Charles Burnett’s newly restored, overlooked masterpiece To Sleep with Anger. In the meantime, check out some photos from our summer of renovations!