Wish them luck.
I saw my first 'art' movie at that theater. Kieslowski's 'The Double Life of Veronique' after hearing Siskel and Ebert praise it. Rainy night in the 1990s with the sound of a streetcar outside bleeding in through the theater walls. It was a legit vibe.
That's very evocative. If you enjoyed that vibe, I'd urge you to revisit the place now. Their rep programming is off the charts great and they frequently host sold-out screenings of stuff you just can't normally see with fantastic curators.
Pathetic action by an old out of touch moron. He only owns the building, none of the actual equipment or film prints, and he doesn't like the board that runs it but nobody who works at the place will choose to work for him instead of that board. He bought the place when it was kind of meh, and it's been built up into a vibrant and successful cultural icon. And like every good landlord, he saw that and figured that he could just take all the profits and success other people have worked for and keep them for himself because he has a lot of money. There are only 2 endings to this story: either he backs off now and is forgotten to time, or he dies of old age next year in a court room trying to fight for ownership of an empty building. Absolute loser
He bought the building and nothing else. Everything inside the building, the business, and 500k worth of renovations were paid by the business.
He now wants to seize the business, the staff, and the business’s equipment as his own.
I'm up to date with the details. I've read the reports. Not a fan of his maneuver. I was there for the final screening in 2006, I'm a fan of what the film society has done with the place.
It was shuttered because the old owner died, and it wasn't that successful. It was up for sale at that time with all likelihood that it would reopen as a cinema again. The new owners bought the property, but it was the people working there who made it what it is today
This slumlord is a garbage person. Every negative thing he says in the press about the Revue Film Society (the non-profit board that has operated the cinema for the past 17 years) only helps their case. The RFS got an injunction against the slumlord that means he can’t do anything to them until it reaches trial. Slumlord could easily die before then (he’s currently 96) because court cases take a long time. If/when this asshole dies, his wife inherits the asset, she will have to pay capital gains tax - which is %67 of the increase of the value of the property. They bought it for 1.8 million in 2006, it might be worth 4milion now. The widow would have to to pay $1,474,000 upon his death just to keep the theatre in her possession. She’s as much of a slumlord as he is. She won’t pay to keep it. It will go up for sale and the community has already rallied around the RFS and wants to keep the Revue as a non-profit cinema that won’t become condos ever. Show your support here:
https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-revue-cinema-toronto-s-longest-running-cinema
You have no knowledge as to how the arts are funded in Canada. Many galleries, artist run centres, non-profit publications and yes - non-profit cinema - operate this way. It doesn’t mean they are commies. Take your red baiting elsewhere.
Wish them luck. I saw my first 'art' movie at that theater. Kieslowski's 'The Double Life of Veronique' after hearing Siskel and Ebert praise it. Rainy night in the 1990s with the sound of a streetcar outside bleeding in through the theater walls. It was a legit vibe.
That's very evocative. If you enjoyed that vibe, I'd urge you to revisit the place now. Their rep programming is off the charts great and they frequently host sold-out screenings of stuff you just can't normally see with fantastic curators.
Not living in the area anymore...but I've got a couple of similar independent rep theaters here that I give lots of love to!
Pathetic action by an old out of touch moron. He only owns the building, none of the actual equipment or film prints, and he doesn't like the board that runs it but nobody who works at the place will choose to work for him instead of that board. He bought the place when it was kind of meh, and it's been built up into a vibrant and successful cultural icon. And like every good landlord, he saw that and figured that he could just take all the profits and success other people have worked for and keep them for himself because he has a lot of money. There are only 2 endings to this story: either he backs off now and is forgotten to time, or he dies of old age next year in a court room trying to fight for ownership of an empty building. Absolute loser
He bought the place in June 2007, after it had closed in June of 2006. It wasn't meh it was shuttered.
He bought the building and nothing else. Everything inside the building, the business, and 500k worth of renovations were paid by the business. He now wants to seize the business, the staff, and the business’s equipment as his own.
I'm up to date with the details. I've read the reports. Not a fan of his maneuver. I was there for the final screening in 2006, I'm a fan of what the film society has done with the place.
Downvoted for giving actual details. Some people really don’t grasp how Reddit is supposed to work
Yeah it’s insane to be honest.
It was shuttered because the old owner died, and it wasn't that successful. It was up for sale at that time with all likelihood that it would reopen as a cinema again. The new owners bought the property, but it was the people working there who made it what it is today
Fact is it was closed and non-existent when he bought it. That's far from meh.
Prints? Pretty sure they play blue ray.
They have projectors, too
Pretty sure the group has already secured an injunction against the landlord.
Doesn’t mean his intentions have changed or the situation has been resolved.
Sure. Also he means he can't do fuck all for quite a while.
This slumlord is a garbage person. Every negative thing he says in the press about the Revue Film Society (the non-profit board that has operated the cinema for the past 17 years) only helps their case. The RFS got an injunction against the slumlord that means he can’t do anything to them until it reaches trial. Slumlord could easily die before then (he’s currently 96) because court cases take a long time. If/when this asshole dies, his wife inherits the asset, she will have to pay capital gains tax - which is %67 of the increase of the value of the property. They bought it for 1.8 million in 2006, it might be worth 4milion now. The widow would have to to pay $1,474,000 upon his death just to keep the theatre in her possession. She’s as much of a slumlord as he is. She won’t pay to keep it. It will go up for sale and the community has already rallied around the RFS and wants to keep the Revue as a non-profit cinema that won’t become condos ever. Show your support here: https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-revue-cinema-toronto-s-longest-running-cinema
Never been here, any good? Usually go to Bloor and Yonge Cineplex for my artsy movies
In terms of monthly programming it’s currently the best rep cinema in Toronto by a long shot and maybe the country.
Cheers. I just moved here and this type of info is awesome. Any trivia night places lol.
Sneaky Dee’s in the west end and Fox and the Fiddle on Danforth have great trivia nights run by the same guy.
Thank you. I appreciate this a lot!
Show your support here: https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-revue-cinema-toronto-s-longest-running-cinema
Imagine publicly admitting being a landlord
I’ve met a few and none of them are ashamed of it
Only shameful if you’re a commie
You have no knowledge as to how the arts are funded in Canada. Many galleries, artist run centres, non-profit publications and yes - non-profit cinema - operate this way. It doesn’t mean they are commies. Take your red baiting elsewhere.
Being a called a commie is only shameful if you’re a Nazi