Up and down times here in Philly. Just a few weeks ago I learned that one of my favorite used bookstores is closing its doors. I can't say which one, because I don't think the news was meant to be shared just yet. But man, is this a blow. I've found so many great crime and horror novels there over the years. I've blogged about my finds often.And then... within the same week... I learned that Brave New Worlds, one of the two comic shops I frequent, is opening an Old City Philly branch that is literally a block away from my office at the City Paper. True enough, BNW2 opened its doors last Wednesday. I was there, about an hour after it unlocked the door, picking up my usual books, as well as the November issue of Marvel Previews, which features a page on my Moon Knight one-shot ("Date Night"). Kind of a cool geek moment.
But then I come home from a nice Labor Day weekend away with the Bride and Brood to discover that the AMC Orleans 8 -- the theater where I pretty much watched every movie from 1987 until 1995 -- has closed its doors and has a date with a wrecking ball. I saw RoboCop there. Friday the 13th Parts VII and VII. (And I think Jason Lives, too.) Leviathan. Deep Star Six. T2. Total Recall. Batman. Phantasm II. A Nightmare on Elm Street Part IV and V. Hellraiser I, II and III. Pumpkinhead. Nightbreed. Lord of Illusions. And thousand other horror and action flicks, most recently being Grindhouse (along with Ed Pettit and Al "Sunshine" Guthrie). This place, along with Marlo Books across the way in the Roosevelt Mall proper, was my teenage dream factory. During high school If I had $20, I'd promptly spend it on paperback horror novels and movie tickets. But now both places are gone, and it depresses the fuck out of me.
If anyone needs me, I'll be in the garage, cradling my back issues of Fangoria.
damn. i dint even live in the northeast, but i went to the orleans and the book store and the record store and the head shop across cottman.
ReplyDeleteIs that the movie on Bustleton? We went there every time we visited Philly in the seventies through the nineties. What a shame. I think we saw Star Wars there.
ReplyDeleteI remember when The Clifton Theater closed down. I saw Wayne's World 2 there. I was in high school and it was the only time I was ever allowed to go there. It closed a few years later.
ReplyDeleteIt's a Walgreen's now.
I know you needed to know that tidbit of New Jersey history.
Yes, a shame about the Orleans. i spent many hours of a mispent youth there as well. I used to have a big leather jacket and I had slit the lining so it was an enormos pocket. Then I would stuff the jacket with pony bottles of beer and we would sneak them into the Orleans and watch terrible movies, including most of the movies you mention in your post (although not all of them are terrible).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we got there one last time for Grindhouse (and I'm glad the place was still a dive).
So am I to assume, Marlo Books, is the name of the place that is closing down but you can't mention in your blog but accidently do in the last paragraph of this post?
ReplyDeletePatti: Yep, the Orleans was the theater on Bustleton. Four screens in one building, then four more screens in another building across the way.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: Sadly, Marlo closed three years ago. This is another store.
I saw a copy of the Marvel Previews yesterday and was going to email you and see if you needed a copy of it.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention that they call you "Hot crime novelist"
Even though I grew up in California and now live in Texas, I believe I saw GhostBusters in that theatre! Back when you could smoke in theatres! Good...Old...Days.
ReplyDeletejames
Brian: I think "hot" refers to my physical appearance, not my stature as a crime writer. Unless I read that wrong...?
ReplyDeleteMan...I remember taking the 58 to Roosevelt Mall and hitting the Galaxy to play some videos and the over to the orleanes. If there's anything positive to take away from this Duane, maybe its that there's one less thing for those of us from the neighborhood that moved away to miss.
ReplyDeleteUh...didn't think so.