Details:
HSUMD JUNE MEETING GOES TO THE MOVIES!
The June meeting of the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert’s June meeting will bring Kelli Shapiro, Ph.D., the author of “Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres,” to Ridgecrest. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17 at the Historic USO Building, 230 West Ridgecrest Blvd.
Dr. Shapiro’s presentation is titled “From Picture Palace to Multiplex: Transformational Theatre Trends in Southern California’s Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley”. Showcasing the evolution and transformations of the region’s movie theatres, the presentation will explore the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire’s wealth of cinemas throughout the 20th Century and beyond. At the program, will demonstrate, entertainment options proliferated as people flocked to both areas, which were famed for their scenic citrus groves and vineyards, their position along Route 66, and their mountain and desert resorts. Residents and vacationers could enjoy films at nickelodeons, picture palaces, drive-ins, and other venues. Some historic theatres still operate. Due to the region’s proximity to Hollywood and its more rural and suburban settings, local cinemas frequently held studios’ test screenings (including for “Gone with the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz”). Those preview audiences definitely influenced what moviegoers would choose to enjoy at their local cinemas. Film exhibition history would be reflected in the cultural, social, and demographic trends across the United States…and the world.
Dr. Shapiro’s appearance at the Historic USO Building is very appropriate for the venue, since the Society has presented flex-Wednesday Classic Movie Night for the last 15 years. The Society is quite proud of its popular local movie “palace!”
The HSUMD meets on the third Tuesday of most months except July and August. Each meeting features a presentation on some topic of local interest. Meetings are free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information on this or future meetings, call 760-375-8456 during Bookstore hours: Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 am to 3 pm.
