Sunday, June 26, 2011

Save the Queen

Theater, that is. . . 

A L O H A   &

Welcome Back to Virtual Honolulu.

Today we visit the Kaimuki neighborhood.

Even when you live in a place like this-


"There's no place like home," 

"The Wizard of Oz," 1939.



  You still enjoy going inside a dark palace of magic,
like Kaimuki's QUEEN THEATER- seen here in the 1930s.
Happy 75th Anniversary to the old dame.



"Toto,
I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas
anymore," 

"The Wizard of Oz," 1939.








Today, she is in disrepair. 
The neighborhood would love to save her!


"I am big! It's the pictures that got small," 

"Sunset Blvd.," 1950






"Here's looking at you, kid,"

  "Casablanca," 1942







"The stuff that dreams are made of,"

  "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.







View from the tiny parking lot in back: all the way to Punchbowl


"Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" 

"White Heat," 1949


\&&&/
"Built in 1936 on a 10,396-square-foot parcel of prime Waialae Avenue real estate near the top of the hill, the Queen Theater grew to two stories and went from a neighborhood movie house to a porno theater to the place where people would go to watch "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" while dressing in full cult-following regalia.
The theater has not yet been declared safe for people to walk around in, but the lobby has been cleared. "
Honolulu StarAdvertiser


Paula Devi of EVERYDAY Radiance was kind enough to share an award with me.
She wrote:

" Cloudia of Comfort Spiral Cloudia brings us beauty - both visual and written. In sharing with us her amazing photography of her Hawaii, its flowers, colors and people and sharing thought provoking quotes, you cannot but leave her blog thankful you visited. "

Thank YOU, Paula 
As Well as EACH of YOU who visit & comment here!
                                            Sincerely, cloudia

35 comments:

Teresa said...

Love the pictures of the Queen theater (and the old movie quotes).

Congratulations on your award!!

Anonymous said...

Well said, Cloudia! Congrats.

Charles Gramlich said...

congrats on the award. Well deserved.

Kavita Saharia said...

Congratulations !Well deserved !Aloha :)

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of a neighborhood movie house. It seems like a desecration to go from that to a porno house. I hope it will be restored back to its splendor. I wish I know Warren Buffett personally :)

Rosaria Williams said...

Congratulations on your award from Paula. Yes, indeed, a mini vacation every time we visit here.

Lynn said...

I love those old theaters. :) Congrats on the award.

Akelamalu said...

Congratulations on the award Cloudia, you so deserve it. x

DeniseinVA said...

I agree with everything Paul Devi says. Couldn't have said it better :)

Ileana said...

I always leave thankful after I visit you. I especially like the old movie quotes with the beautiful pics on this post. Aloha, amiga...and it's true, there is no place like home. Enjoy your Hawaii!!

KrippledWarrior said...

"all these places I remember. some are gone and some remain." ~The Beatles

another job well done.

Leovi said...

I like this view taken from below the sky background. Also the second photo in B & W, is very good with this spectacular play of lines. Greetings.

Kay said...

This was so much fun. I haven't been to Kaimuki in a while. They do have one of the best Japanese restaurants there... Maguroya. I love their butterfish! I can't remember ever going to the Queen's theater.

Feisty Crone said...

The blue of the water and the sky looks so inviting.

the walking man said...

I couldn't find before pictures but this movie house in Detroit went through the same decline to un-inhabitable structure until it was reclaimed and brought back to it's former venue which now does the live stage show thing.

foxie Fox

Windsmoke. said...

Many years ago the Regent Theatre down here in Melbourne Victoria was in a similiar situation to your Queen Theatre and was actually due for demolition but the people protested, the people spoke, the people demanded it be saved and won :-).

Commander Zaius said...

I miss those old theaters, there is one in my home town that has been turned into a place where plays are performed.

Elephant's Child said...

Pretty, pretty, pretty. Words and pictures both.

21 Wits said...

Congrats!..and way to go for your award! If there is a will then they will succeed in saving the Queen ...I so hope they can...sending good luck wishes!

SandyCarlson said...

I hope this theater can be saved--a historical and artistic gem. Your photos are wonderful.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

awesome shots.

Rick said...

I have to agree with Paula - always a surprise (pleasant) to visit here. Great photos and quotable quotes !

Aloha !

Anonymous said...

Always so sad to see old theatres in disrepair.

I enjoyed your photos and quotations very much.

Pierre BOYER said...

"God save the Queen !"
Regards from France...


Pierre

bichonpawz said...

Love the Queen Theater! Isn't it sad though...how some old buildings just never get restored and end up getting destroyed.

Your quotes are always amazing!

Happy Monday Cloudia!!

Birdman said...

Your quoting all my favorite movies today. They keep me in a 'comfort'.

Anonymous said...


oh.. so nice post.)
Love your blog.))

I now spend a survey of bloggers with such questions.
1. Why did you create a blog?
2. For whom you taking him? Want to be popular?
3. How long will it keep going?

Daryl said...

theatres back then were so elegantly built .. I saw one looking much like that this weekend in Alabama and another when I visited San Antonio ..

Congrats on your award!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the award! WE knew you have a wonderful site. Maybe Paul Newman's Foundation, the Hawaii Five-O producers, or a WWII group might help with the Queen restoration. In metro K.C., we have two tiny neighborhood theatres that were restored and show 3rd run or art films, or host wedding receptions. They used to have children's small stage productions with the actors greeting the children in the lobby at the end. Toto ran off...DrumMajor

Dianne said...

I do hope she is restored to glory
beautiful building

Cloudia said...

Jolly Party!

So happy YOU showed up :)

magiceye said...

congratulations!!

namaste /\ from mumbai
aloha!

claude said...

I completely agree with Paula, Cloudia !!!
ALOHA !

Ash said...

As always, nice pictures and quotes. Congratulations on the award!

Brian Miller said...

nice pics...sad to see those cultural land marks and memories disappear...aloha from va