Conclusion
In the mid-1960’s the theaters began moving to the suburbs. Even as Dayton watched the Keith’s theater take its final curtain call in 1967, four new cinemas were being built outside the city. That year saw the opening of the Salem Mall, Fox Kettering, Page Manor and Fox North theaters. The Kon-Tiki would open the following year.
By the end of 1975 the total number of theaters still showing films in the Dayton city limits had dwindled to six and four of those had turned to showing adult films in order to survive.
The 1980’s found even the smaller suburban movie houses in trouble. Far Hills Theater and Loew’s Ames, both of whom had been showing movies for over forty years, closed their doors as patrons turned to bigger and flashier movie houses. As theater owners began focusing on opening larger multiplexes like the Showcase Cinemas in Centerville and Huber Heights, smaller cinemas switched to second-run movies to compete. In 1987, however, videos had overtaken cinemas in terms of revenue. While $4.25 billion had been taken in at the box office, sales and rentals of videos amounted to over $7 billion. At present movies are sometimes released on video even before they are available to be shown in the smaller theaters.
In 1996 Danbarry Cinemas opened a 12 screen multiplex in Huber Heights for the purpose of showing discount movies. In 1997 the Danbarry Dollar Saver in Centerville opened. By the following year Page Manor Cinema had closed its doors. It was soon joined by the Cinema North and the Loew’s Salem Avenue theater.
The multiplexes continue to grow. Showcase Cinemas in Huber Heights has expanded to 16 screens, adding stadium seating-style theaters. Regal Cinemas Inc. has discussed plans to build a 22 screen complex at the Mall at Fairfield Commons, while National Amusement hopes to build a 20 screen multiplex in Beavercreek.
Luckily, some of the smaller theaters still survive. The New Neon Movies is the only theater left in the Dayton city limits showing first-run movies. Centerville Cinemas is still going strong with its six screens. The Dayton Mall has five (down from a one-time high of eight screens). Huber Heights Movie Palace is open with one screen, as is the Englewood Cinema. The Kettering Cinema is doing well with its two screens, while the Salem Mall has four.
What does the future hold for these theaters? It’s hard to imagine, in this day of videos and cable television, that most of them could last another decade. All too soon Dayton’s local cable providers will be offering instant access movies, where you have a choice of hundreds of films at your fingertips. Even movies themselves are changing. In a few years, instead of reels of film, movies will be placed on the equivalent of a large compact disc. The CDs will be easier to ship, give a sharper picture, last longer and be cheaper to produce than the 35mm film format of today. Unfortunately, this will also require a change in equipment, which means a large investment of cash in a theater that might already be tottering on the edge of closure.
It is my hope that some theaters, like The New Neon Movies, will be able to hold on because of the personal service and intimate surroundings they offer. There’s nothing like going to a theater where the manager knows you and takes the time to say hello, where you are more overwhelmed by the story, instead of the size of the picture. It seems to be an uphill battle, however. I just hope that, unlike most of Dayton’s downtown theaters, the history of these theaters hasn’t come to an end.
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