Archive Gallery: The Future of The Movies

The 1920's saw a revolution in movie theater design. Before, people watched movies in five-cent nickelodeon theaters, but once full-length feature films became the norm, studios began building theater chains and movie palaces, which were renowned for their luxuriously large screens and spacious interiors. Samuel Lionel "Roxy" Rothafel, who went on to open New York's Radio City Music Hall in 1932, predicted that movie houses of the future would supplement screens would color-light paintings on curved walls. He envisioned auditoriums holding 5000 persons. While the movie played, hidden projectors would "paint" the walls with moving scenery, giving viewers the illusion that they were actually in the movie. Meanwhile, a hidden orchestra would provide music and sound effects. Although Rothafel's ideas ended up being more compatible with Broadway shows than with film, he is credited for the idea of synchronizing orchestral music with movie scenes.

Read the full story in "Famous Manager Predicts Egg-Shaped Playhouses"