Porn's Passenger Pigeon
July 11, 2008 11:51 PM Subscribe
How many porn theaters are still operating in North America?
By "porn theater" I mean the traditional kind, not the collection of private video booths. I mean a big screen and a room full of skeevy men who periodically shuffle off to the bathroom. Lots of nervous shifting and coughing. Scratched and re-spliced films whose reels may or may not be in order. Weird cruising action. Beer cans opening. A furnace fan whose noise drowns out the wocka-wocka soundtrack. Heavy disinfectant smells. A distractingly bright EXIT sign above a heavy and loud door. You know, a REAL porn theater.
I think I saw a Mitchell Brothers theater the last time I was in Frisco, but I didn't go inside to see for sure if they had movies.
I understand some porn theaters began to show projected videos, so I'm not excluding those.
Are there any porn theaters left in North America, or did the VHS tape then the video booth then the Internet kill this fine institution forever?
By "porn theater" I mean the traditional kind, not the collection of private video booths. I mean a big screen and a room full of skeevy men who periodically shuffle off to the bathroom. Lots of nervous shifting and coughing. Scratched and re-spliced films whose reels may or may not be in order. Weird cruising action. Beer cans opening. A furnace fan whose noise drowns out the wocka-wocka soundtrack. Heavy disinfectant smells. A distractingly bright EXIT sign above a heavy and loud door. You know, a REAL porn theater.
I think I saw a Mitchell Brothers theater the last time I was in Frisco, but I didn't go inside to see for sure if they had movies.
I understand some porn theaters began to show projected videos, so I'm not excluding those.
Are there any porn theaters left in North America, or did the VHS tape then the video booth then the Internet kill this fine institution forever?
There's one about a block from me, here in Toronto. It's been rumored to be closing for quite a while, so get it while you can.
posted by chococat at 12:28 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by chococat at 12:28 AM on July 12, 2008
The Paris Theatre in Portland, OR was a porn theater in the 70s and has recently been turned back into one after a number of years as a music venue. I had no idea it went as far as "gloryholes" until I pulled up the website. yikes.
posted by braintoast at 12:40 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by braintoast at 12:40 AM on July 12, 2008
chococat said: "There's one about a block from me, here in Toronto. It's been rumored to be closing for quite a while, so get it while you can."
I've been there a couple of times, for music shows (Hidden Cameras + Chinese Stars). It's grody with a capital O.
They exist in Montreal. To anyone who's familiar with the city this should come as no surprise. Cinema l'Amour is in a trendy area, the Plateau. I also think there may be some on Ste-Catherine in the shopping district (though they could just be strip clubs) and possibly still one on St-Laurent south of Ste-Catherine, which is pretty seedy.
posted by loiseau at 1:12 AM on July 12, 2008
I've been there a couple of times, for music shows (Hidden Cameras + Chinese Stars). It's grody with a capital O.
They exist in Montreal. To anyone who's familiar with the city this should come as no surprise. Cinema l'Amour is in a trendy area, the Plateau. I also think there may be some on Ste-Catherine in the shopping district (though they could just be strip clubs) and possibly still one on St-Laurent south of Ste-Catherine, which is pretty seedy.
posted by loiseau at 1:12 AM on July 12, 2008
There was one in Pittsburgh until about a year ago. It was shut down/bought out in terms of neighborhood redevelopment.
posted by buttercup at 3:39 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by buttercup at 3:39 AM on July 12, 2008
most US porn theaters don't show spliced reels, they show DVDs. that alone should kill nearly all such places from your list. also, the guys in there don't always shuffle off to bathrooms.
posted by krautland at 3:56 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by krautland at 3:56 AM on July 12, 2008
Apparently the Apex is still open in Baltimore. For quite some time, there were as many adult theaters as regular theaters in Baltimore.
(I've never been there, so I have no idea what it's like. Also, I haven't lived in Baltimore for a few years, so the above information might not be accurate, but if it's on the web, it must be true!)
posted by knile at 5:35 AM on July 12, 2008
(I've never been there, so I have no idea what it's like. Also, I haven't lived in Baltimore for a few years, so the above information might not be accurate, but if it's on the web, it must be true!)
posted by knile at 5:35 AM on July 12, 2008
Biggest picture I could find of the Forum in Philly. There was another real gem called the Art Holiday on a lovely stretch of Kensington Avenue, known as a prominent hooker stroll with open air drug markets in North Philly, but alas it closed down last year.
posted by The Straightener at 6:56 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by The Straightener at 6:56 AM on July 12, 2008
The Foxchase III on Duke Street in Alexandria, VA operated in a strip center but, per the link, may be gone. It was utterly ordinary looking, and then you'ld notice the marquee...
posted by carmicha at 7:46 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by carmicha at 7:46 AM on July 12, 2008
And by "strip center" I meant a strip shopping center, of course.
posted by carmicha at 7:47 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by carmicha at 7:47 AM on July 12, 2008
The Fox is a porno theatre in Vancouver that's definitely still around.
posted by Nelsormensch at 7:50 AM on July 12, 2008
posted by Nelsormensch at 7:50 AM on July 12, 2008
I used to work at one in Akron, Ohio. Looks like it's still open, as of late '07 anyway.
I suspect you'll have a very hard time finding exact numbers, but the folks at Adult Video News, a trade publication, might have some numbers.
posted by box at 8:32 AM on July 12, 2008
I suspect you'll have a very hard time finding exact numbers, but the folks at Adult Video News, a trade publication, might have some numbers.
posted by box at 8:32 AM on July 12, 2008
In regards to Knile's comment, I drove by the Apex in Baltimore last week and it was still open. Have not been there so I can't speak to the beer can/furnace/etc atmosphere.
posted by ml98tu at 1:47 PM on July 12, 2008
posted by ml98tu at 1:47 PM on July 12, 2008
The TomKat (formerly Pussycat, now gay) was still on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood last winter.
posted by brujita at 3:37 PM on July 12, 2008
posted by brujita at 3:37 PM on July 12, 2008
Response by poster: Thank you all for the input. With today's unparalleled ability to watch porn in private I have to wonder what the attraction is of the old school porn theater. Obviously there must be a value, as the continued existence of these theaters show.
posted by Tube at 12:03 PM on July 13, 2008
posted by Tube at 12:03 PM on July 13, 2008
Best answer: Two things: first, the adult-movie-theater clientele isn't the wealthiest, or the most tech-savvy, in the world. Most of the regular patrons belong to that group that doesn't have home computers and doesn't plan to get 'em. And, far more importantly, the attraction is in the public sex/hookup/exhibitionist part. The movie on the screen is just a means to an end.
posted by box at 12:21 PM on July 13, 2008
posted by box at 12:21 PM on July 13, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by bunnytricks at 12:12 AM on July 12, 2008