Too Many Movie Posters, Not Enough Wall Space

Once I have some time to actually do something about framing, The Senator's memorabilia sale will have done wonders for my home decor. I just don't know if I have enough wall space.

In the past week, I've just about moved into The Senator. I've been there every day for the past week, usually from before it opens until after closing. Well, I've always kind of wanted to work in a movie theatre. I'm having fun with this. I've sold memorabilia, tickets, popcorn, and I'm helping to go through the massive quantities of posters and other items that still have not been sorted and priced.

In the process, I'm adding some very cool stuff to my collection. Yesterday's finds include a Star Wars Episode II poster, a Fifth Element poster, a roll of trailer film for War, Inc., which I reviewed a while ago on this blog (and since John Cusack posted my review on his blog, that movie is kind of special to me now) and...drumroll please...we busted out a box of foil-embossed tickets from The Senator's gala 50th anniversary celebration in 1989, when they showed the 50th anniversary version of The Wizard of Oz and the theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of these awesome keepsakes of Senator history can be yours for a mere $10, and it comes in a foil-embossed Senator envelope.

There are more Star Wars Episode II posters and Fifth Element posters, and more trailers for other films, too. We also busted out a roll of Lord of the Rings posters with individual characters on them: Frodo, Gandalf, Gollum, Arwen. A lot of new posters were put out yesterday --- too many to list, so come by to check it out. I know there are some very beautiful Wizard of Oz 50th anniversary posters too, and also some E.T. 20th anniversary posters. I'm into the geeky fantasy and sci-fi movies, so they tend to be the ones I notice, but there's a lot of movie posters of all kinds, and we're getting into some of the older stuff now. (The older stuff was put away first and is harder to get to, so it's taken a while to get to that.)

I also want to give a shout out to Thomas at the Star Toys Museum. He called the other day about the giant Millenium Falcon Extraordinaire that's on silent auction at The Senator. He gave me some more information about the item, which he said was one of the rare of the rare Star Wars items. It was originally displayed in a toy store (this one was in a toy store in New Jersey). There were only maybe 800 or so of them made. Each one has a serial number on a plate. The serial number of the one at The Senator is #246. These sell for up to $1500 or so --- at the current bid price of $300, this one may end up being a bargain, but there's still about a week to go on the auction. There are some other parts to it that Tom Kiefaber says he has, but they're not being displayed on it right now. Hopefully by this weekend it'll be hung from the ceiling and displayed better with the removable parts put back on it.



Well, I wish I had room for this myself, but at about 6 feet long, that would be a challenge. Thomas pointed out that we all have a lot more room over our heads than we realize, and this item can be easily hung from a ceiling.

Movie Fans: Don't Miss The Senator's Memorabilia Sale!

I confess. I'm guilty of failing to update my blog in a few days. In my own defense, I must say I've spent about 40 of the last 72 hours at The Senator Theatre. I've been volunteering at The Senator, because they've got back rooms full of massive quantities of movie memorabilia from years of operation, and we've been going through it bit by bit and putting it out in the lobby for sale. What's gone out so far is only the tip of the iceberg, and the sale will go on for the next two weeks as the auction approaches.

Trust me, there are rooms and rooms of posters, standees, old film reels, promotional materials, banners, and tons of other cool stuff. The folks at The Senator have shown me just a portion of it, and my jaw dropped. If you're a movie fan, you've got to get in here in the next few weeks and check this out.

There will be a silent auction for the bigger stuff, and you can sign up to bid from now until just before the theatre goes to auction. Here are a few examples of some of the bigger items available:


Lord of the Rings: Return of the King banner


Custom made Star Wars Episode 1 promotional art for showing at The Senator


Giant plastic Millenium Falcon


Plexiglass Marquee Sign from premiere of John Waters' Cry Baby at The Senator


Hand-painted sign from John Waters' A Dirty Shame premiere at The Senator

That's just a sample. Come on in to see more.

While I was helping with sales the other day, a reporter asked me what The Senator means to me. They didn't put me on the news, probably because I said nice things about the community-oriented way The Senator is run by owner Tom Kiefaber. Millions raised for charity over the years. Hundreds of local charities helped every year. But the local media has their agenda on this issue and doesn't want to put out the positive story from me and hundreds of other local people who have come in to get their piece of Senator history, many of whom have expressed their support and gratitude to Tom Kiefaber personally.

At The Senator This Week: Classic Films, A Wedding, and a Movie Memorabilia Sale!

The Senator Theatre is BACK IN ACTION! Woohooo! I'm thrilled to report that the beautiful art deco theatre with the kick a** technical presentation and ground-shaking sound system is going to be opening its doors to the public once more, starting TONIGHT and then this weekend!

A Wedding

Tonight, the public is invited to a wedding at The Senator! From the Baltimore Sun:

Artist Dan Keplinger, subject of the Oscar-winning 1999 documentary King Gimp, will be married Wednesday at the Senator Theatre in a ceremony he and his wife-to-be hope raises awareness of the fight to preserve the 70-year-old North Baltimore landmark.

Keplinger, a Towson native whose struggles with cerebral palsy and triumphs as a painter were chronicled by filmmakers Susan Hannah Hadary and William Whiteford, will marry Dena Huggler, a former nanny who has lived in Baltimore for 20 years. The ceremony is set for 6 p.m., and the public is invited."We wanted to have media attention to help save the Senator," says Huggler, 38. "It is a special place for Danny because his film, King Gimp, premiered there and a [sidewalk block] was made to honor this time."

In addition to the nuptials, Keplinger, 36, will auction one of his paintings. Proceeds will go toward maintaining operations at the Senator.

Classic Films

Then, this weekend, movies return to The Senator with two classic films presented with rare original I.B. Technicolor 35mm prints.

The weekend of classic movies gets started with Bob Fosse's 1972 Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Marisa Berenson. I'm very excited about seeing this one on the big screen at The Senator. Cabaret is a fantastic musical with sinister undertones as dancers and theatre people try to make sure that the show will go on, even while the world around them in Weimar Republic Berlin is being corrupted by the evil forces of Nazism.

Cabaret plays at 2:00, 4:30, and 7:00 on Friday and Saturday and 2:00 and 4:30 on Sunday. Admission is $5 (cash only)

The late shows this weekend bring classic horror to the screen with Terence Fisher's 1958 Horror of Dracula, starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. I haven't seen this one, so it'll be a new experience.

Horror of Dracula plays at 9:30 PM on Friday and Saturday and 7:00 PM on Sunday. Admission is $5 (cash only)

Movie Memorabilia Sale

From The Senator's email today:

We're opening up The Senator's back rooms!

Don't miss your chance to own a piece of Senator Theatre history

Starting this Friday, April 3rd @ 1pm, a wide variety of Senator Theatre memorabilia, including: film posters, banners, t-shirts, standees, film reels, press books, vintage projection equipment, marquee letters, large marquee signs from past premieres and more,will fill our lobby spaces for your perusal and purchase.

Thousands of these items will be placed on sale in the next few weeks, lobby space permitting.

All sales final ~ cash or check only

Folks, they're not kidding about thousands of items. The good people at The Senator let me into these fabled storehouses of treasure they have and showed me the rooms and rooms of posters and other items. I can only say --- WOW! If you're a movie buff, you won't want to miss this.