Ken Cinema Closing

Aired 4/14/14 on KPBS News.

KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando spoke with Landmark president Ted Mundorff.

Transcript

Landmark Theatres has confirmed that it will cease to run the Ken Cinema at the end of the month. But Barry Green, whose family has owned the theater for decades, said that does not mean the Ken Cinema will close as a movie venue.

The Latest

There seems to be a little of what Strother Martin (in Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman) described as a failure to communicate surrounding the Ken Cinema.

I have been speaking individually with the three parties involved Landmark Theatres, Torrey Pines Property Management and members of the Berkun Trust that own the building and at times I feel like they all need to sit down in one room to talk.

Heres some new information: Chip Crandall, owner of Torrey Pines Property Management, said in 2009 "the rent was reduced for Landmark to $2,100 a month, thats below a $1-a-square-foot, thats a sweet deal. But between 2009 and 2014, Landmark didnt take any initiative to improve the theater and we want someone who will bring life into theater.

Torrey Pines also manages the two restaurants that share the block with the Ken Cinema, properties that have seen a lot of visible improvements. Both Crandall and Barry Green, one of the Berkun Trust members, noted that they were disappointed that Landmark did not do more to fix up the space.

Its been a slow spiral down under Landmarks care," Green said. "It doesnt look like theyve been keeping it up.

Read more here:
Ken Cinema Closing