The Westmont in Haddon TWP, NJ.
http://www.haddontwphistoricalsociet...onttheatre.htm
I had one my most memorable moive-going experiences there. It was sometime in late 1973 or early 1974 during the first run of The Exorcist. I remember my sister and her boyfriend coming home from seeing it and my sister was TOTALLY spooked. She had nightmares for a week. Her boyfriend was a buddy of mine and neither one of them could stay for the whole show. I remember thinking "I HAVE to go see this."
About a week later, we had a snow day from school. It was one of those days that by 10:00am all the roads are clear and it's a fine winter day. My mother (who worked at the school) and had read the book, says to me "Let's go to a movie...you drive, I'll buy" because she didn't drive.
So we go to the Westmont. Big old theater with the balcony and the big red velvet curtain, closed. NO house music, no coming attractions, nothing, just the buzz of a full house. Then the lights dim, the curtains open to that black screen with the red lettering...THE EXORCIST. I remember thinking...."come on baby, scare me!" One of the greatest movie experiences of my life.
In contrast, the next year I go away to a small city college and in the fall the Exorcist is just getting to town. So I convince a bunch of kids who haven't seen it to go. THIS theater not only runs all the pre-show commercials, etc, but they show coming attractions of....Blazing Saddles! Needless to say, the experience was not the same.
