Just in time for the Academy Awards on Sunday, movies will be back on the big screens at The Manor movie theater in Squirrel Hill.

The return is Friday, two days before the 93rd Academy Awards recognizing the best in motion pictures.

The first show time will be announced later this week.

“It wasn’t necessarily planned to coincide with the Oscars,” said owner Rick Stern. “I have been watching other movie theaters to see how they have been doing. Things are looking positive.”

Definitely more promising than last year during the height of the pandemic, Stern said. His theater was open for a short period at the end of August into December. Stern said the business was slow, because people were tentative to sit in a movie theater.

Increased covid vaccinations and loosened restrictions led Stern to reopen the Manor.

“I think people are sick of streaming movies at home on television,” Stern said. “There is nothing like seeing a movie on a big screen with other people, laughing and crying and experiencing all the reactions, as well as eating a big container of popcorn. Every movie is better on the big screen.”

The Manor upgraded to digital projection eight years ago during a renovation. They’ve installed Sony 4K digital projectors in the four auditoriums. There is 3D capability in one theater.

A Squirrel Hill native who lives in Fox Chapel, Stern has owned the theater since 1992. The theater has been in his family since the early 1980s.

Courtesy of Rick Stern The Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill reopens April 23. It has a bar and lounge area for guests.  

He said the Manor is one of a few movie theaters that sell beer, wine and alcohol. Guests are permitted to bring drinks into the theaters. Reopening weekend will feature “Mortal Kombat,” an action and adventure movie, which debuts across the country. It is different than most of the movies the theater usually shows, Stern said.

Also listed on the marquee are “Shiva Baby,” a Jewish-themed film, the comedy “Together Together, and “Oscar Shorts” a collection of short films that have been nominated for Academy Awards. They are released before every Oscar season.

Stern said some of the summer releases are being pushed a little later, but he expects some announcements for new movies in late May and early June. He said a challenge is film companies distributing to movie theaters while allowing those same movies to be streamed. He said by next year he expects theaters to have 45 days of exclusive showings of new films before people can have access to download them. Stern said Disney has not fully committed to doing that.

The state allows for 75% capacity in the screening room, but Stern plans to open with 50%.

During the shutdown, the Manor did more renovations to add to upgrades from nearly 10 years ago. The improvements include a ticketing system where guests can view a map to choose their seat location. Stern also installed plexiglass and other safety measures to allow for social distancing.

The Manor will celebrate its 100th anniversary in May 2022.

“I am so happy to have movie theaters opened again,” said Stern. “It has been a long road.”

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