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Paradise Twin Cinema was located at 1001 Harbison Drive,National City, CA 91950, and screened Tagalog films to residents around San Diego from its refurbishment and grand re-opening in January 1977 to early 1979, when the cinema finally closed.
From the Cinema Treasures website: Abe and Esther Bokow wanted to open a family-friendly twin-screen English language cinema - something National City hadn’t had for some time - in 1972. But they decided against hitching to the meteoric rise that was the Jerry Lewis Circuit opting for the turnkey approach of International Cinema Corp, of Beverly Hills. International was a feature film distributor trying to get in the franchised exhibition space which Modular Cinema, National General, Jerry Lewis and many others were playing.
The International Cinema Corp. concept apparently was to take the Jerry Lewis Cinema model and undercut the inflated prices that National Cinema Corporation was forcing franchisees to pay for equipment and supplies. The Paradise Twin was named for its neighborhood, Paradise Village and at the confluence of it, Paradise Hills and Paradise Valley. It was situated in a nondescript shopping center next to an Alpa-Beta Grocery Store for which the - then - Alpha-Beta Shopping Center was named.
National City Mayor Kile Morgan was on hand to cut the ribbon as the theatre launched on August 16, 1973. The operators used the automated equipment to grind out five showtimes of “Poseidon Adventure” and “Hot Rock” on Paradise One and three shows of “Sound of Music” on Paradise Two.
The family-friendly policy drifted in March of 1975 when the double-feature of (X-Rated) “Country Cuzzins” and “Country Hookers” graced Paradise Two. But the theatre closed in 1976 and was offered at auction by the Small Business Administration. The theatre relaunched under the same name on February 3, 1977 but now grinding Filipino films on “Paradise One” and Hollywood fare on screen two.
The automated equipment was still there given the listed showtimes. The Filipino “Paradise One "showtimes for "Lulubog lilitaw sa ilalim ng tulay” / “Buhay Bambero” were 12:30 (LL), 2:55 (BB), 5:03 (LL), 7:28 (BB), 9:36 (LL) and an additional late screening of LL. “Paradise Two” eked out seven showtimes for Carrie/Rollerball at 12:30 ©, 2:17 ®, 3:55 ©, 5:45 ®, ,7:20 ©, 9:07 ®, and 10:54 ©. The theatre also had the films, “Dogs”, advertised as shot in nearby Chula Vista paired with “The Enforcer” early in its run.
In September of 1977 the Paradise Two featured the controversial 1976 feature film, “Snuff” prompted a successful picket by locals and saving wanton wear and tear of the film prints. Far East Cinema took over the operation in December of 1977 continuing the Filipino/Hollywood grindhouse. The projectors were deprogrammed on April 30, 1979.
The theatre was sold in a Trustee’s Sale in 1987 and would become home to at least two different houses of worship. In the 2020’s, it was still high recognizable as a former Jerry Lewis Cinema knock-off with four poster frames and its box office still visible.
LIST OF FILIPINO SCREENINGS, 1977
February 7 to 13 - Tag-Ulan Sa Tag-Araw + May I Go Out
February 14 to 20 - Pinagbuklod Ng Langit + Mekeni's Gold
February 21 to 27 - Kung Fu Master + Nunal Sa Tubig
March 7 to 13 - The Impossible Dream + Dressed To Kill
March 14 to 20 - May Langit Ang Bawat Nilikha + Bagong Salta Sa Maynila
March 21 to 27 - Ligaya Ko'y Inagaw Mo + Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag
March 28 to April 2? - Ikaw + Si Lucio At Si Miguel
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April 7 to 12 - Ikaw + Si Lucio At Si Miguel
April 13 to 17 - Karugtang Ang Katapon + King And Queen For A Day
April 19 to 24 - Sekretaryang Walang Silya + Together Again
April 26 to May 1 - Alas 5:00 Ng Hapon Giseng Na Ang Mga Anghel + Operetang Sampay-Bakod
May 3 to 8 - Bata Pa Si Sabel + O Pagsintang Labis
May 10 to 15 - Ah, Ewan! Basta Sa Maynila Pa Rin Ako + Hindi Nakakahiya Part II
May 17 to 22 - Huwag Kang Maglaro Ng Apoy + Tansan vs Tarzan
May 24 to 29 - Carnival Song + Crisis
June 1 to June 6 - Boss, Basta Ikaw + Sino Ang May Karapatan
NO MORE NEWSPAPER LISTINGS AFTER THIS DATE
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