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The Landmark Ritz Five movie theater at 214 Walnut St. in Old City resumed screenings Friday afternoon, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, ending a closure that had darkened the five-screen art-house venue for roughly ten days.
The theater announced its return on social media Friday, just in time for Labor Day weekend.
The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections had ordered it shut on Aug. 25 after the building failed two consecutive inspections.
Why the City Ordered the Closure
Inspectors first flagged violations in March, identifying seven problems the theater had not corrected before a follow-up visit on Aug. 11.
Philadelphia Weekly reported those issues included the absence of a fire alarm installation permit, exit doors that did not fully self-close and latch, uncertified emergency lighting, drapes that lacked flame-retardant documentation, and a lapsed food license.
By Aug. 26, a cease-operations order was posted on the theater’s doors.
6abc reported the theater was specifically required to obtain an electrical permit and install a fire alarm system before any reopening could be approved.
How the Theater Earned Permission to Reopen
Landmark Theatres’ parent company, Cohen Media Group, which acquired the chain in 2018, appealed to the Board of Safety and Fire Prevention, an advisory body to the city fire department.
The board granted a variance permitting the reopening, Philadelphia Weekly reported. The arrangement carries conditions.
L&I spokesperson Kandyce Stukes told the Inquirer the theater must maintain a continuous fire watch, with staff patrolling the building at all times to monitor for fire.
Cohen Media Group said it had worked directly with the local fire department to resolve all outstanding concerns.
The company had earlier told the Inquirer it was actively working with local authorities and described the theater as important to the Philadelphia community.
What’s Playing and Who Showed Up
Seven films are currently on the schedule. Titles include Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour, among others. Foot traffic was modest at the start. The Inquirer counted only 14 customers entering between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Friday.
One returning patron, artist Megan Corry of South Jersey, told the Inquirer she had been deeply upset by the closure and was relieved to find the theater open again.
Corry, who has attended the Ritz Five since her teenage years, said she planned to return for Willem Dafoe’s film Late Fame. She described the venue as one of very few places in the region where audiences can see high-quality independent cinema.
The Theater’s Place in Philadelphia
Philadelphia.today noted the Ritz Five is approaching its 50th anniversary as one of the city’s earliest champions of independent and international cinema.
The reopening lands during what Philadelphia Weekly described as the strongest summer for theatrical box office since the COVID-19 pandemic.