The Carlton theatre, a go-to spot for foreign flicks and indie films, will be closing December 6th at the end of the building’s lease. I’ve always loved the Carlton, with its many small screens and old-timey feel, but apparently this is exactly the problem. A statement from Cineplex Odeon explains that the Carlton is “not representative of the calibre and quality of theatre that we would like to present to our guests … it is not what would be called state of the art.” It seems like the Carlton simply became outdated in the age of IMAX.

With big-box theatres all over the city – all over the country, for that matter – there’s a lot to be said for an art-house cinema with a bit of character and history, but with the giant Yonge & Dundas AMC so close by, it was hard for the Carlton to compete. Now, the Cumberland will be Cineplex Odeon’s art-house theatre for smaller-distribution films in the city.

The first Carlton theatre was opened in 1948, then demolished in 1973, rebuilt at it’s current location in 1981. It’s unclear what will be done with the property now, let’s hope it doesn’t become just another chain store.