Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 2,501 - 2,525 of 3,441 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bleecker Street Cinemas on May 9, 2008 at 9:17 am

In 1984 screen two was briefly advertised as the Agee.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 8, 2008 at 11:11 am

1776, THE STING and FANTASIA were, of course, revivals.

I think it is very telling that even SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT failed at RCMH as it was succeeding elsewhere. New Yorkers are not above watching a redneck romp but we will not tolerate wholesomeness!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about IMAX sells $18 million worth of shares on May 7, 2008 at 7:36 pm

It’s amazing that with all that sight and sound they still manage to crank out some of the most mind numbingly stupid documentaries in recorded history.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Sheridan Plaza 12 on May 7, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Brice, I do remember Dennis and Tim. The Omni six and four were across from each other and had separate GM’S for a while. Phil Singleton; an ego looking for a man.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 7, 2008 at 10:10 am

THE SUNSHINE BOYS ran until January 22, 1976
March 12- May 12, 1976 ROBIN AND MARIAN
May 13- June 3, 1976 THE BLUE BIRD
June 4- June 17, 1976 1776
June 18- July 28, 1976 HARRY & WALTER GO TO NEW YORK
July 29- Sept 15, 1976 SWASHBUCKLER
Sept 16- October 6, 1976 PAPER TIGER
October 7- November 3, 1976 A MATTER OF TIME
November 4-January 12, 1977 THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE
March 3- March 30, 1977 MR. BILLION
March 31 – April 27, 1977 THE LITTLEST HORSE THIEVES
April 28- May 18, 1977 THE STING
May 19- June 29, 1977 SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT
June 30- September 15, 1977 MacARTHUR
November 3- January 11, 1978 PETE’S DRAGON
March 2- April 16, 1978 CROSSED SWORDS
April 27- May 17, 1978 THE SEA GYSPSIES
May 18- June 21, 1978 FANTASIA
June 22- August 2, 1978 MATILDA
August 3- ? THE MAGIC OF LASSIE
November 2- January 17, 1979 CARAVANS
March 8 â€" April 25, 1979 THE PROMISE

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 7, 2008 at 8:47 am

Ed, if you click on ‘advanced search’, then ‘theatre search tool’ and highlight all three boxes, you will find such an option. Theatres like the chameleonesque Movieland on 47th street would be lost without it.

I will look into the late seventies RCMH.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Circle in the Square Theatre on May 7, 2008 at 8:36 am

A Rose Theatre shows up in a 1923 Paramount Week ad as located on Bleecker and Thompson. Could this have been the Luxor, Garrick or even an early version of the Bleecker Street Cinema?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 7, 2008 at 6:27 am

Ed, if you check out the post from Ron3853 on Jul 18, 2004 at 8:26am you will find he did a great job covering that.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sheridan Theatre on May 5, 2008 at 6:09 pm

Louis, I am pretty sure that ad appeared way after the Sheridan was shuttered and they used an old photo.

“2001: A pace Odyssey” ran at the Sheridan (advertised as Cinerama although it was a single projector version) from May to November, 1968. It was then replaced by “Finain’s Rainbow”. There were several revival showings, usually in 70mm as part of “MGM’s Fabulous Four” which included “Doctor Zhivago”, “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Gone With The Wind”.

The Sheridan closed in late 1972 after a long run of “Fiddler On The Roof” and then reopened briefly in 1973 for “Deep Throat” until that film was banned in Miami Beach within weeks. “Throat” then played across bay for years.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sheridan Theatre on May 5, 2008 at 5:21 pm

If showing “Deep Throat” was not undignified enough, this ad sure was an insult to this roadshow palace.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Colony Theatre on May 5, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Colony opening program, January 1935.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Silver Star Playhouse on May 5, 2008 at 5:16 pm

Here is a link to the photo featured in “By the El”

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about $35 tickets for luxury movie theater on May 5, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Get a load of British chain VUE’s bean bag screen….

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sunny Isles Twin on May 3, 2008 at 10:19 am

I made a mistake on the intro to this theatre. The opening film was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, not “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on May 2, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Warren, do you know what names M & S stood for? Perhaps a search of the owners may reveal more.

The Paramount ads have addresses for some of the other missing theatres you mention. They do list the Bronx AFTER the north Manhattan locations so you can tell the cut-off point.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 1, 2008 at 3:39 pm

The way I understand it, the Hall represented wholesome entertainment at a time when a G rating was the kiss of death at the box office. Distributors did not want their movies associated with being that squeaky clean

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Golden Rule Theatre on May 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm

The M & S Waco theatre at 118 Rivington Street advertised in 1923. Might this have been the Golden Rule or a separate theatre?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bijou Cinema on May 1, 2008 at 12:12 pm

This location was advertising as the Star-Comet in 1923.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Glory Theatre on May 1, 2008 at 11:44 am

By 1923 this was already operating as the Betsy Ross according to a NYT Paramount Picture Week ad.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Delancey Theatre on Apr 30, 2008 at 12:40 pm

Loews stopped advertising this site around May 1976 so that may be the closing date.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Flamingo Theatre on Apr 30, 2008 at 12:01 pm

The Brandt organization owned several Times Square theatres and ran the Flamingo, Cinema, Plaza Art, Beach and Lincoln in Miami Beach during the sixties and seventies.

I am not sure if “Bingo” was involved but the Brandt group was not above showing porn.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Merger to bring more Asian Cinema to U.S. on Apr 30, 2008 at 8:57 am

This is a smart move.

Asian Cinema, particularly Bollywood, is undervalued for potential in the U.S. and is still being wrongly treated as ghetto product for Indian owned independent theatres. Asian audiences from all walks of life would see them in droves at a modern multiplex as they do in Europe.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Love Theater on Apr 29, 2008 at 7:24 pm

I just ran into “Tongue” on imdb.com (don’t ask).

I was not aware the LOVE hosted a premiere!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about More 3-D films coming on Apr 29, 2008 at 11:19 am

My guess is that “The Stewardesses” would be the top 3D film followed by “House of Wax”, if figures were adjusted for inflation.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Normandy Theatre on Apr 27, 2008 at 8:35 am

Normandy with a ‘Y’ was the name of this theatre for most of its history. The ‘IE’ name was not used after the mid-fifties.