Comments from Al Alvarez

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Dec 7, 2006 at 7:01 am

Andy, the Empire will outgross most West End sites due to their prices but the results do not reflect the excellent presentation they provide in the big screen. At least not yet.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Dec 6, 2006 at 1:49 pm

Insignificant to the point of “off EDI” and no one knows what “THX means anymore” best describes this run, Andy.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Roxy Theatre on Dec 3, 2006 at 8:36 am

BLONDES doubled BAND WAGON’S total take in national distributor rentals according to Variety estimates at the time. Of course, the Roxy seating capacity may have changed the NY numbers.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Budget Theater Questions - Semi Urgent on Nov 30, 2006 at 8:47 am

If you have to wait until the new theatres pull the film in order to play it, you will run into the DVD release competition.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avon 7 on Nov 28, 2006 at 9:51 am

According to the NY Times (July 25, 1973) the Avon 7 was raided as part on an eleven theatre crackdown on porn. The film MONICA, DAUGHTER OF MONA was confiscated and Raymond Fernandez, also manager of the Cine Lido, was among those arrested.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Theater renders movie ratings totally useless on Nov 24, 2006 at 10:18 am

The rating system avoids non-industry censorship and Theatres ignore it at their own risk.

In the US rating were done by each community as resulted in stupid and racist decisions in places as diverse as Salt Lake City, Baltimore and Memphis.

In the UK, since it is a law, theatres can easily lose their license to operate if the local council feels they are ignoring teh classifications.

Anyone who thinks ratings serve no purpose should do a history check on the American Films censorship shambles when the Catholic Church made themselves the last word and when movies were banned in the UK because they might offend the Queen.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Theater renders movie ratings totally useless on Nov 24, 2006 at 10:15 am

The rating system avoids non-industry censorship and Theatres ignore it at their own risk.

In the US rating were done by each community as resulted in stupid and racist decisions in places as diverse as Salt Lake City, Baltimore and Memphis.

In the UK, since it is a law, theatres can easily lose their license to operate if the local council feels they are ignoring teh classifications.

Anyone who thinks ratings serve no purpose should do a history check on the American Films censorship shambles when the Catholic Church made themselves the last word and when movies were banned in the UK because they might offend the Queen.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 5:14 am

Wow! Thanks, LM. My mother says that is the very one her brother snuck her into for free when he was manager.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 5:01 am

I am not sure if it is still there.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 4:42 am

LM, have you run into a Cine Victoria in Havana? I belive one of my uncles was manager in the 50’s.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 4:41 am

LM, have you run into a Cine Victoria in Havana? I belive one of my uncles was manager in the 50’s.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Nov 5, 2006 at 2:52 am

I obviously agree with Ed, although I am not as eloquent or patient.

I think Cinema Treasure needs to question the validity of those members who spend more time intimidating others than contributing to sites.

I appears to be the sound of one hand clapping and my suggestion was therefore autoerotic.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Nov 5, 2006 at 2:27 am

AMC has these movie money cards that debit the amount at each use. I suspect homeless people get these from charities who fear giving out cash to alcoholics and drug addicts.

Every time I have been to this theatre I have found bag ladies and eccentrics around (one brought had a cat in a bag) although they were probably not homeless.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 30, 2006 at 2:24 am

Thanks Bob! I had not noticed.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about S.V.A. Theatre on Oct 24, 2006 at 2:26 pm

I remember using real butter at Cineplex Odeon. Post Garth Drabinsky we shifted to buttery flavored chemical and started charging extra for it, a stupid customer service fiasco that the local press rightfully had a field day but wrongly at the employees expense.

The Toronto boys couldn’t care less.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tivoli Theatre on Oct 24, 2006 at 9:01 am

Child St., if you have a multi-regional DVD you can order these from Spain. If not, Maraka Video from Miami carries several titles and some non-regional versions can be found on ebay from questionable Latin American sources.

Some VHS versions are also available.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 10:56 pm

Jkane, prophetically advertised as THE FIRST ROGER CORMAN FILM FESTIVAL it was a precursor to the Kips Bay’s exclusive first run of “GAS”, starring Country Joe and the Fish.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 4:39 am

JKane, according to the NYT, the Roger Corman festival ran in early 1971 at the Kips Bay.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 2:42 am

I am happy to report that Steve appears to be doing just fine.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Nova Theatre on Oct 19, 2006 at 10:16 pm

Ace, I have the book and can send you a scan if you write to me at:

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Oct 18, 2006 at 1:05 pm

??? I thought it was Steve C.’s brother who passed away.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Oct 18, 2006 at 12:38 pm

LUST IN THE DUST (1985) played at the Embassy and New Yorker. The Carnegie Hall was playing very eclectic arthouse repertory at the time.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Coliseum Cinemas on Oct 16, 2006 at 10:41 pm

Ace, I show it reopened as a quad in 1992.

My guess is it twinned around 1971.

Something called the Cinema 181 was advertising in 1966 and I have yet to figure out where that was.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Nova Theatre on Oct 16, 2006 at 10:30 pm

Ace, I can confirm that it was still operating as the Bunny (and Bunny Roof) well into the thirties. By the late forties and early fifties it was known as the Dorset.

The sixties and seventies remain a mystery to me but by 1981 it was already the Nova and it became a twin around 1989-1990.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Weber's Theatre on Oct 15, 2006 at 7:38 am

You’re right, Ron! That the photo in the Henderson book sure looks like the same location as that link.

Wallack’s was certainly mostly live theatre but it did show non-mainstream films also, mainly hunting and travel films sometimes accompanied by a lecture, not unlike Weber’s.

I am not sure it deserves a listing here but I am glad Henderson’s excellent book covers it.