Palladium Times Square

If the big exclusive celebrity-studded premier of the latest blockbuster doesn’t happen at the Ziegfield on West 54th street, it happens here at the Astor Plaza. A great huge house, with a rising mezzanine area at the reat of the auditorium (rather than a true balcony vaulted over the orchestra — similar to the Ziegfield in this respect). Not as lush as the Ziegfield, with a very modern and spare unadorned space, but top notch sound and projection and a real movie-theater feel due to the vastness inside.

Located just off Broadway on West 44th Street in the heart of the legitimate Theater District. Not counting the 40 screens on 42nd Street (between the AMC Empire and Loews EWalk theaters), the Astor Plaza and the new (and also subterranean Sony State 4 plex) are the only movie screens left in Times Square proper.

With the Ziegfeld, Manhattan’s last true single screen movie palace. Long escalators down to a basement lobby and concession area, 1500+ seats, 70mm screen, Manhattan’s first Dolby sound system. Also the first Manhattan theater with a video game area perfect for the PacMan years. Built as the Reade theatre in 1971, it did not open due to union problems and was sold to Loews who opened it in 1973 with Death Wish or For Pete’s Sake as the opening attraction. Due to its location it never did the exclusive attractions the Ziegfeld did but nevertheless is still a great place to see a movie STAR WARS, COLORS, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN.

A frightening concept is that studios are daring to open a picture like Gladiator at the Ziegfeld and the Astor Plaza at the same time. Broadway must retain a theater like this!