Bigjoe, no one has implied otherwise but the National was always successful. The landlord just wanted the theatre out, hence the closing.
The ethnic make-up of Times Square audiences was a huge box office bonus for all the theatres, especially on Sunday nights when many other midtown theatres were dead and it does need to be mentioned. Without such audiences many of the smaller sites would have failed.
The Plaza was very successful as a subrun theatre. The conversion to art house took place only because a distributor desperate for an east side outlet for his films took over the lease. The location, near other art houses, and down the street from the Paris was perfect.
This is a case of “nobody went there because it was too crowded.” The large National was often sold out on both screens during weekends with lines down the block and around the corner. The ethnic audience from the boroughs provided bonus Sunday night sell-outs. Even the midnight shows often sold out.
Note the CINE ROMA verticle sign at the far near corner of the marquee. This name and concept moved around between the Ambassador, Piccadilly and Broadway in the late thirties.
I imagine the Tivoli turned to spanish films in the early 1960’s, after the Cuban revolution. Before that the neighborhood was mostly Jewish retirees watching subrun double features.
Guarina, you remember LA NOVIA? Nobody else seems to.
It seems to have escaped history and it was one of my late mother’s favorite films.
I can still remember Antonio Prieto singing “Blanca y radiate va la novia…” as he walked down the aisle of the church as his heart sick love married her doctor, and not him.
After DEEP THROAT opened in 1972 the market changed drastically for art houses and direction the theatre operator took was more distinct between those who programmed European art films and those who programmed sexploitation or hard core and advertised it as art product.
Bigjoe, the SOBO only operated in 1971 and I believe some of the shows were live/film combo nude performance art pieces that would not be considered porn today.
The 55th St Playhouse descent into hard core porn was gradual but there was no closing period. After “THE BOYS IN THE SAND” there was a fine line between gay art films and gay sex films.
Guarina, if you know the Rio you have so much more to share about Miami Cinemas. Please do share more details of your wonderful Miami movie experiences. We so want to know.
Mickey Knox?
Knox
Bigjoe, no one has implied otherwise but the National was always successful. The landlord just wanted the theatre out, hence the closing.
The ethnic make-up of Times Square audiences was a huge box office bonus for all the theatres, especially on Sunday nights when many other midtown theatres were dead and it does need to be mentioned. Without such audiences many of the smaller sites would have failed.
The Plaza was very successful as a subrun theatre. The conversion to art house took place only because a distributor desperate for an east side outlet for his films took over the lease. The location, near other art houses, and down the street from the Paris was perfect.
This is a case of “nobody went there because it was too crowded.” The large National was often sold out on both screens during weekends with lines down the block and around the corner. The ethnic audience from the boroughs provided bonus Sunday night sell-outs. Even the midnight shows often sold out.
That is actually 11 Times Square, Ed. The NY Times Tower is one block south.
Bigjoe59, Mary C. Henderson considers the Rialto as an incarnation of the Hammerstein Victoria since the building itself was not demolished.
Note the CINE ROMA verticle sign at the far near corner of the marquee. This name and concept moved around between the Ambassador, Piccadilly and Broadway in the late thirties.
“Profitable IMAX screen”
I have never heard those words before, in that order.
The Lincoln Square is one of the highest grossing theatres in the U.S., in spite of the IMAX.
Profit or volume are never an excuse for a sloppy operation.
Most probably the Dadeland Twin.
It was the Miami Harlem. The NYC was Capitol was already closed by the time blaxploitation hit Times square.
We need a correction on the Overview.
The 1970’s blaxploitation revival of the Capitol was actually at the Skydome/Harlem on 14th street, and not here.
I just met his stepson last Christmas here in NYC where he is an actor. I will ask him the next time I see him.
I imagine the Tivoli turned to spanish films in the early 1960’s, after the Cuban revolution. Before that the neighborhood was mostly Jewish retirees watching subrun double features.
Guarina, you remember LA NOVIA? Nobody else seems to.
It seems to have escaped history and it was one of my late mother’s favorite films.
I can still remember Antonio Prieto singing “Blanca y radiate va la novia…” as he walked down the aisle of the church as his heart sick love married her doctor, and not him.
“Le sigue atras su novio amante”.
Ave Maria!
After DEEP THROAT opened in 1972 the market changed drastically for art houses and direction the theatre operator took was more distinct between those who programmed European art films and those who programmed sexploitation or hard core and advertised it as art product.
Bigjoe, the SOBO only operated in 1971 and I believe some of the shows were live/film combo nude performance art pieces that would not be considered porn today.
The 55th St Playhouse descent into hard core porn was gradual but there was no closing period. After “THE BOYS IN THE SAND” there was a fine line between gay art films and gay sex films.
The Sunny Isles and Dadeland opened before the Twin Gables.
It was probably a Royal Castle next to the Paramount, plantladie12.
The Olympia was never a twin. There were no twins downtown.
Guarina, it opened in 1969 and is now a Winn Dixie location.
Guarina, if you know the Rio you have so much more to share about Miami Cinemas. Please do share more details of your wonderful Miami movie experiences. We so want to know.
On March 17 THE SIGNING NUN moved in.
FatMan, if you read previous posts you will find your answer.
Not coincidental to the success of “The Valley of Decision”, Germany surrendered that week and audiences were optimistic and wanting to see the news.
I assume they started as soft core and moved into hard core after DEEP THROAT raised (ahum) the bar.
1972-1973
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/7159529458/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/7159497570/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/7159509116/in/photostream/lightbox/
By mid 1973 both the Carnegie Hall Cinema and the Bleecker St. (same owners) were showing “adult male films” grind.