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Lane Theatre
168 New Dorp Lane,
Staten Island,
NY
10306
168 New Dorp Lane,
Staten Island,
NY
10306
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 110 comments
My family wants to move to Staten Island, if a committee is formed to save the Lane, I will gladly join. I am on the committee to save several theaters already
Robert, the Lane served as a nightclub in the late 90’s. Perhaps someone remembers when the last movies were shown.
It went down fast, I thought it was open in the late 90’s?
MTota, that’s very sad news indeed, The same thing happened to the Paramount. When I saw the Paramount after years of neglect I was very depressed, I have worried the same fate might fall upon the Lane. Did you go up to the booth? if so what did you find there?
Actually someone did try to operate as a nightclub, I believe a stage was erected in front of the old screen. It was not successful and closed shortly and left to deteriate. I hope someone will come along and save her.
Sad news to report on this place. I was looking to buy this theater and return it to its former glory in the form of a revival house/dinner theater. The inside of this place is in shambles, the ceiling is coming down over the balcony and the smell from lack of ventilation is sickening. The walk up to the projectionist booth distrubed the pigeons that were living in it..getting through the broken window. It was a sad day for me seeing a childhood place left to such disrepair. This weas the place that introduced my generation to the Disney movies..so sad is all I can say…The realtor indicated that the place was going for over 1 million…it looked to me like it would take at least that to open it…may be less if someone is or knows a contractor….
Passed by the Lane earlier this month. The tower may no longer be rising above New Dorp, but the facade still hasn’t lost its 1940s art deco splendor. Too bad I never saw the inside.
Oh Warren, seeing that interior again was brought back so many wonderfull memories. While I was going to high school, my very first job in theatres was as an usher/marguee changer at the Lane. Vic Lobello, the projectionist taught me how to run the projectors and became a good friend and mentor to me. I stayed in the projection, and then theatre management, game untill I retired. I owe my entire carrer to my beginings at the Lane. The picture you posted reminded me of those great days with Vic, owner Elias Moses, assistant manager Josie,and Grady the maintanence man who also taught me a lot. I also worked for Fabian at the Paramount for a while but it was not the same as the family atmosphere at the Lane.
What a shame another unique place sitting and rotting.
I wrote about the seating and other conditions at the lane as it was on my last visit which was a few years ago. Much has no doubt changed since then. Perhaps someone familiar with the New Dorp area has more recent information.
robert , if you mean ready as a movie theatre , i believe a previous poster stated the orchestra seats were removed when it became a nightclub. the balcony is intact according to the poster. when i pass by i check if anyone’s there ,to get a look but it is always closed.
robert , if you mean ready as a movie theatre , i beleive a previous poster stated the orchestra seats were removed when it became a nightclub. the balcony is intact according to the poster. when i pass by i check if anyone’s there ,to get a look but it is always closed.
Is this in ready to open condition?
Garth, allow me respond to your post.
Initially, the Moses brothers were resistant to install CinemaScope.
Cost was a big factor and the attitude was one of wait and see.
Finally in the summer of 1955 when it was clear CinemaScope was not going to go away and we were passing on a lot of films, The decsion was made to at least buy the lenses and upgrade the projectors to “Fox Sprocket”. Because of the procedium restrictions, the screen would be only slightly larger in width, and we had to remove the title travelor curtain to allow for as much width as possible.
Basically what we had was a full CinemaScope ratio projected in a letterbox type image. It was called by some as SqueezeScope. Our first movie was “Love Me Or Leave Me”. I can still remember the sandwich board outside the theatre reading “Coming Soon, CinemaScope"
THe lighting was at times distracting whenever the side light panels on each side of the screen were left on. A practice only appied when the house was full.I don’t recall the ceiling motif of the planets being any cause of distraction. As for the sound, we never upgraded to mag stereo and the amplifier was only 50 about watts.
going there in the 60’s and 70’s as a youth it was much smaller than paramount and st george. the “stadium seating” effect of the balcony still paled in comparison to those other theatres. i also seem to recall the interior lighting being rather bright during screenings , which distracted from the movie showing. the ceiling motif , i recall , added to this effect. the square screen could not accomadate the “cinemascope” format of the day , and the sound was muffled as i recall…..
If we decide to move to Staten Island, I may look into that idea of starting a small, community theater there.
sorry gustav , i didn’t realize you meant amateur theatre. as far as i know they don’t have it at the st. george. i would question whether it would attract enough of an audience here to sustain the lane. in the village yes , but on s.i. i doubt it.
Does the St. George have amateur theater? I was never there. I want to go see it.
the website didn’t work, and the real estate firm said the person handling it wasn’t in. gustav , as far as the community theatre idea goes, i think the ship has sailed on that. the st.george has cornered the market on it , and the way the city crucified the owners of that establishment does not bode well for any potential owners of the lane.
What about adding performing arts into the Kings, like community theater. Many old movie houses have been changed to community theaters.
to vito et al., i went to the Lane yesterday, there is a century21 sign on the marquee. does not indicate if site is for sale , lease , or rent. phone number 718-698-0100, or online www.domsgold.com .
will call tmow.
Is the Lane still for Sale?
Has anything been going on here lately?
Robert, I like that idea, perhaps even classic films as well.
The new owners of the St George have asked me to help launch a classic movie program next year. However I don’t expect to be in NY after March. I hope someone else will get that started.
There are no art movies being shown on SI, is this an area that would support a place like that?
Yup Larry, it was (is) what is refered to today as stadium seating.
I can remember carrying many a can of film down those stairs.
Anyone know what’s going on with the Lane now?