I stopped coming because I moved out of Brooklyn in 1996, but I wonder if I ever bumped into you in the lobby! (And since they played commercial fare available everywhere else, there was no point in coming back to Bay Ridge just to see a mainstream release.)
I remember passing this theater several times in a car during the late 1960s. I was a boy but I clearly remember that they had a burlesque show running at the time. The word “Follies” was so burned in my brain that a few years later when I saw a friend with a “Mad Follies” magazine, I thought it had to do with strippers and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and read it in private!
I remember being driven past this jewel on Eastern Parkway when I was a boy, and it seemed that “I, a Woman” played here for a long time. (It’s funny how my childhood theatre memories are; see Loew’s Hillside listing for my burlesque marquee memories.)
Chuck, you also posted a picture of the Stomp marquee. Are you a producer? (And my comment was tongue-in-cheek, as I’m sure Ed and Ken and others must know.)
There are actually NO screens in the Empire building; they use it as the ticketing lobby, and built 25 screens on multiple levels in a new building adjacent to the Empire.
I saw that episode and was pleased to note that they use mylar (or plastic?) displays on the marquee, old-school style, rather than just hanging letters that spell out the title of the feature.
(Does the new Barton Creek have its own page yet? Because the following review belongs on that page.)
Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News is a real movie lover and movie theater lover, so I thought this recent review of Red Tails would be of interest here at Cinema Treasures. I am only excerpting the parts that pertain to the AMC Barton Creek.
“A few days ago, a regional rep at one of the PR companies that represents Fox in TEXAS contacted me to see if I would like to host and introduce their screening of RED TAILS. I’d received a press invite for the film – and had decided I wasn’t going to go, because it was going to be at AMC BARTON CREEK in Austin, Texas. I’ve had nothing but miserable film experiences at that theater. Sound bleed from other theaters, low light projection…
“And this time, the folks up in projection had left their 3D lens on, slightly askew, causing distant double images and focus issues that rendered most text illegible. But if you wound up on medium shots to closeups of characters – it seemed fine. Then… the worst part… The center channel speaker was completely out for the duration of the film. Meaning that the film sounded like crap… the score always being muted, the explosions missing their BOOM… the machine guns sounding flat. Yeah… George Lucas spends 20 years of his life working to get this story on the screen – and it gets put in one of the cheapest, low-rent, give a shit theaters in town. WAY TO GO!
“When I left the theater… still bracing from the headache that the AMC BARTON CREEK gave me… the rep asked me what I thought and I said… "It’s alright.” Then complained about the miserable exhibition of the lowrent shithole this all went down in.
“Even when people left to complain – the management did NOT A SINGLE THING to right the wrong that we suffered through. It’s experiences like the one I had at AMC BARTON CREEK that drives people into the welcoming arms of Home Video. When will the big chains understand that you have to HIRE people that give a shit, that are trained to know how to use the equipment and pay to have the best bulbs – the best sound and MAINTAIN IT daily.”
(I’d love for someone important at AMC to read this and take some action. Ah, one can dream on, I guess…)
Wow, robboehm, it says right on the ad “Lyric 42nd Street between 7th and 8th” and the telephone number 730-0323. I called that number so many times over the years, it’s like a flashback seeing it again! (And rob, now may be a good time to use the “remove” option on your 4:48pm post!)
Beautiful shots, Ed. Just saw them, almost by accident. (I wasn’t notified of a new post to this page…still a few bugs in the system, I guess. It seems we have to manually subscribe now; just making a comment doesn’t automatically subscribe us.)
I stopped coming because I moved out of Brooklyn in 1996, but I wonder if I ever bumped into you in the lobby! (And since they played commercial fare available everywhere else, there was no point in coming back to Bay Ridge just to see a mainstream release.)
I remember passing this theater several times in a car during the late 1960s. I was a boy but I clearly remember that they had a burlesque show running at the time. The word “Follies” was so burned in my brain that a few years later when I saw a friend with a “Mad Follies” magazine, I thought it had to do with strippers and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and read it in private!
I remember being driven past this jewel on Eastern Parkway when I was a boy, and it seemed that “I, a Woman” played here for a long time. (It’s funny how my childhood theatre memories are; see Loew’s Hillside listing for my burlesque marquee memories.)
I used to come here all the time when it was a Cineplex Odeon, but haven’t been back since it became an independant. I’m glad it’s still open.
Wow! Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum on a 130' Cinemascope screen. Life was sweet back in the day.
Chuck, you also posted a picture of the Stomp marquee. Are you a producer? (And my comment was tongue-in-cheek, as I’m sure Ed and Ken and others must know.)
Isn’t the address Staten Island, NY and not St. George, NY?
Harlem Grand did the same thing when they changed from Harlem Strand.
It looks like the producers of Stomp are posting here, since every picture in the photos section, and most of the links, are shots of their marquee.
Jessica, you’re kidding, right?
There are actually NO screens in the Empire building; they use it as the ticketing lobby, and built 25 screens on multiple levels in a new building adjacent to the Empire.
But I bet you knew that already.
I saw “Malcolm X” here back in 1993 or 93; I sat in the balcony, where smoking was still permitted.
A lovely, lovely house.
:)
So the arch looks better because of improved lighting and not due to cleaning?
Have the cleaned valences been re-hung? I’d love to see of photo of those.
I saw that episode and was pleased to note that they use mylar (or plastic?) displays on the marquee, old-school style, rather than just hanging letters that spell out the title of the feature.
I probably put those titles up on that marquee, since I worked there in 1976.
Thanks for the photo.
On a recent re-run of Burns and Allen, the Eighth Avenue marquee was in view for several seconds as Ronnie drove up the avenue.
Direct link
Howard, you’re a dreamer!
Or, as Mad Magazine put it, A Bore is Starred.
(Does the new Barton Creek have its own page yet? Because the following review belongs on that page.)
Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News is a real movie lover and movie theater lover, so I thought this recent review of Red Tails would be of interest here at Cinema Treasures. I am only excerpting the parts that pertain to the AMC Barton Creek.
“A few days ago, a regional rep at one of the PR companies that represents Fox in TEXAS contacted me to see if I would like to host and introduce their screening of RED TAILS. I’d received a press invite for the film – and had decided I wasn’t going to go, because it was going to be at AMC BARTON CREEK in Austin, Texas. I’ve had nothing but miserable film experiences at that theater. Sound bleed from other theaters, low light projection…
“And this time, the folks up in projection had left their 3D lens on, slightly askew, causing distant double images and focus issues that rendered most text illegible. But if you wound up on medium shots to closeups of characters – it seemed fine. Then… the worst part… The center channel speaker was completely out for the duration of the film. Meaning that the film sounded like crap… the score always being muted, the explosions missing their BOOM… the machine guns sounding flat. Yeah… George Lucas spends 20 years of his life working to get this story on the screen – and it gets put in one of the cheapest, low-rent, give a shit theaters in town. WAY TO GO!
“When I left the theater… still bracing from the headache that the AMC BARTON CREEK gave me… the rep asked me what I thought and I said… "It’s alright.” Then complained about the miserable exhibition of the lowrent shithole this all went down in.
“Even when people left to complain – the management did NOT A SINGLE THING to right the wrong that we suffered through. It’s experiences like the one I had at AMC BARTON CREEK that drives people into the welcoming arms of Home Video. When will the big chains understand that you have to HIRE people that give a shit, that are trained to know how to use the equipment and pay to have the best bulbs – the best sound and MAINTAIN IT daily.”
(I’d love for someone important at AMC to read this and take some action. Ah, one can dream on, I guess…)
That shur don' look like no movin pitcher show in that there snapshot.
Wow, robboehm, it says right on the ad “Lyric 42nd Street between 7th and 8th” and the telephone number 730-0323. I called that number so many times over the years, it’s like a flashback seeing it again! (And rob, now may be a good time to use the “remove” option on your 4:48pm post!)
Ed, if you added Warren’s 1929 photo to your scrapbook, could you repost it here, since Warren’s link is now inactive.
They recently added a nice new marquee out front on Grand Avenue, so people driving by will actually know there’s a theater there. Ed? We’re waiting…
Beautiful shots, Ed. Just saw them, almost by accident. (I wasn’t notified of a new post to this page…still a few bugs in the system, I guess. It seems we have to manually subscribe now; just making a comment doesn’t automatically subscribe us.)