Prudential published a guide for all its theaters (as did Century) which was mailed to your home or available at the theater so there was no need to check the listings in Newsday. Also, since Prudential was generally single feature, evening starting times were 7 and 9. Matinees were at 2 on Saturdays and Sundays. Out east, during the summer, they also had matinees on rainy days.
Passed by a little while ago. Nothing seems to have changed. Figured out how they plan on going from 5 to 8 screens, assuming they ever get the 5 from the existing 3. They plan on taking over the building next door which houses the liquor store. When you look at the artists conception of the new South Bay you can see that. Incidentally there is also no new information on the Facebook page.
The theater opened in 1932. Among the features were the large projection booth, fireproof construction (the roof was processed steel), wall coverings designed to aid acoustics and a marquee.
AMinton – if you have the image in your picture or download files, just go to the top of this page and click on photos. When you are there click add photo, and do it.
The photo is quite a few years old. The owners illegally added three screens to the venue (interestingly they were lawyers). They were then forced back to the original 7. I got the figure of 9 from a current advertisement appearing in the newspaper. Have no idea when the new two were added.
Island Cinemas is back to 9 screens (hopefully legal this time). They also now serve lunch and dinner from noon to 10 PM each day via the newly opened Castaway Cafe. Very upscale sounding operation in a questionable area.
Only visible signs on the exterior are a chain link fence surrounding the building and a couple of dumpsters. I would have thought the exterior might have needed some repair before addressing the interior.
Every time TCM shows a 20th Century Fox color Cinemascope film I try to replicate my experience at the Bellerose where the projectionist was a master showman. He would start the film with just the sound for the drum intro, then turn on the light and, after the trumpet fanfare, open the curtain. Since the speakers were behind the curtain there was a swell of sound. And, the Bellerose had a huge proscenium.
Can’t do the drum intro in the dark but I always bring up the volume at the appropriate time.
Orlando, and other professionals. Any clue on the size of the screen at the Bellerose and how it compared with some of the other Nassau/Queens neighborhood venues
Uploaded exterior and interior photos from AMC. Despite a number of articles on the opening of this theater there is no indication of the seating capacity although it appears to be a single screen venue.
The 100 new cinemas would be in approximately 25 Saudi cities by 2030. In December 2017 the Saudi government said it would open the country to commercial movie theaters for the first time in more than 35 years as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to transform the ultraconservative Saudi society. AMC said it expects “the market will have staggering levels of pent-up demand.”
Trouble with Westbury is location. Too near the former Westbury Music Fair which has a long successful history. Long Island is overburdened with performance spaces.
Double features were a curse and a blessing. Eastern Suffolk theaters only did single features; two evening performances and a matinee on weekends. Most Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau theaters had continuous performances and a double feature. All that was cut back when the movie business started to go sour in the late 70s.
Uploaded a photo of Main Street from the 1960s with the marquee of the Riverhead appearing on the right.
They should have left the exterior the way it was in 1954 before they whitewashed the building and “modernized” the marquee. See photo section.
markp I grew up in Bellerose. The projectionist there was a real showman. Made for a great experience. Some details on the Bellerose site.
Prudential published a guide for all its theaters (as did Century) which was mailed to your home or available at the theater so there was no need to check the listings in Newsday. Also, since Prudential was generally single feature, evening starting times were 7 and 9. Matinees were at 2 on Saturdays and Sundays. Out east, during the summer, they also had matinees on rainy days.
Passed by a little while ago. Nothing seems to have changed. Figured out how they plan on going from 5 to 8 screens, assuming they ever get the 5 from the existing 3. They plan on taking over the building next door which houses the liquor store. When you look at the artists conception of the new South Bay you can see that. Incidentally there is also no new information on the Facebook page.
What happened to the plan to raise the theater one story to provide retail space? They keep booking shows there.
That water pipe issue is taking too long to resolve.
Any work being done is on the inside. Seem to be more dumpsters.
Uploaded an early, colorized, street shot.
Uploaded a better image of the theater.
The theater opened in 1932. Among the features were the large projection booth, fireproof construction (the roof was processed steel), wall coverings designed to aid acoustics and a marquee.
AMinton – if you have the image in your picture or download files, just go to the top of this page and click on photos. When you are there click add photo, and do it.
Interior and exterior shots appear in current Turner Classic Movie promotions.
The photo is quite a few years old. The owners illegally added three screens to the venue (interestingly they were lawyers). They were then forced back to the original 7. I got the figure of 9 from a current advertisement appearing in the newspaper. Have no idea when the new two were added.
Island Cinemas is back to 9 screens (hopefully legal this time). They also now serve lunch and dinner from noon to 10 PM each day via the newly opened Castaway Cafe. Very upscale sounding operation in a questionable area.
fred1, I went by the original release for the cost. The original opening date was deferred more than 6 months. May have been cost overruns.
Only visible signs on the exterior are a chain link fence surrounding the building and a couple of dumpsters. I would have thought the exterior might have needed some repair before addressing the interior.
Every time TCM shows a 20th Century Fox color Cinemascope film I try to replicate my experience at the Bellerose where the projectionist was a master showman. He would start the film with just the sound for the drum intro, then turn on the light and, after the trumpet fanfare, open the curtain. Since the speakers were behind the curtain there was a swell of sound. And, the Bellerose had a huge proscenium.
Can’t do the drum intro in the dark but I always bring up the volume at the appropriate time.
Orlando, and other professionals. Any clue on the size of the screen at the Bellerose and how it compared with some of the other Nassau/Queens neighborhood venues
Uploaded exterior and interior photos from AMC. Despite a number of articles on the opening of this theater there is no indication of the seating capacity although it appears to be a single screen venue.
The 100 new cinemas would be in approximately 25 Saudi cities by 2030. In December 2017 the Saudi government said it would open the country to commercial movie theaters for the first time in more than 35 years as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to transform the ultraconservative Saudi society. AMC said it expects “the market will have staggering levels of pent-up demand.”
Trouble with Westbury is location. Too near the former Westbury Music Fair which has a long successful history. Long Island is overburdened with performance spaces.
Cinema Treasures shows a total of 395 theaters in Brooklyn only 21 of which are open. Regardless of neighborhoods that’s the way things are.
Double features were a curse and a blessing. Eastern Suffolk theaters only did single features; two evening performances and a matinee on weekends. Most Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau theaters had continuous performances and a double feature. All that was cut back when the movie business started to go sour in the late 70s.
With all the dollars that went into the reno this venue is only utilized for a handful of events each month.
Still functioning as an adult theater in 1983 according to movie times in the Newsday Classic edition of May 1983.