From today’s Hollywood Reporter. The article includes a reference to this website.
Manhattan to bid adieu to a moviehouse icon
By Randee Dawn
NEW YORK — When it opened in 1952, New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther called it a “class theater.” Twenty-five years later, Woody Allen elevated it to icon status by featuring it in his Oscar-winning “Annie Hall.” And this Sunday, the Beekman Theater will show its last film — a screening of Universal’s “The Interpreter.”
“The Beekman epitomized New York moviehouses at their best,” remembers Allen, whose films often had exclusive engagements at the Upper East Side moviehouse. “The size, the architecture, the location seemed perfect. I saw many great films there by great foreign filmmakers, and it was an honor to have my films shown there.”
So what has brought down one of the last remaining single-screen theaters in the city? Not finances, and not neglect. Beth Simpson, a spokeswoman for Clearview Cinemas, which has operated the house for more than six years, says, “We love the neighborhood, and have proudly brought quality movies to this community. Unfortunately, the theater’s landlord has exercised a lease option to take back the property. Regrettably, we have no choice but to cease operation of the theater.”
That leaseholder is Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and the Beekman — along with the other buildings in the immediate area — will be replaced by a breast and imaging center for outpatient care. Which more or less nullifies the argument for preservation.
“It’s hard to make the case for preservation when that’s going to be taking precedence,” admits Seri Worden, executive director of Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, an organization that has lobbied for the Beekman’s landmark designation since 2001. A last-minute postcard campaign directed at the landmarks commission is under way, but Worden concedes the cause is lost.
“Still,” she says, “we can make a little bit of noise.”
Built to accommodate postwar movie audiences, the Beekman’s “class theater” status was typical of the small, neighborhood theaters that took root in the 1950s and ‘60s. Tied into the switch-over from newsreel theaters into art house theaters, the Beekman was designed to appeal to wealthy and upper-middle-class locals and features a Streamline Moderne late-period art deco design, exhibited best in its scripted neon name perched on the marquee. Inside, the 510-seat theater’s mezzanine and arced rows feel like a small opera house, not a cinema.
Over the years, the Beekman has maintained its classy status, even if moviegoers now all come in jeans, and remains a favorite among cinemaphiles and historians alike. “The Beekman always attempted to create an upscale version of moviegoing, maintaining a meticulous theater that really has an emphasis on presentation,” explains Ross Melnick, co-founder of the Cinema Treasures Web site and co-author of a book by the same name. “People have a hankering for the ‘old days.’ They appreciate that attention to detail and service, even to the opening and closing of curtains over the screen before every showing.”
The theater’s name will live on a block away, as Clearview re-names its New York One Two theaters the Beekman One and Two. Yet it’s hard to imagine Allen’s Alvy Singer trying to buy tickets in that recessed interior for himself and Annie.
“It may be nice to have a Beekman One and Two so residents can remember the theater they will ultimately miss,” Melnick muses. “But I think the Beekman will always be the Beekman and will never be replaced.”
Regarding the final months of the film/stage show era at RCMH. My only visit to RCMH during that era was in May of 1977. The feature was “Smokey and the Bandit”: a major box office hit that year although not during its engagement at RCMH, if my experience was any indication. I went to a Friday matinee and there couldn’t have been more than several hundred people in the audience. I remember staying for the stage show but don’t recall any specifics; it obviously wasn’t very memorable.
According to today’s NY Times, this theater will be renamed the Beekman One and Two following the June 30 closing of the Beekman (I posted the article under the listing for the Beekman). The Times also notes that Clearview plans to do the renaming, which presumably means that Clearview has taken over the operation of this theater.
If the above is accurate, then this listing should be revised to feature the new name.
So a Mainstay Hospital Can Expand, a Signature Theater Will Go Dark
By JOHN FREEMAN GILL
The 53-year-old Beekman Theater, an Upper East Side favorite where Woody Allen’s character was badgered by an obnoxious autograph seeker in “Annie Hall,” will show its final film on June 30.
“It’s very sad,” said Beth Simpson Crimmins, a spokeswoman for Clearview Cinemas, which operates the Beekman, on Second Avenue near 66th Street. “It’s a very strong theater for us, but unfortunately the landlord has exercised a lease option to take back the property.”
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, which has owned the property since 1989, plans to raze the Beekman, along with a North Fork bank branch and two existing Memorial Sloan-Kettering buildings, to make way for a breast and diagnostic imaging center.
Christine Hickey, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said Memorial Sloan-Kettering had outgrown an existing breast center on East 64th Street. “There’s just no more space in the building,” she said. “There’s nowhere for us to go.”
The new blocklong construction, which can be built without any zoning variance from the city, will be presented to Community Board 8 in July. “It’s probably 14 or 15 stories,” Ms. Hickey said.
The 510-seat Beekman, known for its late Streamline Moderne tilted-glass facade and the looping, chrome-and-neon sign atop its marquee, is one of the last single-screen movie houses in a city ruled by multiplexes.
“It’s a New York City icon, it’s an Upper East Side icon, and it’s a piece of modern architecture, and we’re losing our modern architecture constantly,” said Seri Worden, executive director of Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts. The preservation group tried unsuccessfully to persuade the city to designate the Beekman a landmark so the new facility would be built around it.
Others see the situation differently.
“People tend to confuse nostalgia with architectural merit,” said Barry Schneider, president of the East Sixties Neighborhood Association. “Preservation is forever. Just because you had a swell date there when you were coming of age doesn’t qualify it for historic preservation.”
The Beekman will be the latest in a series of period East Side movie theaters – along with the Baronet and Coronet on East 59th Street, the Sutton on 57th Street and Cinemas 1, 2 and 3 on Third Avenue – to be demolished or altered in recent years.
“That’s a disaster,” David Alcosser, an Upper East Side resident, said of the Beekman’s demise, adding, “But I’ve had family members die of cancer, so it’s hard to take a side.”
The Beekman name will live on in a theater one block north, the New York OneTwo, which Clearview Cinemas plans to rechristen the Beekman One and Two. But unlike its predecessor, the new Beekman is set back from the street, a letdown for some Beekman boosters like Mr. Alcosser. “When you walk past here, the popcorn smell is phenomenal,” he said of the Beekman. “I live across the street, and I walk home on this side just for that smell.”
One of the above posts mentions the Cinema Studio twin, which was a major art house presence on the Upper West Side during the 70s and 80s. Surprising that the Cinema Studio isn’t listed on this site yet. I would add it as an entry, but don’t know too many specifics about the theater, other than it was torn down in the late 80s/early 90s for the condo building at Broadway and 67th that has a Barnes & Noble (among other stores) on the ground floor.
If the Beacon Hill listing isn’t split into two entries, then I would suggest expanding the initial summary, which doesn’t apply to the second version of the theater. The Beacon Hill wasn’t much of an art house during the 1970s; it primarily exhibited first run Hollywood product. The Exeter and Orson Welles were probably the top art houses in the Boston area during that decade.
Another NYC theater that has 70MM capability is the Paris. A 70MM print of “Howard’s End” was shown at the Paris for nearly a year in the early 1990s. Kenneth Branagh’s film of “Hamlet” was also presented in 70MM at the Paris.
I assume that Ron is correct in that the Cheri was intended as a twin and that one screen opened earlier than another (or perhaps one screen was closed for some reason in September 1966?). The two lower level auditoriums were quite wide; I doubt that they resulted from the subdivision of a single auditorium split down the middle.
One of the above posts mentions that the Cheri was originally a single screen that was “split” sometime during the 1960s. Was a large auditorium subdivided or a separate auditorium added? Given the configuration of the two lower level auditoriums, it’s hard to visualize what the theater would have looked like pre-subdivision (if that’s what happened).
Based on my visits to the Cheri triplex, I find it interesting that the auditorium mentioned above as Cinema 1 would be considered the “main theater.” Cinema 2, which was subdivided in 1989, was larger (although not by much) and the most popular attractions would, in my experience, be shown in Cinema 2 instead of Cinema 1. For example, I remember seeing “Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Kramer vs. Kramer” in Cinema 2 during the early weeks of their runs (I believe “Cuckoo’s Nest” was a Boston area exclusive). When I saw “The Abyss” in 70MM on opening day in 1989, it also was playing in Cinema 2 (one of the last films to play there before the subdivision).
Although the Cheri was never a favorite theater of mine, I enjoyed the large format customized advertising that Sack would feature on the outside wall of the Cheri (located between the two entrances to the lower level auditoriums) for current and future attractions; those ads provided a sense of showmanship for a complex that was otherwise lacking in that regard. The customized ads were discontinued by the late 1970s/early 1980s.
Interesting factoid about the intermission for the reserved seat run of “Funny Lady.” The film was simultaneously shown at the Cheri on an unreserved seat basis in the auditorium on the upper level, which is where I saw the film. I don’t recall an intermission for the unreserved engagement.
Prior to the subdivision of one of the lower level auditoriums in 1989, I don’t think that the Cheri had what could be considered a “main theater.” Although the auditorium that was subdivided was larger than the other auditorium on the lower level, the difference in size between the two was not substantial.
The Academy was an attractive twin cinema in a great location. I recall seeing Fellini’s “Amarcord” there. I don’t know for sure why the Academy closed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if competition from the nearby West Newton complex had something to do with it. Also, Stanley Kaplan’s was not always in the basement of that building. A gym (called, appropriately enough, the Academy) was located there from the late 1960s through at least the mid-1970s.
Regarding the Newton Paramount—-I would also be interested in learning more about it. I recall going there once, for a screening of “Westworld” in the early 1970s. The Paramount was a twin at that time and I assume it closed by the mid-1970s. The parent company of Variety and other trade publications is located on the site of the Paramount.
The date of the lobby photo (August 1975) surprises me. I thought the Chestnut Hill complex opened in December of that year. If memory serves, the initial attractions were “The Man Who Would Be King” and an exclusive run of “Lucky Lady” —– both Christmas releases.
Regarding “Star!” The DVD edition released last year includes an extensive discussion of the film’s production history and release (roadshow, cuts made during the roadshow engagements, general release and re-release under a different title with an hour removed).
The “Star!” DVD also includes a history of the roadshow concept and features several shots of the huge billboard for the film in Times Square.
While in London last week, I noticed a poster at the Leicester Square advertising advance ticket sales for the upcoming “Star Wars” film. When I saw the price list, I did a double take: 17 pounds per ticket for the top seats (dress circle, I believe). That’s more than 35 U.S. dollars at the current exchange rate. These prices were considerably higher than the prices for the current attraction, “Constantine.”
There were also reports in the press last week that there will be marathon screenings of all of the “Star Wars” films at the Leicester Square (and other Leicester Square theaters) during the week before the opening of “Revenge of the Sith.” The posted price list for “Sith” tickets at the Leicester Square was not for the marathon but for the regular run of the film.
Sorry to hear that the Empire’s days may be numbered. I caught a screening of “The Interpreter” last week while in London and found the large auditorium to be delightful: spacious, comfortable, large screen, curtains, the light show before the lights dimmed (changing colors around the proscenium), etc. A sense of showmanship rarely found anymore.
My recollection is that the Village was part of the Walter Reade chain for a period of time in the 1970s. I only visited the Village once, for a second-run screening of “48 Hrs.” in the early 1980s. At that time, the theater was independently owned.
I also caught “Eyes Wide Shut” at the Astor Plaza. I went to a screening during the opening weekend, before the bad word of mouth had begun to circulate. The Times Square crowd was clearly expecting something of a more titillating nature—-starting at about the 30 minute mark, people in the audience began yelling at the screen (“What the *&# is this?” etc.). One of my more memorable moviegoing experiences.
The name of the stage incarnation of the Worldwide is Dodger Stages. The five theater complex opened in the fall of 2004. Although some of the productions are doing well (the play “Modern Orthodox” with Jason Biggs and Molly Ringwald recently recouped its investment), given the financial problems of the Dodgers organization I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a new owner by the end of the year.
Today’s NY Times has an article on the preservation of buildings from the mid 20th century, including the Beekman and Cinema 1-2-3. Excerpt is below:
In Preservation Wars, a Focus on Midcentury
By ROBIN POGREBIN
Arguing that significant buildings are not getting their due, advocates of midcentury architecture are stepping up pressure on the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to hold full public hearings on proposals to raze two movie theaters on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Plans have been announced to convert Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, a 1962 International-style theater on Third Avenue across from Bloomingdale’s, into retail space. The Beekman, a 1952 late Streamline Moderne design at Second Avenue and 66th Street, is to be replaced by a breast and diagnostic imaging center run by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The theater is scheduled to be closed down this summer.
[much of the rest of the article focuses on the so-called “lollipop” building at 2 Columbus Circle]
It’s probably worth pointing out that the Paris is one of the few remaining theaters in the city equipped for 70MM. “Howard’s End” and Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet” were both presented in 70MM at the Paris.
While a lengthy run of “Being Julia” is unusual, the film seems to have found an audience on the Upper West Side. I went to the last screening on a Sunday night in January, and the auditorium was about ¾ full. And this was before the Oscar nominations were announced, which would have likely boosted attendance. Not bad for a film that was released about four months earlier.
It’s still a Clearview house, although given all of the current turmoil at parent company Cablevision, who knows for how much longer?
In any event, as the “Cinema Latino” name was removed months ago, the listing for this theater should be changed.
The merger of AMC and Loews has just been announced. Any thoughts as to how the deal will affect bookings for the E-Walk and Empire?
The merger of AMC and Loews has just been announced. Will be interesting to see how the deal affects bookings for the Empire and E-Walk.
From today’s Hollywood Reporter. The article includes a reference to this website.
Manhattan to bid adieu to a moviehouse icon
By Randee Dawn
NEW YORK — When it opened in 1952, New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther called it a “class theater.” Twenty-five years later, Woody Allen elevated it to icon status by featuring it in his Oscar-winning “Annie Hall.” And this Sunday, the Beekman Theater will show its last film — a screening of Universal’s “The Interpreter.”
“The Beekman epitomized New York moviehouses at their best,” remembers Allen, whose films often had exclusive engagements at the Upper East Side moviehouse. “The size, the architecture, the location seemed perfect. I saw many great films there by great foreign filmmakers, and it was an honor to have my films shown there.”
So what has brought down one of the last remaining single-screen theaters in the city? Not finances, and not neglect. Beth Simpson, a spokeswoman for Clearview Cinemas, which has operated the house for more than six years, says, “We love the neighborhood, and have proudly brought quality movies to this community. Unfortunately, the theater’s landlord has exercised a lease option to take back the property. Regrettably, we have no choice but to cease operation of the theater.”
That leaseholder is Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and the Beekman — along with the other buildings in the immediate area — will be replaced by a breast and imaging center for outpatient care. Which more or less nullifies the argument for preservation.
“It’s hard to make the case for preservation when that’s going to be taking precedence,” admits Seri Worden, executive director of Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, an organization that has lobbied for the Beekman’s landmark designation since 2001. A last-minute postcard campaign directed at the landmarks commission is under way, but Worden concedes the cause is lost.
“Still,” she says, “we can make a little bit of noise.”
Built to accommodate postwar movie audiences, the Beekman’s “class theater” status was typical of the small, neighborhood theaters that took root in the 1950s and ‘60s. Tied into the switch-over from newsreel theaters into art house theaters, the Beekman was designed to appeal to wealthy and upper-middle-class locals and features a Streamline Moderne late-period art deco design, exhibited best in its scripted neon name perched on the marquee. Inside, the 510-seat theater’s mezzanine and arced rows feel like a small opera house, not a cinema.
Over the years, the Beekman has maintained its classy status, even if moviegoers now all come in jeans, and remains a favorite among cinemaphiles and historians alike. “The Beekman always attempted to create an upscale version of moviegoing, maintaining a meticulous theater that really has an emphasis on presentation,” explains Ross Melnick, co-founder of the Cinema Treasures Web site and co-author of a book by the same name. “People have a hankering for the ‘old days.’ They appreciate that attention to detail and service, even to the opening and closing of curtains over the screen before every showing.”
The theater’s name will live on a block away, as Clearview re-names its New York One Two theaters the Beekman One and Two. Yet it’s hard to imagine Allen’s Alvy Singer trying to buy tickets in that recessed interior for himself and Annie.
“It may be nice to have a Beekman One and Two so residents can remember the theater they will ultimately miss,” Melnick muses. “But I think the Beekman will always be the Beekman and will never be replaced.”
Regarding the final months of the film/stage show era at RCMH. My only visit to RCMH during that era was in May of 1977. The feature was “Smokey and the Bandit”: a major box office hit that year although not during its engagement at RCMH, if my experience was any indication. I went to a Friday matinee and there couldn’t have been more than several hundred people in the audience. I remember staying for the stage show but don’t recall any specifics; it obviously wasn’t very memorable.
According to today’s NY Times, this theater will be renamed the Beekman One and Two following the June 30 closing of the Beekman (I posted the article under the listing for the Beekman). The Times also notes that Clearview plans to do the renaming, which presumably means that Clearview has taken over the operation of this theater.
If the above is accurate, then this listing should be revised to feature the new name.
From the city section of today’s NY Times:
So a Mainstay Hospital Can Expand, a Signature Theater Will Go Dark
By JOHN FREEMAN GILL
The 53-year-old Beekman Theater, an Upper East Side favorite where Woody Allen’s character was badgered by an obnoxious autograph seeker in “Annie Hall,” will show its final film on June 30.
“It’s very sad,” said Beth Simpson Crimmins, a spokeswoman for Clearview Cinemas, which operates the Beekman, on Second Avenue near 66th Street. “It’s a very strong theater for us, but unfortunately the landlord has exercised a lease option to take back the property.”
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, which has owned the property since 1989, plans to raze the Beekman, along with a North Fork bank branch and two existing Memorial Sloan-Kettering buildings, to make way for a breast and diagnostic imaging center.
Christine Hickey, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said Memorial Sloan-Kettering had outgrown an existing breast center on East 64th Street. “There’s just no more space in the building,” she said. “There’s nowhere for us to go.”
The new blocklong construction, which can be built without any zoning variance from the city, will be presented to Community Board 8 in July. “It’s probably 14 or 15 stories,” Ms. Hickey said.
The 510-seat Beekman, known for its late Streamline Moderne tilted-glass facade and the looping, chrome-and-neon sign atop its marquee, is one of the last single-screen movie houses in a city ruled by multiplexes.
“It’s a New York City icon, it’s an Upper East Side icon, and it’s a piece of modern architecture, and we’re losing our modern architecture constantly,” said Seri Worden, executive director of Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts. The preservation group tried unsuccessfully to persuade the city to designate the Beekman a landmark so the new facility would be built around it.
Others see the situation differently.
“People tend to confuse nostalgia with architectural merit,” said Barry Schneider, president of the East Sixties Neighborhood Association. “Preservation is forever. Just because you had a swell date there when you were coming of age doesn’t qualify it for historic preservation.”
The Beekman will be the latest in a series of period East Side movie theaters – along with the Baronet and Coronet on East 59th Street, the Sutton on 57th Street and Cinemas 1, 2 and 3 on Third Avenue – to be demolished or altered in recent years.
“That’s a disaster,” David Alcosser, an Upper East Side resident, said of the Beekman’s demise, adding, “But I’ve had family members die of cancer, so it’s hard to take a side.”
The Beekman name will live on in a theater one block north, the New York OneTwo, which Clearview Cinemas plans to rechristen the Beekman One and Two. But unlike its predecessor, the new Beekman is set back from the street, a letdown for some Beekman boosters like Mr. Alcosser. “When you walk past here, the popcorn smell is phenomenal,” he said of the Beekman. “I live across the street, and I walk home on this side just for that smell.”
One of the above posts mentions the Cinema Studio twin, which was a major art house presence on the Upper West Side during the 70s and 80s. Surprising that the Cinema Studio isn’t listed on this site yet. I would add it as an entry, but don’t know too many specifics about the theater, other than it was torn down in the late 80s/early 90s for the condo building at Broadway and 67th that has a Barnes & Noble (among other stores) on the ground floor.
If the Beacon Hill listing isn’t split into two entries, then I would suggest expanding the initial summary, which doesn’t apply to the second version of the theater. The Beacon Hill wasn’t much of an art house during the 1970s; it primarily exhibited first run Hollywood product. The Exeter and Orson Welles were probably the top art houses in the Boston area during that decade.
Another NYC theater that has 70MM capability is the Paris. A 70MM print of “Howard’s End” was shown at the Paris for nearly a year in the early 1990s. Kenneth Branagh’s film of “Hamlet” was also presented in 70MM at the Paris.
According to the ad in today’s NY Times, the Empire is showing “Sith” on a whopping 11 screens (including two with digital projection).
I assume that Ron is correct in that the Cheri was intended as a twin and that one screen opened earlier than another (or perhaps one screen was closed for some reason in September 1966?). The two lower level auditoriums were quite wide; I doubt that they resulted from the subdivision of a single auditorium split down the middle.
One of the above posts mentions that the Cheri was originally a single screen that was “split” sometime during the 1960s. Was a large auditorium subdivided or a separate auditorium added? Given the configuration of the two lower level auditoriums, it’s hard to visualize what the theater would have looked like pre-subdivision (if that’s what happened).
Based on my visits to the Cheri triplex, I find it interesting that the auditorium mentioned above as Cinema 1 would be considered the “main theater.” Cinema 2, which was subdivided in 1989, was larger (although not by much) and the most popular attractions would, in my experience, be shown in Cinema 2 instead of Cinema 1. For example, I remember seeing “Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Kramer vs. Kramer” in Cinema 2 during the early weeks of their runs (I believe “Cuckoo’s Nest” was a Boston area exclusive). When I saw “The Abyss” in 70MM on opening day in 1989, it also was playing in Cinema 2 (one of the last films to play there before the subdivision).
Although the Cheri was never a favorite theater of mine, I enjoyed the large format customized advertising that Sack would feature on the outside wall of the Cheri (located between the two entrances to the lower level auditoriums) for current and future attractions; those ads provided a sense of showmanship for a complex that was otherwise lacking in that regard. The customized ads were discontinued by the late 1970s/early 1980s.
Interesting factoid about the intermission for the reserved seat run of “Funny Lady.” The film was simultaneously shown at the Cheri on an unreserved seat basis in the auditorium on the upper level, which is where I saw the film. I don’t recall an intermission for the unreserved engagement.
Prior to the subdivision of one of the lower level auditoriums in 1989, I don’t think that the Cheri had what could be considered a “main theater.” Although the auditorium that was subdivided was larger than the other auditorium on the lower level, the difference in size between the two was not substantial.
The Academy was an attractive twin cinema in a great location. I recall seeing Fellini’s “Amarcord” there. I don’t know for sure why the Academy closed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if competition from the nearby West Newton complex had something to do with it. Also, Stanley Kaplan’s was not always in the basement of that building. A gym (called, appropriately enough, the Academy) was located there from the late 1960s through at least the mid-1970s.
Regarding the Newton Paramount—-I would also be interested in learning more about it. I recall going there once, for a screening of “Westworld” in the early 1970s. The Paramount was a twin at that time and I assume it closed by the mid-1970s. The parent company of Variety and other trade publications is located on the site of the Paramount.
The date of the lobby photo (August 1975) surprises me. I thought the Chestnut Hill complex opened in December of that year. If memory serves, the initial attractions were “The Man Who Would Be King” and an exclusive run of “Lucky Lady” —– both Christmas releases.
Another long run at the Exeter was the French film “Cousin, Cousine” that ran for months in the mid-70s.
The Exeter was a wonderfully unique space with great charm and atmosphere.
Regarding “Star!” The DVD edition released last year includes an extensive discussion of the film’s production history and release (roadshow, cuts made during the roadshow engagements, general release and re-release under a different title with an hour removed).
The “Star!” DVD also includes a history of the roadshow concept and features several shots of the huge billboard for the film in Times Square.
While in London last week, I noticed a poster at the Leicester Square advertising advance ticket sales for the upcoming “Star Wars” film. When I saw the price list, I did a double take: 17 pounds per ticket for the top seats (dress circle, I believe). That’s more than 35 U.S. dollars at the current exchange rate. These prices were considerably higher than the prices for the current attraction, “Constantine.”
There were also reports in the press last week that there will be marathon screenings of all of the “Star Wars” films at the Leicester Square (and other Leicester Square theaters) during the week before the opening of “Revenge of the Sith.” The posted price list for “Sith” tickets at the Leicester Square was not for the marathon but for the regular run of the film.
Sorry to hear that the Empire’s days may be numbered. I caught a screening of “The Interpreter” last week while in London and found the large auditorium to be delightful: spacious, comfortable, large screen, curtains, the light show before the lights dimmed (changing colors around the proscenium), etc. A sense of showmanship rarely found anymore.
My recollection is that the Village was part of the Walter Reade chain for a period of time in the 1970s. I only visited the Village once, for a second-run screening of “48 Hrs.” in the early 1980s. At that time, the theater was independently owned.
I also caught “Eyes Wide Shut” at the Astor Plaza. I went to a screening during the opening weekend, before the bad word of mouth had begun to circulate. The Times Square crowd was clearly expecting something of a more titillating nature—-starting at about the 30 minute mark, people in the audience began yelling at the screen (“What the *&# is this?” etc.). One of my more memorable moviegoing experiences.
The name of the stage incarnation of the Worldwide is Dodger Stages. The five theater complex opened in the fall of 2004. Although some of the productions are doing well (the play “Modern Orthodox” with Jason Biggs and Molly Ringwald recently recouped its investment), given the financial problems of the Dodgers organization I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a new owner by the end of the year.
Today’s NY Times has an article on the preservation of buildings from the mid 20th century, including the Beekman and Cinema 1-2-3. Excerpt is below:
In Preservation Wars, a Focus on Midcentury
By ROBIN POGREBIN
Arguing that significant buildings are not getting their due, advocates of midcentury architecture are stepping up pressure on the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to hold full public hearings on proposals to raze two movie theaters on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Plans have been announced to convert Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, a 1962 International-style theater on Third Avenue across from Bloomingdale’s, into retail space. The Beekman, a 1952 late Streamline Moderne design at Second Avenue and 66th Street, is to be replaced by a breast and diagnostic imaging center run by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The theater is scheduled to be closed down this summer.
[much of the rest of the article focuses on the so-called “lollipop” building at 2 Columbus Circle]
It’s probably worth pointing out that the Paris is one of the few remaining theaters in the city equipped for 70MM. “Howard’s End” and Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet” were both presented in 70MM at the Paris.
While a lengthy run of “Being Julia” is unusual, the film seems to have found an audience on the Upper West Side. I went to the last screening on a Sunday night in January, and the auditorium was about ¾ full. And this was before the Oscar nominations were announced, which would have likely boosted attendance. Not bad for a film that was released about four months earlier.
It’s still a Clearview house, although given all of the current turmoil at parent company Cablevision, who knows for how much longer?
In any event, as the “Cinema Latino” name was removed months ago, the listing for this theater should be changed.