Comments from AndresRoura

Jose, I just got your other comment, if the movie is from 1981 and you fom 1984, definitely I was already here. Anyway, we’ll talk from home later. Best, Andy.

Thanks, Jose. It looks great! Have you been inside? Hope they kept and restored the murals in the auditorium. Thanks again. Andres.

I just sent this e-mail to Donald Trump and thought you all would be interested in reading it:
TO MR. DONALD TRUMP:
First, belated Bravos!!! for your coments on the World Trade Center. The so called “Freedom Tower” is horrible and should not be built. Please use all your power to convince the governor and the mayor that the best thing for New York City is to bring the Twin Towers back just as you have suggested. Perhaps you can post a page on this website were we, the public — perhaps limited to those of us who live or work below Canal Street – can vote to bring the Twin Towers back. After all, we were the ones who were and still are being affected by not having the towers, specially those of us who survived that terribe day.
On another subject, since you are also involved in entertainment, would you be interested in bringing Cinerama back to New York City? Triple projection Cinerama and its huge curved screen debuted right here in New York City at the Broadway Theatre on September 1952. Yet, while Seattle and Los Angeles have Cinerama theatres, New York, “The Capital of the World,” does not. I am sure a Cinerama theater in Times Square, “the crossroads of the world,” would be a terrific tourist attraction and would bring movie loving visitors and money to the city. Besides triple projection Cinerama, the theater could show 70mm spectaculars like “Lawrence of Arabia” as they were intended to be seen. Also, the venue could be used for other movie attractions such as a 3D festival like they had last summer at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Except for the occasional double projection 3D film at the Film Forum, most contemporary New Yorkers have not seen double projection 3D, just as they have not seen Cinerama. Last summer both the American Museum of the Moving Image in Queens and the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center celebrated 50 years of wide screen movies. It’s ironic that it was Cinerama that started it all right here in New York City and we don’t have a Cinerama theater.
As for the venue, the abandoned and empty Embassy 2-3-4 (formerly the DeMille, originally the RKO Mayfair) on Seventh Avenue and 47th Street is wide enough for triple projection Cinerama since ir used to play 70mm spectaculars in its heyday. Think about it Mr. Trump, if someone can do it, it’s you.
Let’s bring back the Twin Towers and Cinerama to New York City. Again, if someone can do it, it’s you, Mr. Trump.
Respectfully,
Andrés Roura

I jus read in a San Juan paper website that tonight at the Matienzo, now the Francisco Arrivi Theater, the Puerto Rican Theater Festival will open. Anyone from San Juan has any coments and/or pictures? What about the neighboring Music Hall — actually in the same building — now renamed the Victoria Espinosa Theatre; any comments or photos? Will appreciate the latest news on these theaters. Thanks. Andres Roura.

Reading all the above comments about restoring the DeMille/Embassy as a cinematheque and/or Cinerama venue, FYI, I have sent the following letter on bringing Cinerama back to NY — with some changes, depending on the recipient — to the Mayor’s Office, to the NY Tourism Company, Loew’s, Clearview Cinemas and all the papers. But no one seems to be interested, specially Mayor Mike. All he cares about is forcing people to smoke outside buildings and build the West Side Stadium, which will create traffic chaos in the area. Here is the letter — the version sent to Loew’s — and I am sorry I forgot to mention the DeMille:
“I am sorry the Astor Plaza in Times Square closed. The Astor Plaza was one of my favorite theaters where I always tried to see a movie that interested me. I always sought that space could have been converted to a Cinerama theatre, but it did not come to pass. My interest in Cinerama comes from having been MGM’s publicity and theater manager in Puerto Rico in the 1960’s, and helped launch Cinerama in Puerto Rico with “How The West Was Won.”
As both Loews and Times Square are celebrating 100 years, have you considered constructing a Cinerama Theater with both triple projection and 70mm capability; or installing Cinerama at one of the bigger auditoriums on the E-Walk as your big centenary celebration?
Cinerama debuted right here in New York City at the Broadway Theatre on September 1952. Yet, while Seattle and Los Angeles have Cinerama theatres, New York, “The Capital of the World,” does not. I am sure a Cinerama theater in Times Square, “the crossroads of the world,” would be a terrific tourist attraction bringing movie loving visitors from around the country — and the world — to the city.
Besides Cinerama, the theater could show 70mm spectaculars like “Lawrence of Arabia” “as they were intended to be seen,” as Loews says in the promotion of its film classic series. Also, the venue could be used for other movie attraction such as a 3D festival like they had at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles in the summer. Except for the occasional double projection 3D film at the Film Forum, most contemporary New Yorkers have not seen double projection 3D, just as they have not seen Cinerama.
Last summer both the American Museum of the Moving Image and the Walter Reade Theater celebrated 50 years of wide screen movies. It’s ironic that it was Cinerama that started it all right here in New York City, and we don’t have a Cinerama theater. Let’s bring back Cinerama to its birthplace, New York City.“
Andres Roura

I’m sorrry Ana, but Mr. Sola Ramirez is wrong. If he is in the film exhibition business he should know better, as should the Caribbean Business reporter. I repeat: the film market in PR was dominated by Hollywwod fare from day one. Even now, with venues such as the Fine Arts, the market is still dominated by US films. Andres.

Josem, here is the “Metropolitan story:” When “Lawrence of Arabia” premiered, as usual it was a charity event and this time the organizers had a fashion show before the picture. When I saw the program, I told the woman in charge that “Lawrence” was a very long picture and she and her models had to be off the stage by 8PM sharp so we coud start the film. By 7:45 or so I knew we were running late, so I called the projectionist on the intercom (Rafa), and told him that I would stand by the stage and signal him at 8 sharp to cut the mikes on stage and start the overture even if there were still people on stage. Remember, the stage at the Metropolitan was not too big since the 70mm screen was installed in front of the original proscenium arch with a drop curtain, not the traveler type curtain that opens sideways, because it was a wall-to-wall screen. I went down to the front of the orchestra , called the oganizer aside, and told her she had 5 minutes to clear the stage because I was starting the picture at 8, period. She said she could not finish in 5 minutes because not all the models had paraded on stage. At 7:59 I signaled Rafa and he dimmed the house lights. In one minute the stage was cleared and we started on time. The woman threatened me and said she was going to call Mr. Cobian — the owner of the theater chain — to have him fire me. I told her to call him in the morning and gave her his phone number. She never called. I was not fired. Incidentally, that “Lawrence” was not the director’s cut. About 15 minues had been cut which were later added to the restored version that played here in the 90’s (I think it was the 90’s). The fully restored version was made from the original 65mm elements (the other 5mm that made a 70mm print was for the six magnetic tracks). It is now on DVD and video in letterbox format. I don’t think the restored version has played in PR. Has it? Finally, I suggest to you and other “members” of Cinema Treasures that miss the old 70mm and Cinerama spectaculars, to check the website of the American WideScreen Museum (www.widescreenmuseum.com). As today’s teenagers say, it’s awsome!

As I said on my posting on the Metro theater site, I worked for both Commonwealth and Wometco theaters and also worked as theatre and publicity manager for the Metro theater and MGM-Puerto Rico. The Cinerama was the old Bolivar second run “barrio” moviehouse on Fernandez Juncos Ave., in a working class area in the Santurce section of San Juan. In the early 60s, Cuban TV producer Gaspar Pumarejo leased the site and converted it into a TV studio for his nightly variety show. The audience sat in the stadium style seating mezzaninne and the orchestra space was where they had the sets, cameras, lighting, etc. The control room was in the projection booth, which was as wide as the theater. After Pumarejo moved his operations to the NY/New Jersey area when Spanish TV started in NY, the theater remained closed until it was converted into a triple projection Cinerama venue seating about 600 or so. The opening picture was the 3-strip “How The West Was Won” from MGM. After the 3-strip Cinerama films supply was exhausted, it played “flat” films, which looked terrific in the center of the huge Cinerama screen. The opening of the Plaza Las Americas cinemas did not affect the attendance at the Cinerama. It played to capacity with films such as “Rosemary’s Baby,” which was picketed by Christian groups because we opened it on Christmas day. The pickets were on the front page of every paper boosting the business. One of Comonwealth’s VPs, Sidney Kramer, got the idea of getting an anamorphic lens that could fill the whole screen and we started playing scope pictures which filled the entire Cinerama screen. The first one was “Fantastic Voyage.” Then we installed 70mm for the 70mm “Cinerama” films such as “Grand Prix,” “Battle of the Bulge,” etc. In my opinion the theater and the other theaters in Santurce that closed, closed because of the deterioration of the inner city just at it happened here in NY. I understand the San Juan administration is revitalizing the downtown Santurce area and is renovating, or already renoveted, one theater, the Matienzo. Let’s hope that as Rudy Giuliani revitalized Times Square, downtown Santurce is revitalized and, even if as in here, we do not have the old movie palaces, at least Times Square is again a safe film entertainment hub as it was years ago. Let’s hope the same thing happens in Santurce. My understanding is that the carpet store uses the entire theater area. Andres Roura.

Yes, Ron, there was the Metro and the Metropolitan. They both were on Ponce de Leon Avenue but not near each other. It’s very hard to tell because San juan is not a “grid” city like NY. True old time Sanjuaneros measure distances according to the old trolley stops. The Metro is on Stop 18 and the Metropolitan on Stop 24. I have not been in San Juan for a while, but I understand the Tren Urbano has not oficially opened though it is giving free rides on weekends. My understanding is that it ends at Stop 26, after crossing the Martin Pena canal into Santurce. Andres.