I’ve heard there are differences between the Caribbean Cinemas people and the owner of the building and there’s now a big probability that the Fine Arts in Miramar will close down. Let’s hope they do reach an agreement.
Caribbean Cinemas is opening a new Fine Arts Cinema in Hato Rey. It will feature 6 screens, stadium seating and will serve wine ect. The Fine Arts in Miramar will close and will be remodeled.
Let’s hope this is true since most of the time when theaters are closed down to be “remodeled” they are never re-opened.
Last month a concert by local musician was held to benefit the remodeling of the Paradise. It’s good to see that people are becoming aware of the importance of saving these theaters. Too bad that it took the destruction of the wonderful Riviera theater to make people realize that.
Bill. what you saw was probably an old discoteque originally called “Flying Saucer” which explains the weird shape. The Cinerama was located in Santurce.
Cine en Ballaja also had the problem that they were essentially playing the same movies as Fine Arts. And people would rather go there than go through the hassle and traffic problems of Old San Juan.
Today;s local newspaper reports tthat businesspeople in the vicinity of the Metro are protesting the construction of the apartment building which will destroy this theater’s parking space. Hopefully they will be succesful and the Metro will be able to maintian this essentail parking space.
I remember that above the marquee the theater had a huge poster for the movie being shown, like the ones in movie theaters in the Gran Via in Spain. I remember ones for “Sound of Music”, “Waterloo” and “Che!”. This huge kind of movie poster would only be seen at the Metropolitan and in a wall at a parking place in Ponce De Leon avenue where the Cobian Plaza building now stands.
Andy
Do you have any old photos of the Cinerama or other movie theaters? I’ve been dying to get some for many years!!! I would really aprreciate that!!!!! My e-mail is :
Seeing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Cinerama remains one of my special movie memories as a kid. It was awesome seeing that film there. I still recall that the intermission came just as the car was about to fly for the first time. I recently saw it on DVD and it was amazing to see the intermission replayed on the tv screen 30 years later!
Your stories also brought back memories of when theaters had curtains and they would open majestically before the movie. I remember the ones at the Cinerama and the Radio City as the most impressive.
The Radio City will be the site for “Objetivo Fama” a Latino “American Idol” type television show that will be shown on TeleFutura, a Univision channel. Good to see the old Radio City open again!!
It’s on Ponce De Leon Avenue near the Autoridad de Energia building…close to where the old Santurce Woolworth’s used to be. Owner Luis Vigoreaux recently gave a press conference in which he showed the renovated Ambassador theater to the local news media.
In that conference he unveiled an old photo of the Ambassador theater when it was still called “The Venus”.
The matienzo was reinaugurated last week. The governor of Puerto Rico attended the ceremony. In a case of “let’s reinaugurate before the election” …while the governor was giving her speech, several roof leaks appeared and the stage was covered with water. Supposedly, this problem will be fixed soon and the first play will be performed in February 2005.
One of the greatest cinema experiences of my life ocurred here. During the early 1980’s this wonderful theater would show double features of classic films. I saw “Rebecca” and “Noth by Northwest ” there. What an amazing afternoon!!! I also saw a “Goldfinger”–“Thunderball” double feature at the Orpheum and a memorable “Vixen” “Supervixen” and “Beyond the Vally of the Ultravixens” triple feature!!!
Some truly bad news. The Metro is losing its huge parking space. A huge apartment building will be built there. This means the theater will be left essentially without parking. This could mean trouble for the theater. Let’s hope this doesn’t mean the end for San Juan’s only historic movie theater still operating.
I’ve heard there are differences between the Caribbean Cinemas people and the owner of the building and there’s now a big probability that the Fine Arts in Miramar will close down. Let’s hope they do reach an agreement.
Caribbean Cinemas is opening a new Fine Arts Cinema in Hato Rey. It will feature 6 screens, stadium seating and will serve wine ect. The Fine Arts in Miramar will close and will be remodeled.
Let’s hope this is true since most of the time when theaters are closed down to be “remodeled” they are never re-opened.
The Fine Arts is famous for putting posters and showing trailers for movies they eventually never show. Anyway, I do hope thet show “The Passenger”
Last month a concert by local musician was held to benefit the remodeling of the Paradise. It’s good to see that people are becoming aware of the importance of saving these theaters. Too bad that it took the destruction of the wonderful Riviera theater to make people realize that.
Bill. what you saw was probably an old discoteque originally called “Flying Saucer” which explains the weird shape. The Cinerama was located in Santurce.
Ponce De Leon ave-stop 15..there is a huge parking lot there now,
Nice pic of the Metro. It’s amazing to see that this movie is still open.
Cine en Ballaja also had the problem that they were essentially playing the same movies as Fine Arts. And people would rather go there than go through the hassle and traffic problems of Old San Juan.
For a photo of the Riviera theater a few weeks prior to demolition visit: www.rivieratheater.blogspot.com
Today;s local newspaper reports tthat businesspeople in the vicinity of the Metro are protesting the construction of the apartment building which will destroy this theater’s parking space. Hopefully they will be succesful and the Metro will be able to maintian this essentail parking space.
I remember that above the marquee the theater had a huge poster for the movie being shown, like the ones in movie theaters in the Gran Via in Spain. I remember ones for “Sound of Music”, “Waterloo” and “Che!”. This huge kind of movie poster would only be seen at the Metropolitan and in a wall at a parking place in Ponce De Leon avenue where the Cobian Plaza building now stands.
The Ambassador is open once again as a live theater venue.
Andy
Do you have any old photos of the Cinerama or other movie theaters? I’ve been dying to get some for many years!!! I would really aprreciate that!!!!! My e-mail is :
Seeing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Cinerama remains one of my special movie memories as a kid. It was awesome seeing that film there. I still recall that the intermission came just as the car was about to fly for the first time. I recently saw it on DVD and it was amazing to see the intermission replayed on the tv screen 30 years later!
Your stories also brought back memories of when theaters had curtains and they would open majestically before the movie. I remember the ones at the Cinerama and the Radio City as the most impressive.
Thanks for sharing your memories, Mr. Roura…it will be great to know about your experiences with other Wometco-Commonwealth theaters!!!!!
The Radio City will be the site for “Objetivo Fama” a Latino “American Idol” type television show that will be shown on TeleFutura, a Univision channel. Good to see the old Radio City open again!!
This theater will now be trned into a hotel.
It’s on Ponce De Leon Avenue near the Autoridad de Energia building…close to where the old Santurce Woolworth’s used to be. Owner Luis Vigoreaux recently gave a press conference in which he showed the renovated Ambassador theater to the local news media.
In that conference he unveiled an old photo of the Ambassador theater when it was still called “The Venus”.
The matienzo was reinaugurated last week. The governor of Puerto Rico attended the ceremony. In a case of “let’s reinaugurate before the election” …while the governor was giving her speech, several roof leaks appeared and the stage was covered with water. Supposedly, this problem will be fixed soon and the first play will be performed in February 2005.
I agree this theater was nothing too special. I remember seeing “Heavy Metal” there.
During my college years (1979-1983) it showed double features of classic, foreign and cult movies. Quite a fun place for a college crowd.
One of the greatest cinema experiences of my life ocurred here. During the early 1980’s this wonderful theater would show double features of classic films. I saw “Rebecca” and “Noth by Northwest ” there. What an amazing afternoon!!! I also saw a “Goldfinger”–“Thunderball” double feature at the Orpheum and a memorable “Vixen” “Supervixen” and “Beyond the Vally of the Ultravixens” triple feature!!!
I went a lot to HarMar Mall cinemas during my years at Macalester College. Cinemass 1-3 were alright, buy screens 4-11 were small and nothing special.
Lets hope ARPE, the goverment agency who gives building permits had enough sense to think about parking space in the new building.
Some truly bad news. The Metro is losing its huge parking space. A huge apartment building will be built there. This means the theater will be left essentially without parking. This could mean trouble for the theater. Let’s hope this doesn’t mean the end for San Juan’s only historic movie theater still operating.