Comments from KayaÖzkaracalar

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KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Risque II Theatre on Jul 3, 2023 at 2:31 pm

Apparently, the contact for The Esquire Theatre on the same street was also the same Mavis. btw, twinning Risque as downstairs I and upstairs II (“all male”) appears to have started in 1981.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Risque II Theatre on Jul 3, 2023 at 12:48 pm

Opened several months earlier than “Dec. 11th, 1969”, the earliest ad is from July 11th, 1969, promoting a double-bill of Come Dream with Me and Strictly Beaver. I very much like to know who owned and / or managed it at the beginning and circa 1970. Classified ads wanting a projector note “phone Mavis”.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about St. Nicholas Hall on Jul 28, 2021 at 6:41 am

The now-cult Ed Wood movie Plan 9 from Outer Space had screened in this cinema under an alternative title as Vampires from Venus

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Tom Kat Theatre on Oct 11, 2018 at 10:18 pm

Tom Kat of SF had opened on Feb.12, 1969. btw, I can’t see a cinematreasures entry for Pink Kat on 150 Mason St at Ellis, which had opened the year before. Both were Habib Carouba’s theatres.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Power Exchange on Oct 11, 2018 at 8:53 pm

Actually, the earliest listing for the Screening Room at 220 Jones is from April 10th, 1967 with a color double bill of Sylvia’s Girls and Girls A-Poppin'. It seems to have operated as such (showcasing double bills of color features) for about two months in 1967. Then, there is a gap. Eventually, it reemerges in 1968 showcasing beavershorts. (btw, Pornography in Denmark was released in 1970, not in 1968, and it premiered at North Beach, not at the Screening Room.)

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Cinne Arts Theatre on Aug 31, 2013 at 10:23 am

Bill Osco’s first film Whatever Happened to Stud Flame played here in June 1970 which was busted by the police as a result. There was a lengthy court case which was covered by the AP.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Emek Sinemasi on Mar 11, 2013 at 7:03 pm

Update: Towards dusk today, construction decks were set up around Emek apparently for the kick-off of its demolition to build a shopping mall in its place by the greedy Demirören Holding Co.; here is the latest photo of Emek surrounded by newly-set up decks: https://twitter.com/sevilbasturk/status/311235151164219392/photo/1 International protest calls to Demirören Holding Co at .tr and to the municipal authorities at .tr would be appreciated

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Alkazar Sinemasi on Apr 22, 2012 at 8:34 pm

It had opened in 1920s.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Emek Sinemasi on Dec 13, 2011 at 4:42 pm

Update: The Chamber of Architects seems to have received a serious setback in its attempt to halt the project demolishing Emek. On Dec. 1st, 2011, an Istanbul court canceled its previous suspension order on the project (on May 5th, 2010, the same court had ordered a suspension of the project pending a final decision on the matter). Now, there is no legal obstacle for the Demirören Holding Co. to go ahead with demolishing Emek to build a shopping mall in its place.)

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Tepe Cinemaxx on Nov 7, 2011 at 5:13 am

Acıbadem is a district of Istanbul, not a different city, so this movie should be shifted under Istanbul.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Emek Sinemasi on Nov 6, 2011 at 9:48 am

More on Emek: In 1958, Melek was renovated and re-named as Emek, reopening on April 19th.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Ruya Sinemasi on Nov 6, 2011 at 9:44 am

More on Rüya: Apparently, it was also named as Küçük Emek for a period. In 1958, Sümer was renovated and re-named as Küçük Emek at the same time as Melek was renovated and renamed as Emek. Both reopened on April 19th, 1958. Küçük Emek was further renovated and renamed as Rüya in 1963, reopening on Jan. 17th. At the time, it was still showing mainstream Hollywood fare.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Gunes Sinemasi on Nov 6, 2011 at 9:00 am

More on Güneş: The earliest newspapere listing for this cinema that I could find is from 1966. In 1973, it was one of the cinemas where LAST TANGO IN PARIS premiered in Istanbul. In mid-1970s, its output consisted mainly of Euro (mostly Italian) soft-core sex movies. In 1990, there was a fire suspected to be arson. In 1992, it was closed down for two weeks by the police for showing pornographic films.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Gunes Sinemasi on Nov 5, 2011 at 8:25 pm

This cinema was raided by vice squad on charges of being a venue for gay prostitution in 2008. I think it remains closed since then.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Emek Sinemasi on Nov 5, 2011 at 8:21 pm

To be more precise: Emek had opened as Melek in 1924. This historical piece of Istanbul’s cultural heritage was closed down as part of a project by the Demirören Holding Co. to build a (yet another) shopping mall in its place. Here are clips of a mass demonstration on the first anniversary of its closure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5isfFjFQ-M continued http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsIRbBV3R4&feature=related continued http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EabKeXhknLg&feature=related I think court battles by the Chamber of Architects are continuing to halt Demirören’s project.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Atlas Sinemasi on Nov 5, 2011 at 7:19 pm

Dating from 1948, it is one of the oldest surviving cinemas in Istanbul. (currently, the oldest is SinePop, on Yeşilçam Street across İstiklal Avenue, set up in 1943).

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Alkazar Sinemasi on Nov 5, 2011 at 7:05 pm

This cinema was closed down in 2010 due to unprofitability. It had re-opened in 1994 thanks to the efforts of film critic Onat Kutlar.

KayaÖzkaracalar
KayaÖzkaracalar commented about Ruya Sinemasi on Nov 5, 2011 at 6:56 pm

This cinema has been closed since 2010. On Dec. 27th, 2008, Rüya was raided by Turkish police’s vice squad for being a site of gay prostitution. Next month, it was renamed as Yeni [New] Rüya and converted into mainstream programming, eventually even hosting the Istanbul Film Festival. However, it closed its curtains for good on May 7th, 2010. It had opened in 1930 as Artistik, later renamed as Sümer, and later as Rüya. Here is a clip about the Turkish debut of Bambi in Sümer: http://kayaozkaracalar3.blogspot.com/2010/09/1944-magazine-clip-regarding-turkish.html To dylandog30: I cannot confirm if all of the adults-only cinemas in Istanbul were closed in 2009.