Cinemart Cinemas

The Cinemart was featured on Season 8 Episode 7 of BLUE BLOODS.

Unlike some movie theatres in NYC area, the Cinemart won’t be re-opening today (March 5th), but perhaps in another few weeks. Mentioned in news article here

IMO, they’ve made each of the theaters far too small. I think there’s only a total of 272 seats across all five screens, the largest with 66 seats and the smallest with 36 seats. If they’re going to show the same film on three screens, wouldn’t it have made more sense to simply have a larger theater and fewer screens? The old two main screens were ideal and had excellent sound. But then they put it in a 3D reflective screen and the images had soft focus. But that was before the latest renovation.

Actually closed at the moment from April 25 to May 25 for more renovations. Theater reopens May 26 with X-Men: Apocalypse on 2 screens and Love and Friendship on Friday the 27th. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arrives June 2. There will be reclining seats and the other 2 screens are still to come.

Only 1 major release this month here, Hot Pursuit and it hasn’t done too well at the box office.

Was their today, the Dolby Digital sound finally work

With the closing of the Branden on Austin St. – which did show (mostly poor) first run movies – and the fact that the Atlas Mall Cinema, which has its own problems, is not really a direct competitor – the Cinemart is well positioned to be offered more first run releases. The fact that the owner finally invested the funds to upgrade to digital should further help things. Since most first run movies released in January and February are crap, this should not make the lack of such releases a big deal, at least for now. In fact, the Cinemart is probably doing better business in showing second run Oscar nominated films like “Birdman” than in screening anything newer.

Beyond the search for first run releases, the Cinemart should pursue the screening of interesting and provocative Indy movies. There is a market for these films that is not totally sated by the Kew Gardens Cinema. Also, I am sure many Forest Hills residents would be very interested in this market. Just a thought.

As a result of the Cinemart Cinemas Preservation Campaign, the owner’s dedication, and the screening of “American Sniper” (a first-run film!), the Cinemart achieved a record number of ticket sales: http://www.queensledger.com/view/full_story/26391453/article-Cinemart-Cinemas-achieves-record-ticket-sales

The good fight is far from over. As a preservationist who is assisting the owner, we are determined to succeed.For ideas and preservation leads, please email Michael Perlman of Rego-Forest Preservation Council at

I think one of the problems facing this theater was that – until very recently – the owner of the Cinemart did not upgrade his screens to accommodate the digital technology. Since the major distributors are now only going digital, this posed a real – and possibly fatal – problem. But, as noted in an article in today’s NYC DNA, the owner is making this investment. This should hopefully enable the Cinemart to stay competitive – as long as we locals continue to patronize it.

So, by all means, let’s try to pack the place over the next few weeks, and beyond!

http://queenscourier.com/hollywood-gives-forest-hills-historic-theater-last-chance/

At this time of the year some theaters to control thier costs will close during the day and open on the weekends. I’m sure this theater is under use during the week

Very cool, Flynn. That fits with the PSA two-reeler that I’ve seen on TCM, where theater owners and managers assail the government for the enormous taxes levied on movie theaters. I think the date of that film is also circa 1953, and shows a remarkable number of vintage theaters.