One of the more recent positive developments in the LA/Pasadena art-house scene in recent years. Unfortunately, its opening served as the impetus for Laemmle to close two of its other Pasadena sites – the single-screen Colorado and Esquire theatres.
Probably the only reason ‘The Island’ is still showing at the Ziegfeld is a contractual obligation between Clearview and Dreamworks, obligating it to be shown for a certain number of weeks.
Speaking of ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ cinematic re-do, can anyone explain to me why theatre owners in the NYC area gave this film the usual booking treatment (multiple screen runs at select venues, openings in every booking zone, etc)? Not to sound like a complete NYC, blue-state snob (O.K., I guess I AM being a complete NYC, blue-state snob), but where did they suppose the audience is in the area for this film? If there is an audience for this film, I’d think it would be in the red states (and hopefully the folks in the red states will prove me wrong on this and not go see it this weekend)…
What an insult that would be, if the North Folk Bank is preserved as the Beekman is demolished. There are, what, some 100-150 North Folk Bank branch locations, but only one Beekman (no matter the re-named New York One and Two across the street)…
Speaking of the New York/Beekman One and Two, newspaper display ads and movie clock listings are still referring to it by its old name. I wonder if Clearview is waiting for some sort of ‘grand opening’ before making the name change formal, despite the recently installed and unobscured new signage…
Call me a conspiracy theorist – if you did, you wouldn’t be the first – but methinks Memorial Sloan-Kettering established the closing date they did in order to negate any last-minute, miracle landmarking effort.
The website for the Nokia Theatre is up-and-running @ http://www.nokiatheatrenyc.com/; there isn’t much to look at as of now, save for one sketch prominently featuring the new marquee (which, in reality, is still largely covered by scaffolding), and another partial one of the auditorium.
At least we know what’s opening at the Plaza next Friday; unfortunately, that listing appeared in THIS Friday’s NY Post movie clock, which noted the Ewan McGregor-Scarlett Johansson flick ‘The Island’ as showing there today (and tonight) – bit of an error…
A friend who works in downtown Boston told me he spotted on Wednesday afternoon an environmental services van within the LaGrange Street side of the demolition site, a sighting which might provide, in some terms, a possible reason for the halt/crawl in the work being done. He also mentioned that some demo work has been done on the northwest corner Washington Street portion of the building, a portion which, as the photo accompanying that misbegotten article from today’s Boston Herald discussed on the Modern Theatre page on this site, captured, is shrouded in protective netting.
That’s exactly what happened, Ron. I snagged a copy of today’s Boston Herald here in NYC this evening; the photo is a side-angle photo (from just south of LaGrange Street) of most of what remains of the Gaiety Theatre building, while the accompanying caption and article describes the Modern. To put it mildly, very, very sloppy reporting (and editing) on the Herald’s behalf.
Two interesting points: the article, as it is, isn’t credited to any specific writer and, I wonder as well, if the Herald will run a correction tomorrow…
Thanks for posting that article, Ron. I’d have to think the structural demolition of the Modern would be a bear to deal with for the workers carrying out the project, given the lack of free space along the exterior. It would be interesting to know how it’s being done.
It’s crushing to consider how an almost perfect theatre can effectively be turned to ruin in such a short amount of time. Thanks for posting that most recent set of photos, davebazooka, and for the previous ones you posted as well.
Janus Films is still alive and kicking, seemingly more as a vehicle to the DVD marketplace (perhaps most notably as a sister company to The Criterion Collection), but, at least on occasion and in some function or form, as a theatrical distributor (their most recent release, in conjunction with Rialto Films, being the re-release of the restored print of Louis Malle’s ‘Elevator to the Gallows’).
One place to turn for a photo of the modernized Astor auditorium, mlobel, is the 1997 edition of Nicholas Van Hoogstraten’s book, ‘Lost Broadway Theatres’. Several copies are available throughout the NYPL system (http://www.nypl.org); if you want to purchase one, I’d recommend checking any Shakespeare & Company, Barnes & Noble, or Borders location in the city (the Strand, which would normally be my personal first choice, only has in stock at the moment one copy of the 1991 edition, which I cannot attest contains the same photo as the 1997 edition).
The Polk Theater received a mention in this week’s (July 18th) issue of New York magazine, as the second of 50 unique-to-Queens sites to consider checking out before the borough (inevitably) becomes gentrified.
Thanks for that info, Dave. I wonder what, if any fixtures, are being moved over from the Beekman, including, maybe possibly, the seats? No matter what work is done – and despite Clearview’s best efforts – there’s no replacing its (soon-to-be) namesake across the street.
The skyscraper hotel the Trans-Lux 49th Street and the World Theatres were demolished to make room for and which is referenced in the initial description above is the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The foyer retains most of that appearance to this day; I imagine much of the same, save for the alterations brought forth by the triplexing, can be said for the auditorium itself.
One of the more recent positive developments in the LA/Pasadena art-house scene in recent years. Unfortunately, its opening served as the impetus for Laemmle to close two of its other Pasadena sites – the single-screen Colorado and Esquire theatres.
Probably the only reason ‘The Island’ is still showing at the Ziegfeld is a contractual obligation between Clearview and Dreamworks, obligating it to be shown for a certain number of weeks.
Speaking of ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ cinematic re-do, can anyone explain to me why theatre owners in the NYC area gave this film the usual booking treatment (multiple screen runs at select venues, openings in every booking zone, etc)? Not to sound like a complete NYC, blue-state snob (O.K., I guess I AM being a complete NYC, blue-state snob), but where did they suppose the audience is in the area for this film? If there is an audience for this film, I’d think it would be in the red states (and hopefully the folks in the red states will prove me wrong on this and not go see it this weekend)…
What an insult that would be, if the North Folk Bank is preserved as the Beekman is demolished. There are, what, some 100-150 North Folk Bank branch locations, but only one Beekman (no matter the re-named New York One and Two across the street)…
Speaking of the New York/Beekman One and Two, newspaper display ads and movie clock listings are still referring to it by its old name. I wonder if Clearview is waiting for some sort of ‘grand opening’ before making the name change formal, despite the recently installed and unobscured new signage…
Call me a conspiracy theorist – if you did, you wouldn’t be the first – but methinks Memorial Sloan-Kettering established the closing date they did in order to negate any last-minute, miracle landmarking effort.
The website for the Nokia Theatre is up-and-running @ http://www.nokiatheatrenyc.com/; there isn’t much to look at as of now, save for one sketch prominently featuring the new marquee (which, in reality, is still largely covered by scaffolding), and another partial one of the auditorium.
At least we know what’s opening at the Plaza next Friday; unfortunately, that listing appeared in THIS Friday’s NY Post movie clock, which noted the Ewan McGregor-Scarlett Johansson flick ‘The Island’ as showing there today (and tonight) – bit of an error…
The Rockville Centre Cinema is commonly listed in the NY Post and Daily News movie clocks as the R.V.C. Twin.
A friend who works in downtown Boston told me he spotted on Wednesday afternoon an environmental services van within the LaGrange Street side of the demolition site, a sighting which might provide, in some terms, a possible reason for the halt/crawl in the work being done. He also mentioned that some demo work has been done on the northwest corner Washington Street portion of the building, a portion which, as the photo accompanying that misbegotten article from today’s Boston Herald discussed on the Modern Theatre page on this site, captured, is shrouded in protective netting.
That’s exactly what happened, Ron. I snagged a copy of today’s Boston Herald here in NYC this evening; the photo is a side-angle photo (from just south of LaGrange Street) of most of what remains of the Gaiety Theatre building, while the accompanying caption and article describes the Modern. To put it mildly, very, very sloppy reporting (and editing) on the Herald’s behalf.
Two interesting points: the article, as it is, isn’t credited to any specific writer and, I wonder as well, if the Herald will run a correction tomorrow…
There is, cinemafan131; here’s the story, as posted on this site, and the accompanying comment string – http://cinematreasures.org/news/13262_0_1_0_C
I seem to remember, too, the Northshore Cinema being mostly a move-over house in its later years, bespeaking what you made note of, dwodeyla.
The exterior – without, of course, the original marquee – appears today much as it did in the image Warren posted earlier this afternoon.
When the Cinema I, II, and III closed, where did most of its business go – to the Loews/eventual Hollywood Hits Theatres in Danvers?
I’d have to think this theatre isn’t long for the world after (or if) the Loews-AMC merger is approved.
Thanks for posting that article, Ron. I’d have to think the structural demolition of the Modern would be a bear to deal with for the workers carrying out the project, given the lack of free space along the exterior. It would be interesting to know how it’s being done.
It’s crushing to consider how an almost perfect theatre can effectively be turned to ruin in such a short amount of time. Thanks for posting that most recent set of photos, davebazooka, and for the previous ones you posted as well.
Janus Films is still alive and kicking, seemingly more as a vehicle to the DVD marketplace (perhaps most notably as a sister company to The Criterion Collection), but, at least on occasion and in some function or form, as a theatrical distributor (their most recent release, in conjunction with Rialto Films, being the re-release of the restored print of Louis Malle’s ‘Elevator to the Gallows’).
One place to turn for a photo of the modernized Astor auditorium, mlobel, is the 1997 edition of Nicholas Van Hoogstraten’s book, ‘Lost Broadway Theatres’. Several copies are available throughout the NYPL system (http://www.nypl.org); if you want to purchase one, I’d recommend checking any Shakespeare & Company, Barnes & Noble, or Borders location in the city (the Strand, which would normally be my personal first choice, only has in stock at the moment one copy of the 1991 edition, which I cannot attest contains the same photo as the 1997 edition).
The Polk Theater received a mention in this week’s (July 18th) issue of New York magazine, as the second of 50 unique-to-Queens sites to consider checking out before the borough (inevitably) becomes gentrified.
Yes, it was directly across the street, on the opposite corner and where the W Hotel is currently located.
How did you access the ACRIS system on the NYC Department of Finance website, Theatrefan? I couldn’t find it… (Maybe a lack of ginseng or something…)
Speaking of the re-naming, I’d suspect it’s on hold until the renovation work has been completed.
Thanks for that info, Dave. I wonder what, if any fixtures, are being moved over from the Beekman, including, maybe possibly, the seats? No matter what work is done – and despite Clearview’s best efforts – there’s no replacing its (soon-to-be) namesake across the street.
The skyscraper hotel the Trans-Lux 49th Street and the World Theatres were demolished to make room for and which is referenced in the initial description above is the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The foyer retains most of that appearance to this day; I imagine much of the same, save for the alterations brought forth by the triplexing, can be said for the auditorium itself.