Criterion Theatre

1514 Broadway,
New York, NY 10036

Unfavorite 27 people favorited this theater

Showing 251 - 275 of 611 comments

Cimarron
Cimarron on October 27, 2015 at 11:15 pm

Yes, Cinerama was the best in projection technology of the period but, with the visible separation of 3 camera shots compared with todays super hd, today is the obvious choice but, for the late 50’s, early 60’s, Cinerama won hands down…Technology march forward with today’s Cine..No comparison and guess what, It will continue to evolve with improvement on never ending changes…Still like to see the old b&w films in spite. Keep on Truckin!

vindanpar
vindanpar on October 27, 2015 at 9:22 pm

Yes it was the Bowtie and it was the restored version to tie it in with the blu-ray coming out.

It looked no better than the 90’s restoration and the sound was much worse. In fact the sound wasn’t very good even at the Ziegfeld in ‘93.

I guess Super Panavision 70 6 track stereo has deteriorated beyond salvation.

theatrefan
theatrefan on October 27, 2015 at 8:28 pm

If it’s the Bowtie over there it must have been a DCP. Was this supposed to be the restored version?

vindanpar
vindanpar on October 27, 2015 at 8:12 pm

At a multiplex in Hoboken.

Digital projection.

No life to it whatsoever.

If you can’t get the opening credit sequence to this film right, and I consider it one of the best, forget it.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on October 27, 2015 at 4:14 pm

MFL = My Fair Lady.

Where did you see it?

vindanpar
vindanpar on October 27, 2015 at 3:23 pm

Recent MFL restoration lousy. Left shortly after titles. Sound flat and only behind the screen. Image did not have the practically 3D brilliance that the original Superpanavision 70MM prints had. Image did not even fill the screen. I guess if you like these films on DVD you’ll be fine. For me they are unwatchable. But I saw it on the 80ft curved screen at the Warner Cinerama. With a sound system that was glorious. I didn’t expect it to be so magnificent. It was something.

Cimarron
Cimarron on October 22, 2015 at 10:19 pm

Great Pic’s David, I also recall the two trouser suits that are ad’s by the Criterion as well as the movies. Thanks for posting.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 21, 2015 at 11:57 pm

1958 photo added courtesy of Al Ponte’s Time Machine – New York Facebook page.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 19, 2015 at 1:02 pm

1944 photo added as Loew’s Criterion, courtesy of the History In Pictures Facebook page. Clothing collection drive for war victims.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 24, 2015 at 12:23 am

1968 photo added courtesy of Al Ponte’s Time Machine – New York Facebook page.

vindanpar
vindanpar on June 6, 2015 at 1:03 pm

I’d like to thank the individual who posted the covers of the souvenir programs of the roadshow attractions that played at The Criterion during its' heyday in the 50s and 60s. Unfortunately I was too young to go Times Square during this era. By the time I was old enough this great prestigious movie house was reduced to showing horror and exploitation films. All the more astonishing because the nearby Loew’s State and Astor Plaza were still getting top Hollywood films. I would be curious to know why the management of this beautiful theater couldn’t get top product and drove it into the ground. Its multiplexing was horribly done and heartbreaking.

odilon
odilon on June 6, 2015 at 11:00 am

Really….The Ten Commandments opened on Nov 7, 1956, at the Criterion. NY Times published the review the next day. In BRAZIL, where I live, we say the “day” first, then the month…and, of course, last, the year…So – when I read… 11/07/1956 I am “tempted” to look like…11 of July of 1956… I have to make “up my mind” and transport myself to the USA…

odilon
odilon on June 6, 2015 at 11:00 am

Really….The Ten Commandments opened on Nov 7, 1956, at the Criterion. NY Times published the review the next day. In BRAZIL, where I live, we say the “day” first, then the month…and, of course, last, the year…So – when I read… 11/07/1956 I am “tempted” to look like…11 of July of 1956… I have to make “up my mind” and transport myself to the USA…

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on June 5, 2015 at 9:43 pm

Why is “THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE” suddenly showing up first on RSM3853’s December 27, 2013 at 3:00 pm post instead of “THE TEN COMMANDMENTS”. This was never a Cinerama house.

odilon
odilon on June 5, 2015 at 9:40 am

To RSM3853…So, “South Pacific” replaced “The Ten Commandments”? In São Paulo, Brazil, South Pacific opened the “Astor” a luxury cinema theater, in 1960….The Ten…was only shown in 1959…remaining for 37 weeks at the cinema “Ipiranga” in downtown, and then many more weeks at other places. In present days, the movies…are released in the same time they open in the USA, in some cases…a few days BEFORE…thank you for your great information.

Coate
Coate on October 21, 2014 at 2:02 pm

Happy 50th! “My Fair Lady” had its world premiere at the Criterion on this day in 1964 (and went on to become the theater’s longest-running engagement).

Cimarron
Cimarron on March 20, 2014 at 9:38 pm

1936 Pic of Criterion added to Photo Section

SethLewis
SethLewis on December 28, 2013 at 9:29 am

Great list 56-75…as a kid the only ones I saw here were the road shows Is Paris Burning and Patton…in the refitted multiplex Raging Bull, Sharky’s Machine on the small screens, Rambo 3, Garp, Die Hard 2, A Cry in the Dark on the bigger ones

wally 75
wally 75 on December 27, 2013 at 11:47 pm

Rivoli has JAWS summer of 75' strating in June I think the Criterian had Mohogany at the same time…

RSM3853
RSM3853 on December 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm

Films at the Criterion in Times Square from 1956-1975. Only first-run openings listed — the date is the Wednesday of the opening week. 11/07/56Search for Paradise 03/19/58South Pacific 10/01/58The Old Man and the Sea 12/10/58A Night to Remember 02/11/59Sleeping Beauty 05/20/59The Young Philadelphians 07/01/59Anatomy of a Murder 10/21/59They Came to Cordura 12/16/59Suddenly, Last Summer 04/13/60Who Was That Lady? 06/29/60Strangers When We Meet 09/11/60All the Fine Young Cannibals 10/12/60Surprise Package 11/09/60Girl of the Night 12/21/60Pepe 06/21/61The Guns of Navarone 10/18/61The Devil at 4 O'Clock 12/20/61The Innocents 01/31/62Sail a Crooked Ship 02/21/62Walk on the Wild Side 04/11/62Experiment in Terror 06/06/62Advise and Consent 07/25/62The Notorious Landlady 09/19/62Damn the Defiant 10/17/62Requiem for a Heavyweight 12/12/62Lawrence of Arabia 11/13/63Take Her, She’s Mine 12/18/63The Victors 02/19/64Seven Days in May 05/13/64What A Way to Go! 08/19/64Kisses for My President 09/16/64The Secret Invasion 09/30/64Woman of Straw 10/18/64My Fair Lady 06/22/66Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 11/09/66Is Paris Burning? 02/08/67Tobruk 03/22/67Thoroughly Modern Millie 12/13/67Valley of the Dolls 02/21/68Half a Sixpence 05/08/68Blue 06/12/68Rosemary’s Baby 09/18/68Funny Girl 02/04/70Patton 06/24/70Myra Breckinridge 07/29/70Move 09/23/70Tora! Tora! Tora! 01/20/71My Fair Lady ® 03/31/71Waterloo 06/23/71McCabe and Mrs. Miller 08/04/71The Brotherhood of Satan 08/25/71Let’s Scare Jessica to Death 12/08/71Nicholas and Alexandra 05/24/72The Possession of Joel Delaney 06/14/72Portnoy’s Complaint 08/02/72Four Flies on Gray Velvet 08/23/72Blacula 11/22/72Rage 12/13/72The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean 02/07/73The Train Robbers 05/09/73Hitler: The Last Ten Days 06/13/73Super Fly TNT 07/18/73Scream, Blacula, Scream 08/15/73Cops and Robbers 09/19/73Save the Children 12/19/73Magnum Force 02/06/74McQ 03/13/74The Super Cops 03/13/74The Black Six 05/15/74Black Eye 06/12/74Uptown Saturday Night 10/02/74The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 12/25/74Freebie and the Bean 02/05/75Report to the Commissioner 03/19/75The Yakuza 05/07/75Mandingo 08/20/75The Exorcist ® 10/08/75Let’s Do it Again 12/17/75The Killer Elite

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on August 30, 2012 at 2:48 pm

Boxoffice Magazine found those displays offensive in 1938. By 1975 those ads looked tame compared to the ones on the cover of Boxoffice Magazine.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 28, 2012 at 11:03 am

The Sign of the Cross was already six years old in 1938. Was the Criterion showing a revival? Then it would need the extra ballyhoo to get asses in seats. And DeMille, of all showmen, knew that sex sells!

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 21, 2012 at 1:58 pm

I guess you meant on 42nd Street.

KingBiscuits
KingBiscuits on August 20, 2012 at 10:03 pm

I forget which two (I did recognize that The Evil Dead and Xtro were on one of the marquees). So whichever grindhouse was playing The Evil Dead in April 1983 was the marquee shown in the film.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 19, 2012 at 10:29 pm

Which grindhouses? They’re often among my favorite cinema treasures.