Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 451 - 475 of 3,426 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 1 Theatre on Jun 25, 2017 at 2:37 pm

I think you mean “Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting” and that was summer of 1969. The summer of love.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 1,2,3 Theatre on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:34 pm

Shouldn’t you credit TCM for this information?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about State-Lake Theatre on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:33 pm

Shouldn’t you credit TCM for this information?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jun 20, 2017 at 9:34 pm

Yes, that was the Claridge Hotel. But by 1969 when “PAINT YOUR WAGON” opened on a Roadshow basis at the State Two, “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” was already showing the world what Times square had become and by January 1970 Loews State would be showing Swedish porn “WITHOUT A STITCH” on Twin One while these hotels were still operating.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jun 20, 2017 at 8:56 pm

I don’t think the tearing down of these theatres lead to the descent of Times Square into vice, but rather the other way around.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about United Artists 64th & 2nd Avenue on Jun 20, 2017 at 2:09 pm

davidcoppock, unlike other chains, UA theatres were never aligned to any particular distributor in New York City and never had many locations.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Victoria Theatre on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:10 pm

There is an interior photo on page six.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema 1, 2 & 3 by Angelika on Jun 2, 2017 at 3:22 am

“…the large auditorium of the City Cinemas 1,2,3, is a historic, showplace…”

I know where you are coming from HowardBHaas, but isn’t it ironic that this screen was once considered by Variety as ‘an intimate art house sure-seater’.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rialto Theatre on May 27, 2017 at 3:08 am

Also, the Cineplex Odeon takeover was in 1987 not 1978.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lakeshore Drive-In on May 8, 2017 at 2:19 am

Hmmn. Can you tell how you see that from that muddy pic?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lakeshore Drive-In on May 8, 2017 at 1:18 am

Three screens in 1971. Four from 1972 to 1985.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on Apr 26, 2017 at 4:44 pm

The R rated “ALL THAT JAZZ” opened in late 1979 and may have screened at RCMH.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Windmill Soho on Apr 21, 2017 at 3:59 am

No mention here of the West End musical version of “Mrs. Henderson Presents”. I love this theatre’s history.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC 34th Street 14 on Apr 21, 2017 at 3:46 am

Don’t forget the TLC Chinese (no longer Grauman’s) on Hollywood Boulevard or the IFC (no longer Waverly) in Greenwich Village. At least they are still there.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Baronet and Coronet Theatre on Apr 17, 2017 at 4:23 am

Ed LaPidus, stagehand at the Ziegfeld, could get that done. Don’t ask how. He never actually did anything, but he got paid every week. This scraggly mess of a man often escorted stars down the red carpet at the Ziegfeld. I never quite understood his position. Stagehand Union politics.

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/26/style/the-man-who-rolls-out-the-red-carpet.html

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's State Theatre on Apr 16, 2017 at 5:00 am

How did this get in here?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Quad Cinema on Apr 15, 2017 at 10:46 pm

Re-opening ad in the photo section.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Quad Cinema on Apr 14, 2017 at 10:29 pm

The Quad did play quite a bit of hard core porn in the early seventies when the major distributors refused to play first-run in the village, so that may have been the hooker era. This lack of mainstream product lead to a major lawsuit by the Quad owners against all the major theatre chains and distributors operating in New York at the time for unfair trade practices. The Quad won that lawsuit and went first-run dropping most x-rated titles.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on Apr 14, 2017 at 10:19 pm

Melba Moore?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Kings Theatre on Apr 12, 2017 at 4:21 pm

Wow! I think you just proved John’s point.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC 34th Street 14 on Apr 11, 2017 at 3:11 am

Actually, not Loew’s but LOEWS for the last 47 years

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's State Theatre on Apr 11, 2017 at 2:39 am

Do you really think that a generation of kids leaving the museum thinking that the leaping figures were running from KING KONG is a good idea? Really?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Yorkville Theatre on Mar 24, 2017 at 1:38 pm

The Schwarzer Adler was the Grande. Was there a second Schwarzer Adler in the forties?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 86th Street Grande Theatre on Mar 20, 2017 at 4:28 am

Neon is expensive and noisy, breaks too easily, and takes time to replace. All we can expect is LED simulations.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC 34th Street 14 on Mar 19, 2017 at 10:05 pm

Cineplex Odeon still exists in Canada as a company. Sign change approval is notoriously slow in Manhattan. Even bringing down a flag can require a permit.