“Share the same restrooms”? Such unnecessary paranoia.
I think if Warren was to actually visit the Fair, he'd
be disappointed to see that even though some pornography
is exhibited there, it’s a pretty benign place and not
very scary. Warren wouldn’t even have to worry
about catching an illness, not even a cold.
On another note, I picked up a friend over at LaGuardia,
and passed by the Fair on Astoria Blvd. My friend knew
nothing of the Fair and was marveling at the old-style
marquee. I hope the Fair and its marquee stay in business
for a long time, no matter what they’re showing.
That article on the Fair Theatre in the Gay City News
was great stuff…an accurate account of the ambience of
the Fair, though not significantly different than what
others (myself, included) have described in this forum.
I can only hope the Fair achieves the landmark status
it deserves…or at least, continues to operate in
its present incarnation.
I still like the concept of there being one theater in Queens still showing adult films in 2007.
I’d like to see if the Fair is showing direct-to-video action movies on the 2 smaller screens adjacent to the XXX rooms….I’ll have to make another sociological expedition there soon.
At first I was kidding around about the prospect of checking out the Cinema Kings Hwy, but since it’s the last remaining genuine porn theater in NYC, I have to admit I’m a little intrigued.
After my recent excursion to the Fair myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the well-written and entertaining Post article. It was fun to read something that pretty much mirrored my experience! I’m glad I was able to get a look at the place before it changes. Now I’ll have to trek all the way down to the Cinema Kings Highway if I ever need another heaping helping of genuine sleaze. In a perfect world, someone could have been able to take advantage of the decor & change the Fair’s booking policy to classic or art films, like Film Forum, Anthology Film Archives, etc. Well, at least the Fair will still be open, and not torn down. Does this mean the famous “Klansmen” poster will be coming down too?
Very astute observation regarding the intrigue and aura surrounding the Fair. As crazy and sleazy as the Fair may be, I’d rather hang out there and watch one of their direct-to-video forgotten epics than a showing of “300”.
Things apparently were off to a rocky start immediately for the doomed MoviePlex 42, as an usher was shot and wounded outside the theater in September 1994.
I took this sociological excursion on a late Friday afternoon. I’d take another look but the parking isn’t too great around there, and $15 for a few laughs is a little pricey if you aren’t hanging out w/ the guys in the back booths.
I lived on Metropolitan Ave. and 71st St. in my pre-teen years, so the second-run Arion was my favorite theatre for quite a while. I was only 11 or so, but the theatre seemed gigantic to me at the time.
It was pretty rundown, with red duct tape over the upholstered seats, but they charged $1.50 for kids and I was there pretty much every weekend. They had a smoking and a non-smoking section! I remember a double feature of the corny Western comedy The Villain &
the equally corny Hot Stuff. I also saw Chapter Two, California Suite, Kramer vs. Kramer, the Who’s The Kids Are Alright, Apocalypse Now, Breaking Away, Foxes & The Changeling there. They
had an eclectic booking policy, as I remember quite a few softcore sex comedies playing there, mostly Italian stuff like Wifemistress and The Sensuous Nurse. Sadly, the wily clerk there wouldn’t
let us in. I also remember the infamous Caligula having quite a long run there. They had lobby cards in addition to the movie posters which you don’t see anymore. When I saw that it became
a Jamron Drug store when I moved back to Queens years later, I wasn’t surprised….I was just glad it lasted as long as it did.
I went to the Mid-Island in the early to mid 80s when it was a fairly large single screen theatre. During that time, they also seemed to have a curious booking strategy. It seemed like nearly every week they played whatever independent horror film was released during that time. I remember seeing Mother’s Day, The Evil Dead, The Thing, Nightmare on Elm Street, Silent Night Deadly Night and just about every god-awful Italian zombie film released in the 1980s. I also remember a showing of a terrible would-be thriller called Beyond the Limit with Michael Caine and Richard Gere, and an scene where one hapless guy gets drowned in a tub of excrement. Fun times.
The utterly filthy yet exceedingly charming Levittown was hands-down my favorite theater in my teenage years. In the 1980s, my friends and I enjoyed their liberal policy regarding patrons under 18 for R-rated movies (we also enjoyed similar experiences at the Mid-Island & Gables theatres). The admission was only $2 or $3, and we were able to see double features, which were already becoming increasingly rare by that time. We saw such critically acclaimed fare as Slumber Party Massacre/Quadrophenia, Mausoleum/Gates of Hell, My Tutor/Doctor Detroit, Screwballs/Going All the Way, etc. The worse the movie, the more loud and rowdy the
crowd became & it was a great Friday night out for a teenager.
I believe the structure is actually still standing, but has been completely re-done and is now a “Carpet Depot”.
I remember going to the Gables quite often in the early 1980s. It was cheap and they had a pretty liberal policy regarding us 13-year-olds getting in to see R-rated movies like Blade Runner and Scarface. I remember the theater itself being dirty but fun, perfect for a teenager. I think it was closed by 1985.
After reading these accounts of the Fair, and since I’m a sporting and adventurous young man, I decided to do some research and check it out myself. The poster of The Klansmen is indeed still displayed in the front lobby, and when one walks through the door, there is another poster for Enter the Dragon inside. There are also some smaller photos of Hollywood legends like Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, etc. and one I couldn’t readily identify, it looked like Linda Darnell to me. I also noticed a flyer that announced the double features that the Fair was playing for the next several weeks. The only 2 movies I had even vaguely heard of were Sweet Justice & Mark of the Beast, 2 direct-to-video epics. I laughed to myself because they had cut-and-pasted an image of Janet Leigh from Psycho screaming, and there was no mention of a Hitchcock film. I paid $15 to walk through a turnstile and passed a small dirty-looking concession stand that sold mostly candy bars.
To my left, I saw an entrance to some sort of food establishment and walked into the rather dark main lobby. It immediately looked surreal to me, as I was greeted with the sight of several colorful fish tanks, and several older gentlemen just standing idly and watching me enter rather intently. I strolled on over to the main theatre screen area and was delighted to find a nice, well-preserved theater with about maybe 300 or so seats, a closed-off balcony, but a rather small screen. The empty small screen was playing Interview with the Vampire. There was a stage at the foot of the screen with lightbulbs around it, and there was also a set of lockers, which I found odd at the time. I walked around more and noticed more older gentlemen watching and following me. I felt a little better when I also noticed several guys with t-shirts that read “Security” walking around as well, though I noticed one was asleep. I stumbled upon a small projection screen showing an explicit gay porn film, and an adjacent room playing an explicit straight porn film. These rooms were fairly packed, but I didn’t observe any overt sexual activity going on, but more older guys sleeping. I noticed there were booths ahead with a lot of guys standing around, but I retreated to find 2 more very small screening rooms. To my left, a video projection screen was showing “Gang Related” with Jim Belushi to an empty set of abput 10 chairs, and the room on the right, also empty, was playing some Western with the actor Miguel Sandoval. I should note that there were a couple of randomly placed 3 foot Christmas trees and some funky lights randomly placed on the walls here and there. The scene was at once creepy and fascinating, but it was fun to check out the old main theater. Perhaps I’ll go back, stoned, and watch a direct-to-video movie by myself!
“Share the same restrooms”? Such unnecessary paranoia.
I think if Warren was to actually visit the Fair, he'd
be disappointed to see that even though some pornography
is exhibited there, it’s a pretty benign place and not
very scary. Warren wouldn’t even have to worry
about catching an illness, not even a cold.
On another note, I picked up a friend over at LaGuardia,
and passed by the Fair on Astoria Blvd. My friend knew
nothing of the Fair and was marveling at the old-style
marquee. I hope the Fair and its marquee stay in business
for a long time, no matter what they’re showing.
I’m 38 years old, and I intend to go back there soon.
That article on the Fair Theatre in the Gay City News
was great stuff…an accurate account of the ambience of
the Fair, though not significantly different than what
others (myself, included) have described in this forum.
I can only hope the Fair achieves the landmark status
it deserves…or at least, continues to operate in
its present incarnation.
Very interesting…I haven’t had the chance to make another pilgrimage to the Fair lately, perhaps I’ll finally make a trip there next week.
I still like the concept of there being one theater in Queens still showing adult films in 2007.
I’d like to see if the Fair is showing direct-to-video action movies on the 2 smaller screens adjacent to the XXX rooms….I’ll have to make another sociological expedition there soon.
Has anyone dropped by the Fair recently? I was just wondering what the current status of the theater is and if they are still showing Bollywood films.
At first I was kidding around about the prospect of checking out the Cinema Kings Hwy, but since it’s the last remaining genuine porn theater in NYC, I have to admit I’m a little intrigued.
After my recent excursion to the Fair myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the well-written and entertaining Post article. It was fun to read something that pretty much mirrored my experience! I’m glad I was able to get a look at the place before it changes. Now I’ll have to trek all the way down to the Cinema Kings Highway if I ever need another heaping helping of genuine sleaze. In a perfect world, someone could have been able to take advantage of the decor & change the Fair’s booking policy to classic or art films, like Film Forum, Anthology Film Archives, etc. Well, at least the Fair will still be open, and not torn down. Does this mean the famous “Klansmen” poster will be coming down too?
Very astute observation regarding the intrigue and aura surrounding the Fair. As crazy and sleazy as the Fair may be, I’d rather hang out there and watch one of their direct-to-video forgotten epics than a showing of “300”.
Things apparently were off to a rocky start immediately for the doomed MoviePlex 42, as an usher was shot and wounded outside the theater in September 1994.
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CEFDA153AF937A1575AC0A962958260
I took this sociological excursion on a late Friday afternoon. I’d take another look but the parking isn’t too great around there, and $15 for a few laughs is a little pricey if you aren’t hanging out w/ the guys in the back booths.
I lived on Metropolitan Ave. and 71st St. in my pre-teen years, so the second-run Arion was my favorite theatre for quite a while. I was only 11 or so, but the theatre seemed gigantic to me at the time.
It was pretty rundown, with red duct tape over the upholstered seats, but they charged $1.50 for kids and I was there pretty much every weekend. They had a smoking and a non-smoking section! I remember a double feature of the corny Western comedy The Villain &
the equally corny Hot Stuff. I also saw Chapter Two, California Suite, Kramer vs. Kramer, the Who’s The Kids Are Alright, Apocalypse Now, Breaking Away, Foxes & The Changeling there. They
had an eclectic booking policy, as I remember quite a few softcore sex comedies playing there, mostly Italian stuff like Wifemistress and The Sensuous Nurse. Sadly, the wily clerk there wouldn’t
let us in. I also remember the infamous Caligula having quite a long run there. They had lobby cards in addition to the movie posters which you don’t see anymore. When I saw that it became
a Jamron Drug store when I moved back to Queens years later, I wasn’t surprised….I was just glad it lasted as long as it did.
I went to the Mid-Island in the early to mid 80s when it was a fairly large single screen theatre. During that time, they also seemed to have a curious booking strategy. It seemed like nearly every week they played whatever independent horror film was released during that time. I remember seeing Mother’s Day, The Evil Dead, The Thing, Nightmare on Elm Street, Silent Night Deadly Night and just about every god-awful Italian zombie film released in the 1980s. I also remember a showing of a terrible would-be thriller called Beyond the Limit with Michael Caine and Richard Gere, and an scene where one hapless guy gets drowned in a tub of excrement. Fun times.
The utterly filthy yet exceedingly charming Levittown was hands-down my favorite theater in my teenage years. In the 1980s, my friends and I enjoyed their liberal policy regarding patrons under 18 for R-rated movies (we also enjoyed similar experiences at the Mid-Island & Gables theatres). The admission was only $2 or $3, and we were able to see double features, which were already becoming increasingly rare by that time. We saw such critically acclaimed fare as Slumber Party Massacre/Quadrophenia, Mausoleum/Gates of Hell, My Tutor/Doctor Detroit, Screwballs/Going All the Way, etc. The worse the movie, the more loud and rowdy the
crowd became & it was a great Friday night out for a teenager.
I believe the structure is actually still standing, but has been completely re-done and is now a “Carpet Depot”.
I remember going to the Gables quite often in the early 1980s. It was cheap and they had a pretty liberal policy regarding us 13-year-olds getting in to see R-rated movies like Blade Runner and Scarface. I remember the theater itself being dirty but fun, perfect for a teenager. I think it was closed by 1985.
After reading these accounts of the Fair, and since I’m a sporting and adventurous young man, I decided to do some research and check it out myself. The poster of The Klansmen is indeed still displayed in the front lobby, and when one walks through the door, there is another poster for Enter the Dragon inside. There are also some smaller photos of Hollywood legends like Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, etc. and one I couldn’t readily identify, it looked like Linda Darnell to me. I also noticed a flyer that announced the double features that the Fair was playing for the next several weeks. The only 2 movies I had even vaguely heard of were Sweet Justice & Mark of the Beast, 2 direct-to-video epics. I laughed to myself because they had cut-and-pasted an image of Janet Leigh from Psycho screaming, and there was no mention of a Hitchcock film. I paid $15 to walk through a turnstile and passed a small dirty-looking concession stand that sold mostly candy bars.
To my left, I saw an entrance to some sort of food establishment and walked into the rather dark main lobby. It immediately looked surreal to me, as I was greeted with the sight of several colorful fish tanks, and several older gentlemen just standing idly and watching me enter rather intently. I strolled on over to the main theatre screen area and was delighted to find a nice, well-preserved theater with about maybe 300 or so seats, a closed-off balcony, but a rather small screen. The empty small screen was playing Interview with the Vampire. There was a stage at the foot of the screen with lightbulbs around it, and there was also a set of lockers, which I found odd at the time. I walked around more and noticed more older gentlemen watching and following me. I felt a little better when I also noticed several guys with t-shirts that read “Security” walking around as well, though I noticed one was asleep. I stumbled upon a small projection screen showing an explicit gay porn film, and an adjacent room playing an explicit straight porn film. These rooms were fairly packed, but I didn’t observe any overt sexual activity going on, but more older guys sleeping. I noticed there were booths ahead with a lot of guys standing around, but I retreated to find 2 more very small screening rooms. To my left, a video projection screen was showing “Gang Related” with Jim Belushi to an empty set of abput 10 chairs, and the room on the right, also empty, was playing some Western with the actor Miguel Sandoval. I should note that there were a couple of randomly placed 3 foot Christmas trees and some funky lights randomly placed on the walls here and there. The scene was at once creepy and fascinating, but it was fun to check out the old main theater. Perhaps I’ll go back, stoned, and watch a direct-to-video movie by myself!