AMC Empire 25

234 W. 42nd Street,
New York, NY 10036

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Showing 576 - 600 of 782 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on November 6, 2007 at 5:43 am

Laffmovie seems to disappear in 1948, so it either became the Empire then or reverted to Eltinge.

42ndStreetMemories
42ndStreetMemories on November 6, 2007 at 5:35 am

I just found an image from the LAFFMOVIE days. Does anyone know when it converted to the EMPIRE name. I think the image is 1954.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on November 5, 2007 at 1:08 pm

The one-week engagement of “Blade Runner: The Final Cut” has not only been twice extended, but – as of this past Friday – is now day-and-dating at the Sunshine Cinema. And the movie has also been given midnight only showings back at the Ziegfeld for the past couple of weeks. What a great success story this has been! What started out as a two-week, two-city engagement has been extended into its 5th week (at least here in NYC) and has expanded its number of screens. I understand that an engagement at the Seattle Cinerama began on October 26th.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on October 20, 2007 at 7:08 am

Blade Runner: The Final Cut is running here for one week only, a move-over from the Ziegfeld. In digital projection. I saw it at the Ziegfeld but may see it again here.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on September 6, 2007 at 1:22 pm

A few vidcaps from some video clips I found on YouTube:

1990 marquee neon
1990 under canopy
1970 night shot

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 17, 2007 at 6:55 am

I was here Wednesday night; saw two movies and visited the box office, concession stand and the restroom. Everything was just fine.

Forrest136
Forrest136 on August 17, 2007 at 6:48 am

This place is a real downer. I have had bad experiences here the last 4 times I went to see a film there. Poor mangaement is the reason. Keep away if possible!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on August 8, 2007 at 5:54 am

I think the laws are different now taking into account that almost all theatres are first run. AMC was mostly forced to sell those that monopolized a booking zone.

During the Cineplex Odeon buy, Sony’s stake in Loews became diluted.

bigred
bigred on August 8, 2007 at 12:47 am

Considering the size of AMC and Loews is hard to believe they only have to get rid of 10 theatres. I know there are a lot of theatres from both that are in compition of each other. This would also include all the theatres they got from General Cinema. I know that AMC isn’t the only one to get away with buying out the compition and not being require to have compition as antitrust laws state.

There was a post about Sony selling Loews but Sony always owned Loews. It had started as Loews but then they changed the name to Sony but changed it back to Loews only a couple years later.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on July 25, 2007 at 11:50 am

I agree with you, that art house fare AMC likes to call as select. They also used to show old movies, which Clearview probably stole the idea from when they showed classic movies at some of its theaters. BTW, which theater is the largest in terms of size and seating?

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on July 25, 2007 at 11:45 am

This is my favorite house in the city, apart from the Ziegfeld. (Regal E-Walk is next.) I’ve never had the problems others have encountered, and the presentation and ambiance are first-rate. My only caveat is that they used to play more art films here, on the top level, but now it’s mostly run-of-the-mill multiplex fare.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on June 21, 2007 at 4:36 pm

I agree with you AlAlvarez. For me, the two best movie theaters in the Rockaway area where I live is the AMC in Rockaway, and the Clearview in Parsippany, both with great sound and picture and decent pricing.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on June 21, 2007 at 4:28 pm

As a regular visitor at both the Empire and the Regal E-Walk I can assure you they are no different than any other New York theatre and better than many.

The 42nd Street project did its best. Putting things in perpective I pay $10.00 to see Russian import DAYBREAK at the AMC with comfortable well spaced seats and bored staff at minimum wage going through the motions.

I pay $111.00 (including $2.50 “theatre restoration charge”) and sit on miniature seats with no leg room or air conditioning while handed a program by some nasty bitch who does it for free show but cannot be bothered to learn the theatre’s seating, to see the bored cast of TARZAN sing Phil Collins tunes. THAT is capitalism at its very worse and masquerading as art to boot!

I pay $10.00 at Lincoln Plaza to see German import THE LIVES OF OTHERS in a tiny screen with abstructing columns and tiny seats while senior citizens chat away during the film and NO usher is on duty at all.

Unpopular as it may seem, I’ll take the two remaining 42nd street movie theatres anyday. Unless the movie is at the Ziegfeld, of course.

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on April 19, 2007 at 9:47 am

I don’t know where all of the negative comments above are coming from. I used to be a frequent patron of the theater before Chelsea Cinemas upgraded their theater on 23rd St. I still come to this theater periodically and have never had an unpleasant experience here and I will continue to patronize this theater when the movies I want to see are not playing in Chelsea. The only theater that I refuse to go to in Manhattan is the god awful Regal Union Square where I have never had a pleasant experience, but that’s for anothere theater site! :–)

William
William on April 17, 2007 at 2:52 pm

I guess it’s return to what the area once was known for.

“AMC Empire Grindhouse 25”

All the above for the price of $11.00 a ticket.

Forrest136
Forrest136 on April 17, 2007 at 2:27 pm

The management is not interested in comments about this dump. Keep away if possible!

Forrest136
Forrest136 on April 7, 2007 at 12:31 am

What a dump this place has become! I suspect poor management and uninterested workers are the cause. The seats are becoming worn out, the movies do not start on time, house lights remain on, and nasty and stupid workers take your money. Wish there were alternatives, but as you know , theatre choices are getting less and less!

Ian
Ian on March 15, 2007 at 1:28 pm

A photo just before opening here:–

View link

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on December 18, 2006 at 5:30 pm

A few more images I took the other night while on the Duece with my camera:

The face in the window
Standard shot
Blade sign

I guess I never noticed before that the long time Duece retailer from the good ole-bad ole days, Modell’s, was back on the block – relocated across the street from it’s old spot just down from the Harem XXX theater.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on November 5, 2006 at 2:27 am

AMC has these movie money cards that debit the amount at each use. I suspect homeless people get these from charities who fear giving out cash to alcoholics and drug addicts.

Every time I have been to this theatre I have found bag ladies and eccentrics around (one brought had a cat in a bag) although they were probably not homeless.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on November 4, 2006 at 6:13 pm

Ha… That sounds like the Duece movie-going experience I remember from the 1980’s!!! Of course, back then, tickets were only a $2.50 and once nestled in a favorite seat in the rear corner of the auditorium, one could settle in long term without having to move from room to room!!!

Anyway, Fever Dog, I doubt any one homeless person plunks down the $10.75 per day. Spending whatever money they scrounge up on a movie ticket is just a rare treat to deluxe accommodations for them. I’ll bet this is more of an issue in the cold winter months than during the rest of the year.

FeverDog
FeverDog on November 3, 2006 at 8:52 am

I’ve encountered the problem of homeless people using this theater as a shelter in recent years. After getting fed up with snoring, talking to themselves and leaving bodily fluids behind (I won’t give details)I asked the staff about this and they said very nonchalantly.
“They buy a ticket and go from theater to thetaer and stay here all day.” Is this acceptable? Can I do the same, or will I be stopped? Should they have such an apathetic view about homeless people hanging out in the theater? And where do homeless people get $10.75 a day anyways?

William
William on November 3, 2006 at 6:22 am

It’s their art film select program. As they put it: “AMC SELECT Special Films for select tastes”. Most of the films are independent films from the big studios and smaller studios and film makers.

View link

hardbop
hardbop on November 3, 2006 at 5:27 am

Every week in the movie listings in the “Times” weekend guide there are words in the AMC listing under almost every film are the words “AMC SELECT; Special Engagement.” What does that mean?