Syosset Theatre
7500 Jericho Turnpike,
Woodbury,
NY
11797
7500 Jericho Turnpike,
Woodbury,
NY
11797
20 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 174 comments
This was an astonishing theater. I went to see something there in the fall of 1974, and as I walked up to the box office, I heard this noise, as if a plane was approaching for a crash landing. It turned out to be the trailer for the coming SenSurround “Earthquake”, emanating from the doors of the theater!
In May ‘71, this theater was actually showing Eric Rohmer’s “Claire’s Knee” five times a day (you could look it up). I rode my bicycle over after school one weekday to a 4PM show. I was the only person to buy a ticket, and had a “private screening” of that sublime film – in that vast auditorium! A week or two later, Truffaut’s “Bed & Board” had been added, to make it a double feature, and I returned (there were a few more people then, as I recall). I also recall seeing Ralph Bakshi’s live/animated version of “The Lord of the Rings” here. And the last time I was there was for a restored version of “My Fair Lady”, with my parents (was that at the Syosset, or the Plainview, when it had its Long Island premiere?)
Also saw a re-release of “2001” here, at some point, under the influence.
I never did see “Earthquake”; at the time, I thought it would just be too much for the senses. I regret that, now…
That this place has been gutted and turned into a health club is a crime against cinema!
Heh…the Fox Hollow was where I got married in 2003. My wife and I still celebrate our anniversary there. And I miss the two movie theaters in Syosset like hell….
When I was bar-mizvahed in 1972, we had the reception across the street at the plush Fox Hollow Inn.
My friend Eddie and I actually left the Inn to walk across the street and the manager of the 150 let us in and we watched 10 minutes of RYAN’S DAUGHTER.
Then we returned for the rest of my bar-mizvah.
Top that!
BobT, I think they should have called “Liztomania”….. “Tommy , Part 2” and then it would have done better or even a nudge at the box-office. I don’t remember this movie getting any promotion at all—even in the wake of Tommy. As for “Sgt. Pepper”…people will wonder “How did the (all still living) Beatles let this happen?” Well, their mentor/producer George Martin, produced the soundtrack, so they figured “OK, if George is involved, it will retain some dignity”. Oops. The soundtrack double LP was in “cut out” bins for years to follow. The same winning team/producers of “Grease” cranked out another musical wanker in 1980 with the awful movie “Times Square”—-that produced another double LP for the “cut out” bins!
…you wasted 70 MM film, a huge curved screen,comfy seats and a six-track sound system on WHAT….?????!!!!!!!
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Oops* Saw “Delores…” at the OTHER Syosset across the street. Actually, BobT, we got turned away on “Little Shop…” that night! I remember that well. Last movie I saw at the 150 was “Ransom”. And ironically, I now live 5 minutes from the site of the 150!
Last movie I saw here was “Delores Claiborne”. 1994??
The 150 did not get “grindhouse” type movies…so I’m surprised by the above post for “Nana” and “Eugenie…(and her journey into perversion)!”. Were UA theaters only allowed to play United Artists movies at one point in time ?
Growing up in Syosset, we’d refer to the triplex as the Syosset Triplex and this theater as the 150. So when they changed the name, they might’ve thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. There wasn’t any confusion.
I saw “EARTHQUAKE” in Sensurround here, in 1974 ! This was a GREAT theater. In the 1980’s we went out of our way to go here, Saw the 1980’s re-release of “Metropolis”, “Return to OZ” (anyone remember that one?), “Little Shop of Horrors” , “Cape Fear”, and the last time I was there was in the 1990’s , that movie “Ransome” I think that was the name….a Ron Howard movie…..
I was surprised to learn during a recent research session that United Artists renamed the CINEMA 150 as THE SYOSSET while the SYOSSET TRIPLEX was still in operation. That seems awfully silly on the part of UATC. Any of you Long Islanders recall any confusion created by the name change?
Other postings here have claimed the name change took place after the SYOSSET TRIPLEX closed, but I’ve found information to the contrary, at least as far as newspaper promotion was concerned. (I can’t speak for what name appeared on the actual building and/or marquee.)
Yup, Norelco’s, they were the later version, the only theatre I ever saw that had them.
Norelcos? I thought it had Cinemacanica… Anyway, I wonder if the fitness club patched up the crack in the right hand wall (rumored to have been caused by the sensaround system). Used to be able to pull the fabric away and look outside…
So they removed the Norelco projectors when the platter was installed. Originally when the theatre opened we had two late model Norelco projectors which had duel drive motors making them capable of running TODD-A0. The Syosset,which had the older model Norelco’s,was also TODD-AO capable. When the Syossett was triplexed the two Norelco 35/70 projectors were left intact in the upstairs #3 booth and Century 35mm projectors and Orcon platters were installed in the two downstairs theatres.
I am sorry veyoug, I have no memory of how large the screen was.
I recall opening the masking both top and side to the full D-150 size to show the staff how big the scren was.
I always liked this theater, even though they showed that awful print of Gone With The Wind.
It was a 35/70 Century projector when I worked there. I think was only one.
Can one of you gentlemen (or ladies) state the width of the screen around-the-curve foot-to-foot?
Thanks RCDTJ, with the D-150 booth as small as it was I assume they removed one of the projectors? I did not care for the newer model Norelco projectors we had then.
Yes, they had a Christie 35/70 platter. Bobby is still the BA.
I also worked both theatres in the 60s and 70s, but only one at a time. I was also working at the time the Syosset was triplexed.
RCDTJ,when one man ran both theatres, did they installed a platter in the D-150 booth?. When I last worked the D-150 in early 1970,
(Dirty Dancing), for 35mm we used 6k reels, and for 70mm we mounted two 70mm reels on one reel which held about 5k.
By the way, is Bobby Gottschaulk still BA? He was a great guy.
I also worked as a projectionist at this theater in the 90’s. When you worked this theater, you also had to work the triple at the same time. Luckily it was only 30 seconds away by car.LOL.
Sure would liked to have seen Nana there. Yentyl? The best place for that piece of crap was a theater where I wasn’t. The UA Syosset Cinema 150 as we called it was awesome. It was the last of the big screens on LI in the 80’s and early 90’s, I remember living in Riverhead, and telling my girlfriend, it’s worth the trip. Having been from Nassau County originally I was hip to it. Another map question. How come the Seaford/Oyster Bay’s final exit is Wantagh? I remember a campaign when it was constructed, where Wantagh protested. It was supposed to connect from Wantagh Parkway (Jones Beach) to Oyster Bay or Bayville, and a Ferry to Conn. was proposed from there. That would’ve been a cool trip. Too bad politics got in the way.
The alternate name here should be the Syosset because thats what it was called it’s last few years in operation.
Can you believe this double bill played here?
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I think the top of this page which lists the name of the theatre should read the address as Woodbury NY and not Syosset.