Embassy 1,2,3 Theatre
707 7th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
707 7th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
38 people
favorited this theater
Showing 826 - 850 of 1,093 comments
What’s the state of the old Criterion now that the Toys R Us has closed? Any hope of that being resurrected in some form or was that completely gutted?
I agree that with the re-development of Times Square “they” definately threw the baby out with the bathwater. But that happens with wide scale redevelopments like this. I’m appalled at what I look at what replaced The Rivoli as I work right across the street from “it”. It has to be one of the most unremarkable and bland looking office buildings in the world.
But if you still want something honky tonk, 8th and 9th Avenues (FOR NOW) still has that. I don’t know how long it will last though. I see more and more of these beautifully off beat stores on 9th being closed up and redone by these stupid oh-so-trendy looking restaurants.
But last week I was shocked and actually pleasantly surprised to see something on 10th & 48th that I haven’t seen in years: a hooker in broad daylight! So yes, the seediness may have been pushed away but it’s never that far from the old Times Square. And I agree with you that during the mid 80s when I used to go into “the city” often, the funkiness and ruff-and-tumble atmosphere is what appealed to me the most. There was a mix of the refined and the low that could only be found in deal old Manhattan.
CConnolly… Just my two cents:
I love the Times Square area, even though I have great nostalgia for the way things were and have a number of criticisms about the direction its OVERdevelopment has taken in the last 10 years. I wouldn’t consider it “bashing” to wax nostalgic for bygone days. Yes, there was a dangerous and forbidding element to the area, say 15 or 20 years ago, but there was also a sense of honky-tonk and wickedness that lent an air of adventure to the place. Perhaps I’m looking back through the naiveté of my youth, but the redevelopment of the district has squashed most of the atmosphere that defined the Square to begin with and has all but completely eradicated its cinematic legacy in favor of corporate-vanity projects, like the towering and overwhelming Reuters and Conde Naste skyscrapers.
The only elements that were held aloft on a pedestal for preservation were the legitimate theater and the concept of excessive electronic signage. Surely there must have been some room to tidy up and increase security in the area for tourists while also preserving/restoring at least a few of the remaining movie theaters (such as the Rivoli, State and Strand) in a nod to the area’s identity as a premier showcase for big Hollywood films. I thank the efforts of all involved (both political and corporate) for the beautiful restoration of the New Amsterdam and Victory Theaters and I’m thankful that folks from other parts of the world are once again interested in coming to my city and investing much of their hard earned dollars into the local economy. But I’m supremely disappointed that the architects of the area’s redevelopment had such blatant disregard for its great tradition of cinematic showmanship. In that regard, I think the Koch and Guiliani administration (and all other parties involved) did something significantly less then their best.
What would all you Times Square bashers want done with Times Square? Back in 1979 it was a squalid has been of a place. Yes, today it’s glitzy but without any real entertainment value aside from the Broadway Theaters which are basically expensive tourist traps (OK..some shows are worthwhile but the good ones don’t run long enough or interest the tourists). But what was NYC supposed to do? I work right in the area and during Christmas time, the area was PACKED to the gills. I’ve never seen anything like it but it ws FUN to see all these people there enjoying the sites. Yes, I agree 100% that it would be wonderful if there were at least one or two of the old great movie houses there and belive wholeheartedly that if one had managed to survivie, it could thrive today as perhaps a IMAX venue (think of The Rivoli operating in that capacity!)
But something had to be done and I think that they Koch and Guilianni administrations did the best they could.
Andreco, I agree with most of your points, but I do wish to point out that the entire Empire Theatre is part of the AMC…facade, lobby and auditorium; the auditorium is now the AMC’s lobby.
But Koch was a great corporate shill. He was very vocal and fought hard for that Marriott. He and the great Joe Papp went at it hammer and tongs in the media. He was the figurehead for that catastrphe. Without Koch and others like him in their pocket the developers could not do what they had done.
If my memory does not fail me, it was late in Koch’s administration that plans to renovate Times Square began, and they continued under Dinkins and finally Giuliani. It was during Giuliani’s administration that the Disney deal to restore the New Amsterdam was made and the Disneyfication of the area began, including the construction of all the new skyscrapers, where incidentally, Giuliani Partners is located in one of them; the one next to the New Amsterdam in the southwest corner of 42d St. Sadly, some of the 42nd St. theates were lost, but others renovated — i.e. New Victory — and the facade and lobby of the Empire were incorporated into the monstruousity known as the AMC 25. As for the Rivoli, State, Srand/Warner, etc.; the blame goes to greedy Loews, United Artists and the real estate developers, not to any particular mayor. Andres.
I spent the past year doing r&d on this property. We have been through this theater from head to toe and inside/out. In fact, we had a negotiated lease ready to sign. Bottom Line: The combined costs of renovating someone else’s property and doing business on Times Square is virtually cost prohibitive. The landlords agent and legal council were always honorable and professional but still, it is a complicated situation to work through.
The only thing that’s going to save or restore that theatre is someone with lots of money. The lease rent is very high to operate as a single screen theatre in that market. The landlords jacked the rent when the last leasee left.
You’re right, Vincent. It was his watch when those theaters went down. I’d forgotten about that. Wasnt he intrumental in getting those Times Square skycrapers built that destroyed many movie theaters?
Vincent… is that a fact? Was it Koch himself who promoted the redevelopment of that historic block for Marriott? I know during his administration we witnessed the loss of many cinema treasures (RKO Keith’s, Rivoli, State, Strand) but I just thought it was business as usual being conducted in offices peripheral to the Mayor (ie, Queens Boro Pres Donald Manes culpability in the Keith’s fiasco).
I guess now that he’s free from the bonds of political indebtedness, he has an opportunity – presented by Andres – to make up for some of the sins of his past. If not, Vincent, where do you think Andres should turn in his efforts to restore this theater to its intended use?
Vincent, how do you really feel about former Mayor Koch?
Vincent: You know better than I if Koch was not directly involved in the movement to save the Regency, but I remember he was at the picket line at least once.
As for yor opinion of him, I respect it.
I just want and hope like all of you who contribute to this site that this theater is saved.
Best, Andres.
Do you want me to continue?
I was one of the people who fought to retain the Regency as a Rep house and I knew those who were instumental in forming this protest. Not only am I not aware that Koch had anything to do with trying to save the theater but I don’t remember any of the diehards ever mentioning him. If they had I would have responded with total disbelief.
Koch?!!!!
He was the one who fought for the destruction of the Helen Hayes, Morosco, Bijou, Astor and Victoria!
He was the one who wanted the Marriott built-one of New Yorks great architectural disasters.
He told Papp who fought for these great theaters that Broadway was dead and who gave a damn anyway.
This was the cornerstone of the complete and total devastation of corporate America on New York’s greatest neighborhood.
Truly one of the most detestable and loathsome New Yorkers ever!
And I’m being nice.
You got it right EdSolero. The current adminitration did not even acknowledge my letter as they are supposed to do when a constituent writes to City Hall, even though I sent it through a person I know at the Mayor’s office. The letters are not responded to personally by the mayor of course. The Mayor’s Correspondence Unit responds and then fowards the letter to the appropiate city agency or unit, in my case the Film Commission. They are supposed to respond to the constituent within 10 days. That office never acknowledged my letter or responded. That’s why I turned to Koch. Koch is not only a person of considerable influence, but he loves the movies. When the Regency in the Upper West Side was taken over by Cineplex Odeon and changed its programming from repertory to first run, Koch initiated and led a picket line in front of the theater, as he did when Loews or Cineplex raised the ticket prices many years ago. He write a weekly movie column — reviews — in The
Villager. Andres.
I think Andres is purposely writing to our former Mayor Koch to engage his considerable influence as a private citizen. Andres would probably never get the ear of the Bloomberg administration, but he might reach Koch – who in turn can use his clout and connections to get Bloomberg’s ear on the matter. Here’s to that effort!
Does anyone know who actually owns the theater property now? Why do they ask such astronomical rent? Who could ever make a profit and pay rent like that? Is it just a tax write off? Its a shame to let that theater just rot away there……..
Thanks for your letter, Andres. Even if nothing comes of it, at least you made the effort – and it’s such a nice thing to dream about and hope for.
By the way, you can still make out some of the letters on the south side of the marquee under the white sheet draped upon it with the “For Lease” sign. I believe the title at the top of the marquee is the Will Smith film “Enemy of the State” from 1998.
Thanks, Andres… I hope your letter sets things into motion. The Mayfair, in fact, did present 3-strip widescreen on at least one occasion. I was reading through some old movie reviews on the NY TImes website and came across Vincent Canby’s piece on the 1966 “Cinerama’s Russian Adventure” that was playing at the Warner’s Cinerama (former Strand). In the review, Canby mentions that that this was actually a film in the Russian process called Kinopanorama and further states that a film called “Great is My Country”, which was also filmed in the Cinerama-like 3-camera system, had played at the Mayfair (“now the Demille” he points out) in July of ‘59.
I doubt the equipment is still there, but I’m sure the theater could be very easily re-furbished for exhibition of 3-strip Cinerama. Keep us informed as to how we might get involved.
I just sent this e-mail to Mayor Ed Koch. Let’s hope he becomes interested and something is done about this theater. Best, Andrés.
Dear Mayor Koch:
I am taking the liberty of writing to you because some time ago you gave out your e-mail address on the NY1 Wiseguys segment (which I never miss). But this not about politics, it’s about movies. Specifically, Cinerama.
As a die hard movie fan just like you ( I was involved in film exhibition back home in Puerto Rico, where we had a Cinerama theater ); I think Cinerama should be brought back to New York City.
Triple projection Cinerama and its huge curved screen debuted right here in New York City at the Broadway Theatre on September 1952. Yet, while Seattle and Los Angeles have Cinerama theatres, New York, “The Capital of the World,” does not. I am sure a Cinerama theater in Times Square, “the crossroads of the world,” would be a terrific tourist attraction and would bring movie loving visitors and money to the city. Besides triple projection Cinerama, the theater could show 70mm spectaculars like “Lawrence of Arabia” as they were intended to be seen. Also, the venue could be used for other movie attractions such as a 3D festival like they had last summer at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Except for the occasional double projection 3D film at the Film Forum, most contemporary New Yorkers have not seen double projection 3D, just as they have not seen Cinerama. Last summer both the American Museum of the Moving Image in Queens and the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center celebrated 50 years of wide screen movies. It’s ironic that it was Cinerama that started it all right here in New York City and we don’t have a Cinerama theater.
As for the venue, the abandoned Embassy 2-3-4 (formerly the DeMille, originally the RKO Mayfair) on Seventh Avenue and 47th Street, is wide enough for triple projection Cinerama since it used to play 70mm spectaculars in its heyday.
I have written to a contact I have at City Hall, to Chrystine Nicholas of NYC & Co., whom I happen to know, though I have not seen her in years; to members of the City Council who belong to the film/theatre committee, to no avail. Someone like you, a liked former mayor with contacts in all walks of life, can surely convince a group of investors/film people to bring Cinerama back to NYC, THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!
Think about it Mayor Koch, if someone can do it it’s you. Let’s bring back Cinerama to it’s birthplace, New York City. Again, if someone can do it, it’s you Mayor Koch.
Incidentally, I missed you at the retirement party of Amy Betanzos last October at the Time Warner Center.
Respectfully,
Andrés Roura
There is a wonderful reproduction of The Mayfair in the new “King Kong”. Check it out as the mighty Kong rampages through Times Square!
One small correction. The information on this site that John Eberson was architect for the Civic Theatre in New Zealand seems to be in error. The theatre’s description states the style is “Ebersonian” and the theatre’s official website notes C. Bohringer as architect.
I saw the new “King Kong” from Peter Jackson last night and it features some stunning digital recreations of New York City circa 1933. While artistic liberties are taken, Times Square is well represented in the film. The Mayfair Theater in particular, with it’s huge wrap-around corner billboard, is probably the most prominently recognizable Times Square landmark featured in the climactic New York sequence of the film. The theater where Kong is put on display in the film is a fictional “Alhambra Theater” that has more or less displaced the Palace on the block between 47th and 46th Street, although Jackson has it located on the other side of the old Newsreel Theater (Embassy 1) in his “reel” world. The action and camera movements in this sequence are very rapid-fire, so I’m sure I’ll be making good use of the “pause” and “rewind” buttons on my remote to make geeky study of all the digital detail work in the recreation (particularly as it relates to the theaters depicted) when the movie is released on DVD.
The atmospheric interior of the “Alhambra” belongs to the very real Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, which is evidently still very much in use for both cinematic presentation and live events. The theater is a stunning overseas effort by atmospheric guru John Eberson.
As for the movie itself, if anyone is interested… the first hour didn’t really work for me; I found it unevenly acted, under-directed, over-scored and poorly written. However, once the characters are set to sea and their ship encounters the mysterious fog that shrouds Kong’s native Skull Island, the film really takes off on a rip-roaring adventure. Great fun. Technically dazzling and rather touching throughout… and there are some clever (and not-so-clever) references to bits of dialog and business (and use of Max Steiner’s classic score) from the original Cooper/Shoedsack film sprinkled about with varying success. Bottom line, the old B&W version still reigns supreme, but this is a worthy re-envisioning and technical update.