Cinema Kings Highway

Hey McGinty… If you can compare the three screening rooms you saw at the Kings Highway to the vintage photos of the original auditorium that Warren posted back on November 3rd, 2007, can you describe if any of the original interior remains in any of the rooms? Someone else had posted that the twin sets of stairs leading up to the original loge section were still in use… Just curious what the layout is in relation to the original space. Thanks.

Today I happened to find myself travelling on the Belt Pkwy, so I visited the Cinema Kings Hwy for the first time.
As I paid my $10 admission, I instantly liked the anonymity of the unadorned marquee outside, and appreciated the fact that something like this theater could enjoy a low-key existence in a residental neighborhood in 2008. There were 2 older guys drinking coffee & sitting on barstools in the lobby, as I noticed this place was already cleaner and less ominous & forbidding looking than the Fair.
In the lobby, there are 3 doors leading to different screens….I chose Door #1 first. I walked up a few steps to a brightly lit screening room with a decent sized screen & maybe about 150 or seats. There was no one there except for 2 gentlemen reading newspapers, patiently staring at a DVD screensaver for Timecop, a Jean-Claude Van Damme epic. Door # 2 led me to a dark screening room with a small screen showing an explicit gay porn film, and about 30 or so seats with about 5 occupants, just bored older gentleman. Door #3 led me to an explicit straight porn film, and also to 40 or so video booths in the back, and the usual assortment of older men walking around aimlessly.
All in all, this theater possesses a certain mellow charm. It seems like back when it was a mainstream theater, it must have been enormous. Although similar to the Fair in what they’re exhibiting, the clientele & down to the the eclectic mix of 80s & 90s movie posters in the lobby, it’s nicer, doesn’t have the cigarette smoke, has less of a security presence, & I’d generally recommend it to people seeking that type of experience. I may even go back some time….

I doubt it, but call them before you go next time to be sure. Half the time their info is not accurate—about anything. Saw this on another site, but the Fair site doesn’t say anything. They probably don’t know themselves.

xxx—one thing about this place is that it’s a very safe neighborhood, much better than the Elmhurst neighborhood of the Fair. You could go anytime, and there are far fewer actual obnoxious types here than at the Fair. On the other hand, the Fair has got a following because they have done more promotion. But the slightly further distance is negligible to me, because I don’t have to change from a train to a bus. Also, the regular screens are better quality and the big screen doesn’t show all that infernal Bollywood.

You just get off at Kings Highway and stay on it till you get there—and be sure to turn when Kings Highway does or you’ll get off the route. This is definitely a nicer place than the Fair, with MUCH bigger viewing booths. Costs $12.

This is not free in the sense of Los Angeles theaters, where I was over the holidays. There’s a theater in West Hollywood (you can find it on squirt.com) that has exactly the same scene as the old Adonis and the other wide-open theaters in New York used to have; and Giuliani’s project was just p.r., anyway, the little DVD places have relaxed since Bloomberg doesn’t do things in such a histrionic way, although those little places are not for me. Anyway, this WeHo theater was like paradise for me after not seeing anything at all like it in NYC for maybe 12 years. Still, I like Cinema Kings Highway very much, it’s extremely well-run and they need to get a website and do some promotion.

i just want to add, i feel this place wouild have potential. and if a little money was put into t with a cretive artistic director and someone with passion i think it could be a great addtion to an otherwise dry area…
im just a dude who hates going to manhattan everytime i want to catch a decent flick!

Cinema Kings Highway is excellent, I prefer it to the Fair by a long shot, except it takes longer to get to. Very clean, the management very courteous—I was very surprised, as I thought it would be dingy and slummy. It’s terrific.

Thanks, Warren. Interesting balcony configuration in that one enters via stairs that are open to the auditorium and lead up to the first row. From the first shot I wasn’t entirely sure that it was a separate balcony as opposed to raised loge – even though it seemed far too high for that. I know that much older theatres often had balcony stairs at the very back of the auditorium, but I’ve never seen it designed quite this way before.

I forgot to mention that this is a safe neighborhood so if you decide to drive, there is no need to worry about your car getting jacked!

Since everyone seems to be waxing nostalgic lately about grindhouses and porn theaters…a brief yet hilarious feature article regarding this topic and this cinema, “House of Whacks”, just appeared in Time Out New York (issue 600) online â€" read it here: View link

If the Fair in Queens ends up going entirely “Bollywood”, this place will indeed hold the dubious distinction of being the last remaining adult movie house within New York City limits.

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.

why not just put the directions on the board for subway to Manhattan? I’d like to know too, and couldn’t get through to them by phone. Can probably figure it out from a subway map though.

Is this theater within walking distance of the subway? Is it safe to park my car in the neighborhood? Having gone to the Fair in Queens off and on for the past 12 years, I’m thinking of checking this place out.