Comments from theatrefan

Showing 201 - 225 of 537 comments

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about New World Stages on Aug 31, 2015 at 5:53 pm

Thanks, Al & Howard! The Cineplex Odeon Chelsea also had I believe #6 & #7 as THX Auditoriums. Now when you check the THX Website there is not one single theatre in all of Manhattan with it at all. The last two I remember seeing were Lincoln Square & Union Square.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about New World Stages on Aug 31, 2015 at 1:09 pm

When this complex was first opened by Cineplex Odeon in 1989 one of the auditoriums had LucasFilm THX Certification, anybody here remember or know which auditorium number it was?

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Rockaway 16 on Aug 15, 2015 at 11:18 pm

moviebuff82, what are the red and green tickets that cannot be used for Disney movies?

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Aug 14, 2015 at 10:01 pm

When did they leave 1540 Broadway to move to 400 Plaza Drive in Secaucus N.J. was it around 87/88? I know the headquarters were moved back to Manhattan by then owner Sony Corp in 1993.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Aug 12, 2015 at 4:10 pm

Thanks mdvoskin, Your right the UA State in the immediate area tended to play similar types of films. The one thing also to keep in mind is that these films tended to sometimes attract a rough and rowdy crowd, so I wonder if vandalism was an issue during the waning days of the Loew’s Jersey as well?

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Aug 12, 2015 at 2:14 pm

I was looking at the movies that played here as a Loews house in it’s final years of operation from about 82-86 and the endless parade of B-movie Blood, Gore, Slasher, Exploitation, Kung Fu films never seemed to end. I think every movie that such secondary studios like New World Pictures put out played here. Was film booking for this theatre handled centrally at the Loews Headquarters in Secaucus NJ or locally? If so were they intentionally trying to drive this place into the ground or was it just Hollywood’s release pattern that existed at the time?

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Kips Bay 15 on Aug 12, 2015 at 1:57 pm

When Media Ingest replaces the building of films on Thursday nights we lose something in the process. Properly projected motion picture film still blows away any 4K digital projection system in terms of image clarity, color saturation, image depth, sharpness. The difference is quite visible to the naked eye.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC 84th Street 6 on Aug 12, 2015 at 1:50 pm

Sad the got rid of the David Rockwell designed concession stand in the AMC redo in 2013. I believe the stand was originally one of the first to feature a gigantic popcorn tub above the stand when it was redone in 1996, each popcorn kernel was as big as a basketball. Also AMC got rid of the color LED Daktronics Marquee sign advertising the films showing, instead we have the AMC logo on a yellow metal background, so much for progress.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Flatiron Crossing 14 on Aug 12, 2015 at 1:41 pm

One of the first locations to get the new AMC Luxury reclining seats approximately two years ago. Apparently the new Leather seats are not aging well, as they are exhibiting severe symptoms of cracking and drying out of the leather in the part that comes in contact with your behind. I think either cheap substandard leather was originally used in the manufacturer or they are not being maintained properly by AMC.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Fountains 18 on Aug 12, 2015 at 1:29 pm

So strange to see the AMC name and new design features in a 90’s Star Design location. I guess they are doing this all over the Country with the former Loews or Cineplex Odeon locations, that were inherited with the 2006 merger. Wonder how much longer until Loews comes off every building and a once mighty Movie Theatre brand vanishes in to the history books for good?

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC 34th Street 14 on Aug 11, 2015 at 7:13 pm

Sometimes complaining to Corporate works, A few months ago some bean-counter Manager got the bright idea to remove the paper towels from the rest rooms. Now if the hand dryers that are in there currently are inadequate and do not do a very good job in dying your hands, you leave with them still wet, also they are located over the counter in between the sinks, not the most ideal place for a hand dryer to be. To dry our hand properly we would have to go to concession stand to grab napkins to use to dry our hands with. Well we kept complaining over to AMC Corporate and voila, the hand towels are back in the restroom.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Kips Bay 15 on Aug 10, 2015 at 7:13 pm

Do any theatres still employ Union projectionists or has DCP made them all obsolete according to the big chain bean counters? A lot of projectionists that used to work in the theatres I used to frequent really cared about film quality presentation, it’s just not the same when you have an usher running things like was evidenced at the Kips Bay this past Friday. I think one of AMC’s predecessors then called Sony Theatres tried to get rid of union projectionists in the Mid Nineties if I remember correctly, there seemed to be picket lines in front of the theatres at the time, if I recall.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Kips Bay 15 on Aug 10, 2015 at 6:13 pm

markp & Al Alvarez: To give you a comparison. The very next night I went to see the film again at the Bowtie Cinemas Chelsea a Family owned Chain. Picture and brightness were perfect and the sound was great as well. You can see the difference immediately when people care about presentation versus a gigantic cinema chain. I also forgot to mention to top it off my seat at the Kips Bay was missing an armrest. AMC does absolutely nothing to maintain the theatres they took over from Loews Cineplex, the Irwin Seats originally installed that are still there 16 years later are nothing to write home about either, time has not been kind to them. The very first thing Regal did when it assumed operations of the E-Walk was to toss them all into the dumpster. The AMC Bean Counters will probably use them until they completely fall apart in bits and pieces.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about AMC Kips Bay 15 on Aug 10, 2015 at 1:38 pm

Went to see “Ricki & The Flash” here Friday evening in Auditorium #14 unfortunately there was something wrong with the digital projector as the image on the screen was extremely dim with excessive flicker & lacking a great amount of detail. They did know about the problem, because I was upstairs exchanging my ticket while someone from the previous showing was complaining to the Manager, yet they still ran the film anyway. After the film we went to complain to the Manager, who was very sorry and we were given a pass for our bad movie experience. He explained there was something wrong the the Sony Digital Projector and they would have to send someone out to fix it, he was not allowed to do it himself also they would probably move the film to an auditorium upstairs. Unfortunately for us our night out at the movies was ruined. It says a lot when your presentation at home is so much far better that going out to the modern multiplex.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about United Artists Washington Township 14 on Aug 10, 2015 at 1:14 pm

Thanks Michael, I guess the only United Artists Theatres converted to the Regal name were the Union Square 14 & Battery Park 11 in Manhattan. The Battery Park began as a Regal then became a United Artists, now it’s a Regal again in a complete circle, although it lost 4 Auditoriums along the way.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about RKO Prospect Theatre on Jul 25, 2015 at 2:03 am

For a place that’s been closed since 1967, it seems to be in pretty good shape. There are a whole bunch of movie theatres that closed much later & do not look as good. As usual great job with the photography Matt, keep up the good work.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about UA Lynbrook 6 on Jul 21, 2015 at 6:59 pm

I understand, nothing was saved from the old Shore theatre for the new one, Thank You robboehm.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Kings Theatre on Jul 21, 2015 at 5:15 pm

The new marquee is exactly to the edge of the sidewalk, so these truck drivers are not driving as carefully as they should.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Kings Theatre on Jul 21, 2015 at 4:06 pm

They can also put poles on the sidewalk underneath the marquee to keep the trucks away, the Kent has them. I don’t think the 1949 marquee was dinged up as much, but it was much better constructed.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about UA Lynbrook 6 on Jul 21, 2015 at 4:04 pm

robboehm, I see exactly what you mean, so much for adaptive reuse of an existing structure. It really does look like they ran out of money as it was being constructed.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about UA Lynbrook 6 on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:35 pm

What an ugly new building, just a bland yucky new box to replace a charming beautiful old building with true character, grace & style. So much for progress. Guess it will never get the Midway treatment like it was supposed to.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about United Artists 64th & 2nd Avenue on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:28 pm

The auditoriums have apparently been gutted and are awaiting rental for retail usage that has not happened yet. The marquee is still on the facade and lists the two final films that played there “Trouble With The Curve” & Won’t Back Down" the United Artists Theatres sign on the front of the Marquee was taken off when they shut this Triplex down. The lobby was intact for the longest time & Regal even left the ticketing machine inside, it’s now covered up, so I can’t get a good look inside anymore unfortunately.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Kings Theatre on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:18 pm

Apparently a truck hit the marquee again, the Kings name on the front of it is no longer lit, hope they fix it soon.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Cinema 1, 2 & 3 by Angelika on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:15 pm

When they install the new reclining seats it does reduce seating capacity of each auditorium, so they must have to make up the difference somehow.

theatrefan
theatrefan commented about Loew's Valencia Theatre on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:12 pm

They also did a tour, sorry I missed it. In looking at the photo’s it looks like the original projection windows have been covered up and there is an air conditioner in one of them. I wonder what the former projection room is used for currently by the church?