City Cinemas Cinema 1, 2, and 3

As an Eastsider in the 60s, lines curving around 60th Street for the Cinema 1 and 2 were a way of life...The flagships of the Rugoff/Cinema 5 chain Cinema 1 did mostly mainstream exclusive programming and Cinema 2 slightly more arty stuff...The theatres had separate entrances and a serious feel to them. As a kid and teenager I confirm seeing things as varied as Casino Royale, Nashville, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Bang the Drum Slowly, Rotten to the Core, Getting Straight, Adele H, Silent Movie, Dog Day Afternoon here.

The triplexing wasn't bad with Cinema 1 keeping 500 seats, 2 becoming a bit of a shoebox and 3 being too small really for first run although it is used as such. The 3 had to take on the name 3rd Avenue because Cineplex Odeon was still operating the Cinema 3 in the Plaza Hotel at the time.

When it reopened I remember seeing Batman and Cookie in 1, Quick Change in 2 and a Denzel Washington UK made film called For Queen and Country in 3.

It saddens me a bit to see really trashy mainstream product fly through here like Scary Movie 2 but it is one of the few screens left in the area

I worked for the Cinema 5 chain between August 1977 and June of 1981. Cinema I was the flagship theatre of the chain, where "The Exorcist" opened in 1973. Cinema II was the lesser house, ("Exorcist II: The Heretic" opened there in 1977, if that's any indication of status), much smaller, with an auditorium beneath and turned at right angles to the auditorium of Cinema I. The upstairs waiting lounge of Cinema I overlooked Third Ave. and Bloomingdale's across the street. The waiting area for Cinema II was negligibly small, and I think I recall plants in oblong planters. The walls of both lobbies were lined horizontally with thin strips of wood, painted white. The carpeting was grey or charcoal. Didn't Cinema I have an escalator to the lounge, upstairs? In the Cinema I auditorium, between shows, the screen was lit with red lights, from below, I think. The auditorium had a very gentle slope with good viewing and a nice wide feeling that made it seem uncrowded. Aisles were on the sides with a concentration of seats in the middle. By contrast, Cinema II, when it was full, felt a little cramped. Ticket holders' lines for both went up to 60th and around the block toward 2nd Ave. I remember seeing "Nasty Habits" at one of the theatres and, at Cinema I, a revival of "Fantasia," the restored version of "New York, New York" and the opening of Woody Allen's dreary "Interiors." Since Walter Reade's flagship theatres, Baronet and Coronet "twin" were rivals and next door, it's sometimes hard to remember which movie I saw where, but I believe one of your contributors is mistaken and he may actually have seen "Nashville" at the Baronet, not Cinema I. The mistake could easily be mine. There was a high concentration of theatres in the area, from the Sutton on 57th, up Third Avenue to the Trans-Lux East (which became the Gotham, later), and on 59th there was the 59th St. I and II that became something else later. And across from that, around the corner from the Baronet/Coronet, a tiny theatre, the name of which I've forgotten. Cinema 3 used to be at the Plaza Hotel, a supposedly elegant affair, but while it was attractive, it was always empty and no one seemed to know it was there. I don't think they served refreshments at the original Cinema 3. I can remember seeing Andre Techine's "Barocco" there and the Maximilian Schell documentary about Dietrich, "Marlene."

To put in the 3rd screen, they moved the Cinema 1 screen forward about 22 feet and took about 8 feet from the right Cinema 1 auditorium side for the walkway to the new theatre which was built at a left right angle behind the big screen.
Interestly CINEMA 1 faces EAST, CINEMA 2 south, and CINEMA 3 faces north.

The Original Cinema 3 at the Plaza Hotel used to offer "reserved seating" for movies that were otherwised difficult to get into. I seem to recall that this started with the Jane Fonda/Vanessa Redgrave film, "Julia" which was also playing at Cinema I and was a huge hit. While this was commonplace with big "roadshow" movies in the Sixties, and has since resurfaced with the Internet and credit card purchasing of movie tickets, at the time it was unusual.

I loved all of these theatres. I remember when Cinema 5 had the Cinema Manhasset on Long Island on the Miracle Mile. They would bring the big ones out there, advertising "direct from it's smash 6 month engagement at Cinema 1". These would be exclusive to Long Island. Cinema 1 and Cinema 2 had such prestige in the old days,they always played art films exclusive. Now they play commercial films with everyone else and art films day and date with The Angelika or another village location. Cinema 3 at The Plaza was indeed an elegant theatre. I remember a few times being one of 4 or 5 patrons in the place, but when they played good films they sold out. This also reminds me how when we think back on good films from years ago we remember saying "oh I saw that at The Music Hall, or I saw that at The Sutton". Do we ever say "oh yeah I saw that at AMC's 99 plex"?

The "Cinema 3" at the Plaza Hotel was actually referred to as Cinema III, in a review I have from the New York Times. Since it was a separate theatre in another part of town, it deserves its own listing, which I shall submit.

Cinema 2 (Cinema II) was where Pontecorvo's THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS opened to great acclaim in 1967. It was put into the Beekman, a substantially larger theatre, after that. The movie is currently getting a major re-issue, because of its relevance to events in Israel/Palestine and Iraq.

If I recall correctly, these Cinemas were identified by Roman numbers rather than modern.

Yes, they definitely were.

I remeber seeing Lawrence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" there and thinking it was a masterpiece. My friend Frank and I went to go see it again but the second showng was sold out. The theater was beautiful and you could see where the old majesty of what once was on the ceilings and the sides but I haven't been there since.

CINEMA I - CINEMA II
1001 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Opened 1962 - Abraham W. Geller, Architect - Donald Rugoff/Cinema 5 Ltd, owner - considered to be the first commercially viable two-screen cinema built in the US - Cinema I 700 seats, Cinema II 291 seats - technically not a "twin cinema" - Cinema I is a orchestra-stadium type auditorium on the 2nd and 3rd floor levels of the building with the screen on the east wall, Cinema II, a standard orchestra-type auditorium, nestles sideways underneath in the basement and first floor levels, screen on the south wall. Seperate marquee, entrance, box office and lobby for each cinema. It also operated as two seperate theatres - 2 unit numbers, 2 payrolls, 2 concession inventories etc. Lobbies decorated with modern paintings and other artwork. Specialized in art-house product. Renovated 1988 - Abraham W. Geller, Architect - the large upper theatre was divided by removing front 6 rows of seats, moving screen forward and inserting small cinema in the resulting space, screen on the north wall. Marquees, entrances, boxoffices and lobbies combined to operate as a triplex - new seating installed, rest rooms enlarged, original artwork restored - New seating capacities - Cinema I 532 - Cinema II 290 - Cinema III 165 - presently operated by City Cinemas/Reading Entertainment.

Cinema 1 and 2 were probably the most prestigious screens in NYC during the 60's and 70's. If you got an exclusive run there, your film was set to be noticed.
The 1988 renovation was shameful. Not only has the architecture been destroyed but the current management has changed the fare to much more commercial viewing.
As for the above comment, Nashville was a Cinema 2. I saw it there in the summer of 1975. The first film I saw at Cinema 1 was A Clockwork Orange in January of 1973

Shortly before the demolition of the Baronet/Coronet commenced in August of 2002, some Midtown East residents launched an effort to gain landmark status for the interior and exterior of the Cinema 1-2-3 property, but little came of it.

I attended the first showing of "Boccaccio '70" in 1962, which was the innaugural attraction at Cinema 1. I was struck by the odd screen which was recessed in a white shadowbox. Black straps were lowered to mask the screen for standard or wide screen showings. Stanley Kubrick later complained that the white walls around the screen caused a reflective glare and he ordered them painted black before he would allow "A Clockwork Orange" to open there in 1971. Also, the theatre was unique in it's advertising displays which used a three dimensional window (much like a department store) rather than a poster.

Although I worked there at the time, I would agree with 'fornasetti' that the place was ruined with the 88 renovation. All it needed was new carpet, wallpaper, new seats and the restoration of the artwork. But the guy in charge at the time just had to have a third screen and one common lobby like a real triplex. Aside from that his only concern was 'how big is the screen?' and 'how many seats?' If someone is trying to get it landmarked I would suggest they continue their efforts - these people who run it now would sell their mothers for fifty-cents - after all, look what happened to the Murray Hill and the Sutton.....

BTW, it was built at a cost of $750,000. in 1962, and it was sitting on rented land. The 1988 'adjustments' cost $3 million. In the past few years they finally bought the land underneath it.

When they get the photo function working on this site, I have architects photos of it both when it was completed in 1962 and after the 1988 'adjustments' and will post them.

That "someone" talked about above must have been Ralph Donnely.

Nope, wasn't Ralph.... it was above him. Although I never heard him say so, I don't think he agreed with certain things that were done there. If he'd had the last word on things, there would have been less radical changes. The Cinemas had a reputation for both programming and design, and nobody was more aware of that than him - he was the one who brought in the original architect to maintain the character of the theatre. However, once the design-phase was underway, higher-ups from out-of-town had other ideas. It used to be a very special place, but with the general-release dreck they play there now, it's just another plex.

Does anyone know how to get in contact with Ralph Donnely?

I heard he retired to Florida somewhere....

Thanks for responding - too bad you do not have a city in Florida?

Cinema I and II
(now Cinema 1, 2, 3 Third Avenue)
1001 Third Avenue
Date Completed: 1962
Builder: Rugoff Theaters
Architect: Abraham W. Geller Associates
Consulting Theater Architect: Ben Schlanger

This award-winning art film theater was the first duplex, "piggy-back" movie theater built in the United States. The piggy-back idea was developed by Ben Schlanger, who had pioneered a back-to-back duplex theater for the Information Center at Colonial Williamsburg. Cinema I and II was built by Rugoff Theaters to serve as the core of an East Side International Film Center and as a crosstown complement to Lincoln Center, which was being built at the same time but did not include a movie house.

Artwork was an integral part of Abraham Geller’s International Style design. The interior spaces designed by Geller, James McNair, and Norman Ives include a sloping barrel-vaulted ceiling, Danish copper-leaf chandeliers in the upstairs lounge, and an abstract mural by Ilya Bolotowsky in the ground-floor lobby. In 1983, Geller was again hired to divide the larger upstairs auditorium into two, making the theater a triplex.

Ralph Donnely allways a class act.

Yup, he was (is) a class act. When I met him there I was impressed that the president of the company came in and stopped to chat with the staff - he knew their names, inquired about members of their families (by name) and was very pleasant and personable. It was a surprise because I had come there from General Cinema where the company executives who came around barely acknowledged the manager and the staff was just furniture in the lobby.

Why did he leave? Or did he just retire? Did you know his wife and family? If so, what happened to them?

I think it was the fall of 1993 that he left to start his own booking service. I'm not sure when he retired from that and went to Florida. His wife was another very nice person, and would come to premieres and company events. Mr. D. seemed to know everybody in the business. I don't recall meeting his children, they were grown up and married during the time I was around there.

--BULLETIN--
Well, City Cinemas is at it again - they are destroying the Cinemas. I went past there last night and the blue tile area above the windows (see the photo above) has been plastered/stuccoed/cemented over - it is now just plain white and no evidence of the columns rising to the roofline. Also, from outside it appears that the copper 'artichoke' chandeliers in the upper lobby are missing - God knows what these clowns are doing to the place and what other horrors they may have committed on that building.

I am trying to get in contact with an insider I know to find out what the hell they are doing....

Perhaps City Cinemas has caught wind of a possible renewed attempt to landmark the property. The last thing the neighborhood needs is to lose another movie theatre, even one that's lost a bit of its luster over the years...

It's very sad to read of the progressive degradation of these once fine theaters. My relationship with these theaters got off to a rocky start though. On Christmas 1965 I was lured from Queens to my first Manhattan movie because that was the only way to see "Thunderball", and I was a James-Bond-crazed 13-year-old kid. After a childhood of movie houses that ranged from generous to grand, I was shocked at the size and minimalism of the Cinema II. There was no curtain! And I has never seen a movie screen so small, or a theater so narrow. The fact that the screen was recessed into a slot in the wall made everything seem even punier. The dad of a frind of mine regularly showed 35 mm slides of his trips in the basement of his house, and I vividly remember the feeling that this theater felt just like that basement. (And the experience wasn't helped by the fact that Thunderball was the first Bond film that left me badly disappointed.)
As I grew up, though, I learned to appreciate the wonderful selection of films that the Cinemas showed, and the clean, modern feel of the theater. The Saturday night ritual of standing in a long line with my girlfriend, patiently and eagerly anticipating a film treat, along with hundreds of like-minded fans, is something I'll always remember. Even when it was cold, it was fun.

These people are a bunch of greedy low lifes, this is a sure sign the cinemas are goners. Not that they have many locations left, but I stopped attending any of their theatres after the Sutton fiasco. I guess they dont care, they can laugh all the way to the bank with the millions they will get from putting another skyscraper there. Any class the cinemas had anyways were destroed with the triplexing and their bookings are no better then a Long Island UA.

BTW, they also changed the marquee signage (but thats a minor problem) - the Cinema 1 Cinema 2 Cinema 3 along the side is gone and replaced with Cinema 1, 2, 3 along the top edge in thin letters that you can barely see from across the street. The Cinema 1 2 3 is the last owned property City Cinemas has in New York - the other 3 are leased. And the primo location on Third Ave. opposite Bloomingdales will command huge bucks if it were to come on the market. I wonder if it is possible to get it landmarked as it is now and then order them to restore it?

I vividly remember these two cinemas, it was a big deal, think they were the first to be built from scratch in a long time. As a teenager when they opened I loved the look of them, so modern looking and comfortable. What stands out for me is the large display case that would have 3-D and quite nice displays for the film showing. Don't think this kind of display retailing had ever been done before, but I could be wrong. Also felt very sophisticated going there to see a movie.

With apologies to Sheryl Crow, apropos of nothing, the Cinema 1-2-3, located, of course, diagonally from the former Alexander's site on the southeast corner of 3rd and 60th, is currently showing 'Alexander'. (Weird, little, 'fun' useless fact for the day...)

Thanks for the "woo woo" moment, Br549, I mean 91975, it brings back a memory of what I THINK is of the old Cinema I and II. I remember seeing some movie at one of the cinemas on a bleak winter day, probably 1966. I was in the upper lobby, waiting for -- something -- and staring idly out the window. I could see the marquee of what I'm pretty sure was the RKO 58th St. I think the RKO marquee had an unusual shape -- triangular? And it listed "Juliet of the Spirits". I was just a kid, had not yet heard of Fellini, and I remember wondering idly during my wait about what that movie might be about.
So, Cinema fans, does anyone remember -- COULD you see the 58th St. marquee from Cinema I and II lobby, and did it actually have an unusual shape?

Just a minor correction to my last post - and anyone familiar with Midtown East, at least until the time the site was cleared a few years ago to make room for the new Bloomberg tower, would know this so well - Alexander's was actually located on the southwest corner, NOT the southeast corner, of 3rd and 60th.

I had forgotten all about Alexander's Department Store. Do you remember how it used to say "INCREDIBLE Alexander's," in humongous letters on the 60th Street side. Talk about an overstatement. Alexander's was a poor cousin to "the other Korvettes."

See today's New York Post (January 6) for story of forthcoming spring demolition of Cinema 1-2-3. With the Baronet/Coronet replaced next door by a high-rise, it was inevitable that developers would make the move on Cinema 1-2-3. The glory days of east side movie-going are over. Cinema One was where we saw "Tom Jones," "A Clockwork Orange," "The Exorcist." And in the minds of New Yorkers, pictures like those will forever be associated with that theater.

Not a damn surprise, I really, truly hate to say. With as vocal and as passionate an advocate as Harvey Weinstein getting involved, however, I think there's a better than fair chance of the Cinema 1-2-3 and the Beekman being saved. (Meanwhile, I would have hoped for a more emotionally engaged response from Woddy Allen, but perhaps stronger words - and actions - will soon follow; below, for the record, is the NY Post article Paul first brought to our attention.)

SAD CINEMA SEQUEL

By LOU LUMENICK Post Movie Critic

January 6, 2005 -- A second historic Upper East Side movie theater, the Cinema 1, 2 & 3 behind Bloomingdale's on Third Avenue, will close this spring and be converted to retail space, The Post has learned.
The latest shocker came as New Yorkers were stunned by The Post's report yesterday that the prestigious Beekman Theatre, at Second Avenue and 66th Street, will close in June, be torn down and replaced by an outpatient-treatment center run by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital.

Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein said he will fight to keep the theaters open.

"I spent my formative years as a teenager haunting these movie theaters," Weinstein told The Post from Paris, where he was attending the European premiere of "The Aviator."

"I used to take the train from my home in Flushing when movies like 'Raging Bull,' 'Rocky' and 'Midnight Cowboy' would open exclusively at the Cinema 1."

Weinstein vowed to do "whatever I have to do, including financially" to save the endangered theaters.

"To me, they're shrines of the '70s movie experience, and it would be a great loss to the city's cultural life for them to close," he said.

New York's most famous filmmaker agreed.

"Of course I think it's sad," said Woody Allen, who shot a famous scene in "Annie Hall" at the Beekman. "It joins a long list of charming Manhattan landmarks I've filmed at over the years that have since vanished."

Reading International, the parent company of City Cinemas, has filed for a permit with the city's Buildings Department to demolish the interior.

The company's executives did not return phone calls.

Seri Worden, executive director of the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic District, said the owners had recently applied a stucco facing over the blue tiles outside the theater — apparently to prevent the building from being placed on the landmark list.

Thanks also go out to Lou Lumenick, for breaking the Cinema 1-2-3 story and for bringing the potential plight of the Beekman to the attention of the public at-large, and for Fox-5 (owned by News Corporation, as is the Post) for covering the story of the Beekman in their news coverage last night. Excellent job and, again, thank you both.

Here's hoping that the back-to-back announcements of the closings of the Beekman and Cinema 1-2-3 will prove to be a catalyst in improving the quality of filmgoing on the Upper East Side.

One of the most memorable experiences I had as a moviegoer took place in Cinema 1 on a Friday in the fall of 1980: the opening night showing of "Heaven's Gate" (Cinema 1 was showing the film exclusively). A section of the auditorium was roped off for United Artists executives, who emerged ashen-faced after the screening ended (the audience booed as the credits rolled). The next day, United Artists announced that the film would be pulled from Cinema 1 the following week.

I saw "Heaven's Gate" there during that week because it became must-see movie among many serious film buffs. Although I have some reservations about the picture, it is in many aspects quite extraordinary. Since then the "director's cut" has become a bit of a cult movie and is available on DVD.

I think it sucks that this theater is also going to close. There are no theaters left on the east side except the New York Twin which has never been a great theater. There are no multiplexes on the east side. Why would someone go all the way across town when they have tow beautiful theaters as the Beekman and Cinema 1,2,3. I know Cinema 1 & 2 were nice when I went there in the 70's and 80's b 4 the split of theater 2.The one thing didn't like was that strip that they used in place of masking. Did City Cinemas ever put in reasl masking?

Speaking of "Heaven's Gate," I went to the final showing of that epic at Cinema One on a rainy Thursday night. I was seated in the front row of the raised rear section, and next to me was Pauline Kael, who chortled throughout the film, took notes, while eating danish pastries and sipping on miniature bottles of whiskey.

I saw the original Rocky here at a 2:00am showing, with the usher crying, Don't you know you won't be out until after 4am? I guess he wanted to go home a little earlier. We smoked some weed, right in our seats, and had a great time.

I also saw The Elephant Man here...the movie took pains to carefully show the sight of him bit by bit. Well, by the time he was fully revealed we were sort of prepared for it, and we watched in quiet amazement. However, some ladies had arrived late and hadn't been prepared, so when he came on screen again they started shouting and carrying on at the top of their voices, much to the annoyance of the upper eastside types that otherwise filled the theater. I had to laugh because I felt like I was across town on 42nd Street. Those Deuce audiences always expressed their opinions loud and clear, unlike their staid eastside counterparts!

I think it is very vicious and sneaky to deface buildings to prevent their being landmarked. I recently walked past Cinemas 1,2,3, saw the stuccoing over the beautiful blue tiles, and wondered what was going on. Not too long before that, I had passed by the Sutton Theatre and was perplexed to see that the columns on the facade had been hacked at. Later that theatre was demolished. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Beekman Theatre similarly defaced, in advance of its demolition, to prevent it from being landmarked. This is the mentality of our time.

Hey Guys. Not for nothing, but the Cinema I has been a s#^thole for YEARS. Small screens, uncomfortable seating, bad sound, clueless employees - good riddance.
Ditto for the Beekman - yes, it was nicely kept up since the renovation, BUT,,,they had (might still have - don't go there anymore) a focus problem w/their scope lens, had a busted speaker for over a year and they LOVE to run the movies at a volume level that is just above inaudible. Really, if you're gonna play a movie on level 4.0, what's the point of going to a theatre? $10.50 for television sound? No thanks.

Cinema 1, 2, 3 is just in sad shape. I love the back wall but on Friday's screenings, which were packed, they had ONE person serving concessions and TWO people guiding people into Cinema 1 and 3 upstairs. I set my coat down in Cinema 1's upper section, went down to the long concessions line, and got back to find the film had already started. I sat back with my popcorn and the seat back fell out from behind her. I moved over one seat to the aisle, but the intense bright lights under the handrails leading to the upper section had me moving another row back. Luckily the legroom is good, but...

When the lights came up I saw the horror that was adding the hallways to Cinema 3. It's just completely awkward. And sadly I noticed the curtains did not move before or after the show. I asked the ushers and they said that the curtains go up once before the first show and down only at the end of the last show.

It's just too simple to create a nice experience. It really causes more problems to have bad management than to just spend a few hours figuring out a better scenario.

The back curved wall is nice, the odd 'gallery' is interesting, the scultpure down to Cinema 2 could be cooler, but it's great to be in that upper lobby and imagine how great it must have been to go to a premiere exclusive film and look out over east side New York in front of Bloomingdale's.

As it is now, Cinema 1, 2, 3 is one of the lesser filmgoing experiences in town. It just doesn't have to be this poor. Especially with audiences filling the seats.

When I lived in NYC, they never had curtains. When did they install drapes. Was it during the addition of theater 3? For many years they didn't have masking. In the late 70's Cinema 1 had masking. When I went back several years and saw Prince Of The City, they had that dumb strip.

Cinema 1 put up curtains in 1989 for the addition of Cinema "3."
It's been downhill ever since.

As much as I loved the old Cinema 1 & 2, this place has gone down and might as well close. The sad this is there is nothing being built to replace it.

What great theaters in the 1960s. Great competition for the fading movie palaces... But neither of the venues lasted... The hoi polloi today are only happy with those horrible multiplexes... I guess TV and the plasma screens have taken over.... They have, as far as I am concerned.

According to a source that I was finally able to get in touch with today, the artwork and other elements were removed from the interior and the exterior was altered specifically to prevent landmarking. It was their intention to demolish the building and put up a highrise, supposedly with new theatres in the bottom. The demolition was to occur this spring, but whatever the deal was fell through. I'm told that two days ago they found out the building won't come down for at least another 5 years. Certain major repairs are going to be made, I'm trying to find out what kind of repairs, though I doubt it will include restoration of the artwork or the exterior.

I won't give City Cinemas a dime of my movie going money.

Great news. At least one theater got a reprieve. Was city cinemas going to operate the theater in the new high rise?

Good to hear of the reprieve, but it appears obvious that City Cinemas/Reading is more interested in real estate, and not movie exhibition. What became of the suggestion that Harvey Weinstein might offer to purchase & operate both the Beekman & Cinema 1,2,3 - saving them from the wrecking ball?

The artwork has been put into storage (knowing City Cinemas, that means the $500,000 Bolotowski painting was probably thrown on the floor of a self-storage unit in Queens), and will not be re-installed in the theatre. "Major repairs" have been defined as some painting and ceiling panel replacement. What a bunch of hairbags......

could dave-bronx please contact me about what is happening with this theater. I amongst others have been lobbying to have it protected

my email is JURAYJ@AOL.COM
THANKS
john

All concerned people should contact the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to express outrage over the potential loss of Cinemas I II as well as the loss of significant artwork. Request the LPC to designate the Cinemas I II as a New York City landmark. Landmark status will prevent further demolition of the building. Every letter or email helps.

Robert B. Tierney, Chair
NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
1 Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
F: 212-669-7955
rtierney@lpc.nyc.gov

Please contact Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts for more information.

Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts
20 East 60th Street, #4B
NY, NY 10021
info@friends-ues.org
www.friends-ues.org
212-535-2526

Good idea, fueshd!

People should be aware that the Landmarks Preservation Commission has been dragging its feet regarding a number of potential landmarks recently. It seems to be part of an unspoken "plan": if you've already secretly decided not to landmark something, don't allow a public hearing on it (the first step in the landmarking process) to be "calendared."

Recently a very strong potential candidate for landmarking, the Paterson Silk Co. Building on 14th St. (an early design by Morris Lapidus, who is famous for the Fontainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach) was unexpectedly pretty much destroyed. (See the 3/9/05, "New York Times" article, "Wrecking Ball Dashes Hopes for a Lapidus Work" by Robin Pogrebin.) This was another case of where a number of the big names in landmarks preservation asked the LPC to hold a public hearing, and they refused to schedule one.

But perhaps the "stink" over the loss of this building (the LPC seemed to be put on the defensive in the NY Times article) might be useful in the fight for at least a public hearing on some of the others, like the Beekman. So you might want to mention the loss of the Paterson Silk Building in your letter.

A interesting "wrinkle" with regard to the Cinema 1, 2 and 3 case: It is an unwritten law (and possible a written one, too, I forget) that once a building's significant features have been altered, it is "too late" for landmark designation to save them. (Which is why developers try to sneak a demolition or alteration in before something is landmarked.) But in the "NY Times" article referred to above, the Chairman of the Landmark Preservation Commission claimed that he could still landmark the Paterson Silk Building and have the building rebuilt. So I hope people get a chance to read that NY Times article and directly challenge the LPC on this statement if they get a reply saying that Cinema 1, 2, 3 has been altered too much for landmark designation.

In Xan Cassavetes' documentary about LA's Z Channel cable service from the 1970s and 1980s, there is some news footage from opening day of "Heavens Gate" at the 1, 2, 3. Growing up in Los Angeles, I used to feel cheated that New York City had all these great movie theatres, and get all the best movies first.

When I finally moved to New York City in 2001, I went to the 1, 2, 3 to see "I Am Sam." While the movie wasn't all that good, the theatre it played in was horrid. The tiny one, where I couldn't hear half of the dialogue because the first "Lord of the Rings" movie was playing in the main theatre and the sound was cranked up to 11. The seats were in various states of disrepair, the screen masking atrocious and the aperature plate cut so wrong that part of the movie was playing on the ceiling.

Three and a half years later, I have yet to go back, and I live up the street from the theatre. If this was a great theatre before, I never would have known it in these modern times.

This theater's claim to fame was it's upper east side location and it's artwork outside reflecting the current and future attractions. It's auditoriums and presentatations were always second rate especially when compared to the west side movie palaces of the day.

In today's (March 24, 2005) issue of the on-line version of the "New York Times" there was an article that mentions Cinema 1, 2, 3 along with the Beekman. The article is "In Preservation Wars, a Focus on Midcentury" by Robin Pogrebin. (Registration Required)

The article confirms that, "Plans have been announced to convert Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 . . . into retail space" and puts the fight to save Cinema 1, 2 & 3 into the larger context of the fight by preservationists to get the Landmarks Preservation Commission to hold hearings on a number of mid-20th Century buildings that a good number of citizens (some of them quite distinguished in the preservation field) feel are legitimate candidates for landmark designation.

What's especially interesting to me with regard to the plans for Cinema 1, 2, 3 is that the owners said in the January 27th issue of "Our Town" (a free weekly community newspaper) that the theaters were going to continue as theaters. (See my post on the Beekman page.)

Another poster, Robert R, responded that he didn't believe the owners, and his distrust was, apparently, very quickly proven to be justified!

The saddest part is that with Cinema 1-2-3 closing it only leaves the Clearview-plex and the 59th Street East. The East side once abounded with top notch cinemas, and unless that zoning law gets changed there will be no new ones. Too bad the Manhattan 1 & 2 and the Gotham (Trans-Lux) did not hang in awhile they would have all the bookings they needed.

Does anyone know just what it is exactly that the Landmarks Preservation Commission ACTUALLY does, besides drawing salary and expenses from the City of New York?
They aren't interested in the Cinemas -
They aren't interested in the Beekman -
They weren't interested Sutton -
They weren't interested in the Trylon -
They claimed they were interested in the Keith's in Flushing, and look what happened to that -
They claimed they were interested in the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn and look what happened to that -
It seems that for anything to get protected by them, it has to be either huge, like Grand Central Terminal or the Empire State Building, or miniscule, like the old jailhouse window behind the Manhattan Municipal building, or a lamp post in Chinatown. Anything in between is, apparently, fair game for developers and sleazy property owners like ____ _______ (you fill in the blanks).

I was watching a documentary about the making of the notorious flop "Heaven's Gate" and there was some news footage of the Cinema I,II,III in the documentary because this was where HG had its disastrous premier. Canby in the Times panned -- belittled the filme -- and after a week it was pulled from theatres, shortened and re-released in theatres to no avail.

I remember Ralph Donnelly from the days when I took Richard Brown's film class (early 90's) and he would guest host the class when RB was otherwise occupied. Ralph always seemed like a class act. He is listed in the Walter Reade Theater's calendar as one of the "President Emeriti." I remember reading somewhere -- this was awhile ago -- that they had a big testimonial dinner for Ralph. Probably when he retired.

Heaven's Gate did not last a full week at Cinema I.

I'm very happy to see there are so many fans of the cinemas. i was a manager back in 1983 and again in the 90's. It was a great theater, i have a lot of good memories. Ralph Is A Class Act. to bad there aren't any more like him left in the buisness. the business is run by a bunch of morons who haven't a clue. Oh do i miss. the theater people. By the way Dave from the bronx is one of those theater people i'm talking about.the good ones not the morons. Those guys need a map to get out of bed in the morning

I was here last month, and I must say, this is the worst theater I have ever been in. The seats were ripped, dirty and uncomfortable. It also smelled like urine throughout the whole movie, making it quite obvious that they do not clean the movie rooms. I will never go back.

They might as well just close it now, they are draining the last bit of blood out of it before the inevitable. It is sad what movie theatres are becoming today, 3-4 week ads for the DVD release. :(

Very true Robert, the movie buisness is now being run by people who barley no how to walk. The time has come for all good theater people and movie lovers to let the public know whats going on. The powers that be are getting rid of projectionists, and now charge 10.75. Mark my words, it will be 11.00 before the end of the year

Movieguy., In responce to your coments on may 5th, I have spent over twenty years in the movie theater buisness. My anger is a daily event. I have witnessed to many theaters close. I don't know what you do for a living but when a theater shuts down it's like a stake in the heart, I feel more for the cinemas, because they are a big part of my life, as is the beekman,murray hill, plaza,and many others
i'm glad you are a movie fan but don't go telling me what a beautiful movie house is, since my carrer has been a theater manager. including 10 years at Radio City Music Hall

Here's the cover of a booklet given out at Cinema I in 1978 for the 70mm showing of "Days of Heaven". A newspaper strike was on at the time, so either the studio or the theater prepared this compilation of reviews of the movie by New York critics:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/DaysofHeaven.jpg

I sent the following e-mail yesterday to Lou Lumenick, a NY Post film critic who wrote articles on consecutive days this past winter, discussing the demolition threats looming over the Cinema 1-2-3 and the Beekman; I'll post his response as soon as it arrives in my inbox.
____________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Lumenick,

During the winter, you wrote two excellent articles, bringing to the public's attention the threat of demolition looming over the Beekman and Cinema 1-2-3. While that threat seems to have temporarily subsided in the case of the Cinema 1-2-3 (the deal for a high-rise to be built on the property having temporaily fallen through, giving the Cinema 1-2-3 an apparent reprieve of a few years, at least), the Beekman is still in imminent danger (word has it that the Beekman is scheduled to close sometime in June). Meanwhile, little or no news has come about efforts to preserve either of these theatres and to spare them from the wrecking ball. As you well know, we've lost too many valuable cinemas and/or past or present filmgoing venues over the last few years (the Sutton, the Art Greenwich, the Murray Hill, the Gotham, and, as I type these words, the Variety, downtown on 3rd Avenue near 14th) and too few people seem to care or are aware of the character this city is losing when one of these theatres closes its doors for good.

Anything further you can do (i.e., perhaps in writing another article, somehow spreading the word otherwise, or maybe contacting Harvey Weinstein again as a follow-up; his passion and his influence can truly go a long way towards saving the Beekman and Cinema 1-2-3) would be much appreciated.

Keep up the great work and thank you for your time.

I would not give City Cinemas a dime of my movie going money. To me Cinema 1 & 2 is long dead.

When I lived in NYC 76-83, Cinema ! & 2 were upscale beautiful theaters. Cinema 5 kept them as premier showcase theaters of the east side. I am sure once City Cinemas took over and made a 3rd theater it was downhill from there. I am only sorry that I never went to the Beekman.

Sept 27, 1972 when the Cinemas were the pride of Cinema 5, they were presenting two world premiere engagements. In Cinema 1 "The Ruling Class" and in Cinema 2 "A Seperate Peace".

The original 2 auditoriums here were actually General Cinema-style auditoriums, i.e. the white box around the screen lit with red and blue cove lighting, and the gray Alpro panelling (corrugated, perforated aluminum panels with fiberglass insulation behind it for sound control) on the walls, all plain and no draperies or other decoration.

When I worked for General Cinema, I recall a published interview with Mel Wintman, then the GCCs Exec.VP - where he was asked, among other things, about the design of the auditorium. He said that it was all very plain, with the front-end "splayed" into the screen to focus the movie-goers attention on the picture and eliminate as many distractions as possible.

The only slight difference in design here was those silly masking strips we used on the edge of the flat picture, probably to satisfy the New York film-philes. At General Cinema we didn't use masking - but we had very precise aperture plates cut (something that nobody in New York seems to be able to do), and nobody ever complained about an un-masked picture.

dave-bronx: The reason General Cinema was able to get such a sharp edge with their aperture plates was that they used special plates. The General Cinema projection package consisted of Century projector heads which had the gate rails notched out in back over the aperture area so a thicker plate could be used which put the face of the plate closer to the film. Since aperture plates can never be in the same physical space as the film, there is always some fuzz line which varies with the depth of focus of the projection lens used (that in turn is also affected by the focal length.) The disadvantage to that system is that the closer to the film the plate is, the more the danger of scratching the film if it buckles from the heat of the lamp. My predecessor as Head Projectionist at Radio City Music Hall was Bill Nafash who was a master at cinema installation and did work for Rugoff. Those masking strips may have been a solution he worked out to provide a sharp edge to the picture. I remember seeing the strips used at the Murray Hill, and I think there were two or three sets of them for 1.85, 1.66 and 1.37. They may have also used the special "thick" Century aperture plates as well.

When I worked there, Cinema I had Cinemeccanica V8 35/70 machines, Cinema II had Simplex XL 35's, and the Murray Hill (prior to the ceiling collapse) had Cinemeccanica V8 35/70, that were later installed in the 57th St. Playhouse.

Hey DAVE - Totally off subject. But since u seem to know what you are talking about... The newest sound processors are capable or storing many sound (volume) cues. ie: one for commercials, one for trailers, one for the feature. Why do projectionists refuse to use this feature? I've been in plenty of theatres where the trailers are screamingly loud and people complain to turn it down which they invariably do, but then when the feature starts, it's WAY too soft. And honestly, the trailers and features have been pretty much equallized in recent years. Do they really not know that this feature is available to them? Or are they just lazy??

I'm not an expert on projection/sound. Where I'm at we have Sony and Dolby digital processors, and I'm not aware that they have that capability, but i'll ask around. The studios claim all the trailers and features have the same equalization, but I don't buy it. In a multiplex the single operator can't stand by the fader in each auditorium adjusting for each trailer, so the level is usually set for the main feature.

Thanks DAVE...The Dolby 500 and SDDS 3000 are both equipped with this feature. They work in a slightly different fashion from each other, but offer the same results - lower for the trailers, proper volume for the feature.

We had the original SDDS units (trash @ $15G ea.) in all the auditoriums at our place and last year replaced half of them with Dolby, though I don't recall the model number. We are putting additional Dolby's for replacement of the remaining Sony's on our cap ex wish list for the new year.

Dave: The V-8's at the Murray Hill came from Cinema I originally. They were installed for "Heaven's Gate", and then moved to the Murray Hill for the first "Superman" film. They were installed at the Murray Hill by Altec Service, and I remember one of the men on the crew telling me how they worked all night to get the projectors ready for the first show early the next morning. They started the show for a house full of kids and when they changed to the second reel there was no sound. They went crazy trying to find the problem, and finally threaded the second reel on the first projector to discover that someone on the West Coast had not sounded the reel! The showings were cancelled until another reel could be shipped in. There may have been a second set of V-8's installed in Cinema I after that, so both theatres could have had them at the same time. I seem to remember "Oklahoma" playing there as a re-release at 30 f.p.s.

I was Cinema 1 & 2 only when I saw these at one or the other.
'Carnal Knowldege', 'Swept Away By An Unusual Destiny In The Blue Seas Of August', 'Visions Of Eight', 'The Story Of Adele H.', 'The Exorcist', 'Nashville', and 'Cries & Whispers'...
It seems I frequented these cinemas more.

I do recall seing Resnais' 'Providence' at The Cienma 3 at a lower level alongside The Plaza Hotel.

Also at Cinema's 1 & 2
Fellini's 'Orchestra Rehearsal' Wertmuller's 'Travolti Da Un Insolito Destino Nell'Azzurro Mare D'Agosto' aka 'Swept Away...'and Fellini's 'Casanova'.

About the most obscure film I ever saw at Cinema II was the 1963 Ladybug Ladybug, about a rural school that believes there is a about to be a nuclear attack. It was directed by Frank Perry, of David and Lisa fame, but it bombed at the boxoffice and was hardly seen much again.

I recall having seen Carnal Knowledge at the Beekman.

In the '70's, it was definitely the must book theatre. Of course in those days exclusive engagements meant the film was special as opposed to today where an exclusive is usually a contractual obligation before a DVD release. As Peter Damian says above, this is were "The Exorcist" became a phenomenon. I also remember the full page ads opening day for "A Clockwork Orange". They also did displays in their windows like the department stores did. For "Dog Day Afternoon, they had the one sheet and a rifle, pizza boxes and a six pack of Coke. In the '80's they were Disney's flagship and they would premiere their annual animated musicals there. Some of the films I saw there were, "Beaches", Altman's "Short Cuts", "Seven", "Beauty and The Beast" and "Aladdin".

Playing at Cinema 1, 2, 3 this past week: The Brothers Grimm, Must Love Dogs and Wedding Crashers.

I have made a photo gallery of the Cinema photos that I have. The ones labeled "1962..." are scans of 3.5"x5" snapshots given to me by Abe Geller, the original architect. They are reductions of his original 8"x10" photos taken when the theatre was completed in 1962. Since this was one of the earliest 2-screen theatres (the AIA guide to New York refers to it as a "piggy-back pair"), Mr. Geller drew up the cut-away view, probably for architectural and theatre trade publications, to show how the 2 theatres were configured into such a tight lot - 75' frontage x 110' deep.

The photos labeled "1988..." are scans of of 8"x10" photos, also given to me by Mr. Geller upon the completion of his renovations.

http://photobucket.com/albums/b123/dave-bronx/Cinema%20I-II%20New%20York/?

Dave Thanks great job as always Frank

Great pics Dave. When did they install curtains in this theater. When I lived in NYC 76-83 they never had curtains or even masking.Seemed to be a Rugoff policy. Do they use the curtains now?

These are great photos Dave. Appreciate very much you sharing them with us.
One correction. The 1962 photos had to be taken in 1965. "How To Murder Your Wife" is being shown at the Cinema 1. I assume the 1962 date refers to the completion of the theater being built and not when the photos were taken.
Never the less, these are splendid photos. As I view the photos wonderful memories flood my head reliving the many times and terrific movies I saw at these theaters.

Thanks for the response. Probably that one exterior was taken in 65, for some reason. The others all have the same odd quality to them, including the arcade view, where the Cinema I marquee has the title 'Boccaccio 70', which was the opening picture in both theatres.

Not only were they great theatres but I had forgotten those legendary block marquees. They should have added a 3rd one for the triplexing but instead put that abortion that is there now. At this point it's all over anyways, its days are numbered.

I don't care for all the streamlined starkness, typical of the decade. A misguided attempt to get away from the dizzy gaudiness of prior styles. Looks like the United Nations or JFK International Airport, circa 1962.

The curtains were put up in 1988 during the renovation. They did use them for a time, but now they stay open because they have those stupid advertising slides at intermission - a revenue-generating program.

What's the latest on the preservation efforts here?

I remember seeing a number of movies here in the early 1980's including the terrific Aussie flick "Breaker Morant" in the early winter of '81. Then there was Jessica Lange in the biopic "Frances" which had a one week Oscar-qualifying run here in December of '82 before its general release in January or February. I also saw Lumet's epic police drama "Prince of the City" here as well as Bill Forsythe's charming Scottish comedy "Local Hero" and John Lurie's bizarre road flick "Stranger than Paradise." I believe that was the last film I saw at the Cinema I and II - was that 1984? I remember while I was in the neighborhood for either "Local Hero" or "Breaker Morant" it was so cold out that I ran into Alexander's to buy myself a cheap scarf and pair of gloves. I seem to recall when you walked up out of the subway you came up right in front of theater practically under the Cinema II marquee, with the Cinema I marquee just a few steps ahead of you and the Baronet/Coronet marquee beyond that further down the block.

Anyway... It certainly wasn't the theater's modern design and physical specifications but the wonderful programming that kept me coming back.

Well, folks, they're at it again - the entertainment moguls at "City Cinemas, the most dynamic and comfortable theaters in New York City" [quote from one of their help-wanted ads - LOL!] - I haven't heard any details yet, but the rumor on the grapevine is that the C1-2-3 will close this June - and whether they are going to level the place or convert it to retail I have not yet heard. Stay tuned to this station for further developments....

We knew it was coming, that leaves the theatre on 1st Avenue and the Imagasian (Griffith) in an area that once burst with cinemas.

The unique glazed blue brick and glass facade was sadly concealed with white stucco. It resembles a blank canvas. What an eyesore! The last time I passed it, which was about 2 months ago, the marquee was still present. I'm not sure whether movies are still being shown.

City Cinema's site shows they are still showing movies.
"Down in the Valley", "Friends with Money" and "The Promise" as of today. The site only shows dates 8 days in advance.

Thank you, William!

Have they closed the third screen in this cinema. The Times listings in Friday's "Weekend" section listed only Cinema 1 & 2 Third Avenue and only two movies are listed. It could mean one of the movies is playing on two screens, but it also may mean the tiny cinema is closed. I was there a year ago and the little theatre in the back on the second floor was looking awful tawdry.

these were two of my favorite theatres and what a shame that now they are going or gone already. I loved the newness of the design when it opened in the 60's. I loved also the display case, so unusual in that there were 3-D displays for the film being shown. I remember how exciting they were. Thanks for the color photos. beautiful. I saw nothing but a man, and a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, kiss of the spider woman, The Exoricist, to sir with love, Nashville, carnal knowlede and many others. Even if I wasn't seeing the film showing I would love to see the displays. They were I recall very clever.
I am posting movie material relating to theatres in new york and general film material here
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n94/irajoel/

I have much more on my website for sale at
www.cinemagebooks.com posters, non film material, graphic design photography and much more.
irajoelirajoel@yahoo.com

A c/o was issued in June of 1962 for a motion picture theater at this address. It is described as : Large theater-705 seats. Small theater-290 seats. In March of 1989 the seating for a triplex is given as: Theater #1-537, Theater #2-293, Theater #3-154 seats.

Saw "The Queen" on Thanksgiving in the tiny Cinema 3. The interior of the building is unremarkable and is not being well maintained. Seats were ujncomfortable, ragged and dirty. Lobby area overheated and staff were loud and abrasive as they herded crowds around...those of us heading upstairs had to wait in a corner while huge noisy crowds exited the penguin movie on the first floor. There is an tacky painting of Brooke Shields in the lobby. If the artist reads this, I apologize for the negative opinion but it is my honest response to what I saw.

While I was waiting outside in the recessed area beneath the marquee, I noticed a plaque very low on the building indicating it had received some sort of recognition or award as an interesting example of 1960s urban architecture.

Another exterior pic here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/422477374/

Thank you for sharing, Ian! It is a shame that this 60's Modernistic glazed blue brick facade was recently concealed with lackluster white stucco. What is happening to our city? Several older theaters i.e. the Beekman, Sutton, etc. have been demolished over the course of the past few years. :(

Here is a picture of the merit award plaque on this building:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b254/davebazooka/CINEMA123.jpg

The other day I was walking across town on the south side of 34th Street. Almost next door to the Empire State Bldg. there is the Herald Towers apartments, which was formerly the McAlpin Hotel. I noticed the lobby had been renovated so I looked inside and lo and behold hanging from the ceiling there are 3 of the artichoke chandeliers from the upper lobby of Cinema I. The copper leaves have been painted white. I asked the doorman where they got them and of course he didn't know. These have to be from the Cinema, I believe they were custom made for the theatre and not an 'off-the-shelf' item at the Home Depot. Go there and have a look, see what you think.

Now that I think of it, I wonder where the other 3 lamps are - there were 6 in the theatre...

I'm in the process of writing up some memoirs of my younger days. My first "grown up" trip to NYC (20 y.o.) was in spring 1968. I went to a movie at Cinema I more to see the elegant new building rather than the movie. The film was Elvira Madigan, and I remember crying on my way out. I was especially impressed that there were no drapes on the stage, but rather the sliding panels that adjusted to the proper frame ratio of whatever was being projected.

Any word on whether the Cinema 1, 2, 3 is still living on borrowed time? I saw 'The Brave One' in Cinema 2 a few weeks back and wasn't surprised (this is, as well-documented above, City Cinemas we're talking about - a.k.a., NYC's finest 'unofficial' real estate developer) to find the auditorium was looking a bit run-down and shaggy...

An exterior photo and some 'blog' here:
http://www.moviebunker.com/cc_cinemas_new_york.htm

The following was posted to the Uniondale Mini page:
----------------
Exhibitor Ralph E. Donnelly died Sept. 21 in Palm Harbor, Fla. He was 75.

~~Donnelly was a pioneer of specialized exhibition, and established the First Avenue Screening Room in Manhattan and the Mini Cinema in Uniondale, New York. ~~

He was a founder of the annual ShowEast convention. Starting in his teens as an usher, he ultimately became president of Cinema 5 Theaters in Manhattan. He was also head film buyer at City Cinemas, RKO-Stanley Warner Theaters, Creative Film Services and Associated Independent Theaters. A past president of the Variety Club and the Motion Picture Bookers Club, he was also a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and was on the board of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. After Donnelly retired, he served as a shipboard host on cruises, screening films and leading discussions of film lore. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; a sister; three children and five grandchildren.
posted by Kyra on Dec 18, 2007 at 2:31pm

Here is a list of the 1st-run movies that were shown at the CINEMAS 1, 2, 3 from 2002 to today.

1/25/02- The Count of Monte Cristo
2/1/02- Birthday Girl
2/15/02- John Q
3/1/02- 40 Days and 40 Nights
3/29/02- The Rookie
4/5/02- National Lampoon's Van Wilder
4/12/02- Human Nature
4/19/02- Enigma
4/19/02- Murder by Numbers
5/24/02- Insomnia
6/7/02- Bad Company
6/7/02- Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
6/21/02- Lilo & Stitch
8/2/02- Signs
8/16/02- Full Frontal
8/30/02- One Hour Photo
9/27/02- Moonlight Mile
10/11/02- Tuck Everlasting
10/11/02- White Oleander
11/15/02- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
11/27/02- Treasure Planet
12/6/02- Empire
12/20/02- Gangs of New York
12/20/02- Two Weeks Notice
1/3/03- About Schmidt
1/3/03- Chicago
1/17/03- Kangaroo Jack
1/31/03- The Recruit
2/14/03- The Quiet American
3/7/03- Bringing Down the House
3/21/03- Dreamcatcher
4/4/03- The Good Thief
6/6/03- Whale Rider
6/13/03- Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
7/2/03- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
7/18/03- How to Deal
7/25/03- Spy kids 3D: Game Over
8/22/03- My Boss's Daughter
9/12/03- Matchstick Men
9/19/03- Cold Creek Manor
9/26/03- Duplex
10/10/03- Kill Bill Vol 1
10/17/03- Veronica Guerin
10/24/03- Scary Movie 3
10/31/03- The Human Stain
11/5/03- The Matrix Revolutions
11/7/03- Elf
11/26/03- Bad Santa
12/17/03- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
12/25/03- Cold Mountain
TBA 2004- City of God
1/9/04- Chasing Liberty
1/23/04- The Butterfly Effect
1/30/04- The Big Bounce
3/5/04- Starsky & Hutch
3/19/04- Taking Lives
3/26/04- Jersey Girl
4/9/04- The Whole Ten Yards
4/16/04- Kill Bill Vol 2
4/30/04- Laws of Attraction
6/4/04- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6/25/04- The Notebook
7/16/04- The Door In The Floor
7/23/04- Catwoman
7/30/04- The Village
8/27/04- Hero
9/10/04- Cellular
9/10/04- Criminal
9/24/04- Shaun of the Dead
10/15/04- Eulogy
10/15/04- Shall We Dance?
10/29/04- Birth
11/12/04- Finding Neverland
11/24/04- Alexander
12/17/04- The Aviator
12/22/04- The Phantom of the Opera
1/7/05- Million Dollar Baby
3/11/05- The Upside of Anger
4/1/05- Sin City
5/13/05- Layer Cake
5/13/05- Mad Hot Ballroom
5/13/05- Monster-In-Law
6/15/05- Batman Begins
7/15/05- Wedding Crashers
7/29/05- Must Love Dogs
8/26/05- The Brothers Grimm
9/9/05- An Unfinished Life
9/16/05- Proof
9/30/05- A History of Violence
10/7/05- Good Night and Good Luck
10/7/05- The Squid and the Whale
11/11/05- Derailed
11/23/05- The Ice Harvest
12/9/05- Mrs. Henderson Presents
12/9/05- Syriana
12/14/05- The Three Burials of Melaquides Estrada
12/25/05- Rumor Has It...
1/20/06- The New World
2/10/06- Firewall
2/24/06- Tsotsi
3/10/06- The Libertine
4/7/06- Lucky Number Slevin
4/7/06- Take the Lead
4/21/06- Friends with Money
5/5/06- The Promise
6/9/06- An Inconvenient Truth
6/28/06- Superman Returns
6/30/06- The Devil Wears Prada
7/21/06- Lady in the Water
8/4/06- The Night Listener
8/18/06- Snakes on a Plane
9/1/06- The Wicker Man
9/15/06- Confetti
9/15/06- The Last Kiss
9/22/06- Flyboys
9/30/06- The Queen
10/6/06- The Departed
11/17/06- For Your Consideration
11/17/06- Happy Feet
12/8/06- Blood Diamond
12/21/06- Venus
1/5/07- Miss Potter
1/19/07- Letters From Iwo Jima
2/2/07- Little Children
2/23/07- The Lives of Others
2/23/07- The Number 23
3/23/07- The Last Mimzy
3/30/07- The Lookout
4/6/07- The Reaping
4/20/07- Black Book
4/20/07- Fracture
5/4/07- Lucky You
6/1/07- Mr. Brooks
6/8/07- Ocean's Thirteen
6/22/07- A Mighty Heart
7/4/07- Rescue Dawn
7/13/07- Talk to Me
7/20/07- Hairspray
8/3/07- Becoming Jane
8/17/07- The Invasion
8/24/07- The Nanny Diaries
9/14/07- The Brave One
9/21/07- The Jane Austen Book Club
9/28/07- Feast of Love
10/5/07- The Darjeeling Limited
10/19/07- Rendition
11/9/07- No Country for Old Men
11/16/07- Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
11/16/07- Love in the Time of Cholera
11/21/07- August Rush
12/7/07- The Golden Compass
12/14/07- I Am Legend
12/25/07- The Bucket List
1/11/08- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
1/18/08- There Will Be Blood

This theater still got it goin' on since 1962.

Ralph was a great guy .I worked with him at RKO STANLEY WARNER.A man that really new film and film buying.

Does anyone know if Ralph Donnelly was the brains behind Cinema 5 distribution?

They had a short but brilliant run of hit films in the late sixties/early seventies and their ad campaigns were way ahead of their time.

I remember being at both the C5 office on Bway and the CC office on 6th Ave. and Ralph would be in his office, either with someone or on the phone and they told him something funny or a joke or something. Well, he would burst into laughter that reverberated through the whole place - which, in turn, brought smiles to the faces of everyone, even in offices at the other end of the hall :)

The C5 ad campaigns were brilliant, and usually were accompanied by creative lobby displays in the first run houses. Memorable among these were the promotions for "Elvira Madigan", "Z", "Putney Swope", "the Fireman's Ball" and the "Two of Us".

Went by the theater a couple of weeks ago and although it was well past sunset, the marquee was dark. The Urban Outfitters next door by contrast, was brightly lit and many times more inviting than the darkened theater space.

Here is a postcard ad promoting the opening of Lina Wertmüller's Summer Night at Cinema II in June 1987.

Passed by a few hours ago (Sunday afternoon). General admission was $11.75. Entrance and foyer were empty except for employees.

This theatre's exterior briefly shows up in Brian De Palma's Greetings. One of the films advertised was Elvira Madigan.

Elvira Madigan, a Cinema V release, premiered at the Cinema II in the spring/summer of 1968.

Here is a December 1973 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/2mh9ch

The Exorcist was released on December 26, 1973 in the U.S.

Ralph Donnelly was the brains behind the operations and a great guy.

i cant believe this theater is still going.....

I just saw the "The Diving Bell and Butterfly" here recently in an effort to avoid the more conveniently located but awfully noisy Lincoln Plaza crowd.

There was an odd glare on the screen and fresh popped corn oil made it hard to breath, but the crown was so silent during the film you could hear a pin drop.

The "crown?" Was Queen Elizabeth II in attendance? Perhaps she stunned everyone into silence?

No. I meant you, your Highness.

Around the time "Tom Jones" was playing at Cinema 1 (and possibly concurrently at Cinema II), I recall the star of that film (presumably Albert Finney)appearing as the mystery guest on "What's My Line?" Panelist Dorothy Kilgallen figured out who it was (as a newspaper columnist she always knew who was in town beating the drums for a movie)and asked in her most chi-chi manner if the mystery guest had a new movie opening at theaters "we" (she and her friends) affectionately refer to as "Chinema 1 and Chinema 2." She was correct in identifying the mystery guest. But in my dozens of visits to those auditoriums from 1967 on, when I finally started spending all of my vacation time in New York, I could never enter them or even walk past those theaters without recalling how "in" she made them sound with her hoity-toity pronunciation "Chinema." Among the many films I saw there were "Sophie's Choice" and "Cries and Whispers." - Ed Blank

Curiously, Frank Sinatra used to call Dorothy Kilgallen "The Chinless Wonder," which referred to her lack of one and not to her pronunciation of "cinema."

The following is from the homepage of the Reading Int'l website, here, where they describe their business and objectives (note, in particular, the final sentence of the last paragraph below):

Reading International, Inc (AMEX: RDI) is in the business of owning and operating cinemas and live theaters and developing, owning and operating real estate assets. Our business consists primarily of

* the development, ownership and operation of cinemas in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, principally under the Reading Cinemas, Angelika Film Center, City Cinemas and Rialto names;

* the development, ownership and operation of commercial real estate in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, including entertainment-themed retail centers ("ETRC") in Australia and New Zealand and

* the ownership and leasing to production companies through Liberty Theaters, Inc. of "Off Broadway" style live theaters in Manhattan and Chicago

We are different from most other cinema companies due to our real property emphasis. Calculated based on book value nearly 70% of our assets relates to our real estate activities. While most of our cash flow is currently derived from cinemas, our present business plan is to reinvest that cash flow principally in real estate assets, and to be opportunistic in terms of the acquisition and development of additional entertainment properties. Unlike other cinema companies, we are not compelled to continue and redevelop our cinema assets, where higher and better uses become available for such properties.

Dave, What do you think the odds are that this site will survive, say, another five years?

Considered that they have acquired the property under the building, and the statements from their web site in my previous post, I'd say the odds of it surviving another 5 years are slim. They announced 2 years ago they were going to convert it to retail - they got rid of the artwork and trashed the exterior facade in an attempt to prevent it from being landmarked.

Here are more films that were shown at the CINEMAS 1, 2, 3 this year so far.

2/8/08- Fool's Gold
2/29/08- Bonneville
3/7/08- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
3/19/08- Under the Same Moon
4/11/08- Smart People
4/18/08- The Life Before Her Eyes
4/18/08- The Visitor
4/25/08- Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
5/9/08- Speed Racer
5/30/08- Sex and the City
6/6/08- When Did You Last See Your Father?
6/20/08- Mongol

Cinema I and II were designed by Abraham W. Geller and Ben Schlanger, according to an article in September, 1962 issue of Architectural Forum. I don't know why the credit in the introduction mentions only Geller.

Geller was the architect of record - his name was on the plans. Schlanger was a consultant. Mr. Geller was well-versed in the International Style, having designed office buildings and other structures prior to his being contracted to design the Cinema I Cinema II. He consulted with Mr. Schlanger regarding the technical aspects unique to a theatre, i.e. sightlines, acoustics, seating arrangements, equipment, etc.

I heard that the latest Batman sequel THE DARK KNIGHT will be showing at the CINEMAS 1,2,3 starting Thursday for the special
midnight show.

What "facade" was there to destroy here?

The blue tile area and the columns above the windows have been covered over with stucco. The six tall, narrow tile panels separated by the columns rising to the roof gave the illusion of height, making the building appear taller than it really is. As it is now, the wide, unbroken stucco surface makes it look like a short, fat white box, completely destroying its original sleek look. I wouldn't be surprised to soon see an ad reading "Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco" painted on the blank stucco, similar to those ads painted on the side of old barns adjacent to I-75 in Tennessee.

BTW, Abe Geller is rolling in his grave, as is Donald Rugoff.

The name on the marquee is simply Cinema 1,2 & 3, as shown in the photo at the following website. Does the CT listing really need to include City Cinemas as part of the name? Isn't it enough to mention City Cinemas under "Chain?" http://www.angelikafilmcenter.com/angelika_interim05.htm

i worked at cinema 1 and 2 in the late 60's from 1966 thru 1970..it was one of many rugoff theaters,and i worked for most of them at various times....is there antone out there who worked there at the time

Curious that on the City Cinema's web site there is an effort to thwart the city of Sacramento's efforts to demolish the Tower theater. This from the company that destroyed and demolished the Sutton, and would likely do the same to Cinema 1,2&3 if it was in their economic interest.

Are these the movie theatre you see in that 80's viedo cameo "candy.Is shown in that viedo for a little bit???

dave-bronx, can you repost your collection of Cinema I & II photos that you had previously posted? I'd love to see something other than the exterior facade.

Renewing link.

Was there to see a movie last Friday afternoon. The Screen was big and the house a good size and comfortable, though uninteresting. Not a bad experience, though only 6 people were in attendance.

Renewing link.

The Cinema I and Cinema II were the most important movie theaters in New York in their day. It all went quickly down the toilet when Don Rugoff lost the company.

You can buy a reproduction (albeit smaller) of the original artichoke chandeliers that they ripped out of the upper lobby of Cinema I. They can be ordered in the original copper finish, or white. Have your credit card ready... :)
http://www.ylighting.com/lpl-pha.html