Clearview's Chelsea

according to Clearview's website, this theatre will be screening Brokeback Mountain starting 12/9. Advance tickets now available via thier website.

Re-posted comments from Crossbay Theater page:

I now live in Chelsea in Manhattan and about 15 years ago, Cineplex Odeon opened the Chelsea Cinemas multiplex which, at that time was the largest in Manhattan. Now part of the Clearview chain, it falls into the Ho Hum category as well and, in my opinion, should be torn down and replaced with a modern theater complex similar to Loew's Lincoln Square, 42nd St and 34th St. showplaces. These theaters are comfortable, have stadium seating, great sound and in the case of Lincoln Square, a unique architectural element that recalls many of Loew's movie palaces of the past.

Most of my friends only go to Chelsea Cinemas when it is too cold, or rainy to go to the other, much better theaters. We'd much rather walk up to 34th from 23rd at all other times.

posted by LuisV on Dec 5, 2005 at 10:25am


I don't think Cablevision is going to tear down their profitable Chelsea to re-build. I wonder how many theaters Clearview has built from the ground up, as opposed to purchasing or converting. I do find that although Chelsea has no stadium seating, it is comfortable, with big screens, bright light and good sound, and a friendly staff.

posted by saps on Dec 5, 2005 at 9:57pm

Attended Chelsea on 12/11. Its a 9 screen complex as stated. As most multiplexes in Manhattan, this one is stretched out across many floors. Connecting from escalators.

Few complaints, that on a Sunday morning 10 am screening of Brokeback Mountain and Narnia. Doors didn't open until 945. Only one box office window. The line was down 23rd street. There was no direction as to where those with or without advance tickets should stand. One of the automated kiosks was down also.

Considering that Brokeback was showing at a theatre in Chelsea, they should have expected a bigger crowd.

Overall the theatre was well maintained but I attended the first showing of the day.

They have a Thursday night screening series called Chelsea Classics hosted by "Hedda Lettuce." It is geared toward the Chelsea community, so lots of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and camp.

I go to catch classics on the big screen. This week is FUNNY GIRL, which I caught at the Ziegfeld several years ago, and next week is FUNNY LADY, which I have never seen on the big screen.

I was there a few weeks ago and they announced the film is going to be completely renovated. The cinema won't close, but it will be done on a floor-by-floor basis. There are three floors of cinema and it is probably overdue as the cinema where the Hedda Lettuce-hosteed screenings take place is missing chairs.

I was chatting with a gentlemen on Tuesday night at the Ziegfeld Theater following the screening of "West Side Story" and he mentioned these Thursday night screenings to me, saying they were a lot of fun.

...that should be a "gentleman" (singular not plural).

I see that Chelsea Cinemas is "renovating" some of their screens! As per my comments posted earlier, they are long overdue. This complex hasn't aged well. I'm curious what kind of improvements they will make. Does anyone know? I would like to go to this theater more often because it has a great location, only a block from my house, but Chelsea Cinemas doesn't measure up to the 42nd and 34th St theaters so we usually go there. I have my fingers crossed! :-)

I went to see "The Notorious Bettie Page" at the Chelsea recently..I arrived a little late, just as the film was starting. The theater was already dark, and it was hard to see.

I sat down in a seat towards the back, and he seat felt different..The seats were pretty dated and in bad condition, but this seat was very plush...Since it was in a handicapped section, I thought it was some sort of experimental seat!

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I looked around, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing - all the seats were new! I had seen the boxes and construction outside, but I thought that was all for minor cosmetic changes.

It looked like they reduced their capacity by about 10% to accommodate the new seats..Which makes sense to do since they've lost about 50% of their audience to other theaters..

I did go to one Hedda Lettuce event and it was fantastic. Unfortunately, it's hard to get there on time after work...When I do remember to go, it's a night they're showing a film I'm not interested in..

I have many warm memories of this theater. It was one of the first real modern theaters to open..Going to the movies in New York used to be disgusting in the 70's when I was a teenager..Long lines, crummy theaters..

Cineplex Odeon came and swept that all away, and all people did was complain because they raised the prices fifty cents or a dollar. I remember when movies went up a dollar in price Ed Koch wanted to lead a campaign to boycott them..I think that's when they went from six to seven dollars!

Thanks for the update! I can't wait to see the changes for myself! They were sorely needed. I agree about how Chelsea Cinemas was practically revolutionary when it opened. I loved going there, but over the years it has aged terribly and the new theaters on 34th and 42nd St.'s were vastly superior. They have a great location on 23rd. They need to capitalize on it. The market is there!

I went down to the "Hedda Lettuce" screening last night to catch "Harriett Craig" on the big screen. The 'plex, as noted above, is undergoing renovations so they moved the screening from the first floor to the second floor and the screening was packed. I guess Joan Crawford is a big draw for the Chelsea Boys and is rightly a camp icon.

What was interesting is that the fifth anniversary of this weekly screening series occurs next week and they are having an "interactive" screening of "Mommie Dearest" next week and are moving it to the Chelsea West Cinemas because they are expecting a huge crowd.

I only started going to films in this series last year; I hadn't known anything about it. But before the show the Clearview guy said they thought the series would last only a couple of months, but due to the fact that it is well attended it has lasted five years. In fact, the Clearview guy said the Hedda Lettuce screening on Thursday outdraws the rest of the complex combined for a Thursday.

My only quibble is that they don't project the films properly. Last night the aspect ratio of HC was off so you would see Joan Crawford of Wendell Crawford with their heads cut off mid forehead. The print was also beat up and I wonder if it was 16MM, but I'm not sure. I assume Clearview doesn't have 16MM projection facilities.

I'll give Clearview a brownie point for trying, but the "renovations" are completely superficial. New seats, carpeting and candy stands... they slapped some paint on the walls and hung some drapes in the auditoriums (they did not even remove the old curtains - look up above the screen and u can see 'em!) Same old screens and sound systems. Some improvement. Pffffffffffff

Do you know the new seating capcity of each screen

Most likely the print that hardtop saw of "Harriett Craig" was 35mm, but it's 1.37 ratio being shown in 1.85 ratio. So that why the heads were cut-off.

The interactive screening of "Mommie Dearest" was a transformational experience.....

It was just hysterically funny, and Hedda Lettuce's comments were priceless. There is no feeling greater than sitting in a movie theater filled with Gay men (and a lesbian or two) laughing at a campy movie - with commentary by a drag queen! This is why I'll just never leave New York!

When I look at the listings for the Chelsea Classics series, every listing states, "Presented in Digital Format". Have they made digital prints of all these old titles? I shudder to think about what this MAY mean. Anyone have a theory?

DAVID: DVDs. It ain't pretty.

Movieguy: Is this true? Is Clearview charging admission, even if it is a reduced one, to watch a DVD at Chelsea Classics?

Ugh. I was at the Gotham Comedy Club last week and could see both of the Clearview Theater buildings down the street and thought about how I had to come in one night for a Chelsea Classics showing. Finding out that the presentations are of store-bought DVD's would certainly take the bloom off the rose for me.

LOL I attended a matinee today of a one week engagement of "Mahogany". It is supposed to be a new print! I don't think so! Tinny Sound, black lines running through most of the film, and it ended abrubtly before the credits were finished!

The problem with putting the line "New Print" in your advertising. Is that it is a new print but many times someone else played it before you. The studio struck a few 35mm prints for the reissues. But there are alot of poor film handlers out there.

This is a photo of a Chelsea Cinemas.

Does anyone know an online source that lists BY SCREEN NUMBER what movies are playing at this theater? I hate showing up and then learning that my movie is playing on the dinkiest screen in the theater. The NYT prints this info in its weekend edition, but you can't find it online.

The Chelsea does NOT have dinky sized screens! When built, screen sizes were announced to be nicely sized 25 to 38 feet wide for scope films. Rest assured that no auditorium here is small. My experiences have been 200 to 400 seat auditoriums, not small at all for a multiplex.

As i was C/O point man on this job at construction time i can tell you these screens are not tiny.

Thank you so much for the responses. I apologize, I must be confusing this theater with another one.

I will never forget "Valley of the Dolls" here in 2003 - the film was not on DVD at the time.

They put it in the biggest theatre there.

Every seat - taken!

They oversold by about 25 tickets so people sat in the aisles.

Outside, a cue of fifty people were waiting for cancellation tickets. Just like they do at a Broadway Theatre........

The crowd was part of the show. Hedda was fantastic!

I was a monumental night...

I'll never forget the 10th anniversary celebration of Hedda Letuce's Thursday night movies. The film chosen for the event: "Mommie Dearest". It was a virtual sellout and Hedda Lettuce was at her best. Of course, the audience was just as much part of the fun. A great night out at the movies!

Lettuce and popcorn: www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/nyregion/thecity/17drag.html

According to the above article from the 2/17/08 issue of The New York Times, the theatre's name is Clearview Chelsea Cinemas.

Is Clearview Chelsea where 'Paranoid Park' will play tomorrow 3.14.08? The flyer only said it was playing @ "Chelsea 9 NewYork, NY"... I'm brand new to the state so ive no idea which theatre's sites are accurate, I can't seem to find anything currently called Chelsea 9, w/an actual address for the life of me, help! I don't want to miss this film again /:) Thanx!

Well MovieTicket.com has it opening there tomorrow.
Clearview's Chelsea 9 is 260 West 23rd. Street.

Chelsea Cinema Shocker.......

According to this weeks issue of The Real Deal, the real estate industry's bible, Chelsea Cinemas is in contract to be sold and will most likely be torn down for a hotel leaving Chelsea without a nabe theater.
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The quote is as follows: "Chelsea Cinemas could close soon. A hotelier is in contract to buy the nine-screen cinema, according to Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of the retail leasing and sales division at Prudential Douglas Elliman, who is working with the hotelier.

Consolo would not reveal the identity of the developer or the asking price for the space, which is owned by Mutual Redevelopment Houses Inc. She said her client is interested in building a boutique hotel of up to 10 stories, hoping to capitalize on the gallery-going crowd.
___________________________________________________________________

This would leave area residents with three options for nearby theaters. The Regal Union Square (which I think is the worst multiplex in Manhattan), the Loews 19th Street and the Loews 34th St.

The Chelsea Cinemas was not a palace in any form of the word, and until the recent renovations, I would have called it a dump. The renovations, however, did make it more more enjoyable to see a movie here and if I still lived in the neighborhood I would miss it, but I always preferred Loews 34th St and the theaters of 42nd St.

Thanx William! I ended up
finding out their number as well... How terrible that it may close soon... Another reason to catch a good flick now!

Jesus Christ... I realize I'm stating the obvious, but real estate developers truly know no limits. I swear they'd give serious thought to selling their own children if someone offered them enough money...

I have to say that what surprises me is that this is happening so soon after they renovated the theater. I can't believe that Chelsea is going to be without a single movie theater; though it's not a far walk to 19th St, the Union Square or the 34th St. Two theater buildings will remain: The Chelsea West will be totally renovated and redesigned to meet the needs of its new owner (the School of Visual Arts) and The Joyce Theater (the former porn palace - The Elgin) back when Chelsea was a slum. Progress marches on!

I just saw two movies here on Sunday -- the renovation is really charming, and for a nine screen cinema it is very cozy. Nice couches and tables on each level for socializing, and big screens, bright picture and clear sound made this a lovely experience. Even the closed snack bars on the upper level had accent lighting on. Craig and his staff have every reason to be proud of this house.

The Squat Theatre, mentioned in the introduction at this location, showed movies in 1984, prior to being razed for this multiplex.

The name is Clearview Chelsea, not Clearview's Chelsea. Clearview does not use an apostrophe when attaching its corporate name to the name of a theatre.

I went to see The Poseidon Adventure as part of there Classic series on Sat night at 10pm.Had a BLAST! Great to see My favorite film back on the big screen. About 100 people were in attendance and they roared with applause when Shelly Winters jumped into the water to save Gene Hackman. Im going to write about the experience on my blogmovie website http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/page/2/


chuck

Here is a 2009 photo.

Just attended a showing today of the movie "Outrage" a documentary of the closeted hypocritical republican politicians and the ongoing efforts to out them. It was supposed to start at 12:50. The commercials were showing with no sound. Then, the screen went blank. At 1:00PM a theater employee entered the auditorium and announced that the start of the movie would be delayed because they had only one projectionist for the entire complex and he was busy in another screen room. Someone then shouted out that the theater was too warm. She said she was sorry and turned on the air conditioning. About 10 minutes later the movie started. No Previews. Pretty good documentary!

Good news Mets fans....Mets at the Movies will be showing at this theater.

You can pay to watch the Mets lose in a theater, or watch them lose on television for free. This is a tough decision to make. LOL