Loews State Theatre 4

Is this Theatre closed? I see the sign on the Virgin megastore Dark usually.

The Loew's State Theatre in the Virgin Megastore is still open. It is Loew's Discount house in Manhattan. But management does not know how to use the sign right. Sometimes they still have old features that are months old listed as playing on the smaller zipper type signs.

Thank heavens this theater is still open. I'm amazed so few people know about it or take advantage of it. $5.50 for a movie in Manhattan is a steal, and who cares if the movie has been out for a few weeks? Most people don't get out to every new release anyway, and with most theatres now charging $10.25 per ticket, who can afford it?

Enjoy it now they are closing it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is there a posting for the Loew's State Theatre which existed in the 50's and 60's in Times Square??? Not clear here.

Yes, it's currently listed as just the State, but I hope that will be changed to Loew's State.

To play devil's advocate, I can see why Loews is looking to shake the State loose. You have to figure Loews is taking an absolute bath financially with the State, given that they're limited to mostly booking second-run films, many of them deep into their runs (really, how much business do you suppose 'The Last Samurai' is doing at this point?) or ones that didn't even have much of an audience when they were playing first run (I'm thinking of such negligible sudden rain storm dodgers as 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights' and 'Twisted'), or even the first-run Bollywood flicks they frequently book into the theater. With Times Square property values being what they are (to wit: William noting on the Embassy 2-3-4 page that the landlord for that property is looking to rent it for about $1 million/year) and the break-even (if lucky) business second-run theaters are the vast majority of the time (even in a city starved as any for low-cost entertainment options), I'd be looking to do the same thing if I were Loews.

The new State multiplex seemed doomed before it even opened. Due to minimal street advertising, most people probably passed by without even knowing that a movie theatre existed there. You had to enter the Virgin Music Store first, then go down two flights of escalators before reaching the State's boxoffice area, which was behind Virgin Music retail space.

They really mismanaged and mispromoted this site.

Alas, the closing of the cineplex seems unavoidable. I will miss it THOROUGHLY! Working in midtown, it became very convienent for me to catch a bollywood flic there right after work, once or twice a week. But what can we expect from a city that is continually becoming so homogeneous in its culture. Soon its good luck trying to find real culturally diverse entertainment in Manhattan...

The Loews State theater is due to close its door 1 year after the Loews Astor Plaza, which closes in three weeks August 5, 2004.
So by next August Loews Stste will be gone forever.

Yes, but is this theater a classic?? I could see if it were the original Loews State but it seemds it is not. It is a theater built in 96 so it was a multiplex all along?? Am i wrong?

Unfortunately this theatre was doomed from the start. It opened nine years after the original Loew's State was closed. You could hardly make out from the sign outside to let you know there was a movie theatre inside the Virgin Megastore, you had to go down two retail levels in order to even get to the box office. It was opened as a quad when in today's movie going economy the more screens the better. And it just missed the stadium seating craze that enveloped theatres in the late 90's. Loews cineplex tried to unload this property a few years back, nobody wanted it and with good reason. One just has to look at the other Virgin Megastore in Union Square to see a successful Theatre, The UA Union Square 14 (Now Regal) opened it 1998 a mere two years after the State, it has its own entrance, 14 screens with stadium seating (first in NYC) and digital surround sound and it makes a ton on money.

The Loews State is apparently the new Astor Plaza, at least in the eyes of distributors and Loews itself - 'Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse' is opening on 2 screens at the State today, concurrently with its engagement at the E-Walk on 42nd Street. (It's also the first major studio initial-run engagement at the State since 'The Bone Collector' ran there for a week in November of 1999, prior to its moving to the E-Walk for that theatre's grand opening.)

Since this is really a new theatre, should there be a seperate page for the late great Loews State?

Robert, there is a separate page for the original theatre built on that site. It may be listed just as State, or Loew's State (with an apostrophe).

Maybe Loews took into consideration my nasty letter to them when they abrubtly closed the Astor Plaza. I told them that they should consdier using the State as a first run theater and not let it sit empty.

Loew's just changed the signage in front of the theatre. They took down the bright neon signs that said Loews. And now they have replaced it with a semi-temp signage, that says Loews Theatres and their logo. That could be a major sign about the theatres future.

William - does the new signage consist of a plastic banner over the old neon display? Is it an all-new illuminated sign? Is it the same size as the old neon display?

They removed all the neon from the old sign all together. And replaced it with one of those plastic type banners. Its alittle smaller then the old signage. It does not even say Loews State Theatre, just Loews Theatres.

I went to Loews web site and they are showing the State as a first run house now not a discount theater. Maybe they are going to put a regular marquee.

Well when the State 4 runs special engagements like Indian films, they charged regular admission prices even when they were a discount house. And if you see the other feature on two screens was "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" and "Wicker Park" (one showing a day). They just dumping films that they had planned to open at the Astor Plaza, like "Resident Evil...". Because that company bought out the lease early. Loew's still had contracts to open films at the Astor. So to keep the studio happy, they got a Times Square location for the opening, plus screens at the 42nd Street E-Walk.
I don't think Loew's would put any real money back into that house, when thay are going to drop it soon. They did not put any money into fixing the old marquee and to teach management how to program
it. Management had films that played there still listed that had played there weeks earlier. They are just using the State as a place to fulfill some of their contract comittments from the recently closed Astor Plaza Theatre.

If they put a regular marquee that may help them. Time will tell.

Does anyone know how the grosses were on Worldwide? Seemed when I went there they had pretty full houses. I'm suprised as a discount house this place dont fill up. The total problem is that nobody knows it'as there. Could you imagine a times square marquee showing two week old information. Just proves the sad part movie exhibition as we knew it is DEAD.

Worldwide just re-opened as a 5 stage off Broadway Theatre.

The Worldwide did well during it's last stage as a discount house for Cineplex. The presentations at the State 4 are some of the poorest, I've ever seen in any city.

Does anybody know if they have changed the front anymore since the other day?

The Worldwide, from what I was told by someone who went there regularly, did bang-up business during the weekends but was a ghost town Mondays through Thursdays. While first-run multiplexes can survive under those circumstances, it's that much more difficult for a second-run house to hold on, especially for one that's Manhattan-based.

I tried going to Loews State yesterday to see "The Manchurian Canditate". The ticket lady told me they are no longer selling $5 tickets. They are all now $10. Say it ain't so!!! On the bright side, I found a theater in Queens that sells tickets for $5. The Kew Gardens Cinema in Kew Gardens, Queens. This movie theater shows mostly independent films but once in a while they show a major film on its last run. E,F trains to Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike.

Nobody answered my post from 9/24.Have they added a marquee to the front of the Loews State?

Mikeoaklandpark,

No a new marquee was not added. Just a change in the signage, basically all the old neon was taken off and a new big plastic sign that says "Loews Theatres" over the loews logo was put up instead, it's now clearly visible as opposed to the old one, which you could hardly make out. The new sign is the same basic size and shape of the old one.

Thanks theater fan. I am hoping this change in policy back to a first run house puts the State back in action.

Someone mentioned earlier that they may just be playing things that they were going to day and date with the Astor Plaza and E-walk. They need to get a more conventional marquee up there, even a flat one against the building.

I agree Robert about the marquee. When they took the neon one I was hoping that's what they were doing.

Loews really should have put in the same type of marquee that the Ewalk, and 84th Street have to let patrons know what's playing downstairs in the four cinemas. The State used to have a small type LED rolling one, but it was very hard to read and make out and often incorrect at times.

Virgin Music is the main tenant here, so Loews probably had to settle for whatever it could get in the construction of the signage above the main entrance to the building.

Speaking of the LED marquees, I walked by Chelsea East today and theirs was totally screwed up, you could barely make out some of the titles. This is Clearviews top money making house in Manhattan, you think they would pay more attention to it.

I have been to the State many times, and most recently (Oct. 2004) to see the Grudge, for which I paid a full price ticket of $10.25. So much for the discount house... I saw King Arthur there for half price in the summer. I have never seen any signage for the theatre--it's impossible to see it if it exists! I just know it's there, but I don't know how anyone else would ever find it.

I have been to the State many times, and most recently (Oct. 2004) to see the Grudge, for which I paid a full price ticket of $10.25. So much for the discount house... I saw King Arthur there for half price in the summer. I have never seen any signage for the theatre--it's impossible to see it if it exists! I just know it's there, but I don't know how anyone else would ever find it.

Sad to say but I think the hadwriting is on the wall for this theatre too.

The theatre is currently running a weekly Monday film series, "From The Streets & Stage To The Screen," which started on Valentine's Day with "West Side Love Affair" and screenings of the original "42nd Street" and "West Side Story." Next up on February 21st is "First Ladies of Broadway," featuring "Carmen Jones," "My Fair Lady," and "Funny Girl." The bad news is that each film is priced separately at $9, or $7 for seniors and students. But if you attend wearing a costume or in drag, you will get in free! The complete schedule, which ends on April 4th with "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "The Miracle Worker," is at www.timessquarenyc.org./film

The address of the Loew's State Theatre 4 is: 1540 Broadway, New York, NY. 10036

What was this multiplex called when it first opened? A photo allegedly taken around 1990 shows "Sony Theatres" on the marquee that juts out from the Virgin Music sign. It seems possible that this was during the period when Sony stopped using the "Loews" name for its theatres. In that case, this one might not have even been called State when it first opened. It could have been Sony 1,2,3,4.

This was the Sony State when it first opened in May of '96. The marquee wasn't added, if memory serves, until not long before the theatre opened.

The State's opening was trumpeted at the time in several newspaper ads, all carrying the slogan 'There's a new State in Times Square'.

I spoke with a former Loew's State employee who now works at the Lincoln Square, she said the State will definitely be closing this summer, that is part of the reason she was transferred over to the Lincoln Square.

Times Square only remaing Loews Theatre will be the Ewalk on 42nd Street, which is one of their cash cows. When the State closes this summer it will only have been open to show movies for nine years, is that some sort of record for the shortest time a theatre was in operation?

Nowhere near the record, Theatrefan. The since-demolished Movieplex 42 on 42nd between 7th and 8th stayed in business for 21 months, from June of 1994 through March of '96 while, in the Pittsburgh suburb of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, a 20-screen, all-stadium seating Loews theatre lasted 16 months, closing in February of '01 as part of Loews Cineplex' bankruptcy reorganization, and having seen most of its business siphoned away by a nearby megaplex operated by rival chain Destinta.

I agree. Regal opened a stadium theater in Tampa the Hollywood 20 that lasted less than a year.

The firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the Bertelsmann Building where this theater is located.

The address for this theatre is 1540 Broadway, the same as the Virgin Music store that contains it. It was also once the address of the original Loew's State and the Loew's Incorporated office building.

I think the State did booming business when it first opened and they wished they had even more screens. When the State/Virgin store opened the "new" Times Square was still in its infancy. I know Virgin exceeded its expectations.

What happened to the State is that the E-Walk opened and its 13 screens and there was also the 25-screen AMC 'plex. I remember talking to a friend and wondering how they would fill 38 new screens with movies, in addition to existing cinemas in Times Square, the two Embassys, the Astor Plaza, the Criterion and The National, which I think was the first of these to close.

Loew's cannibalized itself. It is no wonder that all the exhibitors ended up in Chapter 11. Loew's had only been open for a few years before it was marginalized. No way will Loew's get its money back.

The Times Square theatres which closed for business within 2-4 years prior to and after the Loews 42nd Street E-Walk Theatre and AMC Empire 25 arrived on the scene in November 1999 and April 2000, respectively:

Movieplex 42 - March 1996
Embassy 1 - late 1997
National Twin - early 1998
Embassy 2-3-4 (renamed Embassy 1-2-3 after the shuttering of the original Embassy 1) - December 1998
Criterion Center - April 2000
Loews Astor Plaza - August 2004

Uh, oh! Moviefone.com is now listing only evening showings, no matinees. That can't be good.

It's hard to believe, but when this basement theatre closes, that's it! No more movie theatres on 7th Ave and B'way in Times Square!

When I was a kid, there were (not counting porn hoses)...

Rivoli
Trans-Lux West
Cinerama
Penthouse
Orleans
Forum 47th St.
Victoria
Astor
Criterion
Loew's State
New Embassy 46th St.
DeMille

All gone, now.

Sic transit gloria theatrorum.

Loews is altering, effective today, its showtime policy throughout its Manhattan theatres (and maybe with its sites across the country - that I cannot attest to). In Manhattan, the Loews State will offer matinees only on weekends (can't imagine those 12:15 Tuesday afternoon showings of 'Guess Who' were attracting all that many stragglers), while at most of its other theatres, pre-12 noon and/or pre-1 pm shows are being dropped Monday through Friday, along with post-11 pm shows Sundays through Thursdays - most likely a bean counter-driven move in sum, and one which might be temporary or long-term; time will tell, I suppose...

With summer coming this is an odd time to drop matinees?

This doesn't appear to be a chain-wide policy, since today's (Friday) Boston Globe lists shows starting at 10:50 am at Loews Boston Common (the rough equivalent of your E-Walk), 10:55 am at Loews Fresh Pond in Cambridge, 11 am at Loews Assembly Square in Somerville, 10:20 am at Loews Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, and 10:55 am at Loews "The Loop" in Methuen.

Since Boston isn't a 24-hour town, we've never had regularly scheduled post-11pm shows Sundays through Thursdays.

Kind of a weird booking at the State this weekened. They are the only Manhattan Theatre screening "Death of a Dynasty," which opened today. It is playing in the boroughs and outside of NYC, but the State is the only the place where you can "DOAD" in Manhattan.

Hell, now that I look at it all the bookings this weekend are weird. The other two films are "Kaal" and "Waqt," which I assume are Bollywood fare. They are still plugging away at the State booking those Indian films. I wonder how they are faring?

Strange bookings...3 films from India and the animated film, Madagascar.

Typical Loews State, Don. There was one week about six months ago where all four screens were booked with Bollywood films.

With the merger of AMC Theatres and Loews
New Yorkers will face more closings.

The State was already set to close this August before the merger with AMC.

The problem with AMC is they have a “goal” or a "plan" to operate ONLY multiplex cinemas.

AMC believes strongly that the day of smaller theatre less than 10 and a minimum of 8 screens is a thing of the past.

When AMC takes control look for the 72nd Street East Cinema to be one of the first to close.

AMC will likely not sell any theatres as they rather have them gutted so no one can use them, unless they want to basically rebuild them as AMC usually leaves just the shell.

AMC could sale any location they don’t want, however AMC is not big on selling locations to another company that could make that location a rival to AMC.

I noticed it last week as well and this theatre is clearly on its last legs. I remember how delighted Sony was when they opened this theatre and they talked about how they were sorry they didn't build more screens.

People don't remember, but it was still a fairly risky proposition for the Virgin Store to open that store on Times Square when they did. The store did much better that Virgin expected and I think they actually stayed open later than they planned.

I wonder how the State feels now.

DARK WATER opened there today and three what are no doubt Bollywood films are playing there, DUS, PAHELI and SARKAR. No display ads for the latter three. And DARK WATER is also playing nearby at the E-Walk and it is not often that there is duplication between those two sister cinemas.

And PAHELI is also playing at ImaginAsian. Talk about cutting each other's throat.

I can't imagine those Bollywood flicks are drawing unless whoever is programming those theatres is doing intensive outreach to the communities that patronize Bollywood fare.

Is it possible that an outside organization is leasing screens at this theatre to show Bollywood films, and doing their own publicity?

That's how Indian films are exhibited in the Boston area -- the BombayCinema.com folks rent out screens at the Somerville, the Capitol in Arlington, or the Regent in Arlington.

As in other mergers, AMC will not be able to keep all the theaters. There is no way (anti trust laws) they will allow them to run the Empire and E Walk on 42nd. I expect to see probibly Clearview Cinemas or Regal to get some of Loews theaters in the merger.

God help us if it's UA-Regal they might as well just close them up now.

Loews leases out the screens booked with Bollywood product. As for the day-and-date releases with the E-Walk, the studios don't quibble as the extra screen at the State allows for carryover audiences, much as the double-bookings at the Astor Plaza did and the State isn't a threat to the grosses at the E-Walk. The Astor Plaza, meanwhile, had the benefit of being a prestige house which drew loyal audiences and the studios, as a result, eventually saw the opportunity to have their films booked there also as a welcomed bonus.

If anyone wants to know what kind of business Loews State is doing, look at the facts.

Batman Begins opened on Wednesday June 15th. Batman Begins played its final day if I am not mistaken this past Thursday July 7th.

That is about three weeks. That is a very short engagement for such a film.

This week is “Dark Water” Loews has again a three-week agreement with Touchstone Pictures.

It is also a sad day when you make more profit leasing screens on a more or less permit bases to groups for Bollywood films.

Madagascar also had only a three or four week run at the State.

This is not the first time the Loews State 4 was leased out. Several years back they leased it to (the now defunct) The Shooting Gallery to screen their films.

I know Richard Brown, who teaches of those film classes affiliated with the New School or NYU, held his classes at the State. I don't know if he still does.

Some pictures here
http://www.bigappleanimefest.com/baaf2002g1/group1.cfm
http://www.bigappleanimefest.com/baaf2002g2/group2.cfm
http://www.bigappleanimefest.com/baaf2002g3/group3.cfm

saw 'RPM', 'Ash Wednesday' and 'The Owl & The Pussycat'.
It was only Loews State 1 & 2 then.

Carl C, you're thinking of the original Loew's State, which was demolished to make way for the building that now houses this underground multiplex.

The Wedding Crashers openes here this Friday

I was in the Virgin Time Sqare store this past Sunday. Virgin seems to be slowly moving out of the lower level that they share with the Loews State 4. I wonder if this is to allow the whole lower level to be taken over by some other use, maybe another theme eating place. Th eonly problem with this level and the theater was ther does not appear to be another entrance other than through the Virgin store.

I was in the Virgin Time Sqare store this past Sunday. Virgin seems to be slowly moving out of the lower level that they share with the Loews State 4. I wonder if this is to allow the whole lower level to be taken over by some other use, maybe another theme eating place. Th eonly problem with this level and the theater was ther does not appear to be another entrance other than through the Virgin store.

********* STARTS FRIDAY AT THE LOEWS STATE *********
Viruddh 12:20 I 3:20 I 6:20 I 9:20
Wedding Crashers (R) 12:15 I 3:30 I 6:45 I 10:00
Dus 3:00 I 9:50
Sarkar 12:00 I 6:40
Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya? 12:05 I 3:05 I 6:15 I 9:30

DARK WATER SHOWS FOR 2 WEEKS!!!!

Check out this all-hit line-up. No wonder this place is ready to become a Dunkin' Donuts, or whatever.

Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya Romance (NR)

My Date With Drew

The Rising

Viruddh

This is the Times Square Theatre they should try to save! Polite workers, clean auditoriums, excellent sound and projection, yet from the outside it looks closed and even only has outdated movie posters outside the box office! POOR MANAGEMENT here but even worse at the E walk!

Interesting booking "James and The Giant Peach" from 1996 is currently at the State! Is it about to close?

An exterior photograph here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdunn/46697471/

Once the lease is up on this theatre, Loews is going to drop it. This theatre had a screening of the new film "Domino", and they damaged the brand new print. Because I got the print the next morning after the screening and reported it to New Line. They told me it played last night at the State.
The theatre is a evening house during the week.

Do you know when the lease is scheduled to run out, William?

It is slated to close by the end of the year...

Loews has to be losing money on it, so why not just close it and pay out the rent for the remainder of the lease?

As of right now, it looks like around the end of the year as dave-bronx posted. I'll post date as soon as I get more info.

LOEWS CINEPLEX ENTERTAINMENT
Loews State Theatre 4
------------------ SHOWING THURSDAY 09/29/2005 ------------------
Dil Jo Bhi Kahey (NR)
06:00 pm | 09:10 pm

Hustle & Flow (R)
06:20 pm | 09:40 pm ENDS TONIGHT!

Salaam Namaste (NR)
08:00 pm

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (PG-13)
06:10 pm | 09:30 pm ENDS TONIGHT!

------------------ STARTS FRIDAY 09/30/2005 ------------------
Dil Jo Bhi Kahey (NR)
06:00 pm | 09:10 pm

Four Brothers (R)
06:20 pm | 09:20 pm NEW!

Red Eye (PG-13)
06:30 pm | 09:30 pm NEW!

Salaam Namaste (NR)
08:00 pm

The Virgin Megastore has undergone a total re-organization recently, with many departments in new locations. Too bad that they couldn't have moved the theatre to street level!

With only two showings a night, do they really expect this place to break even?

When will it close? It is so much better run than the E Walk and more comfortable!

They will be out of there by the end of the year....

Its strange how Loews has been promoting this theatre. Was there the other night, hardly any sign that a theatre even exists in this mess of a store! Even the few signs saying Loews Theatres were not lit up! Whats the story?

Another odd booking line-up, three Bollywood films and the biggest blockbuster of the year...

1-Deewane Huye Paagal
2-Garam Masala
3-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
4-Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story ( NR )

Is the theatre closing soon? The lease is over .

I'm told the date is now Jan 31 - arrangements are being made to strip out all the equipment.

Another NYC theatre hits the dust! Ever notice how small the movie clocks are in the newspapers now!

The loss of the original Loew's State was a tragedy... I don't think many will bemoan the loss of this particular facility, which barely lasted a decade. Having said that... with its closure the Great White Way will be without a single movie house for perhaps the first time in more than 90 years. I'm pretty sure that's right. Even as the Rivoli, Strand and State were claimed by criminal acts of greed and vandalism, I believe the National Twin and Rialto (under the Warner name) had clung to life into the late 90's as the new subterranean State was being built. The Ziegfeld has the closest proximity, but is well off the block on W. 54th Street. One will have to travel out of the theater district up to the 60's or down to 19th Street to find a movie playing right on Broadway.

Is this the last open theatre that is owned by Loew's and is called Loew's State? (There used to be so many.)

Yup, it is the last Loews State -

They are still open....

Loews State Theatre
1540 Broadway
New York , NY 10036

Bluff Master ( NR )
Fun With Dick & Jane ( PG-13 )
Hostel ( R )
Shikari ( NR )

So, is it closing or is it staying open this Friday? Enquiring minds want to know...

Heard this is it!

The last Times Square area Broadway theatre and now it will be gone too. How sad.

On the Loews website (EnjoyTheShow.com) there are no showtimes listed for the State after tomorrow.

Whether this is reliable, I don't know. It also lists no showtimes between January 27 and February 9 for Loews 34th Street.

I think the 34th St. times are not listed until Thursday. I know that theatre is not closing.

When does the AMC/Loew's merger close? Will the Loew's website continue to function or will that all migrate to the AMC site?

The merger is supposed to close Friday. Don't know what's going to happen with the websites -- neither AMC's nor Loew's website right now provides any clue.

It might work like the AMC/GCC merger a few years ago. The website will direct you to AMC site.

Any chance Regal or Clearview would take over the State?

I will miss the giant Loews neon sign at the E-Walk.

I would guess Regal or Clearview would be more interested in the E Walk than the State. Most people do not even know there's a theatre in the basement of the Virgin store.

I've read on this site that, while AMC has a habit of re-branding acquired theaters, Regal and other chains have kept older brand names alive after mergers. If that is the case, perhaps there is hope that the Loew's banner will continue to fly over some of the 10 theaters that AMC had to ditch in order to get the acquisition approved. The E-Walk is definitely one of the 10. Then again, given its prominent location and its direct competition with the AMC Empire across the street, the new chain may want to have its own brand flying high above the marquee.

I bet that AMC is acquiring all of Loew's trademarks as well as its theatres.

I didn't think of that, Ron, but you're probably right. That would be downright sinister, if AMC were to claim exclusive rights to the Loew's name and then bury it forever. In fact, it would be reprehensible, considering the illustrious history associated with Loew's over the last 100 years or so.

I wonder... would the name Loew's be protected from copyright litigation if it existed on a landmarked structure? Not that I know if any of these buildings are protected by landmark designation, but I'm thinking of the Loew's Jersey, Loew's Paradise and Loew's Kings (assuming the latter is ever restored to its former glory).

The Theatre is now closed!

How sad. The Loew's State name on Broadway is now gone.

The newspaper ads are getting less and less in the movie clock ! So few theatres left!

I just went to AMC/Loews web site and it is definately not listed. Any chance Clearview or another chain would take it over? Also, I noticed the AMC web site is showing AMC/Loews,Magic JOhnson. Any chance they are keeping the Loews name?

My guess is they will keep it as AMC/Loews for a while and then drop the Loews name after about 6 months. It will probably take that long to change the name on all the current Loews theatres to AMC.

Clearview would be a likely buyer but who wants The State with all of its problems (bad location, ect) and the fact your compeating against bigger and better theatres. Clearview probably could not afford E-Walk - it's likely a national theater chain will grab that one (probably Regal but maybe Cinemark as they were previously interested in Loews). As for the Loews/Loew's name - I doubt Loew's is tradmarked anymore (Loew's Jersey uses it, but it's diffinatly not a Loews Cineplex Entertainment house). All this controversy about 100 Years of Loew's is invalid, the name changed when the Loews Corporation was formed and the theaters were no longer urban palaces. Loew's held some creadability but the Loews name holds as much nastalgic value as AMC Theaters. And most sites were poorly managed. I'm not sad to see the name go, AMC always ran a better theater if you ask me.

It looks like it's closed. I was over at the Virgin store tonight. The box office and the doors are all closed.

I heard another chain is interested in E-Walk and its not Regal. I was talking to a person at Loews before they were let go on Friday and there is somewhat of a deal on that theatre. (It's 90%)

Today's NY Post has an article about the closing of Loews State. The article goes into some history of Times Square movie theatres.

It quotes Ross Melnick but says that he "runs the Web site movietreasures.com". Oops.

The NY Post is very rarely ever about getting facts straight!

Here's an interesting quote from that article:

<<Bell said the venerable Loews name would gradually be phased out in favor of AMC, "though in some cases there may be an opportunity for the Loews brand to remain. It's an evolving process that takes place over time.">>

I guess there's still some hope that the tradition of the Loew's name will be honored to some degree. For AMC to do otherwise would evidence a lack of respect and appreciation for the proud history of movie exhibition, particularly in NYC. To have the Loew's name besmirched in such a manner would be beyond the pale.

True, this is the newspaper that printed an exclusive front-page scoop about John Kerry picking Dick Gephardt as his running mate. There's a good reason some stories are "exclusive" ...

Here are some quotes from AMC Chairman Peter Brown which appeared in Variety:

While the merger was seen as a signpost in the wave of consolidation sweeping exhibition, AMC chief exec Peter Brown, who will lead the new company, said, "We've never been fixated on the bigger concept as much as we've been fixated on the better concept."

Brown said current Loews theaters will continue to operate under their current name, but added, "Over time, we'll end up with just one brand"

Anyone care to guess just which brand that will be?

Maybe they feel that Loews has so much history behind it, that they may just keep that name.

Maybe Clearview will ocme in and reopen the State. I know the NY Twin was closed by Loews and after a while it was reopened as Crown NY Twin. How Clearview obtained it and why I am not sure.

I think that Clearview is already in deep financial trouble. Taking on another loser would be inadvisable. IMHO, this theatre could never be successful, given its underground location. They should convert the premises to some other use, perhaps as a medical center for radiation treatments.

Yes, exactly! Although it's too late now, Sloan-Kettering should have taken it for their radiation clinic and left the Beekman alone...

Would not be surprised if the whole lower level is turned into another high priced theme eatery for the torist that frequent Time Square. The Virgin Store seems to keep shrinking.

Has anyone seen the small ads appearing in newspapers today (at least here in NYC)? "AMC welcomes Loews to the family! Combining two respected names into one." The AMC logo with its cursive "Experience the Difference" tag appears in the lower left corner, with the familiar Loews Cineplex spotlight logo in the lower right corner.

Whats going on in that space? Anyone know?

Was down there the other nohjt! The signs are all still there, including the one outside. The cases for the posters are there but the maiin entrance doors are closed off!

I was just watching an episode of the TV show Taxi, and they shown an exterior night scene of Manhattan in the winter (snow on ground) with Loews State in vertical white neon on the left, with the letters scrolling down. This episode was from 1981.

Is this the same Loews State? There is a sign on the left side of a Majestic Dancing, and across the street is a Florsheim shoe store, and behind that in red letter is Automat, and further behind that is at least 2 movie marquees that I can't make out. Would this be 45th Street? and if so I don't recall there being an Automat still in business in the 1980s. The only that I recall stillbeing in business was at 42nd Street and 3rd Avenue.

Anybody know if this is the Loews State theater, or perhaps there was another Loews State?

If it was in 1981, you presumably saw the original Loew's State, not this replacement.

Does anyone know what is down there now?

"Taxi" might have used stock footage for that scene. Loew's State was on the east side of Broadway. Some of the other buildings you mentioned were on the west side of Broadway, including the Automat, which was in the same block as the Globe Theatre. I don't recall if that Automat was still operating in the 1980s, but the exterior sign might have remained until the space was converted into retail stores.

Thanks for the feedback. I was also wondering if they were using stock footage for that scene. Apparently the camera angle was from 45th Street (between Broadway & 6th Avenue)looking west. The Automat is what threw me off, the footage may have been from at least 10 years earlier.

Loew's State had a great rep for their NYC premieres and for showing top first-run movies. It was glitzy and ritzy. Who could ever forget that crystal chandelier? I remember attending the opening of Brando's "Mutiny on the Bounty" in '62. A decade later, the same actor had morphed explosively into a cunning Mafia don.

In the spring of '71, I was working for a former ambassador, a relic of the Eisenhower administration. His offices were high up in Rockefeller's International Building, and from there I could see a movie crew at work. During lunch hour, I headed over to 5th Avenue between 51st and 52nd St. The street was closed off. There was a snow blowing machine hard at work and a bunch of colorful 1940s-style taxicabs. Best & Co., a store that had been closed for a year, had its 5th Ave. windows stocked with Christmas goods. Two young actors, who turned out to be Al Pacino and Diane Keaton, were doing their Christmas shopping in that scene.

A few days later, I watched the pair film a nighttime scene outside Radio City Music Hall where Kay and Michael spotted the headlines that Don Vito had been gunned down and he called Sonny at the mall on Long Island.

All this activity in midtown and Little Italy in lower Manhattan produced a groundswell of interest for "The Godfather." Puzo's book sold copies numbering in the stratosphere.

Finally, in the late spring of '72, it opened at the State. My boss surprisingly gave the entire staff their choice of a morning or an afternoon off to see the movie! Whattaguy!

B'klynJim... This is not the theater you are remembering, but a pale and cheap replacement. The Loew's State you are referring to has its own page on CT which can be found here. That is the original and architecturally ornate Loew's State that opened in 1921 featuring a program of vaudeville and feature films and eventually becoming one Broadway's great roadshow palaces. You'll find a lot of interesting history and color in the comments posted on that page.

The 4-plex theater referred to on this page was built into the basement retail space of the office tower that replaced the old theater and building (where Loew's had its corporate headquarters for many years), which were demolished in 1987.

Any news as to what will occupy this space?

The large sign of this theatre still hangs in Times Square !!!

I happened to be in Virgin Music yesterday and noticed no changes in the State's basement section since I was last there about three months ago. The area is still roped off, and stuff is piled up in front of the entrance doors apparently waiting to be carted away. I asked several clerks if Virgin was taking over the space, but they claimed not to know.

A November 2000 c/o gives the seating as:

Theater#1-387
Theater#2-474
Theater#3-510
Theater#4-283

Total seats-1654

I don't know why Clearview or Regal doesn't come in and reopen this theater.

Regal just got the E-Walk 13 on 42nd. Street. And it's in the basement and only 4 screens. What do you think the rent is?

AMC 25 IS WHY

What a shame that all these small cinemas seem to be closed or razed to the ground. Although I've never ever been to this small gem of American cinema experience, I wish I had, because it seems that it was a brilliant place until AMC decided to close it after they bought Loews. I live in the UK and these small cinemas are closing because the bland multiplexes force the smaller ones out of the market.

Can anyone tell me if Gone With The Wind has been shown sown at cinemas worldwide in the last year or so, because it is my favourite movie of all time, and I'd love to experience the magic of it on the big screen instead of on dvd and tv

What a shame that all these small cinemas seem to be closed or razed to the ground. Although I've never ever been to this small gem of American cinema experience, I wish I had, because it seems that it was a brilliant place until AMC decided to close it after they bought Loews. I live in the UK and these small cinemas are closing because the bland multiplexes force the smaller ones out of the market.

Can anyone tell me if Gone With The Wind has been shown sown at cinemas worldwide in the last year or so, because it is my favourite movie of all time, and I'd love to experience the magic of it on the big screen instead of on dvd and tv

This theatre was never a small gem of American cinema experience. Loews was planning to close this house long before AMC took over Loews. Once the lease was up that was it. The theatre was only needed when the nearby Loews E-Walk 13 was being built. And during it's last years of operation Loews ran it as 2nd run (full price) and later as a 2nd run at bargain prices. During that time the theatre went from a full time operator in the booth to popcorn jockeys running the booth. The equipment was not maintain that well and it was the worst place to see a movie in the city. This theatre was also in the sub-basement of the Virgin Mega Store. It was in what you called a bland multiplex too.

GWTW gets booking from time to time here in the states.

GavinM... a bona fide "gem" (and no small gem at that) would be the original and opulent Loew's State Theater - an above ground palace that was razed in 1987. The subterrenean Loew's State 4 is located in the skyscraper that replaced the old State Theater and office building.

Well the Loews name in Times Square has finally been removed from the signage of the Virgin MegaStore. It now has the real estate company that handles the property on the old signage.

This theatre was a sad story of missed opportunities and mistakes. I was the Managing Director there during perhaps its most successful period. It actually was the highest-grossing theatre in the nation on rather lowbrow fare and arguably more sophisticated action films such as FACE/OFF.

When the old State was closed, Loews owned the land, and they sold it under the condition they would be allowed to build a new theatre on the site. Construction on this four-screen began in the late 80s shortly after the old theatre was demolished. I heard that discovery of an abandoned subway station necessitated the building foundation going very deep under ground, which partly accounts for the location of the cinema. There is a parking garage deeper in the ground than the theatre.

The building went bankrupt during construction, and the shell of the theatre sat for nearly eight years before Bertlesmann took over the project. The late-80s construction of the shell of the theatre is one of the reasons a larger(more screens) theatre and stadium seating were not built. The black floor in front of the box office was part of the original construction and featured a floor lighting system that was never used.

The lease ran over 500 pages. The lease was with the building, not the Virgin Megastore. Originally, Blockbuster Video was to occupy the space above the theatre. Gates were supposed to be installed in the store to isolate the escalators so that theatre patrons could enter and exit while the store was closed.

The theatre probably was part of Virgin’s attraction to the site. They operated Virgin Cinemas in Europe, and they probably thought they could acquire the partially-completed theatre and use it to introduce Virgin Cinemas to America. Sony Theatres had no desire to let a new competitor into the Manhattan market that easily, and they would not sell. As this theatre was a condition for the initial sale of the land, Sony Theatres had a pretty strong position to keep it, but Bertlesmann could have gotten a higher rent from Virgin.

Virgin appeared to want to drive Sony Theatres out of the space. Virgin did not build the gates in their store required in Loews’ lease. They attempted to bill Sony Theatres for security expenses related to the theatre being open when the store was closed. They locked theatre employees in the building late at night and sometimes attempted to frisk theatre employees to see if theatre employees were stealing Virgin merchandise.

Virgin also held in-store concerts immediately outside the theatre’s entrance. This was not an intended use of the Virgin space, and substantially was not covered in the theatre lease or anticipated in the architecture. The store often cut off access to the theatre due to overcrowding at their concerts. The sound from the concerts drowned out the movies. Effectively, the theatre could not operate during these concerts. To the best of my knowledge, Virgin only compensated Sony Theatres once for lost business.

Although the relationship improved, Virgin and Loews/Sony Theatres never worked well together.

There were four tiny projection booths with virtually no air conditioning. Sound systems failed due to overheating. The projectionists were drenched in sweat. Rather than figure out how to air condition the projection booths, Sony Theatres installed some cooler amplifiers, but the projectionists would still remove glass from the windows and leave projection booth doors ajar. This resulted in projector noise in the auditoriums, which was unfortunate given the sound systems were pretty good.

Originally, the television monitors by the escalators in the Virgin Megastore and in the theatre lobby were to show tapes of movie previews. When the tapes rewound, the monitors were to switch to Virgin music videos. The acrimonious relationship between the two companies left the monitors blank while tapes rewound. Later, they switched to DVDs that did not require rewinding, and the lobby monitors were removed.

Emergency exit was through many stair wells. A particularly large one was between auditoriums two and three.

The original marquee consisted of fiber-optic ropes with a backlit Sony Theatres sign and L.E.D. panels hanging beneath showing the films playing there. The fiber-optic sign was considered to be very advanced and made the cover of some technology magazine. However, it almost never worked correctly and was nowhere near as bright as the Virgin neon sign. When Sony Theatres changed their name back to Loews, this was the last theatre to make the change because they wanted to completely replace the sign. They made the switch to the less high-tech, but more visible neon. The L.E.D. sign remained the same, and I think I was just about the only one who ever knew how to program it. After I left, it often displayed out-of-date information.

When AMC announced plans to enter the Manhattan market with the Empire 25, I think Loews decided to sabotage AMC’s plans by building a megaplex immediately across the street from the AMC. This also effectively sabotaged the State and Astor Plaza.

Once the E-Walk and Empire opened, Loews Cineplex never knew what to do with this theatre. Loews Cineplex really did not know how to successfully run a discount theatre. Also, because of the excessive screen count in Times Square, films hung around in the E-Walk and Empire too long to still have any life left in them when they reached a discount house. Sometimes in the Virgin Megastore one could purchase the DVDs of the films showing at the discount theatre.

The marquee changed a few years ago to just a plastic sign. The company did not appear to want to repair the neon, which was not fully functioning. The L.E.D. signs appeared to be covered over at that time. About half of the L.E.D. sign had ceased to work.

I do not believe Virgin still owns a theatre circuit, and therefore they probably have no interest in this theatre. Most likely, Bertlesmann is not in a position to place stronger provisions in a lease to eliminate the access and sound problems Virgin creates. Without such provisions, this probably will be a very difficult space to lease.

These were the actual seat counts. The certificate of occupancy was not based on the actual number of seats. I managed the theatre, and I still have the seat charts to prove these are the correct numbers.
#1 422
#2 375
#3 318
#4 247

Total = 1362

Pics of Loews State 4 from 1990-2002:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41990a.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState4Build1990sb.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41997c.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41997d.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41997e.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41997f.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41999g.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsstate41999h.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState41999i.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState42002j.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState42002k.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState42002l.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCLoewsState42002m.jpg

The former Loews State signs on the front of the Virgin Store are not used as advertising space for Broadway shows now. Current sign advertise for "Curtains" at the Hirshfeld Theatre (former Martin Beck).

LOEWS STATE movie list from 2004 to 2005

9/10/04- Resident Evil: Apocalypse
10/1/04- Shark Tale
10/15/04- Shall We Dance?
10/22/04- The Grudge
10/29/04- Ray
11/5/04- The Incredibles
11/24/04- Alexander
12/3/04- House of Flying Daggers
12/10/04- Ocean's Twelve
12/22/04- Meet the Fockers
1/7/05- White Noise
2/18/05- Constantine
3/11/05- Hostage
3/18/05- The Ring Two
3/25/05- Guess Who
3/30/05- Beauty Shop
4/15/05- The Amityville Horror
5/6/05- House of Wax
5/27/05- Madagascar
6/15/05- Batman Begins
6/24/05- Land of the Dead
7/8/05- Dark Water
7/15/05- Wedding Crashers
7/29/05- Stealth
8/19/05- The 40-Year-Old Virgin
8/19/05- Red Eye
9/9/05- The Exorcism of Emily Rose
10/7/05- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
10/21/05- Doom
11/18/05- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
12/21/05- Fun with Dick and Jane
1/6/06- Hostel

R.I.P. STATE 4 1996-2006

PierreCity... This list has to be incomplete. The Loews State was a quad - shouldn't each date list multiple titles?

Sad to link this 4-screen with the original showplace. Adding movie screens as an afterthought to another entertainment or business site has little chance of success. No surprise that Virgin as the prime tenant compounded the shortcomings of the quadplex. Of course you can trace this back to when the Loews corporation decided to make their fortunes in real estate, instead of entertainment.

Well, Ed, I know it's a incomplete list but that's all of the info I can think of.

The space occupied by the Virgin store and the Loews was originally to have been a shopping mall. After the developer went bankrupt construction was halted for a number of years. After the property was finally sold and construction resumed the plan changed and the new owner threw out the mall idea. The new owner wanted Virgin, and neither wanted the theatre there but they were stuck with it because Loews had a lease as per a stipulation in the sale of the original Loews/1540 building. The theatre was designed for the 1988 market and at that time 4 screens were adequate, but by the time it finally opened in 1996 it was obsolete.

PierreCity... No offense intended. I didn't know you were going from memory. I thought you had some source for your information - as do many who post such lists here on the site. Are these films that you saw at the State? I used to keep a log of every film I saw when from 1979 through 1983 or '84. It listed each theatre and the cost of admission (which was initially the point of the list - to see how much I spent on film-going in a year). Somewhere along the way, the log went missing. I really wish I still had it - I really went to the movies an awful lot back in those days! At least once or twice each weekend (and many double and triple features courtesy the 42nd Street grind houses). I'm lucky if I see two or three films each year, these days!

It's okay, Ed. I didn't go to the State 4 to see these films, I got this information from reading the movie listings out of The New York Times. I've been logging NYC movie listings since 2003.

The space occupied by Virgin and the Loews quad has been a shopping mall from the start. Each level from the ground down was supposed to be divided into stores, but Virgin decided that it wanted all of the retail space for itself. When Virgin departs, the space will probably be divided into smaller stores unless another major company wants the entirety. Virgin has been undergoing major changes since Richard Branson sold all his music interests last year. The new owners are still undecided on what to do with the American stores.

Here are some photos, circa 1997:
http://tinyurl.com/3rqg4k
http://tinyurl.com/4sbecr

At most, those photos show only the small signage that Loews State 4 had above the entrance doors to the Virgin Megastore. I suppose that one could also call those doors the entrance to Loews State 4, but the multiplex itself was two floors below street level, and connected to it by escalators.

These were comfortable subterranean theaters, but anyone could tell they were doomed. They were buried, without sufficient signage, in the bowels of the building. I never saw a movie in there that wasn't close to being a private screening.

The entire Virgin Megastore is going on the auction block.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364422,00.html

ive been there only once back when it was new..just the music store.

The theatre opened on May 3rd, 1996 with Barb Wire (on two screens, yes it was on two screens), Mulholland Falls and GoldenEye (in a special one-week reissue) and Cemetary Man (a horror film with Rupert Everett) sharing a screen.

Actually, I retract that last statement. The theatres opened the week before with two prints of Mulholland Falls and two prints of Cemetary Man.

Would someone please tell me the DATE that the ORIGINAL Loew's State Theatre, on Broadway, NYC had it's Grand Opening? I have the Nov. 1921 issue of Motion Picture Magazine which refers to the opening as having already occurred that Fall. Am trying to gauge the time between writing the magazine articles and the publication month of them. I am guessing sometime in October, or even September, but an exact date would be terrific. ALSO, what was showing / appearing at that grand opening event? Thanks!

Gayle,see Introduction on that theater's page
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/557/

Thanks, Howard -- boy, what a time lag between Event and Publication ... from Aug. 9th to late Oct. -- but at least it is a start for me - THANKS !! Gayle

Could it be that this theatre is now literally a big toilet?

http://www.charmin.com/en_us/pages/restrooms/location.shtml

No, that is next door and on the second floor from Virgin Mega Store in Times Square.

Creative phrasing, Al; tip of the hat to you :-)

The 'big toilet' was actually next door, in the former Barcode space. As for the building which houses the former Loews State, word is that Forever 21 will be taking over the majority of the soon-to-be-former Virgin Megastore space, with Nordstrom Rack taking over the basement level and perhaps, even though this isn't detailed in the linked article below (and I haven't been able to verify this via other sources), the movie theatre portion of the building as well.

http://www.allbusiness.com/real-estate/commercial-residential-property/11690864-1.html

Just realized you answered Al's question, William, as I was typing my response; apologies for the duplication...

No problem. You gave me an answer to whats going in there. I was buying a dvd a few weeks ago there and the girl asked if I wanted one of there VIP saving type cards. I said no it will be no good in a few months, it's not worth it. I said to her the store is closing in the spring along with Union Square. She said no it's not, go ask one of your managers. She was not to happy after his answer.

Loew's never knew how to run that 4-plex, every time I was there always a problem.

"All the News That's Fit to Print" can be found here. The ex-theatre is probably the "adjoining space" to be combined into the new store: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/nyregion/15virgin.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Virgin%20Music&st=cse

90,000 square feet for junky clothes? I'd rather see a Target store - which would be a boon to both tourists and locals - move into that space...

Times Square has never been a shopping destination. Toys R Us was a notable exception in its first years, but is rumored to be troubled now that the novelty has worn off. But if "Forever 21" is dumb enough to pay the rent, who's to stop them, least of all the landlord.

I understand Disney may be moving their Fifth Avenue store to Times Square because TOYS R US has done so well with the tourist family trade. Perhaps FOREVER 21 is hoping to cash on tourists who still think the dollar exchange rate is a bargain.

Saw them taking the movie theater seats out the back way of the Virgin Time Square as I walked back from the Toys R Us this afternoon. Had to happen sometime now that it's completely dead. Alas, poor Loews. We hardly knew ye.

What were they doing with the seats, throwing them in a dumpster, or carefully loading them into a truck?