United Artists East 85th Street
1629 First Avenue,
New York,
NY
10028
1629 First Avenue,
New York,
NY
10028
8 people
favorited this theater
Nondescript, 1970s-era, single-screen survivor, showcasing mostly Fox and Paramout releases.
Contributed by
br91975
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
I lived on East 86th Street, a short walk away from this theater, from 1994 to 2003. Nothing spectacular, but one of the few remaining good size single screen theaters in Manhattan, nonetheless. I saw movies like PULP FICTION, STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, DOGMA and DARK BLUE there.
The exterior still looks like Ken Roe’s photo linked above in 2003. The name of the movie is placed in marquee letters on the sign board. The theater’s name continues as UA East on the exterior of the theater, which is the basement of the residential building. After tickets are purchased at the ticket booth, there are stairs and an escalator to this basement theater.
The UA East auditorium sits 240 people with very comfortable LUXURY SEATS upholstered with gray fabric and extremely generous legroom. Vertical strips of red and blue fabric are the decoration on the side and back walls. Speakers are on the blue fabric. Support columns are on the left facing the movie screen, but don’t interfere with the excellent sightlines. The auditorium’s basic configuration resembles that of Clearview’s 62nd & Broadway. A red curtain is in front of the movie screen, but not used as slides are shown before the feature presentation. AMC & Clearview have switched to a digital preshow, but UA still uses slides? The MOVIE SCREEN IS DECENTLY LARGE, in this theater I’d estimate at 25 to 30 feet wide for the scope film. DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND is excellent here. Overall, the movie presentation in this auditorium was very good.
Fresh popcorn was being made as I entered for the 2 PM presentation of the scope movie “In the Valley of Elah.” The “small” popcorn was way too big, and costs too much at $5.50. The small soda costs too much at $4.50. A sign outside announces that outside food, beverages and ice cream are not allowed in the theater. Why does the sign add “ice cream” as that is already in the food category?
Though the movie has been shown for a few weeks, it had reasonably good attendance at the matinee, Saturday’s 1st show. The theater likely has excellent attendance on weekend evenings and if rent isn’t too high, would still be profitable.
Does United Artists or Regal still operate any other single screen theaters in the US?
yes
“Why does the sign add "ice cream” as that is already in the food category?"
That’s beacause for years there was a Carvel Ice Cream Store on the corner next to the theatre. Now there is one of the 8 – 10 Starbucks that exist between 96th to 85th Streets.
I forgot to mention the Anne Hathaway romantic drama BECOMING JANE was shown at the UA East 85th Street theater on Aug. 10, 2007.
This is an OK theater, but how does it stay open?
Belated reply to Seth Lewis: The Orleans was open by April 1969, when it was one of two NYC houses to host that year’s Vanessa Redgrave picture (the Sutton was the other location).
I’ll always remember this theater for the horror flicks I saw here as a kid, Dawn of the Dead (78), Halloween (78), and Carpenter’s remake of The Thing as well as schlock like Blood Beach. Also remember seeing flicks like Capricorn One and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid here.
Saw Crazy Heart there this afternoon. There was a decent crowd. The ticket taker was delightful and the theater is in very nice, clean, comfortable condition. The seats are newish and high back and offer comfortable leg room. The screen is big and high, as one would expect in a single screen theater. It remains a rather elegant place to see a picture, even if off the beaten path. I would not hesitate to go back.
Cool NYCJosh.