Film Forum 1 & 2
57 Watts Street,
New York,
NY
57 Watts Street,
New York,
NY
2 people
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The previous home of the Film Forum was demolished in the late 1980’s. The theatre’s current home is at 209 W. Houston Street.
Contributed by
Robert R
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
There is a small ad here for Film Forum in 1982.
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If I remember correctly the two cinemas in the original Film Forum were positioned side by side. They were small but comfortable and didn’t have that tunnel effect that you get in that one auditorium at the present site. I saw the original run of Gus Van Sant’s MALA NOCHE there and the restored print of THE BOYFRIEND.
Can someone let me know if this 1973-dated photo is of this theater? Thank you.
Don’t quote me on this, but it looks like the Forum 47th Street Theater aka Movieland. :)
That pic is the Fourm 47th/Movieland in Times Square. I went to this incarnation only once in ‘82 to see a British animation called “The Plague Dogs. I hadn’t moved to the city yet and was unfamiliar with the area but it was quiet and desolate. When I saw Scorcese’s 'After Hours” a two years later, I could relate.
The Film Forum was initially located in a loft space on West 88th Street, followed by moves to 80 Wooster Street (which also housed Anthology Film Archives, prior to their move to the Second Avenue Courthouse building; I’m pretty sure 80 Wooster has since been converted to residential space) and 15 Vandam Street, which currently houses the Soho Playhouse (and formerly the Thalia Soho and Le Cinematheque). The programming at 57 Watts Street was one screen of limited-run premieres and one screen of revivals; without the third screen, few of the premiere engagements moved to other theatres in town when their runs at the Film Forum ended.
(On a bit of a side note, does anyone know whether the 57 Watts Street space was built specifically for the Film Forum or, if not, what it previously housed?)
Renewing link.
Here is the image I posted on the Houston page by mistake.
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The original Film Forum
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This appears to have operated from 1980 to 1989. The 88th street location was open from 1970 to 1980.