Sunshine Cinema
143 E. Houston Street,
New York,
NY
10002
143 E. Houston Street,
New York,
NY
10002
24 people
favorited this theater
The entertainment beginnings of this building came in 1909 when it opened as the Houston Hippodrome, a venue for Yiddish vaudeville acts and films.
In 1917, the theatre’s ownership changed and the 600-seat venue was renamed the Sunshine Theatre. In the late-1930’s it was renamed Chopin Theatre. The theatre closed in 1945 and had been used as a storage warehouse into the mid-1990s.
Following a three-year, $12 million renovation project, the Sunshine Cinema is back and set to due battle with the famed Angelika and Film Forum theatres which, up until recent years had been the favorite destinations of the art house set.
The Sunshine Cinema certainly fills a need in the area as there are few movie theatres in or around the Lower East Side. The facade has been restored and 3 of the 5 auditoriums contain stadium seating, while all have plush seats and the latest sound and projection equipment.
The theatre is the first for Landmark Theatres in the much coveted New York indie market.
Contributed by
Cinema Treasures
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Recent comments (view all 69 comments)
SUNSHINE CINEMA movie list from 2002 to today
2/22/02- MONSOON WEDDING
3/15/02- KISSING JESSICA STEIN
5/31/02- THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
9/20/02- BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE
9/20/02- SPIRITED AWAY
11/1/02- COMEDIAN
11/15/02- TALK TO HER
11/29/02- RABBIT-PROOF FENCE
12/19/02- ADAPTATION
3/14/03- BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
4/11/03- BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
7/4/03- SWIMMING POOL
8/15/03- AMERICAN SPLENDOR
10/17/03- PIECES OF APRIL
10/24/03- IN THE CUT
11/21/03- THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
11/26/03- THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
12/12/03- GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
12/19/03- HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
2/6/04- THE DREAMERS
6/11/04- NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
9/24/04- THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES
11/12/04- KINSEY
11/19/04- BAD EDUCATION
11/24/04- A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT
12/17/04- THE SEA INSIDE
12/24/04- THE WOODSMAN
3/18/05- MELINDA AND MELINDA
5/13/05- LAYER CAKE
5/13/05- MAD HOT BALLROOM
6/10/05- HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE
6/17/05- MY SUMMER OF LOVE
11/11/05- BEE SEASON
11/11/05- PRIDE & PREJUDICE
11/16/05- BREAKFAST ON PLUTO
12/14/05- THE THREE BURIALS OF MELAQUIDES ESTRADA
12/23/05- CACHE (HIDDEN)
1/20/06- LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD
2/17/06- NIGHT WATCH
5/24/06- AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
6/9/06- A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION
7/7/06- A SCANNER DARKLY
9/8/06- THE PROTECTOR
9/15/06- THE U.S. vs JOHN LENNON
9/22/06- FEAST
9/27/06- THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
10/20/06- RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
11/3/06- VOLVER
11/10/06- COPYING BEETHOVEN
11/17/06- FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
11/23/06- BOBBY
12/20/06- LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
12/29/06- MISS POTTER
12/29/06- PAN’S LABYRINTH
1/26/07- BREAKING AND ENTERING
4/20/07- JINDABYNE
5/4/07- AWAY FROM HER
5/18/07- ONCE
7/13/07- INTRODUCING THE DWIGHTS
7/13/07- SUNSHINE
8/10/07- ROCKET SCIENCE
8/17/07- THE 11TH HOUR
8/17/07- DEATH AT A FUNERAL
9/7/07- THE HUNTING PARTY
9/21/07- INTO THE WILD
9/28/07- LUST, CAUTION
10/12/07- SLEUTH
10/12/07- WE OWN THE NIGHT
10/19/07- RESERVATION ROAD
12/7/07- GRACE IS GONE
12/14/07- THE KITE RUNNER
12/14/07- YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH
12/28/07- THE ORPHANAGE
1/18/08- CASSANDRA’S DREAM
3/7/08- SNOW ANGELS
4/18/08- THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES
4/25/08- THEN SHE FOUND ME
6/6/08- MONGOL
6/20/08- BRICK LANE
7/25/08- AMERICAN TEEN
7/25/08- BAGHEAD
I also forgot to mention that the dramatic film THE VISITOR was shown at this theater on April 18, 2008.
The historical drama THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI was shown here at this theater on May 23, 2008.
Here is another photo.
Photo of the Sunshine courtesy of Nick’s Classic American Theatres.
View link
This was showing Slavic films in 1937-1938 as the Chopin.
This theatre had the New York premiere of Paranormal Activity (before the film before popular).
i find the photo posted by jflundy on 1/5/08 most interesting. first off it was neat to see the theater with a big ornate old fashion marquee. but what i find most fascinating is that date given for the. photo 6/23/29. unless NYC widened Houston St. subsequent to the photo being taken the street in front of the theater is wayyyyyyyyyyyy to narrow to be Houston Street. is it at all possible that the photo is not of the Sunshine Cinema that exists today?
Tree of Life is playing at this theater before it goes nationwide soon. It’s been selling well. Is Landmark showing it in digital projection or regular 35mm film?
bigjoe – Houston Street was widened in the 1930s when the subway was built beneath it.