Kew Gardens Cinemas
81-05 Lefferts Boulevard,
Kew Gardens,
NY
11415
81-05 Lefferts Boulevard,
Kew Gardens,
NY
11415
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 124 comments found
Just spent an enjoyable evening seeing “The Descendants” at the Kew Gardens. (A very fine film – but not in the same class as either “Midnight in Paris” or “The Artist”. Clooney, however, was terrific.) The place was packed, which is a tribute to the management’s excellent picture selection – and the sophisticated tastes of the local residents ……. While there, I asked a couple of employees about the theater’s possible expansion into the old drug store. While one worker did not have a clue, the other one confirmed that some thought had been given to it, but that nothing firm has, to date, emerged. So, stay tuned. (Wouldn’t it be great to see a drug store turned into a movie theater!!)
LuisV, given the number of people who jammed the Kew Gardens yesterday evening, I hope you are correct about the possible incorporation of the pharmacy site. At the very least, it would provide some additional and badly needed lobby space – and perhaps an additional screen …….. robboehm, I too have been to Florence and can attest that the Ponte Vecchio does open up at the middle of the Arno to provide a beautiful river view. A bronze bust of Benvenueto Cellini, originally donated by the metal workers of Florence, is situated on the west side; while the famous Vasari Corridor spans the entire east side, about one floor up, the ground floor also opens up at the center to provide a river view as well as a spectacular panorama of the hills situated further east.
Firstly, I thought this theatre was on Austin not Lefferts.
Secondly, shops are on both sides of the Ponte Vecchio all the way across Been there.
Just passed this theater the other day and noticed that the corner pharmacy adjacent tot eh Kew Gardens Theatre has been closed. It seems big enough to make screen number 8! Would that work? Is it possible? I need to make the time to see a movie at this theater in 2012.
Before it was a porn house ,it was a second run double feature that share billingswithe the Mayfair theater of Fresh Meadows ( now the Bombay theater)
I just noticed RickB’s recent comment. Yes, it is true that the Kew Gardens is situated on a part of a bridge that spans the tracks of the Long Island Railroad’s Main Line. In fact, the sound of the trains rumbling below us provided some unplanned sound effects during tonight’s movie. I am told that the this bridge was patterned after the famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence Italy, where shops – for the most part – are situated on both sides of the bridge and, thus, block one’s view of the Arno. The major difference here is that no shops were constructed at the center of the Ponte Vecchio, while the line of stores exist over the entire course of the Kew Gardens bridge. Again, Happy New Year!
I just spent a wonderful time helping to close out the old year at this wonderful theater. We very much enjoyed the film that we saw – The Artist – and I strongly recommed it. But the big news was the huge number of people who turned out to see a movie here this evening. I have never seen the place so packed. (Certainly the films presented, which included The Descendents; Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy; A Dangerous Method; Hugo – in 3D no less; and My Week With Marilyn contributed to attracting the huge throng – and reflects the Kew Gardens' excellent program selection policy.)It was really great to end the year on so happy a cinematic note!
The PBS program, called “New York Originals” aired a feature which included a tour of this great theatre . It aired in my region on the New Jersey Network
here’s the website for it
View link
According to this page at Forgotten New York the theater is actually built on a bridge over railroad tracks, although it looks like a typical commercial street. (There are pictures about a third of the way down the page, but they don’t show the theater closely enough.)
Just found out that the Kitty Genovese murder in 1964 took place in a doorway right across the street from this theatre. I visited the site a couple of days ago, a tiny vestibule where the rape and murder occurred. Very sad.
Just came back from seeing “The Social Network” at this great old movie house. It is always a pleasure going there.
With regard to accessing the place from the Union Turnpike station, you can also board the Q-10 bus, which begins its run just below the station’s southeastern entrance at Kew Gardens Road. It’s less than a five minute ride, serves as a free MetroCard transfer and stops very close to the theater. But even if a bus is not available, it is only a pretty short walk to the Kew Gardens
Up Kew Gardens Road about 4 blocks to Lefferts Blvd, make a right, go one block to Austin Street and Presto….Kew Gardens Cinema! Even closer if you take the LIRR to the Kew Gardens Station: Once off the train, make a left up the street to Lefferts Blvd then make another left and at the end of the block on the right hand side is the theater.
Went there last night and loved it. However, I take the subway to the Union Turnpike station and if you don’t know the neighborhood, it can be very very confusing finding the theater. I kept getting turned around and asking for directions. I’m sure once I make a few trips and recognize certain landmarks, I’ll find it much easier.
Luis, thanks so much for informing us of Time Out New York’s very deserving designation. As a frequent patron of this theater, I can easily verify that the designation is definitely deserved. I hope you – and many other viewers – will soon visit this place and share the wonderful experience that the Kew Gardens provides.
Time Out New York just named the Kew Gardens Cinema as one of New York’s best movie theaters!!!
Not bad for an outer borough former porno house! Though I grew up in South Ozone Park and lived in Kew Gardens for several years, I have never been to this gem. (Since it was a porno theater at the time) Someday soon, I will make the journey from Manhattan to see a film here to experience it for myself.
My grandma lived in Kew Gardens and worked at the Austin ticket counter when it was a XXX theatre. I was a little girl at the time but when I got older, she told me some amusing (and revolting) stories! It seems to have changed a lot since then, but I’m glad it still exists. :)
A recent article and photos can be found here: http://www.queenstribune.com/leisure.html#leisure1
What a wonderful shot! You can really feel the cold. And the old AUSTIN letters can still br viewed in the side lobby!
The Austin Theatre was in its “art” phase and presenting “A Cage of Nightingales” at the time of the historic blizzard of late December, 1947: View link
I just took a closer look at the picture RobertR posted in April. The fact that the old awning covered the entire narrow sidewalk and almost seemed to protrude over the roadway clearly underlines the hazard it posed to truck traffic on this busy and winding street. It’s thus not at all surprising that it had to be replaced with today’s more modest structure. Anyhow, the old “AUSTIN” sign still exists in the theaters side lounge.
It was also nice to see one of the old light Queens street signs.
Michael, I’m glad you had such a great experience at the Kew Gardens. As an occasional patron of this place, my experience has been that it usually draws a lot of business. My guess is that you probably saw a film that was near the end of its run.
I just treked out to Kew Gardens to see the old theater and it was a great experience. The area is like a cute old fashioned small town main street and the theater, though broken up into many screens, is a comfortable place to be. The lobby is long and big with the old murals in place and decorated throughout with old movie posters, framed movie fan magazines and such. However, I was one of 5 people in the big theater on a Friday night for the seven o'clock show. I hope this isn’t the usual case these days because it’s a great place to see a movie.
The Austin days
View link
I passed by the front of the Kew Gardens Cinema yesterday evening and looked through the windows and thought “What a cute theater this is!” While I live in Manhattan, I am going to have to make a special effort to see a film here some day.
Which screen actually contains the original proscenium, if any?
Good article, Warren. Thanks. If I were still single and living in Ridgewood, Queens, I, too, would probably be walking four miles or more to the Kew Gardens Cinemas to regularly see exceptional films there.
As opposed to exploding fireball movies at the Midway and Brandon Cinemas in downtown Forest Hills.