Island Cinemas
1708 Montauk Highway,
Mastic,
NY
11950
1708 Montauk Highway,
Mastic,
NY
11950
1 person
favorited this theater
In defiance of the usual progression for many theater buildings, this theater was actually converted from a large store in the late-1980’s or early-1990’s, instead of the typical progression where a theater gets converted to a store.
The eight-screen Movieland Cinema of Mastic was closed at the end of 2007, and a new cinema opened on the site in March 2008, named Island Cinemas.
Contributed by
Bway Chris
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Does anyone remember the original movie theater in Mastic? It was in the same shopping center that Movieland Cinema of Mastic currently occupies. It opened in the early seventies (‘71?) and sat in the middle of the shopping center to the right of the A&P (which is now Movieland). It was flanked to the left by a chinese restaurant (still there) and to the right by a staionary store (long gone). I think you can still see the outline of the original marquee.
Among the many films I saw there, I most vividly remember catching a glimpse of my 1st “R” rated movie – Hitchcock’s “Frenzy” (‘72) – when I was 9 years old. Much like the nearby Shirley Twin Theatre, they would frequently run day-long weekend marathons of multiple movies, cartoons, shorts, you name it.
I believe it was independently run (my sister knew the couple who managed the place) and lasted for several years until closing in the mid-seventies.
This movie theater was closed at the end of 2007. New owners completely rebuilt the place and opened it up in March 2008 as Island Cinemas. Everything is brand new and clean. It is a nice place to take the family for a movie. You can visit website http://www.island-cinemas.com for showtimes and even buy tickets online.
The newowners had to completely rebuild the place. The previous owners illegally subdivided a couple of the auditoriums resulting in 10 houses, not the seven they had permits for. The town closed them down. Then the former owners removed EVERYTHING from the space. The new owners had to reequip the place. I think the total
auditorium count is 7 not 8.
My thought was that the Movieland name had nothing to do with the one used by BS Moss in Douglaston. I thought it might be associated with Movieland in Coram. But knowing that at least one lawyer was one of a group which owns the Coram house I would hope not.
As far as naming a theatre is concerned I think they could have chosen something better than Island Cinemas when the 16 plex in Holtsville was already well established.
I think the screen count has to change to 7 above. It’s more than the 5 listed.
They’ve got something new – “Church at the Movies”. They even have a van to transport people. I went past last Sunday and they really had a crowd. I wonder if films do as well.
I wonder if this is the church group that used to rent one of the theaters in the old Patchogue Multiplex. They also had a “CHurch at the Movies” group that rented one of the auditoriums on Sundays for church service.
It’s a good way to take in some extra money when they really don’t need the auditorium for movies anyway on Sunday mornings.
AWF, do you remember the name of that original movie theatre?
The seating capacity of the 7 auditoriums is as follows:
1 105
2&4 91
3 111
5 107
6&7 110
The new owners have really come through with this place. As far as I can tell, they are continuing to upgrade. I heard that they were going to all digital soon, and that they were considering doing special features soon (sports, genre nights, midnight showings). I just love it because I hardly have to wait to get in, it’s clean, and safe now. OH! (my wife says) they keep the bathrooms clean, too.
Good to hear, Victor. I’ve avoided the place because the shopping center is so sleezy. The only time I ventured onto the premises was to get the seating capacities of the seven auditoriums.