My wife and I stumbled upon this theater back in 1999 (she was just my girlfriend at the time) and decided to go in and see THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. That was the only time I went to this theater.
I had cousins living in Merrick when I was a kid. I saw CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND at this theater in 1977 and then again three years later for the 1980 SPECIAL EDITION.
M. Coate – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER was my first R-rated movie. I was ten years-old. My mother almost made us leave the theater because of the heavy profanity. Even by today’s standards, the profanity and racial slurs are still pretty raw.
A year and a half later, I remember seeing it again in the theater; the PG version! Even at age 11, I could already recognize what a butchered editing job the studio did to get the younger audience to see it.
That movie will be 30 years old come December 2007. I hope the original R-rated version is re-released in theaters.
Interestingly, by the time I saw BLADE RUNNER in 1982, it was only my fourth R-rated movie. AND JUSTICE FOR ALL and THE BLUES BROTHERS were 2 and 3.
BLADE RUNNER – one of my favorite sci-fi movies, one of my top-ten favorite movies of the 1980’s and a subject I like to talk about.
I did see it in 1982 when it opened at the Hampton Arts Theatre in Westhampton Beach, Long Island, New York (it was a single screen back then). I was fifteen years-old. My mother dropped me and my little brother off at the theater and asked another grown up to take us in to this R-rated feature.
Although I had grown up with the sci-fi action of films like STAR WARS and MOONRAKER, I could immediately see that there was something special about this dark sci-fi noir-type film. The visuals and cinematography spoke for themselves, of course, and I was immediately taken with the score by Vangelis (fresh off of his CHARIOTS OF FIRE success). In fact, I waited eagerly to buy the soundtrack on record album (Yes, that’s right! I said record album!) and was inevitably disappointed to see that they’d released a cover version of the soundtrack; not Vangelis.
Before being broadcasted on HBO, BLADE RUNNER had its debut on video cassette with extra scenes of added violence and gore that were not shown in theaters. By 1992, when it was re-released in theaters as a Director’s Cut, BLADE RUNNER, in my opinion, was already going through what I like to call the “George Lucas revisions”. By then, you had three different version of the film; 1982 theatrical, 1980’s video and 1992 theatrical.
I consider myself a film purist, so I’ve always preferred the original 1982 version, complete with Rick Deckard’s narration and the Hollywood happy ending in the snowy mountains (borrowed from THE SHINING). The narration gives the film more of the classic film noir flavor that BLADE RUNNER is now famous for. And in the bleak, grim Los Angeles world of 2019, isn’t it nice to know that the sun still shines in some places?
Today, I own two versions of BLADE RUNNER; the current DVD Director’s Cut with full and widescreen options AND a video cassette version from the ‘80’s that I described earlier.
I hope the film is re-released for it’s 25th anniversary. I’d love to see it on the big screen again!
“I don’t know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments, he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life…my life…anybody’s life. All he wanted were the same answers the rest of us want; Who am I? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die."
– Rick Deckard, BLADE RUNNER (1982 version)
After reading Dan Glickman’s article, the only thing I can say is that he must be experiencing today’s movies on a different level of consciousness, because I simply cannot relate to his interpretations of this summer’s films. The experience at the movies that he’s describing sounds more nostalgic to movies of decades past rather than what is offered to the public today.
I have, for long time now, been calling Hollywood a “massive recycling facility”, with it’s primary marketing focussed on sequels, franchise films and remakes:
Think about this summer of 2007; there are more sequels and threequels than I can remember in a very long time: SPIDERMAN 3, SHREK 3, PIRATES 3, OCEAN’S THIRTEEN, RUSH HOUR 3, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, DIE HARD 4, FANTASTIC FOUR 2, HARRY POTTER 5 and HOSTEL II.
Since the beginning of this century, Hollywood has also dedicated itself to remaking nearly every popular film of the 1970’s, including POSEIDON, THE BAD NEWS BEARS, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and THE LONGEST YARD. Not one of these remakes went down in film history as a critical success. And now it seems that some of John Capernter’s most popular films, HALLOWEEN, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and THE THING are due to or have been remade.
Another hot Hollywood epidemic has also been to revive old, successful franchises, bringing back the original stars who have gone past their prime for the roles. Arnold returned for TERMINATOR 3, Stallone returned for ROCKY BALBOA, Bruce Willis returns for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, Stallone is due to return for JOHN RAMBO and next summer, Harrison Ford will return for INDIANA JONES 4. As much as I love and worship most of Spielberg’s films, this is such a tragic mistake because I truly believe that Ford is too damn old for the role. Like James Bond, Indiana Jones is a pop culture iconic character, who could very well be filled by fresh shoes, much in the way that Sean Connery was inevitably replaced by Roger Moore as Bond. Had Christopher Reeve still been alive, would Bryan Singer have honestly tried to return him to his original role of Superman??
Yes, you can always find some good independent films if you look hard enough and there are always exceptions to everything in life. But that aside, consider what the average moviegoer is going to find out there:
Theme park-style multiplexes instead of the theater, outrageous ticket and food prices, inconsiderate audience members (DON’T GET ME STARTED!), endless commercials before the film and an endless array of films and stories that we’ve seen on screen before when they were brand new and didn’t cost as much to see.
So where exactly is the experience that Dan Glickman is talking about? Somebody help me out with this, because I’m just not getting it (and I suspect that I never will!).
Warren, that Bo Derek shot is priceless. Back in her day, I had such a major crush (lust, actually) and a very risquee poster of her on my wall. She was in ORCA: THE KILLER WHALE before she rose to fame with 10.
I was at this theater only once, in 1991. I took a first date to see HOOK. The movie sucked and so did the date. We never went out again.
Wow! This drive-in was the first time I was ever taken to a movie! It was 1974 and I was seven years-old. We lived in nearby Melville. The movie was THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH, with Sylvester Stallone (pre-ROCKY) and Henry Winkler (pre-HAPPY DAYS). Clearly, I was simply in the car with my dad while he watched the movies, otherwise he might have chosen something a little more kid-friendly. There were likely two other features with this, but I have no memory of them.
My dad took me there only one other time less than a year later to see YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. I remember the other two features were S.P.Y.S. and a re-issue of M.A.S.H.
Been thinking about this theater again recently and remembering my college times at UB. Some other films I can remember seeing at this theater during the 80’s include:
JAGGED EDGE, WHITE NIGHTS, QUICKSILVER, THAT’S LIFE!, PLATOON, NO MAN’S LAND, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, BACK TO THE FUTURE (re-release) and TOP GUN (also a re-release).
Back then, I had not learned to appreciate art films yet, so I usually stuck with whatever mainstream films this theater would get. I regret not seeing BLUE VELEVET, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and THE LAST EMPEROR on screen when they premiered at this theater and had a very long run.
Oh, man, that’s great! Horror movies would be the only fitting feature to have there. Especially some classic black and whites like PSYCHO and any of the Universal Monster films.
You’re absolutely right! I made that decision at the beginning of this year. I haven’t been to a huge multiplex since last Christmas and I’m a happier movie-goer for it.
In my opinion, I’d say, generally, 3 to 4 weeks, unless the film is an absolute smash, then perhaps longer to give people extra time and convenience to see it.
When I was a kid in Westhampton Beach, I can remember GREASE staying at the local theater for at least 2 months. My family and I saw it 6 times! And of course, many of us know about LA CAGE AUX FOLLES staying at the 68th Street Playhouse for well over a year. Wow!
Those days just don’t exist anymore, and sadly, they never will again.
I won’t complain because all of my favorite theaters are closed now anyway. I having nothing left to lose anymore. It’s all gone. I just have the memories of what used to be.
Besides, the only theaters I could ever get away with theater hopping are the multiplexes, which I consider the enemy of classic movie theaters. How they can even be called movie theaters today is beyond me! More like amusement theme parks, in my opinion.
Tommy, that $6.00 deal must have started after I moved out of NYC. I was unaware of it.
JMF – Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying! Never really lost any sleep over it, either. Life’s too short for pointless guilt.
Now that I’m older, my life and weekend schedule don’t allow me that kind of time any more. But every now and again, I’ve managed to sneak in a double feature. The last time was December 2005 – I saw MUNICH on my day off and then walked into another theater to watch SYRIANA. Talk about your deep, politically-dark double feature!
During the winter, when I choose to go to the movies, I almost always go during the day, when ticket prices are cheaper (this has no validity in New York City).
When I was younger and lived in the city, I would often spend the day at a multiplex and see three or four movies in day. I saw everything and saved a ton of money!
Do I condone this? Well, I’m not exactly a saint, so I don’t condemn it. If you can get away with it, more power to you!
This theater held a nice position amongst all the stores of the Miracel Mile; just a few stores away from Swensens ice cream parlor (now closed, too). I saw a STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK, BEVERLY HILLS COP (twice!), D.A.R.Y.L. and EUROPEAN VACATION before it innevitably closed.
They say movie attendance is down. I know that for me, I’ve all but stopped going because of the high ticket and food prices, inconsiderate audience members and the general onslaught of trash that is ending up on the screens.
I wonder, though, why others are attending less?
If you watched the news a month ago, you’d have seen stories of people waiting on long lines and attending screenings of SPIDERMAN 3 in the middle of the night and box office records going through the roof. Money talks, so it sounds like people are still going to the movie theaters, and yet they say attendance is down.
I discovered the Biograph almost by accident in the Fall of 1988 when some friends and I went to see a revival of my all-time favorite film, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. I remember thinking that it was revival theaters like this that made Manhattan great! Too bad something that special was not meant to last.
The Biograph Theater was also inspirational to me in that when writing a couple of my screenplays, I created a ficticious revival movie theater in several scenes that take place in small coastal towns.
My wife and I stumbled upon this theater back in 1999 (she was just my girlfriend at the time) and decided to go in and see THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. That was the only time I went to this theater.
I lived near this theater from July 2003 to March 2006, but did not go to a movie there even once.
I had cousins living in Merrick when I was a kid. I saw CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND at this theater in 1977 and then again three years later for the 1980 SPECIAL EDITION.
I saw BEING JULIA at this theater just before I moved out of Manhattan. I’d only been there once before a couple of years earlier to see THE HOURS.
M. Coate – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER was my first R-rated movie. I was ten years-old. My mother almost made us leave the theater because of the heavy profanity. Even by today’s standards, the profanity and racial slurs are still pretty raw.
A year and a half later, I remember seeing it again in the theater; the PG version! Even at age 11, I could already recognize what a butchered editing job the studio did to get the younger audience to see it.
That movie will be 30 years old come December 2007. I hope the original R-rated version is re-released in theaters.
Interestingly, by the time I saw BLADE RUNNER in 1982, it was only my fourth R-rated movie. AND JUSTICE FOR ALL and THE BLUES BROTHERS were 2 and 3.
BLADE RUNNER – one of my favorite sci-fi movies, one of my top-ten favorite movies of the 1980’s and a subject I like to talk about.
I did see it in 1982 when it opened at the Hampton Arts Theatre in Westhampton Beach, Long Island, New York (it was a single screen back then). I was fifteen years-old. My mother dropped me and my little brother off at the theater and asked another grown up to take us in to this R-rated feature.
Although I had grown up with the sci-fi action of films like STAR WARS and MOONRAKER, I could immediately see that there was something special about this dark sci-fi noir-type film. The visuals and cinematography spoke for themselves, of course, and I was immediately taken with the score by Vangelis (fresh off of his CHARIOTS OF FIRE success). In fact, I waited eagerly to buy the soundtrack on record album (Yes, that’s right! I said record album!) and was inevitably disappointed to see that they’d released a cover version of the soundtrack; not Vangelis.
Before being broadcasted on HBO, BLADE RUNNER had its debut on video cassette with extra scenes of added violence and gore that were not shown in theaters. By 1992, when it was re-released in theaters as a Director’s Cut, BLADE RUNNER, in my opinion, was already going through what I like to call the “George Lucas revisions”. By then, you had three different version of the film; 1982 theatrical, 1980’s video and 1992 theatrical.
I consider myself a film purist, so I’ve always preferred the original 1982 version, complete with Rick Deckard’s narration and the Hollywood happy ending in the snowy mountains (borrowed from THE SHINING). The narration gives the film more of the classic film noir flavor that BLADE RUNNER is now famous for. And in the bleak, grim Los Angeles world of 2019, isn’t it nice to know that the sun still shines in some places?
Today, I own two versions of BLADE RUNNER; the current DVD Director’s Cut with full and widescreen options AND a video cassette version from the ‘80’s that I described earlier.
I hope the film is re-released for it’s 25th anniversary. I’d love to see it on the big screen again!
“I don’t know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments, he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life…my life…anybody’s life. All he wanted were the same answers the rest of us want; Who am I? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die."
– Rick Deckard, BLADE RUNNER (1982 version)
After reading Dan Glickman’s article, the only thing I can say is that he must be experiencing today’s movies on a different level of consciousness, because I simply cannot relate to his interpretations of this summer’s films. The experience at the movies that he’s describing sounds more nostalgic to movies of decades past rather than what is offered to the public today.
I have, for long time now, been calling Hollywood a “massive recycling facility”, with it’s primary marketing focussed on sequels, franchise films and remakes:
Think about this summer of 2007; there are more sequels and threequels than I can remember in a very long time: SPIDERMAN 3, SHREK 3, PIRATES 3, OCEAN’S THIRTEEN, RUSH HOUR 3, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, DIE HARD 4, FANTASTIC FOUR 2, HARRY POTTER 5 and HOSTEL II.
Since the beginning of this century, Hollywood has also dedicated itself to remaking nearly every popular film of the 1970’s, including POSEIDON, THE BAD NEWS BEARS, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and THE LONGEST YARD. Not one of these remakes went down in film history as a critical success. And now it seems that some of John Capernter’s most popular films, HALLOWEEN, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and THE THING are due to or have been remade.
Another hot Hollywood epidemic has also been to revive old, successful franchises, bringing back the original stars who have gone past their prime for the roles. Arnold returned for TERMINATOR 3, Stallone returned for ROCKY BALBOA, Bruce Willis returns for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, Stallone is due to return for JOHN RAMBO and next summer, Harrison Ford will return for INDIANA JONES 4. As much as I love and worship most of Spielberg’s films, this is such a tragic mistake because I truly believe that Ford is too damn old for the role. Like James Bond, Indiana Jones is a pop culture iconic character, who could very well be filled by fresh shoes, much in the way that Sean Connery was inevitably replaced by Roger Moore as Bond. Had Christopher Reeve still been alive, would Bryan Singer have honestly tried to return him to his original role of Superman??
Yes, you can always find some good independent films if you look hard enough and there are always exceptions to everything in life. But that aside, consider what the average moviegoer is going to find out there:
So where exactly is the experience that Dan Glickman is talking about? Somebody help me out with this, because I’m just not getting it (and I suspect that I never will!).
I saw only one movie at this theater; PLEASANTVILLE in 1999.
Warren, that Bo Derek shot is priceless. Back in her day, I had such a major crush (lust, actually) and a very risquee poster of her on my wall. She was in ORCA: THE KILLER WHALE before she rose to fame with 10.
I was at this theater only once, in 1991. I took a first date to see HOOK. The movie sucked and so did the date. We never went out again.
Wow! This drive-in was the first time I was ever taken to a movie! It was 1974 and I was seven years-old. We lived in nearby Melville. The movie was THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH, with Sylvester Stallone (pre-ROCKY) and Henry Winkler (pre-HAPPY DAYS). Clearly, I was simply in the car with my dad while he watched the movies, otherwise he might have chosen something a little more kid-friendly. There were likely two other features with this, but I have no memory of them.
My dad took me there only one other time less than a year later to see YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. I remember the other two features were S.P.Y.S. and a re-issue of M.A.S.H.
I saw only one movie here. I think it was LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE.
I only saw two movies at this theater; PLATOON and GOOD WILL HUNTING.
LM – I saw that Hall & Oates concert! I still have my tour shirt!
Other concerts I saw there include:
I went to this theater only once for GODS AND MONSTERS in 1999.
I went to only one movie at this theater; David Lynch’s LOST HIGHWAY.
Been thinking about this theater again recently and remembering my college times at UB. Some other films I can remember seeing at this theater during the 80’s include:
JAGGED EDGE, WHITE NIGHTS, QUICKSILVER, THAT’S LIFE!, PLATOON, NO MAN’S LAND, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, BACK TO THE FUTURE (re-release) and TOP GUN (also a re-release).
Back then, I had not learned to appreciate art films yet, so I usually stuck with whatever mainstream films this theater would get. I regret not seeing BLUE VELEVET, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and THE LAST EMPEROR on screen when they premiered at this theater and had a very long run.
Oh, man, that’s great! Horror movies would be the only fitting feature to have there. Especially some classic black and whites like PSYCHO and any of the Universal Monster films.
You’re absolutely right! I made that decision at the beginning of this year. I haven’t been to a huge multiplex since last Christmas and I’m a happier movie-goer for it.
In my opinion, I’d say, generally, 3 to 4 weeks, unless the film is an absolute smash, then perhaps longer to give people extra time and convenience to see it.
When I was a kid in Westhampton Beach, I can remember GREASE staying at the local theater for at least 2 months. My family and I saw it 6 times! And of course, many of us know about LA CAGE AUX FOLLES staying at the 68th Street Playhouse for well over a year. Wow!
Those days just don’t exist anymore, and sadly, they never will again.
I won’t complain because all of my favorite theaters are closed now anyway. I having nothing left to lose anymore. It’s all gone. I just have the memories of what used to be.
Besides, the only theaters I could ever get away with theater hopping are the multiplexes, which I consider the enemy of classic movie theaters. How they can even be called movie theaters today is beyond me! More like amusement theme parks, in my opinion.
Tommy, that $6.00 deal must have started after I moved out of NYC. I was unaware of it.
JMF – Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying! Never really lost any sleep over it, either. Life’s too short for pointless guilt.
Now that I’m older, my life and weekend schedule don’t allow me that kind of time any more. But every now and again, I’ve managed to sneak in a double feature. The last time was December 2005 – I saw MUNICH on my day off and then walked into another theater to watch SYRIANA. Talk about your deep, politically-dark double feature!
During the winter, when I choose to go to the movies, I almost always go during the day, when ticket prices are cheaper (this has no validity in New York City).
When I was younger and lived in the city, I would often spend the day at a multiplex and see three or four movies in day. I saw everything and saved a ton of money!
Do I condone this? Well, I’m not exactly a saint, so I don’t condemn it. If you can get away with it, more power to you!
This theater held a nice position amongst all the stores of the Miracel Mile; just a few stores away from Swensens ice cream parlor (now closed, too). I saw a STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK, BEVERLY HILLS COP (twice!), D.A.R.Y.L. and EUROPEAN VACATION before it innevitably closed.
They say movie attendance is down. I know that for me, I’ve all but stopped going because of the high ticket and food prices, inconsiderate audience members and the general onslaught of trash that is ending up on the screens.
I wonder, though, why others are attending less?
If you watched the news a month ago, you’d have seen stories of people waiting on long lines and attending screenings of SPIDERMAN 3 in the middle of the night and box office records going through the roof. Money talks, so it sounds like people are still going to the movie theaters, and yet they say attendance is down.
Anybody have any thoughts?
I discovered the Biograph almost by accident in the Fall of 1988 when some friends and I went to see a revival of my all-time favorite film, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. I remember thinking that it was revival theaters like this that made Manhattan great! Too bad something that special was not meant to last.
The Biograph Theater was also inspirational to me in that when writing a couple of my screenplays, I created a ficticious revival movie theater in several scenes that take place in small coastal towns.