Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 3,001 - 3,025 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Keith's Theatre on Dec 24, 2006 at 5:50 am

Here is what the NY Times time clock listed on the last week of August 1986, after which it disappears from those listings:

Screen 1- THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE II
Screen 2- NIGHT OF THE CREEPS
SCreen 3- RUNNING SCARED

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Hamilton Theatre on Dec 20, 2006 at 12:46 pm

Great team work, guys!

I show that the Hamilton stopped showing movies in March 1965 and that NONE BUT THE BRAVE and ESCAPE BY NIGHT may have been the last features.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paramount Times Square question on Dec 18, 2006 at 12:45 pm

It appears that aside from rounding up Japanese Americans and taking them to Ellis Island and closing the Nippon Club in Times Square, the other shows went on as normal.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paramount Times Square question on Dec 18, 2006 at 7:59 am

SKYLARK with Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland was the movie.

Harry James and his band along were Ray Bolger was the act.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Movie chain discriminates vs. blind, deaf, suit claims on Dec 9, 2006 at 12:57 am

Mikeoaklandpark, your thinking about blind people not going to the movies is the reason for this lawsuit. People with closed minds make disabled people’s lives impossible and Audio Description IS ALL ABOUT LEGALLY BLIND PEOPLE GOING TO THE MOVIES.

Although I agree that AMC is getting a bum rap from disability groups who are ignorant of the economic reality of buying and using these systems, the posters on this site going on about liberals are clueless of the real issue; The fact is that millions of senior citizen movie-buffs have stopped going the movies because they can’t hear or see as well as they used to.

Subtitles and Audio Description bring the cinema experience back for many in a retirement destination like Arizona.

If only liberals are the ones fighting for this, then thank god someone still has a brain left.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Dec 7, 2006 at 7:01 am

Andy, the Empire will outgross most West End sites due to their prices but the results do not reflect the excellent presentation they provide in the big screen. At least not yet.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Dec 6, 2006 at 1:49 pm

Insignificant to the point of “off EDI” and no one knows what “THX means anymore” best describes this run, Andy.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Roxy Theatre on Dec 3, 2006 at 8:36 am

BLONDES doubled BAND WAGON’S total take in national distributor rentals according to Variety estimates at the time. Of course, the Roxy seating capacity may have changed the NY numbers.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Budget Theater Questions - Semi Urgent on Nov 30, 2006 at 8:47 am

If you have to wait until the new theatres pull the film in order to play it, you will run into the DVD release competition.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avon 7 on Nov 28, 2006 at 9:51 am

According to the NY Times (July 25, 1973) the Avon 7 was raided as part on an eleven theatre crackdown on porn. The film MONICA, DAUGHTER OF MONA was confiscated and Raymond Fernandez, also manager of the Cine Lido, was among those arrested.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Theater renders movie ratings totally useless on Nov 24, 2006 at 10:18 am

The rating system avoids non-industry censorship and Theatres ignore it at their own risk.

In the US rating were done by each community as resulted in stupid and racist decisions in places as diverse as Salt Lake City, Baltimore and Memphis.

In the UK, since it is a law, theatres can easily lose their license to operate if the local council feels they are ignoring teh classifications.

Anyone who thinks ratings serve no purpose should do a history check on the American Films censorship shambles when the Catholic Church made themselves the last word and when movies were banned in the UK because they might offend the Queen.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Theater renders movie ratings totally useless on Nov 24, 2006 at 10:15 am

The rating system avoids non-industry censorship and Theatres ignore it at their own risk.

In the US rating were done by each community as resulted in stupid and racist decisions in places as diverse as Salt Lake City, Baltimore and Memphis.

In the UK, since it is a law, theatres can easily lose their license to operate if the local council feels they are ignoring teh classifications.

Anyone who thinks ratings serve no purpose should do a history check on the American Films censorship shambles when the Catholic Church made themselves the last word and when movies were banned in the UK because they might offend the Queen.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 5:14 am

Wow! Thanks, LM. My mother says that is the very one her brother snuck her into for free when he was manager.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 5:01 am

I am not sure if it is still there.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 4:42 am

LM, have you run into a Cine Victoria in Havana? I belive one of my uncles was manager in the 50’s.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Yara on Nov 21, 2006 at 4:41 am

LM, have you run into a Cine Victoria in Havana? I belive one of my uncles was manager in the 50’s.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Nov 5, 2006 at 2:52 am

I obviously agree with Ed, although I am not as eloquent or patient.

I think Cinema Treasure needs to question the validity of those members who spend more time intimidating others than contributing to sites.

I appears to be the sound of one hand clapping and my suggestion was therefore autoerotic.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Nov 5, 2006 at 2:27 am

AMC has these movie money cards that debit the amount at each use. I suspect homeless people get these from charities who fear giving out cash to alcoholics and drug addicts.

Every time I have been to this theatre I have found bag ladies and eccentrics around (one brought had a cat in a bag) although they were probably not homeless.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 30, 2006 at 2:24 am

Thanks Bob! I had not noticed.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about S.V.A. Theatre on Oct 24, 2006 at 2:26 pm

I remember using real butter at Cineplex Odeon. Post Garth Drabinsky we shifted to buttery flavored chemical and started charging extra for it, a stupid customer service fiasco that the local press rightfully had a field day but wrongly at the employees expense.

The Toronto boys couldn’t care less.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tivoli Theatre on Oct 24, 2006 at 9:01 am

Child St., if you have a multi-regional DVD you can order these from Spain. If not, Maraka Video from Miami carries several titles and some non-regional versions can be found on ebay from questionable Latin American sources.

Some VHS versions are also available.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 10:56 pm

Jkane, prophetically advertised as THE FIRST ROGER CORMAN FILM FESTIVAL it was a precursor to the Kips Bay’s exclusive first run of “GAS”, starring Country Joe and the Fish.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 4:39 am

JKane, according to the NYT, the Roger Corman festival ran in early 1971 at the Kips Bay.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Oct 21, 2006 at 2:42 am

I am happy to report that Steve appears to be doing just fine.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Nova Theatre on Oct 19, 2006 at 10:16 pm

Ace, I have the book and can send you a scan if you write to me at: