Comments from Al Alvarez

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema owner protests new films by shutting down theater on Oct 3, 2006 at 2:00 pm

The latest in the UK is no four month window means no wide run. Julie Walters and that red-headed boy from HARRY POTTER means straight to TV for a great film: DRIVING LESSONS.

ROAD TO GUANTANAMO, missed it’s major audience by going straight to DVD here.

BUBBLE. What BUBBLE?

If Mark Cuban thinks cinema is over he should sell Landmark and start producing TV reality shows like UGLY BETTY. Derivative cliché is his best mode.

As long as someone makes movies such as BORAT, we have an industry that is alive, contemporary, belligerent and exciting. No matter what Bush’s America thinks.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about FIM buying and booking agents on Oct 3, 2006 at 11:12 am

There is no real training. Learn as much as you can about film and start at an entry level assistant job IN THE FILM DEPARTMENT. Most chains like to promote from within or hire from another chain’s Film Department. Crossing over from other departments tends to be difficult as Film Buyers are a clubby bunch who socialise with other Film Buyers and distributors rather than their own company members.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Harem Theatre on Oct 3, 2006 at 10:45 am

Good heavens! Artistic (hmm) murals and FRISKY HORNY KINKY SLU… just across the street? Maybe someone could recreate a replica of this street on 41st street for the tourist trade.

Obviously it is not just me, but wasn’t this squalor oddly beautiful?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema owner protests new films by shutting down theater on Oct 3, 2006 at 10:26 am

There is more than a little posturing in this act. You can go back to the late sixties/early seventies and find midwestern theatres shutting down instead resorting to such dreck as A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and LAST TANGO IN PARIS while mourning the loss of Jerry Lewis and Doris Day movies.

Now, I am not suggesting JACKASS NUMBER TWO and TALLADEGA NIGHTS rate with those two classics but whatever happened to “The show must go on!” and letting the audience decide if the movie rates a visit?

I assume they already showed LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, THE QUEEN, HOLLYWOODLAND, QUINCEANERA, HOUSE OF SAND, FACTOTUM, SHERYBABY, and any number of other films looking to wean an audience away from mainstream crap.

An exhibitor who remains closed until the next formula movie comes out deserves to fail.

If the Lorraine’s idea of quality film is the next James Bond then say goodbye now. You have already lost this battle to the latest generation with questionable taste.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Campaign ad hits theater on Sep 30, 2006 at 1:22 pm

I think it is stupid for a theatre to accept political or religious advertising. They will be prime targets for law suits when the ACLU, Klu Klux Clan, and the American Communist Party come knocking at their door. They will then advertise or be forced to close for being what they really are. One-party fascists.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Sep 29, 2006 at 11:07 pm

I have a theory and perhaps someone with better access to the records can pursue it.

Here is my assumption:
The Levy brothers sold the theatre to Samuel Strausberg who eventually incorporated it into the Small & Strausberg chain. This chain, booked by Fox at least as early as 1925, lost control of it’s assets and was forced to officially lease all it’s theatres to Fox by 1929. After the depression, Strausberg started again but never regained the Fox disposals.

Any takers?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Teatro Trail Theatre on Sep 29, 2006 at 9:14 pm

Brigitteg, this was published in May:

For sale or lease by owner, Bill Ogden, please call 305-663-5860.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paree Adult Cinema and Live Show on Sep 29, 2006 at 11:52 am

Warren, Ed,

I am so glad this unravelling series porn mystery is bringing us together.

Lost Memory, can we have a (very heterosexual, of course) group hug?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paree Adult Cinema and Live Show on Sep 29, 2006 at 6:57 am

Hi Guys, I have been out of town.

I show the Circus and all male Big top co-existing at 1604 Braodway.
There was a 49th Street Playhouse operating in 1982 that I cannot place.
732 Seventh Avenue is the Mini but I have no proof it was also the Frisco.

This from a NYT raid story, Dec. 9, 1972
“Three sheriff’s deputies and a squad of policemen stood guard, as a crew of movers supervised by an attorney, Mark Belnick, removed the property of "San Francisco Adult Movies” from 1531 Broadway, between 45th and 46th streets, and put it into a avan for shipmentto a warehouse. "

That address is the old Astor also. (???)

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Fresh Meadows 7 on Sep 29, 2006 at 5:43 am

Hi Brian, good to see you on this site! I certainly remember you, your rhymes and how you managed the NYC beaurocrats with their own medicine in order to keep us open.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paree Adult Cinema and Live Show on Sep 26, 2006 at 1:36 pm

No I don’t have the Frisco address but I expected it to be around 720 Seventh Avenue, not Broadway.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paree Adult Cinema and Live Show on Sep 26, 2006 at 10:15 am

Ed, LM, could the “San Francisco Sex Cinema” (I love that name, by the way) mentioned above be the infamous FRISCO, record holder for their MISS JONES/DEEP THROAT double feature?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Sep 26, 2006 at 9:46 am

Thank you for sharing that bit of mental vomit, Art. I hope you feel superior now.

I will explain.

The Ridgewood is still a viable business. Loews Kings is an war zone where the Kenmore was shot out of operation just a few years ago.

That’s why.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Sep 26, 2006 at 9:45 am

Thank you for sharing that bit of mental vomit, Art. I hope you feel superior now.

I will explain.

The Ridgewood is still a viable business. Loews Kings is an war zone where the Kenmore was shot out of operation just a few years ago.

That’s why.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Wantagh Theatre on Sep 26, 2006 at 12:19 am

I remember people bringing in their own blankets in the winter due to the holes on the roof making it impossible to keep the place warm. Near the end, how Cineplex Odeon could keep it open under those conditions is unexplicable.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rialto Theatre on Sep 26, 2006 at 12:09 am

Ed, the Rialto East was the Pix.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Sep 24, 2006 at 10:12 am

MAROONED

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Joyce Theater on Sep 24, 2006 at 5:42 am

Ed, the Film-makers Cooperative booked for Warhol so it may have been Mekas booking the Elgin on films such as THE CHELSEA GIRLS.

The Andy Warhol Garrick theatre was at 152 Bleecker Street.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Cinema Playhouse on Sep 24, 2006 at 12:30 am

Ed, they seem to have moved to the Elgin full time by 1969 and the Anthology Film Archives on Wooster Street by 1970. The last sign of operating at the New Cinema Playhouse was in July 1968.

It appears that in 1970 they were also booking the Elgin, Garrick and Orpheum (Lower East Side) as well as they ran block ads for all three.

By 1970, 120 W. 42nd Street had live sex shows where you could see 8mm porn films being made. I have found no sign of it actually showing porn films.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Joyce Theater on Sep 23, 2006 at 1:01 am

Ed, the appearance of Andy Warhol films at the Elgin in mid 1968 implies he succeeded. The moving around of prints would also explain the patchwork bookings at the New Cinema Playhouse.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Cinema Playhouse on Sep 22, 2006 at 11:56 pm

The Cinema Playhouse repeated films for some reason. Hence, WINTER KEPT US WARM played for two weeks in February, then came back for four weeks in April. The Warhol films had similar patchwork runs.

PORTRAIT OF JASON ran for over seven weeks, skipped a week, then came back for two more in 1967.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Madison Theatre on Sep 21, 2006 at 10:24 am

Ed, I’m afraid I don’t know how to do that but here is the line-up.

TEH HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD STARTS MAY 12, 1971

Manhattan
(while continuing at) RKO 59th St. TWINS

RKO 23RD ST.
RKO COLISUEM
NEW AMSTERDAM
ROOSEVELT 145TH ST.

Brooklyn
RKO ALBEE
RKO DYKER
RKO KENMORE
RKO MADISON
GEORGETOWN TWIN 2
KINGSWAY

Queens
RKO ALDEN
RKO KEITHS
BOULEVARD
ELMWOOD

Bronx
RKO FORDHAM
WHITESTONE DRIVE-IN

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Cinema Playhouse on Sep 21, 2006 at 7:23 am

No signs of porn here, ed although it did show “Andy Warhol’s f***” (aka BLUE MOVIE).

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Madison Theatre on Sep 21, 2006 at 6:22 am

Ed, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD went wide around on May 11, 1971 including the the RKO Madison. There is no mention of a second feature.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Madison Theatre on Sep 20, 2006 at 8:26 am

Gents, I think these things were block-booked for the whole RKO ciruit whether there was specific appeal or not. As late as the eighties Cineplex Odeon was pressured into runs of films such as SUPERMAN, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and TOP GUN which played to empty screens at the Kenmore among others.

Then the opposite started to happen. Slasher movies and BOYZ ‘N THE HOOD on the upper east side.

It’s a little numbers game the industry plays to justify the ad spend and appear politically enlightened.

It still happens. THE DUKES OF HAZARD at the Magic Johnson Harlem 9. Ouch!
THE LOST CITY anywhere outside Miami and New Jersey. BOYNTON BEACH CLUB anywhere outside Boynton Beach.