Big Cinemas Manhattan
239 E. 59th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
239 E. 59th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 83 comments
This theater will now be known as BIG Cinemas Manhattan, as it has been acquired by India’s largest cinema chain; story here: View link
In 1973 the Cine Malibu was a Walter Reade Theatre.
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Interesting file but not correct. This opened as the Cine Malibu in 1969.
The 1962 D.W Griffith was actually the Bijou in Times Square, not this one.
And here is the whole history. It opened as the DW Griffith in 1962, was the Cine Malibu from 1969-1977, and more
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And by May of that year, the Cine Malibu was showing the art porn film “I Am Curious (Blue)”, per this NY Magazine listing
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Confirming it was the Cine Malibu as early as March 1970, as per this NY Times review of a French movie (rated GP, the equivalent at the time of PG)
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Kiss of the Spider Woman
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Renewing link.
Is this theater doing any business?
The DW Griffith marquee is just visible at the right side of this January 20, 1981 photo. Bronco Billy is playing.
Here is the newspaper ad for Luchino Visconti’s 1943 Ossessione when it made its belated commercial American premiere at the D. W. Griffith in June 1977.
They are opening on of these in LA, on the site of the old Linda Lea theater.
As the Arista Cine Malibu:
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Anyone interested, let’s continue this here at the Manhattan 1 and 2 page.
From the opening ads it looks like RKO took the two existing theatres and remodeled the lobby to a common box office when they launched the twins. The previous theatres were primarily used by Avco Embassy and National General film distributors, respectively so they could guarantee themselves a lucrative east side run when the Baronet/Coronet and Cinema 1 & 2 were tied up with long runs.
My apologies, then, John. Al… we should move this over to the Manhattan 1 and 2 page, but I’m curious as to the dates. Wally Maletta was the manager of the RKO Twin on 59th and he sent me a couple of photos taken just before the theater opened. I thought he told me that RKO opened this one up themselves. I’ll try to reach out to him and see if he can clarify or verify his facts. I’ll comment there when I do.
Ed, John, that WAS the opening day name for the Manhattan Twin. It became the RKO 59th Street Twin later.
Thanks Ed!
It was indeed, John. RKO opened it as such in the late ‘60’s to replace the razed RKO Proctor’s on 58th. It’s all on the Manhattan 1 and 2 page via the comments. The introduction for that theater needs some cleaning up as it still has Avco Embassy/Pacific East as the opening day name.
AlAlvarez – I believe the 59th Street Twin (220 E 59th) was an RKO theater for a period in the 1970’s
I had seen a few films here over the years, always remember it as the D.W.Griffith. I’m greatful that it has found a new life as the ImaginAsian.
I think I finally figured this street out:
239 East 59th Street
1969 – Cine Malibu
1976 – D.W. Griffith
1989 – 59th Street East
2004 – ImaginAsian
220 East 59th Street
1969 – Avco Embassy/Pacific East
1970 – 59th St Twin-1/59th Street Twin-2
1977 – EastWorld/ 59th Street East
1979 – Manhattan-1/ Manhattan-2
211 East 59th Street
1970 – Lido East
Thanx. I did see the article. I hope this theatre makes it. There aren’t too many single-screen theatres left in Manhattan and this theatre has a certain charm.
Fabiano Canosa is still around. He’s involved with the Thalia/Symphony Space theatre and teaches a course/screens a film every Saturday there. I think he also programs the Thalia/Symphony Space theatre as well. Fabiano was also affiliated with the Public Theatre and, briefly, with Anthology Film Archives.
Hardbop… You might find this article about the Imaginasian from the Arts & Leisure section of this week’s Sunday NY Times: View link
There is absolutely zero mention of this theater’s history as either the Cine Mailbu or the D.W. Griffith, by the way.
I drive by this theater with a fair degree of frequency – whenever I take the 59th Street Bridge home. I never see a crowd lined up outside, but the marquee is always lit. Last time I passed by about a week or so ago, they were playing the “Dragonball Z” movie, which – if you have pre-teen kids – is a very popular Japanese Anime cartoon show on TV. I assume they play it in the original Japanese, unlike the dubbed show my kids watch on TV.