Malverne Cinema

This has been my favorite LI movie theater for the past 8 years .

It’s the best place to catch up on the artier Oscar nominees.

Finally going to start upgrading to stereo in existing screens. Woohoo!!!!

As a twin
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So… I finally got to the Malverne for a flick tonight. Saw “W” in theater 1. I knew going in that the screen would be small, but the price was right and with the weather, we decided to keep it local. I think my brother in law has just as big a screen for his basement projection TV at his house!

I poked around and was able to peer into a few of the other rooms before I left. Theaters 2 and 4 are the best of the lot – with at least reasonably sized screens for the size of the rooms. Problem with all of the rooms is the center aisle, rendering all seats at least slightly off from center screen. Another advantage to the two larger rooms would be the screens seem to be more or less head-on with respect to the seating array.

In theater 1, the screen is right of center on the back wall (partly to accommodate a fire exit) and angled slightly away from the seats on the left side of the aisle as you walk in. This is due to where the projection ports are located at the rear of the auditorium. The screen is also mounted without matting in a 1.85:1 ratio – so a scope film (like “W”) is projected on only a portion of the screen – almost like an unmatted letterbox with blank space at the top and bottom. Not to mention that the far left and right edges of the image were somewhat over-projected beyond the screen’s borders. This was all fairly distracting – at least for me. But, in the course of a 2 hour movie, you wind up getting used to it. Happily, the room did feature nice stereo sound.

Seems that the building retains the original auditorium slope in the two roooms (1 and 2) occupying the former rear of the original theater as well as in the hallway between the two rooms that lead to screens 3 and 4. I wasn’t able to peak into the screening room (#5), but it must be really tiny. Probably very similar to the small screen at the UA Lynbrook – which also occupies former retail space just off the lobby. The door to the projection room for #5 was open, and as my wife was purchasing some popcorn at the candy counter, I watched the big platter at work.

All the rooms seem reasonably appointed with relatively comfortable seats and light-absorbing dark red upholstery on the walls. Overall, the place seemed very clean and well maintained. The $5.50 Weds special is a great bargain – if you can contend with the small screens – and even the concession stand prices are very reasonable. It wouldn’t be my first choice, but on a slow Wednesday evening, I’d probably allow my wife to twist my arm into going again.

Dolby stereo. No digital.

Appreciate the encouragement, saps, but there are few things about today’s moviegoing experience that detracts from my enjoyment more than an underwhelmingly sized screen and auditorium.

A number of excellent photographs by Adam Martin have been added recently to the Malverne’s CinemaTour page. These include interior shots of the lobby and some of the screens. Judging from the photos, those screens seem awfully small. I now live only a mile or two away from the Malverne (having moved to Lynbrook this past May) and I’d love to support a local independent like this – but I’d probably spend much of the time muttering obscenities to myself over the diminutive size of those screens! And the dropped ceiling in the lobby is a bit depressing. I wonder what sort of shape the original ceiling is in above the drop grid…

Much obliged, RCDTJ. I live so damn close to the Malverne now (I’m in Lynbrook), I’ll have to try and check out a flick or two there soon. I’ll give it a few weeks to see if they can finish installation of the new sound systems – and then, I guess, I’ll try and avoid #3! And I don’t think I’d enjoy #1 or #5 either due to size.

Hmmmm. Interesting they installed the stereo sound for the smallest rooms in the house. Some contradictions in the posts above regarding how the original house was split. Sounds like the original auditorium was completely gutted to make way for the new screens – I’m just not sure if there are 3 or 4 rooms in the original space. Different posts here note that either 1 additional screen was open in adjacent retail space or 2 screens were. Can anyone clarify that for sure? Thanks.

I love the Malverne. It is like the Long Island’s answer to the Angelica. I do not think most Malvernites go there, or at least in droves like a local movie theater it once was. My mother has a friend who lives near the main street, and she tells my mother, “oh you are one of those people who come from all over the Island to a movie and take all of our parking spaces, LOL!”

The place is very clean and well maintained. For the most part, with dividing the main auditorium, it is pretty modern inside, except, try going into the Men’s room. It still has the original urinals. You walk in, and it is not freakish or anything like that, but they look like antiques themselves, the kind you would find in an old courthouse, museum or old public building in the city!

So you we can all be assured that Malverne’s management has some interest in preservation! LOL

Thanks for the info, saps.