I was fortunate enough to have visited several times as a kid. This place was extraordinary. Although I don’t remember a parrot, the lobby was a Caribbean tropical dream with real plants, pools and a skylight roof. A parrot would not have been out of place.
Went to the 7:20pm showing of “H8TEFUL” on Christmas Day. The doorman quickly informed us that our home printed advanced $20.00 ticket had to be redeemed at the boxoffice, making it necessary to return downstairs to stand in line. After waiting in a lower lobby standing in line for 45 minutes we were finally allowed to climb up two non-operational escalators and into the auditorium at 7:25pm with the Overture already completed and a “CINERAMA” logo inexplicably on the screen. There was no top or bottom masking, making the screen look sloppy, but the presentation and sound were otherwise excellent. Seating continued for another ten minutes as people stumbled over other’s feet trying to find a seat even as the opening credits ended and the action started. No seats were reserved and some ended up in the whiplash front row.
At the ten minute intermission a repeat of the seating fiasco took place a second time as some in the audience had been waiting for three hours already desperately needed a bathroom break. Others ransacked the free program table as if it were a bargain basement rack when word got out that the programs had unique posters in the centerfold for each of the eight main characters. I will leave a review of the film to other sites but this awful experience at the Regal E-walk could never be confused with any other Road Show I ever attended. Perhaps Tarantino got confused with the 1940’s exploitation V.D. warning movie roadshow experience.
I know personally that time clouds memories, vindanpar. The “OKLAHOMA!” 1983 re-release was at Cinema 1 and the “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” previews were at the Beekman.
Neither “RAN” nor “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” opened at this theatre. “RAN” opened at the Cinema I and “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” opened at the Beekman. You need to do a little research before posting false memories on this site.
This theatre was piggy-backed twinned in 1962. The downstairs screen was left intact when a new theatre was built on top. When exactly did “OKLAHOMA” ever play here? I can’t recall this prime first run ever doing retro in the 80’s. Demand was too high for first-run.
Nope. Cinema 1 & 2 opened as an art house twin in 1962. It was triplexed in 1988 and two main screens remained the same because the third screen did not affect screen width in any way. You did not see “OKLAHOMA” here in TODD AO. They had 70mm at best.
Wrong Coronet, Vindanpar. The second screen here was piggybacked on top. The screen size was not affected as there was no split.
Jerdone, the Baronet/Coronet was a prime first run screen since the upper east side became the main movie-going area in NYC in the early sixties and local art houses started grossing more than Broadway theatres with non-action films.
Most Americans had never heard of AIDS until Rock Hudson died in 1985. It was the first time Ronald Reagan even said the word in public. The King closed in 1986. Straight sex clubs were still in full operation years later since it was still considered the “gay disease”.
I can’t find any sign that this was ever a twin although it did run two features per night with separate admissions in the early nineties. In 1994 it ran Bollywood features under the name Bombay Cinema while still showing an earlier showtime of a mainstream film under the name Hollywood Cinema.
Before yelp, you never knew, now did you? So many legit businesses have been killed that way by their competitors. I have no dog in the AMC battle. I actually quite dislike AMC, as I once worked for that horrible company. But this story is probably fake and that theatre is just fine. I have recently attended and it is well run.
I worked in the movie theatre business for 34 years. We often closed theatres for bed bug extermination. Here is the rub. It was always someone who didn’t like the movie, didn’t get a free pass, and then went and complained to the press. I have never seen a bed bug, but I have seen many con-artists. There are no bugs. There are no exterminators. It’s all just part of the BS business of the show. Enjoy the movie.
The Walter Reade and Maysles are single screens.
And who the hell calls it Lowes?
I was fortunate enough to have visited several times as a kid. This place was extraordinary. Although I don’t remember a parrot, the lobby was a Caribbean tropical dream with real plants, pools and a skylight roof. A parrot would not have been out of place.
This theatre has now closed.
No longer showing movies.
Closed last summer and soon to be demolished.
The movie was “OUR HEARTS WERE YOUNG AND GAY”.
Good work, MarkP. I am glad you got the job. Too bad the crowd control is so poor here.
Went to the 7:20pm showing of “H8TEFUL” on Christmas Day. The doorman quickly informed us that our home printed advanced $20.00 ticket had to be redeemed at the boxoffice, making it necessary to return downstairs to stand in line. After waiting in a lower lobby standing in line for 45 minutes we were finally allowed to climb up two non-operational escalators and into the auditorium at 7:25pm with the Overture already completed and a “CINERAMA” logo inexplicably on the screen. There was no top or bottom masking, making the screen look sloppy, but the presentation and sound were otherwise excellent. Seating continued for another ten minutes as people stumbled over other’s feet trying to find a seat even as the opening credits ended and the action started. No seats were reserved and some ended up in the whiplash front row.
At the ten minute intermission a repeat of the seating fiasco took place a second time as some in the audience had been waiting for three hours already desperately needed a bathroom break. Others ransacked the free program table as if it were a bargain basement rack when word got out that the programs had unique posters in the centerfold for each of the eight main characters. I will leave a review of the film to other sites but this awful experience at the Regal E-walk could never be confused with any other Road Show I ever attended. Perhaps Tarantino got confused with the 1940’s exploitation V.D. warning movie roadshow experience.
I know personally that time clouds memories, vindanpar. The “OKLAHOMA!” 1983 re-release was at Cinema 1 and the “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” previews were at the Beekman.
Neither “RAN” nor “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” opened at this theatre. “RAN” opened at the Cinema I and “MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY” opened at the Beekman. You need to do a little research before posting false memories on this site.
This theatre was piggy-backed twinned in 1962. The downstairs screen was left intact when a new theatre was built on top. When exactly did “OKLAHOMA” ever play here? I can’t recall this prime first run ever doing retro in the 80’s. Demand was too high for first-run.
Nope. Cinema 1 & 2 opened as an art house twin in 1962. It was triplexed in 1988 and two main screens remained the same because the third screen did not affect screen width in any way. You did not see “OKLAHOMA” here in TODD AO. They had 70mm at best.
Wrong Coronet, Vindanpar. The second screen here was piggybacked on top. The screen size was not affected as there was no split.
Jerdone, the Baronet/Coronet was a prime first run screen since the upper east side became the main movie-going area in NYC in the early sixties and local art houses started grossing more than Broadway theatres with non-action films.
Most Americans had never heard of AIDS until Rock Hudson died in 1985. It was the first time Ronald Reagan even said the word in public. The King closed in 1986. Straight sex clubs were still in full operation years later since it was still considered the “gay disease”.
The Normandy, like the Surf, were not opened by Wometco.
I don’t think RKO ever operated theatres in Florida.
Thanks for this!
aeterna, who was Weingarten?
I can’t find any sign that this was ever a twin although it did run two features per night with separate admissions in the early nineties. In 1994 it ran Bollywood features under the name Bombay Cinema while still showing an earlier showtime of a mainstream film under the name Hollywood Cinema.
There is a Snapple Theater down the block
sixstringrob, the 1924 Hollywood Cinema was located at 1921 Hollywood Boulevard and closed in 1933 before this one opened.
Before yelp, you never knew, now did you? So many legit businesses have been killed that way by their competitors. I have no dog in the AMC battle. I actually quite dislike AMC, as I once worked for that horrible company. But this story is probably fake and that theatre is just fine. I have recently attended and it is well run.
I worked in the movie theatre business for 34 years. We often closed theatres for bed bug extermination. Here is the rub. It was always someone who didn’t like the movie, didn’t get a free pass, and then went and complained to the press. I have never seen a bed bug, but I have seen many con-artists. There are no bugs. There are no exterminators. It’s all just part of the BS business of the show. Enjoy the movie.
There were two in 1943, Robboehm.