S.V.A. Theatre
333 W. 23rd Street,
New York,
NY
10011
333 W. 23rd Street,
New York,
NY
10011
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 101 comments
Here a short list of some of the movies that were shown at the Chelsea and the Chelsea West at the same time
5/25/01- Pearl Harbor
5/3/02- Spider-Man
6/30/04- Spider-Man 2
11/5/04- Sideways
5/26/06- X-Men: The Last Stand
6/28/06- Superman Returns
3/9/07- 300
5/4/07- Spider-Man 3
5/25/07- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
I heard that the Chelsea West was to close on 2/10/2008 and I feel real sad about it right now. In that case, I hope someone will like my short list and comment on it. I also hope that you feel would feel the same way I do.
Thank You :<
The Grand opening ad for the Chelsea West has the same design and slogon as Carrefour Dorion 8 near Montreal. The ad can be found on page 3 of this document at http://movie-theatre.org/canada/qc/valleyfield.pdf
That’s a relief; thanks for the initial notice, NYCJosh, and thanks for the details, filmgene. When I saw NYCJosh’s post this morning, the ‘more needless luxury housing’ spectre immediately popped up in my mind, but the actuality is much, much better. Again, thanks to both of you guys…
Not closed for good but closed for better. The School of Visual Arts will be taking over the theater and turning it into a two-screen arts center with the best projection in town including 70, 35, 16 and D-Cinema. 52 foot and 38 foot screens with proper masking and variable speed projection. Even better news coming soon. Stay tuned.
Where did you hear this from, NYCJosh? Did the person you spoke with give you any particular reason for the closing?
I am told that they will be closed for good as of 2/10/2008
They used that same type of effect for the trailer at Cineplex’s Universal City complex back then it was a DTS special feature.
By the way, previous names were RKO 23rd St, Roundabout, 23rd St West Triplex, as a single, legit and triple, respectively.
It had a great remodel late in the Cineplex Odeon days when it became a twin and, although a bit dog eared these days, the still booming gay Chelsea crowd keeps it going.
Now that the Beekman is gone, Woody Allen likes his premieres here.
It’s the size and the location.
How this lasts out of all the old great theaters in NY……
Shouldn’t the description and former names be updated on this house?
In January 1997, I saw “People vs. Larry Flynt” in the smaller auditorium (former loge) after the theater reopened as a two screener. 13 rows of tall chairs in sections of 7, 14, 7, total of 364. Estimated screen for scope at 35 to 40 feet wide. Orange red curtain used. Film projected in SDDS but no surround sound appeared to have been used then.
In the same month, I saw “Evita” in the large auditorium. 21 rows of 6, 16, 6 seats, total of 588 seats. Screen size 50 feet wide, curved, by 20 feet tall. Curtain not used. Dolby Digital There were 4 speakers in the back, but they didn’t use the 10 speakers on the side walls at that time.
Most of the time this theatre looks closed! The marquee seldom works properly and it looks so depressing! Also one of the most uncomfortable places around.
Here’s a shot of the groundbreaking for the theater. Probably in early 1961. Sign states that opening was scheduled for Easter 1962, they missed it by about 9 months.
Taken from 35mm MovieTone, probably played in RKO theaters hyping the new theater.
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“not enough women’s toilets” and “too many ads and trailers before the features” thats the problem with all theatres. New York Magazine should tell us something new, thoses problems have been around for ages. I prefer the AMC Loews Lincoln Square complex over 4 of these plexes. I do like the Ziegfeld Theatre for the most part except the seats. I’ve had screening prints come from the Clearview Chelsea complex that were poorly handled. And the other three complexes are just fair in presentations.
Like the Ziegfeld, the Chelsea West is closed until Spiderman 3 opens.
Saw “Little Children” there at a matinee on Wednesday of this week. Nasty brain damaged workers that were rude and lazy worked the concession and box office. Once inside theatre 2 , I was so uncomfortable! The straight back chairs and serious lack of leg room left me twisted in my seat for over 2 hours. So uncomfortable. No wonder it was empty!
I drive by there most nights and it always looks cloded! Half the neon is burnt out, and the current attraction is never on the marquee! Is this the next to close?
Heres an answer to Badlands for the poor projection. Last year the theatre went to a Limited service type on projectionist contract at that theatre. Limited Service is a part-time operator. So thats the problem with the house.
While I really like the Chelsea West as a theater, the people they have running the place are incompetent and apathetic. At the 5:10 showing of BABEL on 1/19, they left the house lights on for the first 15 minutes of the film after repeated complaints from the audience. I saw CASINO ROYALE there about a month ago, and the image was out of focus. Which theater in Manhattan is the best for the overall experience: great sound, great projection, comfortable seats…?
I made my first trip back here in 10 years a couple of weeks ago when I caught INFAMOUS, which was playing in both theatres. Last time I was here, in October of 1996, I remember it was a rainy Saturday and the film FLY AWAY FROM HOME was playing. So, every family in Manhattan with kids was in line and it was a mob scene in front of the theatre. I remember waiting in a long line in the rain waiting to buy a ticket/get in. I think FLY AWAY FROM HOME was playing exclusively at the Chelsea Theatre at that point and the combination of the day and the weather caused the place to be mobbed. That same day I made it a double-bill catching LOVE IS ALL THERE IS there, which, in addition to taking place on City Island, featured a then unknown Angelina Jolie in the cast.
Until I caught INFAMOUS, I hadn’t been back since. This was the first time I’d been back since they reduced the screens from three to two and they did a nice job, though I don’t think thre were 10 people in the theatre the day I caught INFAMOUS.
I’ve viewed films here when it was a single theatre, then a triplex, then a duplex.
Cineplex Odeon did that on the West Coast, the managers got bonuses for the ones that sold the most of that stuff. On a busy intermissions the staff would charge that extra .10 cents-.25cents, depending on size of corn and not put the extra stuff on the corn.
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.
I haven’t posted on this site in a while. I lived in the co-op down the street from the theater, watched every brick go in, then lamented the programming for years, pining for the old RKO on 8th avenue.
A friend from Chelsea, Kenny,recently found these images. Enjoy
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The lounge in image 4 would be to the left of the snack bar. The view in image 5 is taken from a row of glass entrance doors.
The marquee shows the inaugural booking, The Trial. Man, were we bummed. IMDB lists the NYC premiere in Feb, 1963. And as I stated earlier the 3 Stooges appeared opening night in a limo. Jerry K