Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 1,001 - 1,025 of 3,454 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Sunrise 8 on Dec 5, 2011 at 10:30 am

Not me, jcasson12, but I had a similar experience when I was 17 at the Sunny Isles Twin. Some things never change in the industry.

I think the long hours, sleep and food deprivation, and being around a product you enjoy produces a form of unintended brainwashing that creates career theatre employees.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater on Dec 5, 2011 at 7:49 am

There has never been another Miracle Theatre in South Florida except for this one, Chuck. I went there when it was a single, a twin and also when it was a quad. It was then restored to a single screen for plays.

How could a theatre at 3465 N.W. 2nd Avenue ever have been in Coral Gables?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rivoli Theatre on Nov 19, 2011 at 6:38 pm

“De Sade” was an American International Release that played mainstream theatres and drive-in nationwide when X was still mild.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Limited patience for limited releases on Nov 18, 2011 at 10:05 pm

As someone who operated art cinemas for years I can tell you what happens.

You get months of letters and emails complaining about not showing a film you showed in a timely manner and no one showed up. So you then show it again, to take advantage of new acclaim, and no one shows up either.

It is then a hit on DVD and you still get blamed for not having shown it.

Sigh!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Show Palace Theatre on Nov 18, 2011 at 3:15 pm

The comedy club section of Show World is now Times Scare, a year-round haunted house and horror theme bar.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Palladium Times Square on Nov 15, 2011 at 10:35 am

When I first started working in the movie theatre industry in 1974 it was very clear. Legit use was ‘theater’ and cinema use was ‘theatre’, even in cases where the same company owned both types of venues. Whether there was a stage or never a consideration.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 68th Street Playhouse on Nov 3, 2011 at 1:40 pm

Margaret, it is considered a classic novel and film and often shows on TV. The book was required high school reading at my school in the mid-seventies.

The film was often a second feature in later years and had a minor re-release in November 1947 but I can’t find any other dates at the 68th St. Playhouse.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 68th Street Playhouse on Nov 2, 2011 at 11:18 am

Hi Margaret.

A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN was showing from Monday, May 28, 1945 to June 3, 1945.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Fresh Meadows 7 on Oct 27, 2011 at 6:04 pm

I think this film is in 3D which the Bombay may not have been able to accommodate.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Art East Cinema on Oct 22, 2011 at 10:13 am

New ad in photo section claims 220 seats.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Eastside Cinema on Oct 22, 2011 at 10:09 am

Opening ad now in the photo section.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Federal Drive-In on Oct 19, 2011 at 7:39 pm

I believe this was the Pompano Drive-In from 1953- 1959.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Swap Shop Drive-In on Oct 19, 2011 at 12:59 pm

This place now claims to have 14 screens.

http://www.floridaswapshop.com/swap.html

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Coral Theatre on Oct 17, 2011 at 6:02 pm

Rivest, they accepted them without art work and only one column by two inches for non-mainstream titles by 1970.

The refused ads for the premiere of “I Am Curious (Yellow)” at the Flamingo but later accepted them when the film moved over to the North Miami.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Wometco's 167th Theatre on Oct 17, 2011 at 11:57 am

I seem to recall a really modern sleek design with curtain wall coverings all around that made the screen area almost disappear when the curtains were closed.

The seats and leg room were nothing special and paled next to the high back ‘rocking chairs’ and leg space at the Bay Harbor and Sunny Isles.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Holiday Theatre on Oct 16, 2011 at 9:50 pm

The Holiday went back to mainstream films after the porn incident in the article above and closed sometime in 1990.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC South Dade 8 on Oct 16, 2011 at 6:37 pm

It was only an evening paper with an older demographic by then.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC South Dade 8 on Oct 16, 2011 at 5:18 pm

Rivest, I was one the assistant managers at this opening. AMC would have advertised the opening only in The Miami Herald and, like many distributors, did not take advantage of the combined rate that included The Miami News.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Palm Drive-In on Oct 16, 2011 at 12:17 pm

Nice find, Rivest. This mean that the Palm, 22nd Avenue and Liberty City were all three the same drive-in with different entrances. They DID show the same movies at the same time, all the time.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's State Theatre on Oct 16, 2011 at 9:46 am

The old theatres had tons of obstructed view seats that were rarely used but made the house nut higher for film rental purposes. Many multiplexes do that to this day.

Once the house was adapted for roadshow use they expected to sell 100% at each performance so most seats were larger and positions were at least adequate.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Kendale Lakes Triple on Oct 15, 2011 at 10:12 pm

Thanks for the great ads, Mark.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tower Theater on Oct 14, 2011 at 8:24 pm

The link needs to be updated:

http://www.mdc.edu/tower/

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lincoln Theatre on Oct 14, 2011 at 12:41 pm

Jeff, Brandt closed it in 1970. It re-opened in 1972 as a discount house with occasional first-runs and ran until the summer of 1987. It later re-opened as a performing arts center with movie facilities.

“Ben-Hur” premiered here in 1959 and again for the 1969 roadshow re-release. I can’t help with the wagon wheel.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loews Festival Theatre on Oct 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm

Marcy, if you look at previous posts you will find photo links.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Westchester Cinema I & II on Oct 12, 2011 at 5:40 pm

This closed in 1989.