Every time the mainstream junk movies (GREEN HORNET, THE TOURIST, LITTLE FOCKERS) fail at the boxoffice and the award movies stand out, we see this same story. Only the Gorgonzola dip is new here.
The baby boomer love affair with film did not occur in 1969, which was a terrible year at the boxoffice. MEDIUM COOL may have been an amazing film but it was hardly a hit and 1950’s arthouse darling Ingmar Bergman hardly emerged on the college scene in 1972.
The painful truth is that TRUE GRIT, THE FIGHTER, BLACK SWAN and THE KING’S SPEECH put together will not outgross TOY STORY 3. All will be forgotten by summer. These reporters really need to do some actual research before writing these Hollywood fluff pieces.
That 1963 engagement of “55 DAYS AT PEKING” was neither exclusive nor roadshow. It was a four theatre break advertised as filmed in 70mmm but not exhibited that way.
Chris, when “INGA” was released, it was considered a porn film since graphic sex films were not yet in existence. Loews was the first chain to book X-rated independent Swedish sex films like “WITHOUT A STITCH” and “INGA” into mainstream theatres and was even accused of promoting pornography by MPAA President Jack Valenti.
It seemed the color stock was thicker than the B & W causing either a loss of focus or a lab splice break about four times at each showing. The prints were replaced with full color stock after about three weeks of problems at all of the Manhattan runs.
Paramount’s television system is covered in some detail in the HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA book series.
More recently, does anyone remember the disastrous prints of “SCHINDLER’S LIST” in Manhattan that went from color stock to black and white, breaking at each joint?
Wometco theatres of Florida was short for the WOlfson MEyer Theatre COmpany.
The Anco in Times Square was named for one of the owner’s daughters, ANna COhen.
The Angelika Theatres were named after the original owner’s wife.
Jewel and Gem, common legitimate theatre names, were translated to French as Bijou for cinema use.
The Eltinge (now the Empire) was named after a famous female impersonator from the era.
The Bunny (later Nova/Tapia) was named after silent star John Bunny then renamed for the new owner, Jesus Nova. The Tapia name reflected a policy change to Spanish language movies and was named after a famous legitimate Tapia Theatre in Puerto Rico that was itself named after poet/playwright Alejandro Tapia.
Many theatres were named for glamorous spots around the globe such as Tivoli, Rio, Rialto, Mecca, Savoy, Ritz, Lido, Coliseum, Olympia, Piccadilly, Westminster, Victoria, and Alhambra, or regal names like Empress, King, Tudor, Esquire, Prince, Princess, Windsor, Palace, and Royal.
For plain product description you can’t beat Laffmovie and Pussycat.
“According to the 1925 New York City directory, the Morningside Theatre (a neighborhood theatre owned by Trocadero Amusements) was located 2139 8th Avenue.”
from BLUES OF A LIFETIME: The autobiography of Cornell Woolrich
Every time the mainstream junk movies (GREEN HORNET, THE TOURIST, LITTLE FOCKERS) fail at the boxoffice and the award movies stand out, we see this same story. Only the Gorgonzola dip is new here.
The baby boomer love affair with film did not occur in 1969, which was a terrible year at the boxoffice. MEDIUM COOL may have been an amazing film but it was hardly a hit and 1950’s arthouse darling Ingmar Bergman hardly emerged on the college scene in 1972.
The painful truth is that TRUE GRIT, THE FIGHTER, BLACK SWAN and THE KING’S SPEECH put together will not outgross TOY STORY 3. All will be forgotten by summer. These reporters really need to do some actual research before writing these Hollywood fluff pieces.
Movieland
/theaters/2925/
Actually ABC Southeastern EXCLUDED Florida which had a separate ABC Florida State Theatres subsidiary.
David, you would be competing with an 18 screen state-of-art multiplex on Lincoln Road just south of here.
This Boxoffice Magazine has photos and an article of the remodel;
View link
That 1963 engagement of “55 DAYS AT PEKING” was neither exclusive nor roadshow. It was a four theatre break advertised as filmed in 70mmm but not exhibited that way.
This 1936 issue of Boxoffice has a history and photo.
View link
Marjoriei, the Yiddish Art is here;
/theaters/290/
and The Anderson is here;
/theaters/31581/
The Fillmore East was not on 12th. It was closer to 6th street.
/theaters/527/
Chris, it most likely used as storage space by the museum. Unlike the Liberty, all publications say it was gutted out first.
“LAST TANGO IN PARIS” was released on a roadshow basis in 1973.
Indeed!
Let me try that again.
View link
Beautiful work with poetic quality and informative too. They need your talents in Hollywood ASAP.
Oh, I see, they are the THIRD largest chain but operating only in countries with boxoffice lower than those in Africa.
Nonsense, it may be larger than Cineworld, but isn’t Odeon a larger chain than both.
Chris, when “INGA” was released, it was considered a porn film since graphic sex films were not yet in existence. Loews was the first chain to book X-rated independent Swedish sex films like “WITHOUT A STITCH” and “INGA” into mainstream theatres and was even accused of promoting pornography by MPAA President Jack Valenti.
The Metro is on the west side, Chris.
It seemed the color stock was thicker than the B & W causing either a loss of focus or a lab splice break about four times at each showing. The prints were replaced with full color stock after about three weeks of problems at all of the Manhattan runs.
Paramount’s television system is covered in some detail in the HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA book series.
More recently, does anyone remember the disastrous prints of “SCHINDLER’S LIST” in Manhattan that went from color stock to black and white, breaking at each joint?
Wometco theatres of Florida was short for the WOlfson MEyer Theatre COmpany.
The Anco in Times Square was named for one of the owner’s daughters, ANna COhen.
The Angelika Theatres were named after the original owner’s wife.
Jewel and Gem, common legitimate theatre names, were translated to French as Bijou for cinema use.
The Eltinge (now the Empire) was named after a famous female impersonator from the era.
The Bunny (later Nova/Tapia) was named after silent star John Bunny then renamed for the new owner, Jesus Nova. The Tapia name reflected a policy change to Spanish language movies and was named after a famous legitimate Tapia Theatre in Puerto Rico that was itself named after poet/playwright Alejandro Tapia.
Many theatres were named for glamorous spots around the globe such as Tivoli, Rio, Rialto, Mecca, Savoy, Ritz, Lido, Coliseum, Olympia, Piccadilly, Westminster, Victoria, and Alhambra, or regal names like Empress, King, Tudor, Esquire, Prince, Princess, Windsor, Palace, and Royal.
For plain product description you can’t beat Laffmovie and Pussycat.
Does anyone know if this operated as the Spanish language Santurce in the early sixties?
“According to the 1925 New York City directory, the Morningside Theatre (a neighborhood theatre owned by Trocadero Amusements) was located 2139 8th Avenue.”
from BLUES OF A LIFETIME: The autobiography of Cornell Woolrich
View link
The Morningside appears in a NYT ad for the wide release of “YOUNG DILLINGER” in May 1965. It was apparently still open or re-opened then.
..and the Victoria.
The map above links to the wrong street as the York was on 64th street. Here is a 1964 re-opening ad as a cinema;
View link