Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 1,276 - 1,300 of 3,454 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Palace Theatre on Jan 7, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Ad for the August 1957 re-launching of the Palace as an “important” first-run house.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Miami Theatre on Dec 27, 2010 at 8:47 am

This is wonderful news, Phillip.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on Dec 26, 2010 at 2:54 pm

This theatre is already listed.

/theaters/16673/

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gables Triple on Dec 26, 2010 at 8:08 am

Opening day ad here:

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's 72nd Street East on Dec 22, 2010 at 6:30 pm

Cinema Village has three screens.

The Ziegfeld, Big Manhattan (Imaginasian), Walter Reade, Lefrak IMAX, and Maysles are still there.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Symphony Space/Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre on Dec 22, 2010 at 3:39 pm

bobob,

The Village Voice carried ads for the Thalia back in the sixties. It may take some google archive searching but this issue, for example, shows “THE TITAN”, “THE IDIOT”, “THE ETERNAL MASK”, “ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO”, “THE NIGHT WATCH”, “BLACK ORPHEUS”, “LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD”, ANIMAL FARM", “CHARLIE CHAPLIN SHORTS”, “THE LEOPARD”, “NIGHT AND FOG”, “THE LAW”, and “THE DOLL” one week in July 1965.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Treasures Reaches 30,000 Theaters on Dec 15, 2010 at 10:37 am

Well done to all, especially Ken.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ave Atque Vale: Let's hear it for skilled projectionists as they pass into history on Dec 11, 2010 at 8:13 pm

I am not sure what some of you are referring to as Hollywood greed. Every advance made to projectors from sound on film, mylar film stock, cue marks, automatic lens changers, zenon lamps, platters, remote timers, and rewind tables all made the skills to run them less crucial as the pay rates went up to about ten times a theatre manager’s salary

This article isn’t about the demise of a craft. Good technicians will always be needed even for a digital projector. This article is about the demise of a union that became obsolete back in the seventies due to their own devices.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gold Coast Drive-In on Dec 11, 2010 at 7:48 pm

The two little screens opened in December 1969 and the theatre advertised as “Florida’s only triple theatre”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on Dec 11, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Mike, this theatre was/is in Deerfield Beach and is already listed.

/theaters/15990/

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ave Atque Vale: Let's hear it for skilled projectionists as they pass into history on Dec 10, 2010 at 3:03 pm

I wonder if Mr. Rivierzo was around when Local 306 was a closed shop and that seriously outdated “test” was designed to keep women, hispanics and African-Americans out of their union. The test had been written by the union and administered by the union who then gave “friendly” applicants and relatives the answers. Wasn’t it in the eighties, when Mr. Rivierzo was running porn, that Local 306 agreed to run VHS tapes at union rates in competition with 35mm theatres? Was Mr. Rivierzo around when Local 306 choked 70mm projection by demanding two and sometimes three projectionists on duty any time a 70MM film was being run?

We can all wax melancholy about an era when white men could keep their well paid union jobs even if they failed to show up for work or ran a cassette player for their pay. As long as they could collect union dues, the industry’s survival was never their concern. Now it is surviving just fine without them.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's New York Theatre and Roof on Dec 9, 2010 at 8:43 am

This photo used to be available to see here.

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New York Theatre & Annex should be an aka.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Liberty Theatre on Dec 7, 2010 at 1:05 pm

There is already a Tim Horton’s directly across the street.

??

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paradigm Cinemas-Gateway Fort Lauderdale on Dec 6, 2010 at 8:25 pm

Ads for the roadshow of “Hello, Dolly!” only offer orchestra and “loge” seats, loge being the smoking section back then.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Teatro Trail Theatre on Dec 3, 2010 at 9:09 pm

Break a leg, Jorge. The Trail deserves another chance.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gables Theatre on Dec 2, 2010 at 11:05 am

The long run of “WOODSTOCK” opened at the smaller Coral which was used for exclusive runs. The Gables ran the film later when it went wide.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Greenwich Theatre on Dec 2, 2010 at 10:50 am

The Art Greenwich was totally demolished for the glass tower Equinox Gym.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Popcorn Extortion in UK on Nov 27, 2010 at 11:53 am

Production costs and star salaries have increased more dramatically at the movies. Distributors and theatre owners have simply managed their business better in an effort to appeal to the masses without resorting to government subsidies, private donations and added ‘theatre remodeling’ taxes.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Popcorn Extortion in UK on Nov 26, 2010 at 2:39 pm

Thanksgiving 1960
Top price New York Philharmonic $4.00
Thanksgiving 2010
Top price New York Philharmonic $128.00

Thanksgiving 1960
Top price New York City Ballet $3.95
Thanksgiving 2010
Top price New York City Ballet $175.00

Thanksgiving 1960
Top price for “MY FAIR LADY” live on Broadway $8.75
Thanksgiving 2010
Top Price for “MARY POPPINS” live on Broadway $157.00

Thanksgiving 1960
Top price for “SPARTACUS” $3.50
Thanksgiving 2010
Top price for IMAX “HARRY POTTER” $19.00

…and you all think movie prices are too high?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Regent Theatre on Nov 15, 2010 at 2:31 pm

Hmmm.

It also appears to have managed to open the 1929 film “Pandora’s Box” in 1913.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about David Marcus Theatre on Nov 15, 2010 at 11:47 am

The Davis Marcus name change came from a 1950 Skouras fund raising effort to benefit the United Jewish Appeal in aiding Israel’s development.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Le Jeune Drive-In on Nov 11, 2010 at 2:49 pm

A night time view of the Le Jeune Auto Theatre can be seen in the opening sequence of the first segment of TCM’s new series “MOGULS AND MOVIE STARS: A HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on Nov 10, 2010 at 10:14 am

HDTV267, he most probably subscribed to the Variety archives.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Jewel Theater on Nov 7, 2010 at 9:03 am

There was a theatre next to the Odeon sometimes called the Avenue, Odeon Annex, and possibly Franklin. That could have also been the Grant once.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Canal Theatre on Nov 7, 2010 at 1:31 am

What a great recap of the Canal history and the movie industry in NYC.

Thanks, John!