Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 1,426 - 1,450 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sony studio head asks for healthier food concessions at theaters on Mar 25, 2010 at 12:58 pm

Try selling healthy snacks at an indulgence activity like the movies and get prepared to throw away much more than you sell.

Perhaps Mr. Lynton expects kids to eat yogurt and fruit while watching the behavioral examples set by his studio with movies like “PAUL BLART: MALL COP” and “CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS”.

Hypocrite.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Southland Cinema on Mar 24, 2010 at 5:26 am

Jeff, the two theatres you mention are the Biscayne Twin and the Holiday. The Holiday was a successful dollar house for many years.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Capitol Theater on Mar 23, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Was that Regal Brewery the one next to Booker T. Washington High (later Junior) High? If so, I remember it well when I went to school there during the first year of integration. A sour smell fill the air all day long at the school.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tower Theater on Mar 22, 2010 at 1:41 pm

“Gallos” are roosters, Spanish slang for the term “Boys Don’t Cry”.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tower Theater on Mar 22, 2010 at 12:07 pm

Joe, that thirties remodel was strictly cosmetic. Wometco took it over and made it look more contemporary with Art Deco touches.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Yorkville Theatre on Mar 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm

As far as I can tell, the Yorkville ran German operettas and legit shows after the Loews days, but not movies.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Another cell phone "innovation:" a movie that calls you on Mar 21, 2010 at 7:14 pm

What? Who is this? I can’t hear. Yes, I am the screenwriter. There must be a bad connection. Call me back and I’ll tell ya, okay? No, he didn’t do it. What? I can’t hear you. It was the other guy. Yeah, forewing…Fuuushowwoing, F-O-R-E-S-H-O-W-I-N-G…FORESHADOWING! What do you mean what is that?

Is this really the future of the movies?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Yorkville Theatre on Mar 16, 2010 at 12:20 pm

It was directly across the street from the other two Loews, between Third and Lexington.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rialto Theatre on Mar 14, 2010 at 9:59 am

From the post above, the Dead End Kids fit the policy:

42nd Street Memories * Jerry Kovar on Aug 15, 2006 at 5:52am

  • Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

“The Rialto opened for Christmas of 1935 with Frank Buck’s ‘'Fang and Claw.’‘ The theater’s manager, Arthur Mayer, saw the Rialto as distinctly masculine in tone. Most theaters, he said in a newspaper interview after the opening, were ’‘rococo, luxurious palaces for the uxorious,’‘ both in styling and choice of films. His theater, both in styling and presentations, sought to satisfy the ’‘ancient and unquenchable male thirst for mystery, menace and manslaughter.’‘ He was soon called the ’‘merchant of menace.’”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cross County 8 on Mar 14, 2010 at 9:55 am

It was the UA four-plex that opened within months of the Cross County. The much newer UA Village Green really hurt the dog-eared older AMC Cross County when it opened as it attracted the younger suburban westward neighborhoods.

As usual, arrogant egocentric AMC blamed the managers for the drop in business.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Colony Theatre on Mar 12, 2010 at 6:29 am

Still listed as a Trans-Lux theatre in the 1959 Film Daily Yearbook.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Roosevelt Theatre on Mar 12, 2010 at 6:24 am

During its Cinerama stage this was operated by the Stanley Warner Cinerama Corp.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Hialeah Theatre on Mar 12, 2010 at 5:38 am

Interesting find, Harvey. I don’t remember, but apparently it was the case, even if short lived. Opa-Locka was always Aladdin’s historic turf so I guess this was close enough.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Times Theatre on Mar 11, 2010 at 5:17 pm

Still listed in the 1959 Film Daily Yearbook as a J.J. Theatre, as is the Tivoli.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cross County 8 on Mar 11, 2010 at 3:25 pm

I managed this theatre for a few months around 1987-1988. It was haven for the Century Village crowd in a tacky mall. We did have fun when “School Daze” opened and a hip black crowd showed up and danced to “Doin' the Bump” at every performance.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Harlem Opera House on Mar 11, 2010 at 2:54 pm

Still listed as open in the 1959 Film Daily Yearbook and operated by Leo Brecher.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's 86th Street Theatre on Mar 11, 2010 at 2:47 pm

Checkout the Loew’s Yorkville page for more details on the theatre Loew’s on this block.

/theaters/12586/

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's 86th Street Theatre on Mar 11, 2010 at 2:42 pm

The 1959 Film Daily Yearbook lists a Brandt 86th Street. If this was the only Brandt on 86th Street then it was open that late.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Stanley Theatre on Mar 11, 2010 at 8:02 am

Mark Rivest has the only photo I have seen of the Stanley marquee. Check page 63 of his Manhattan collection.

http://movie-theatre.org/usa/ny/NYC/readmanhattan

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Metro Twin on Mar 10, 2010 at 5:23 pm

There is some wrong information about this theatre above.

It went from being the Midtown 99th Street porno house to the Metro Cinema in late 1982, a Talbot run repertory house.

It was restored and became the Metro Twin in 1986 while still one of Talbot’s New Yorker theatres, but having already gone mainstream first-run for several years with occasional quirky titles.

In 1987 Cineplex Odeon took over, re-did the lobby in faux marble, and re-opened with similar programming.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Essex Theatre on Mar 10, 2010 at 2:20 pm

How about “Stiletto” or if you saw them in 1972, “Carnal Knowledge”.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Essex Theatre on Mar 10, 2010 at 10:11 am

This was still open in 1994.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Eldorado Theatre on Mar 10, 2010 at 9:16 am

The story above about bed sheets and funeral chairs is repeated in the movie “The Brothers Warners” as urban legend on how the Warner Brothers started their exhibition business. I suspect it is all fabrication.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Apollo Theatre on Mar 10, 2010 at 8:00 am

Does anyone know the last year it showed movies?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bijou Cinema on Mar 9, 2010 at 4:53 pm

The First Film Forum was at 256 west 88th Street. I am not sure when they had screenings here although I do not doubt they probably did.

http://www.filmforum.org/mission.html