Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 1,851 - 1,875 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Studios might use YouTube to sell movies on Sep 12, 2009 at 7:29 pm

KingsBiscuits, the real question really is:

How is $400 million not enough to break even?

What other stupid projects are these idiots pouring money into and do they deserve Wall Street level blood bath?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Nova Theatre on Sep 11, 2009 at 6:40 am

Thanks K.L., that works.

That map also shows what was probably the BLUEBIRD Theatre on Amsterdam and 147th Street and what looks like a film studio on Amsterdam and 150th Street.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Studios might use YouTube to sell movies on Sep 10, 2009 at 8:51 am

It is amazing how these studios are looking for new ways to further screw their DVD retailers and theatres instead of fixing the problem.

Here’s an idea:

Make a few more movies like “Julie & Julia” all year round. They cost less, do not require 3D glasses or special effects, and bring in an audience that has disposable income and a longer attention span than a fly. You may actually make money off the geriatrics over 30 on the theatrical run alone and then sell a few DVDs to help offset the cost of the next TRANSFORMER sequel.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Warners' Theatre on Sep 8, 2009 at 7:49 am

I believe this closed as the Republic, not the New Yorker.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Todd Haimes Theatre on Sep 4, 2009 at 9:50 pm

In the summer of 1952,

The Apollo was most probably presenting a double feature of foreign nudie nonsense sold as art, as the pre-porn house really always was.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sutton Theater on Aug 27, 2009 at 7:47 am

Joe, the Sutton was already advertising in the NYT as showing movies in 1934.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about East 86th Street Cinemas on Aug 27, 2009 at 7:42 am

Great article, Joe. Thanks.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Village Triple on Aug 23, 2009 at 8:15 pm

The Village opened in 1969 and became a triple in 1972.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about "Alien" 30th Anniversary on Aug 23, 2009 at 5:00 am

I saw it at the Dadeland Twin in South Miami in 70mm. The sequel, ALIENS, in 355mm was the better film in a mediocre series.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about "Apocalypse Now" 30th Anniversary on Aug 15, 2009 at 5:53 pm

I first saw it at the Sunny Isles in North Miami Beach in 35mm where I was working at the time. I liked it so much that on a visit to NY I saw it again at the Warner Cinerama (Strand) in 70mm on move-over from the Ziegfeld. The experience was so magnificently different that it seemed like another film.

The credit-less ending left me with a devastating armageddon feeling I have never forgotten. The 35mm version, although good, did not make me feel quite the same and the “REDUX” version is even weaker.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Golden Theatre on Aug 10, 2009 at 6:00 pm

That wide definition would include almost every Broadway Theatre, every public and private space in Manhattan with seating, and Central Park.

CT previously did not accept such listings.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Golden Theatre on Aug 10, 2009 at 12:56 pm

Does this type of listing open this website to theatres that are mostly legitimate although they screened movies for a while?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bill Cosford Cinema on Aug 9, 2009 at 7:15 am

I was here in 1981 for a Miami Q & A with Ralph Bakshi for the animated “AMERICAN POP”. When students started questioning him about his controversial older film “COONSKIN” instead, Balkshi had a fit and refused to answer any more questions.

The Beaumont was famously faced with an exploding projector when it tried to screen the Cuban made “MEMORIES OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT” sometime in the late sixties, after local theatre chains were intimidated into not showing the now classic film.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Parkway Theatre on Aug 4, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Both Coral Way and 13th Avenue (Cuban Memorial Blvd.) have central reservations or “parkways”.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gramercy Theater on Aug 2, 2009 at 1:47 pm

The city usually does that and then fines the theatres for cutting them back.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Aug 1, 2009 at 2:13 pm

The WORLD and SHOW WORLD are two different venues. The latter is still there, in some form, on 42nd and 8th Avenue.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Jul 30, 2009 at 12:57 pm

An Empire on 39th and 9th did show some films in 1923-24.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about The man responsible for all those American Classic photos on Jul 29, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Great story. These people probably have a better sense of America, as a result of their photo obsession, than most of us will ever have.

A big thank you from Miami.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Helen Hayes Theatre on Jul 28, 2009 at 1:36 pm

It did indeed show movies in 1915, 1916 and again from 1947-1949.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Weston 8 on Jul 26, 2009 at 4:49 pm

Opened in 1988 as “8 at Weston”.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Tamarac Cinema 5 on Jul 26, 2009 at 4:48 pm

The Tamarac opened in 1999.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Parkway Theatre on Jul 21, 2009 at 6:21 pm

The Parkway was indeed located near where Coral Way bends on its way to 1-95.

The address above should be 1261 SW 22nd Street.

The building is demolished but I have not noticed the Coca-Cola sign.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Movies at Lauderhill on Jul 17, 2009 at 8:21 pm

The UA Movies at Lauderhill opened in 1985.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's 42nd Street Theatre on Jul 15, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Cool find, LM!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Normandy Theatre on Jul 13, 2009 at 11:56 am

This theatre was opened as the NORMANDY by Claughton in 1948. In 1961 Wometco took it over and changed the policy to art films and the name to NORMANDIE, most likely for the reason Warren mentions above.

In 1971 the name was changed back to NORMANDY. It stopped showing films in 1988.