Lefty, you are right. NA used to really take care of their theaters, but like you said, now that they have begun to build the “delux” ones, those apparently are the ones they are focusing on, and forgetting the older ones.
Was the Paramount completely dismanantled when it closed, or did some theater ornamentation survive? Today, with the Hard Rock inside, it would have made for an interesting restaurant, especially for Hard Rock, if it was not only housed in the theater space as it is, but if it still had a little of that ‘theater look".
Thanks Jim for your input! Yes, it does convey the massiveness of the building. Unfortunately, it would take tens of millions to restore the Kings, and while we would all love to see it, who would come up with the 50 or 60 million necessary to redo the building? There would have to be a profitable reason to do so, or no one will do it. Like you said, even the upkeep, like the roof is terribly expensive on a building that size.
Is the Regent currently being used for anything at all?
Here’s an aerial view of the Regent, aka Slave Theater. It was not a particularly large building, and would probably be easy to miss as a “theater” if not for the marquee.
Does anyone know of any current photos of the interior of the Kings. I wonder how bad the neglect of the interior may be.
Anyway, the Kings is very interestingly placed on the block, it’s actually built on the diagnal, instead of straight with the property lines. This is the first theater I have seen built like this (at least that I know of). It’s very apparent in this aerial view:
I “think” it was just a twin when I saw Back to the Future in 1985 there, but I can’t guarantee it. I saw Back to the Future Downstairs, and I “think” it was still the whole orchestra level, but like I said, it’s over 20 years….
The Marvin-Van Buren Theater is very much still existing. It was a small theater as Ken mentioned. It’s the small triangle-like building seen in this aerial view:
Thanks. I couldn’t make the end out. I still think “RKO Flushing” should be added as an “aka” above in the main section, as obviously, it was called that, even if briefly – I mean it’s even painted across the side of the building!!!
Here’s a photo of the Tompkins Theater building. It’s that building with the lower roof and the gray front, the tree in front, and what looks like crosses on the building:
By the way, I haven’t been inside the Elmwood Theater since I saw “Back to the Future” there in 1985, so that’s over 20 years ago. I can’t for the life of me remember if it was “multiplexed” yet by that point. But how was it split up? Why would one of the Turrets have been damaged? Did they cut the orchestra level down the middle? Was the turret damaged when they tried to put a screen on one half? How many screens was the Elmwood cut into?
Thanks for the update Warren. I’d like to one day get over there myself.
Anyway, as for them retoring the theater, this is probably the best we can hope for. A chirch is a good “after theater” life for a theater, as they are probably one of the best non-theater afterlifes a theater can get, as churches lend themselves well to theaters.
But it also has to be remembered that they have to make the building suitable for their use. That would include much better lighting than a theater would have offered. That is one of the reasons the Valencia had that chandelier added. While a theater can have “mood lighting” when you come in to be able to see to get to your seats, a theater’s use is “in nthe dark”. While a church must be flooded with light to be able to see readings, hymn books, or whatever they are reading while at service. A church must flood the interior with light, while a movie theater wouldn’t need that. That is the reason you are going to see lighting in there, that you never would have seen as a movie theater.
Gerry, did they cut two of the theaters in half to make the 8, or did they build onto the building?
Lefty, you are right. NA used to really take care of their theaters, but like you said, now that they have begun to build the “delux” ones, those apparently are the ones they are focusing on, and forgetting the older ones.
It wasn’t that big of a theater to begin with.
Here’s an aerial view of the theater. The building backs right up to someone’s home!
View link
Was the Paramount completely dismanantled when it closed, or did some theater ornamentation survive? Today, with the Hard Rock inside, it would have made for an interesting restaurant, especially for Hard Rock, if it was not only housed in the theater space as it is, but if it still had a little of that ‘theater look".
Why would they take the THX ability away?
Can this property still be used for a movie if they wanted to? Or has the projectionn been dismantled?
saps, thanks. I would have hated to see the New Amsterdam sujected to that….
Does anyone know when the Ritz closed as a theater?
Thanks Jim for your input! Yes, it does convey the massiveness of the building. Unfortunately, it would take tens of millions to restore the Kings, and while we would all love to see it, who would come up with the 50 or 60 million necessary to redo the building? There would have to be a profitable reason to do so, or no one will do it. Like you said, even the upkeep, like the roof is terribly expensive on a building that size.
Is the Regent currently being used for anything at all?
Here’s an aerial view of the Regent, aka Slave Theater. It was not a particularly large building, and would probably be easy to miss as a “theater” if not for the marquee.
View link
What ever became of this building after the fire?
Does the building still exist?
Here’s an aerial view of the theater. I “think” it’s the triangle shaped building on the corner:
View link
This was a typical “shopping center” theater that was quite popular back then.
Does anyone know of any current photos of the interior of the Kings. I wonder how bad the neglect of the interior may be.
Anyway, the Kings is very interestingly placed on the block, it’s actually built on the diagnal, instead of straight with the property lines. This is the first theater I have seen built like this (at least that I know of). It’s very apparent in this aerial view:
View link
I “think” it was just a twin when I saw Back to the Future in 1985 there, but I can’t guarantee it. I saw Back to the Future Downstairs, and I “think” it was still the whole orchestra level, but like I said, it’s over 20 years….
Louie, there is a page for the Graham:
/theaters/5740/
The Marvin-Van Buren Theater is very much still existing. It was a small theater as Ken mentioned. It’s the small triangle-like building seen in this aerial view:
View link
Thanks. I couldn’t make the end out. I still think “RKO Flushing” should be added as an “aka” above in the main section, as obviously, it was called that, even if briefly – I mean it’s even painted across the side of the building!!!
Here’s a photo of the Tompkins Theater building. It’s that building with the lower roof and the gray front, the tree in front, and what looks like crosses on the building:
View link
The Comet was demolished to build a large apartment building. Here’s the site of the Comet Theater. The Southeast corner of Gates and Malcom X Blvd:
View link
By the way, I haven’t been inside the Elmwood Theater since I saw “Back to the Future” there in 1985, so that’s over 20 years ago. I can’t for the life of me remember if it was “multiplexed” yet by that point. But how was it split up? Why would one of the Turrets have been damaged? Did they cut the orchestra level down the middle? Was the turret damaged when they tried to put a screen on one half? How many screens was the Elmwood cut into?
Thanks for the update Warren. I’d like to one day get over there myself.
Anyway, as for them retoring the theater, this is probably the best we can hope for. A chirch is a good “after theater” life for a theater, as they are probably one of the best non-theater afterlifes a theater can get, as churches lend themselves well to theaters.
But it also has to be remembered that they have to make the building suitable for their use. That would include much better lighting than a theater would have offered. That is one of the reasons the Valencia had that chandelier added. While a theater can have “mood lighting” when you come in to be able to see to get to your seats, a theater’s use is “in nthe dark”. While a church must be flooded with light to be able to see readings, hymn books, or whatever they are reading while at service. A church must flood the interior with light, while a movie theater wouldn’t need that. That is the reason you are going to see lighting in there, that you never would have seen as a movie theater.
ooops, here’s the link:
Click here for photo