Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 201 - 225 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paris Theater on Oct 18, 2019 at 8:17 pm

Are Netflix' Paris and Belasco projects the ‘last hurrah’ or a resurgence of public cinema

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Oct 14, 2019 at 1:58 pm

“SCENT” was the original in 70mm Smell-o-Vision. Since the film bombed and was somewhat of a travelogue mystery/comedy, it was re-edited and blown up for Cinerama release as “Holiday in Spain”. That also failed. The version shown on TCM was the Cinerama version but it seemed to have some 70mm scenes added in from the original.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Oct 14, 2019 at 7:17 am

American.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Oct 13, 2019 at 5:37 pm

“HOLIDAY IN SPAIN” opened here as “SCENT OF MYSTERY” in Smell-o-Vision, but not in Cinerama. I don’t believe “THE GOLDEN HEAD” ever played Manhattan.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Orpheum 7 on Oct 9, 2019 at 8:34 pm

Al Schwartz and Michael Landis were all about the money and could care less.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 9, 2019 at 8:27 pm

Sarita Montiel, one of the icons of 60’s Spanish musical cinema was also dubbed in her early films. She was typecast as an indigeneous Mexican in Westerns by Hollywood until her career as a white European musical star was revived back home in Spain.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 7, 2019 at 3:59 pm

My understanding is that Audrey Hepburn recorded all the songs for “FAIR LADY” only to discover she was dubbed at the premiere, but we only heard Marni Nixon. Peter O'Toole’s voice was so awful on the “CHIPS” recordings they had to bring someone else in to replace his songs. I have never been able to find that “CHIPS” CD soundtrack at a resonable price.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 6, 2019 at 7:43 pm

Don’t forget that the “MY FAIR LADY” soundtrack was dubbed by others. So was “GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS”. “DOLITTLE” and others were not, and the reviews said that was not such a good idea.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 2, 2019 at 4:47 pm

If there were awards for false advertising, the motion picture industry would win the award every year.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 2, 2019 at 4:01 pm

bigjoe, some of those Roadshow lobby cards were on display a year before the film opened. The movies were not yet fully edited and in most cases, still filming.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 2, 2019 at 12:08 pm

Lobby cards with scenes not in the film were very common in the 70’s. Also, trailers with scenes that did not make the final cut and there was some controversy over newspaper ads that featured scenes not in the film. This was not limited to Roadshows.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Oct 1, 2019 at 9:01 pm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53316491@N08/36383742373

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rivoli Theatre on Sep 30, 2019 at 1:36 pm

bigjoe, both are for sale on ebay.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Sep 21, 2019 at 7:45 pm

This has been going on for about a year now, Cool.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Sep 20, 2019 at 7:38 pm

Why would this cinema’s LIEMAX first be added to the description? IMAX here is a joke.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about CMX New York East 62nd Street on Sep 9, 2019 at 2:09 pm

“SCENT OF A WOMAN” was supposed to open on both screens at the Manhattan Twin but was moved here at the last minute when the director complained about that theatre’s presentation.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Big Cinemas Manhattan on Aug 26, 2019 at 7:23 am

There were some exceptions including the Strand and the Rivoli (United Artists Twin).

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Big Cinemas Manhattan on Aug 25, 2019 at 7:13 pm

Why would you think that if you thought the historic Strand should be renamed for it’s last incarnation?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema 1, 2 & 3 by Angelika on Aug 25, 2019 at 5:59 am

ridethectrain, the movie’s title was “Boccaccio ‘70”, not “Three Stories of the Sexes”. That ad continues on the next page.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 23, 2019 at 5:53 am

No Vindanpar, I never saw Todd AO and I think the travelogue novelty on the big screen was better suited for the 1950’s. I found the fake sets in “SOUTH PACIFIC” impossible to imagine being anywhere except inside a theatre. “ICE STATION ZEBRA” also loses its charm on TV.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 22, 2019 at 3:27 pm

I liked “GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS”, “PAINT YOUR WAGON”, “CLEOPATRA”, “THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE”, “ICE STATION ZEBRA” and “PORGY AND BESS”. All have been trashed over the years. I disliked “AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS”, “SOUTH PACIFIC”, and “LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”, all classics today. I found the latter beautiful to watch and about an hour too long.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 19, 2019 at 3:00 pm

There is no answer to that, bigjoe. If the boxoffice pre-sales were weak the studio would start planning the wide release immediately but run the roadshow for snob appeal prestige. “MARAT/DESADE” and “FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD” would be examples. In the case of “STAR!” they were just tried to salvage whatever income they could get with the edited version entitled “THOSE WERE THE HAPPY TIMES”.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 18, 2019 at 8:23 pm

bigjoe, nobody makes a movie to break even.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 17, 2019 at 7:32 pm

Any film that did not meet their budget AND marketing costs and didn’t even receive many good reviews could be seen as a “bomb”. “HELLO,DOLLY!”, “PAINT YOUR WAGON” and “TORA! TORA! TORA!” failed to do all three. Okay, how about “flop”, “turkey”, “stinker”, “dud” or “failure”? Only until “Heaven’s Gate” made the term epic did this become an issue.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jul 16, 2019 at 7:24 pm

Mike (saps) makes a good point. But cinema is a matter of personal choice. “Hello, Dolly” and “Tora!” could have been better. Channing over Streisand or no Japanese opinions could have been better. But “Vertigo”, in my opinion, still sucks, anyway.