Cinema 1, 2 & 3 by Angelika
1001 3rd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10021
1001 3rd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10021
34 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 375 comments
It’s true that it was ruined by the 1980s renovations but, oh, the original International Style design, complete with Alvar Aalto chandelier light fixtures and Ilya Bolotowsky mural.
Not for the first or last time, I’m depressed.
Arrgh! Going to a film here when it was Cinema One and Cinema Two felt like an event. I saw “Heaven’s Gate” full length in it’d one week run here on the Cinema One Scrren and “Local Hero, and an obscure Julie Walters film "Personal Services” in Cinema Two. I can’t believe its gone.
Uploaded in the photos section, from Angelika Film Center website the official closing annoucement
The article from showbiz411.com and the writer was Roger Friedman @Lionel
https://www.showbiz411.com/2026/10/29/nycs-ues-cinema-1-2-3-closing-tonight-after-62-years-thanks-to-more-greedy-landlords-last-show-will-be-ironically-you-can-see-everything
@ridethectrain Great comment but what do you mean by “Cinema 1, 2, 3 (which had a 4th theater in it)” ?
NYC’s UES Cinema 1, 2, 3 Closing Tonight After 62 Years Thanks to More Greedy Landlords: Last Show Will Be (Ironically) “You Can See Everything” October 29, 2026 9:18 am By Roger Friedman
For 62 years could literally see everything at New York’s Cinema 1, 2, 3 on the Upper East Side.
Nestled on Third Avenue near the Coronet and Baronet Theaters, Cinema 1, 2, 3 was a hot spot for moviegoers.
But after “You Can See Everything” ends tonight at midnight, the shows will over. The theater will be joining the Baronet, Coronet, Beekman, 68th St Playhouse and other Upper East Side venues that have long been gone.
The owner of the building is selling it off, probably to build another obnoxious, unneeded tower of overpriced condos in the shadow of Bloomingdale’s. Reading International, the East Village-based entertainment and real estate company that owns the site, is looking to sell the property for $50 million.
Cinema 1, 2, 3 won’t be alone. Soon enough, the AMC Kips Bay movie complex on 2nd Avenue and 33rd St. will close as well thanks to NYU Langone Hospital.
We’ve already lost the famed Ziegfeld Theater. The city is being reduced to rubble for movie theaters. The new generation of audience wants to order in at night and watch movies on streaming. It’s disturbing, but c’est la vie. Unlike the renewed popularity of vinyl LPs, when all the theaters are gone they won’t be coming back.
I spent a good part of my life at Cinema 1, 2, 3 (which had a 4th theater in it). So many screenings and premieres, followed or preceded by meals at Yellowfingers, on the corner of 60th St. (They’re long gone, too.) Or even Serendipity. Even on regular nights, you’d run into famous people who lived nearby who’d run in it see a hot new film.
Adding to this misery is the loss of Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on Broadway and 62nd St. The horrible landlord has never filled the space after killing that community.
And so it goes. Future generations won’t know what they’re missing, but I guess the same could be said of the current one, which never knew the Baronet, Coronet, or Beekman. Believe it or not, people used to line up around the block to see new movies from Woody Allen or Martin Scorsese or highly touted foreign films. It was a badge of honor to see them right away. Now the badge goes to getting Door Dash fast.
Well, we still have the Paris, across from the Plaza, thanks to Netflix. Cross fingers that continues.
I understand their situation but it shows that exhibitors should try to be estate owners as well if budget allows. It’s as simple as a landlord willing to increase rental profit to put down a good cultural institution. Look at what happened to the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas (the Talbots passed away but that’s just a detail as new management can be found). The same phenomenon could be observed in London over the past few years.
Yeah, but it is a business. Found this on Reddit… Real Estate Liquidation: The theater’s parent company, Reading International, is primarily a real estate developer. Faced with a negative working capital of over $92 million, the company has been actively offloading assets to pay down its debts and bolster corporate liquidity
The prime Upper East Side property was quietly listed for sale earlier this year with a $50 million price tag through real estate firm Newmark. Reports from the local community indicate that Reading International has successfully found a buyer.
https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2026/04/07/ues-movie-theater-site-could-be-redeveloped-pending-a-sale/
This totally sucks.
Rugoff must turn in his grave.
The Cinema 1, 2 & 3 is closing tomorrow after over sixty-four years of operation, per this Reddit post and a check of the Angelika website: https://www.reddit.com/r/NYCmovies/s/lv0R1ZpGhT
@RobertR
I’m afraid this is a worldwide phenomenon. Sign of the times reflecting the cultural level of Generation Z. Boomers pass away, Generation X is alive and kicking but wanes in theaters and prefers to manage its DVD classics collection while the Z'ers watch crap on mobile devices.
The remaining good art houses look like nursing homes at peak hours and fiercely stand like convicts facing a firing squad that would be made of VOD execs dressed in hoodies.
I hate how most cinemas look like today. Black boxes with deafening sound and armchairs inviting you to extend your legs and remove your shoes for others to enjoy Odorama. Weird how things got reversed in 60 years, going from “Go out of your house and come enjoy the big screen” from “Don’t be afraid to go out, we made sure things are exactly just like in your home”.
Never mind, it’s morning here and I haven’t had coffee yet.
Heads up, RobertR.
Boxoffice is suddenly way up for really crap movies.
Cinema 1 & 2 were once the most prestigious theatres in the country. To me this officially is the last nail in the coffin for theatrical movies.
mOOse, that was the edited re-release you saw at the Astor Plaza. The original opened here.
Heaven’s Gate opened at the Loews Astor Plaza. I attended opening day there.
The last commercial cinema in the Upper East Side is officially for sale at $50 million.
https://eastsidefeed.com/real-estate/ues-movie-theater-that-opened-in-1962-could-be-headed-for-final-credits/
This theatre opened the 3 hr, 39 minute version of HEAVEN’S GATE. The 5 hour plus version was not shown to the public.
Per Wikipedia, this theater premiered the original 5-½ hour 😵💫😵💫😵💫🤯🤯🤯 cut of Heaven’s Gate November 19th 1980 moved from Christmas 1979. The critics savage it. The audience despite the violence fell asleep!!! A week later it ess down to its most infamous version of 3hrs39mins version. This time the critics yawned and the audience demanded their money back. United artists was ruined for good. Michael Cimino only did 4 films til his death .
THAT’S HOLLYWOOD!
Theatre capacity:
Theatre 1 187 70MM equipped
Theatre 2 97
Theatre 3 48
Fifty years ago today THE EXORCIST opened here. Cinema 1 was among only two-dozen cinemas in twenty-one North American markets to play the film at release launch.
Kanopy.com has added Searching For Mr Rugoff to it’s film base. If you have a public library/university card that is connected to Kanopy.com you can watch the film Here
Hello-
since you asked per se. everytime I went to the Cinema ½/3 I did in fact ask the highest up managerial staff member I could find about the escalator and no one was ever able to give me a straight answer.
actually it’s m00se1111 please and I’m disappointed how my resolution was twisted around so.
I didn’t condone the issue with the escalator.
I merely suggested that as a consumer, if I had an issue with a business - I’d go to that business and ask someone in charge what the problem was. Not come to some online forum and stew over something for what was it 4 ½ years if going back over the history of this page is any indication.
However if that’s how you’ve chosen to interpret my suggestion, then you go right ahead and have a lovely day.
Big Joe, you used to be so humble, it looks like you finally grew a pair…