UA Movies at Staten Island 14

That one started in 1984, lasted until 1989

Please update, expanded to 14 screens on September 15, 1995. No official ad of the expansion. The September 22, 1995, the ad said it additional 4 screens. Updated ads posted.

July 3rd, 1987 grand opening ad in the photo section.

Back in the 80’s, I knew one of the security guys. I would get on line for tickets and he would come over and ask what we were seeing. Unless it was opening weekend for a blockbuster, we were all escorted in, no charge.

This was an okay theater. It was convenient to get to and never really crowded. I saw numerous films there including Spiderman, Batman Begins, etc. My wife, son and I went to see Polar Express there during the holidaay season with snow on the ground when the heat went out. It was as cold as the North Pole featured in the film. The employees weren’t that bright and I once had an incident with an obnoxious security guard and a not too bright assistant manager. I eventually complained to the United Artists Regional Manager and got some free tickets and a letter of apology from the manager of this theater. As stated, it was never all that crowded and I’m sure that there were many performances after 10PM where there was no one or one or two people in the theater. When the UA Regal 16 opened a few miles away, this theater’s days were numbered. I think there is a gym there now.

A shame, Garth. Admittedly, I don’t go to the movies a lot any more; there’s just nothing out there that makes me want to get off my duff and go to a theater. I just wait for the movie to come to HBO, Showtime or Starz. I’m going to the Regal Cinema on Forest tonight for a “Star Trek” event. It’s a bit hypocritical, isn’t it – I won’t see new movies, but I’ll go to a theater and pay $12.50 to see a TV episode I’ve seen a million times before, and own on DVD.
I went to the UA Multiplex the day before it officially opened. There were free screenings of older films (I saw “Aliens” for the third time that way) as well as free popcorn and soda. I went back
the next day; its official opening, to see “Innerspace.” I actually liked that movie theater being less crowded, but I guess that over 20 years, it became dated.
The Travis theater was the first on Staten Island to run films daily in a long time. Most Staten Island theaters ran evening shows daily, with Wednesday matinees and continuous daytime shows only on weekends. If you wanted to see a movie in the daytime, you had to go to the Amboy Cinemas in Jersey. The Travis theater changed that.

I believe it’s open now as LA Fitness; the marquee was replaced with the “LA Fitness” sign.
I saw “Collateral” there in the summer of 2004, and “Star Wars Ep. III – Revenge Of The Sith” in 2005. For big movies like those, the theater was practically empty. It was not a good sign. I’m sad; the theater was pretty easy to get to. More so than the Forest Avenue theater is

i just saw it on NY1 , part of it had already been sold to LA fitness for 7 million and the rest is going for 21 million as DFC said.

This was taken over by Regal before it closed, but lost business once the Stadium 16 opened on Forest Avenue.

the s.i. advance states the building has been sold and the theatre “may” close , i’d say that’s a pretty safe bet.

They don’t even bother putting the titles on the marquee anymore, it says to call 777-Film for titles and showtimes. Even for UA thats PATHETIC.