Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 126 - 150 of 3,426 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jun 25, 2020 at 7:30 pm

I should also note that even the most pedestrian Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme film would gross more on opening weekend at the National than any BACK THE FUTURE sequel in its entire run. And does anyone remember HIP HOP, SALSA and LAMBADA movies.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Criterion Theatre on Jun 25, 2020 at 3:32 pm

I don’t think any of these theatres avoided exploitation films. Their distributor alliances dictated the product. They all eventually played some low budget horror, Kung Fu, sexploitation or blaxploitation films.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Little Carnegie Theatre on Jun 18, 2020 at 7:30 am

This became a Walter Reade location in October 1966.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Metro Twin on Jun 15, 2020 at 3:11 pm

It became a twin in 1982. The Jessica Lange “KING KONG” was a 1976 release. The food carts down the aisle were a Cineplex Odeon project that started in the early nineties. Are you talking about the original “KING KONG” as a revival?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Jun 10, 2020 at 7:42 pm

Cinemark said they can profitably operate at 30-35% capacity. Which begs the question, why do all chains charge so much?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Swap Shop Drive-In on Jun 10, 2020 at 7:23 am

Bailey Theatres, which operated the Sunrise Drive-In also owned several other locations in the south. The other locations appear to all be “negro theatres”, as they were then known. I suspect that may be the reason for the lack of mainstream advertising for the Sunrise. The change to Thunderbird may have been a change in policy or owner.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about AMC Empire 25 on Jun 9, 2020 at 9:34 pm

Not here in tourist town. Not with Covid hospitalization cases at an all time high in Texas.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Swap Shop Drive-In on Jun 9, 2020 at 1:36 pm

I am pretty sure also that this was the Sunrise, but I haven’t found solid proof.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Belmont Theatre on Jun 4, 2020 at 8:01 pm

Richardobrien seems to know.

Steven, that photo is from a theatre across the street (124 west 48th street) that showed movies in 1940. I don’t think it is listed here. Yet.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Belmont Theatre on Jun 4, 2020 at 7:52 pm

richardobrien on July 26, 2007 at 4:43 pm

There seems to be some confusion between the Belmont and the West Forty-Eighth Street theatre, which apparently was across the street at 124 West 48th Street. It had previously been Uncle Sam’s Music Hall, which Robert Benchley reviewed in the January 27, 1940 New Yorker. He found their show offensive, “not one a father could take his children to”. He did admit his protest was somewhat “vitiated by the fact that the child in question was at the moment towering over me from a height of six foot two and was accompanied by his wife”. Apparently undaunted, Uncle Sam’s continued on, and in the March 16th, 1940 Cue Magazine, advertised “She Gave Him All She Had”, and suggested audiences “hiss the villain”. Nevertheless, on May 12,1940 Uncle Sam’s became the 48th Street Music Hall, and initiated a run of silent movies. Many stars attended the festivities on the opening night, Walter Huston, Madge Evans, Gertrude Lawrence, etc. The silents continued until May 26, 1941. At times the theatre had free admission, the bucks apparently being brought in by beer, liquor and food. Richard O'Brien

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 28, 2020 at 4:13 pm

Nice find! They sure look like the same building.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 28, 2020 at 3:44 pm

Steven, the windows above the 47th Street Cinema marquee you posted and the one over the Miami marquee sure do look similar.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 28, 2020 at 1:08 pm

Steven, why don’t you post them here? I don’t see an entry for that cinema yet and it may have been this location.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 26, 2020 at 8:01 pm

The Broadway League announced today that they do not expect to be back on stage before January. If so, and RADIO CITY follows that, sadly, there will be no Xmas show this year, for the first time.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Harbor 4 Theatres on May 26, 2020 at 1:38 pm

aeterna, it was twinned in 1980.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on May 14, 2020 at 6:53 am

I doubt it. There will always be a need for the shared communal experience. Cinemas will always exist in some form, as will pubs. I was often asked why I was going into a dying industry when I started as a cinema manager in 1974.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Adonis Theatre on May 2, 2020 at 9:16 am

That seventies 3D process did not require any equipment. It used a silver screen and blue and red tinted glasses that cleared the overlapped images that were blurry when viewed without them.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Adonis Theatre on May 2, 2020 at 6:34 am

I found this book link that refers to a 3D gay-porn film called “HEAVY EQUIPMENT” playing at the Eros. https://books.google.com/books?id=VKhqh3HFH8AC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=3d+gay+film+heavy+equipment&source=bl&ots=h8c4jeLlNJ&sig=ACfU3U1ECbQDbcTFKv0hWgy1mX-HxLR1TA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqxe2gpZXpAhX-mHIEHZVHD9wQ6AEwB3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=3d%20gay%20film%20heavy%20equipment&f=false

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Jerry Lewis Cinema on Apr 18, 2020 at 7:46 pm

The Queens location is the Surfside Twin. I tried to link the CT page here for it but I got a SPAM alert.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Apr 15, 2020 at 7:50 pm

As Teatro Cuba it only presented live shows according to El Nuevo Herald.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Apr 13, 2020 at 6:42 am

I don’t think this was ever a Jerry Lewis Cinema. The nearby Astor and Miller Road were.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Varsity Six on Apr 7, 2020 at 7:48 pm

This was the home of Phil Singleton’s AMC manager training academy in Florida.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 6:46 pm

GCC took over Loews in Florida in 1973 with the exception of the Bay Harbor and 167th St. Twins. Those two locations had a partner who refused to go along with the sale. Those two locations remained Loews.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 7:47 am

No one seems to have been charged with a crime.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 5:48 am

Police suspected that chemicals in a second floor print shop at the shopping center started the fire.