[dexter]

All over Manhattan (and everywhere else) tons of new movie theaters are opening, but they are all multiplexes with 10, 20 or even 30 screens in one building. Some of them aren't bad for a quick flick but I'm sure some of you remember when going to a movie was a big experience.

For a while now there have been two remaining movie theaters in Manhattan that still capture that experience. My favorite has always been the Loews Astor Plaza on Times Square... large place (1440 seats all on one screen) VERY large screen, comfortable well arranged seating, and still has a CURTAIN that opens and closes for the feature attraction. Its also been kept up to date with the latest sound technology and projection systems.

All of the original Star Wars films opened there in '77, '80, and '83. When Return of the Jedi opened there, that was the first time I slept overnight on the sidewalk to see a film premiere (and I had scarfed some tix to the charity premiere a week before, but still slept on the sidewalk to see it again!) For you youngun's that was before the internet and before advanced ticket sales and before 12:01am "first shows"... you were on the sidewalk all night... took care of "business" when the Howard Johnson opened up (they were the first restaurant to open in the morning on T.S.) and when the ticket booth opened you bought your stub and went in and watched the movie.

At the beginning of this month they closed the Astor Plaza. They are turning into a live rock auditorium, which is better than turning it into a parking garage. Still I have a lot of memories there for a lot of film premieres.

Today I found some old photos and got them scanned and I posted them here:
-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
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[krzyk101]

I like the pics, Look like a pretty cool place, I really like the lighting after dark in the 2nd picture.

I know in the in the city of my parents suburb home, I had always went to see movies. A year ago I went up there in attempts to see a movie. ( had not been there for 10 years) one theatre was a parking lot. The other was a shopping plaza, so got lost and ended up seeing no movie at all.

I do remember in my home town being in middle america the Drive-In theatre. As a child I have fond memories of going to the drive in with my family eating popcorn from home and soda.

I believe I saw return of the Jedi there. I have no idea where there is a Drive-In theatre anymore. I guess after the Drive-In theatres died something had to go as well and now it seems to be small theatres.

Sad, in a way

If you sleep on the sidewalk in 2005, make sure to take an air matress! thanks for the pics.

______________
~KRIS~

(if I didn't help, please know I do honestly have good intentions & speak through personal experiences)

If you think you have totally gave up, you haven't, because you are here!

[angel04]

What a terrific looking theatre Dex. I'm sorry it closed. The same thing happened here when one of our oldest theatres closed down. It had a balcony and red velvet seats and the massive royal blue curtain trimmed in gold rope and tassels that rose when the movie started. The woodwork was beautiful and the tapestry rugs were artistic and unusual. It always reminded me of an old hollywood movie theatre --like Fred and Ginger should be dancing on those tapestries.
It's sad to see the building today with a chinese food restaurant at street level and offices upstairs where all that history and grandeur once was. Progress is a cancer on society. I read that somewhere today. It seems fitting for this post.
i'm sorry about your theatre Dex. I'm glad you have pics and your memories.

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[SeptemberMorn]

You're right. At least they're not "tearing down paradise and putting up a parking lot." The pictures remind me quite a bit of The Pantages in Hollywood on Sunset and Vine. The neighborhood (Sunset &Vine), however, leaves a lot to be desired. Four of us gals went to see Phantom of the Opera there. We had a limo and we all dressed in black. One of the gals said as we were getting out "Wonder what these people are thinking? 'Who are these rich *****es?' " LOL Everybody else was dressed casually... or in drag! And I thought I'd been around the block some! LOL I guess I stared at this couple long enough until they caught me. Both of them kept winking at me! I was embarrassed to get caught but I just couldn't keep my eyes off them. When we were going home, the limo driver pulled to the side of the street to open our bottle of champagne. There was a homeless man sitting on an embankment. My "evil twin" asked the limo driver to pop the cork and scare the guy. The driver said "What do you want to do, get me shot?!?" Damn! What a party pooper! He wouldn't even open up the moon roof and let us stand up and wave to people!! teehee I think my friends thought I'd lost it that night.

Back to theaters... your description reminds me of a theater in my home town done a la Spanish architecture. It had/has a huge lobby with a wide, spiral strair case to the mezzenine... or would that be the loge? ... and another one to the balcony, curtains that opened for the main feature, etc. It was a grand place! (sigh!) I did a quick search on the internet but didn't find anything yet. I sure hope they didn't tear it down in the last 40 yrs that I've been gone!

Is "home" where you've spent the last 40+ years, or is home where you grew up? I feel like Neil Diamond right now, "torn between two shores."




<font color=blue>"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt" --Shakespeare</font color=blue>

[dexter]

I get very self-conscious watching people dressed outrageously sometimes... but I think for the most part they are dressed that way because they want people to look at them. Not everyone in every situation, but in a situation where it might be considered a "costume" it is probably OK to have an extended, but friendly, glance. Not that that helps me look, of course (see my thread about analysing people on the dance floor .

That sounds like a fun time, though, the kind of thing I like to do... just get dressed up and do something strictly for fun. On the Star Wars lines of course there are TONS of people in costumes, some simple, but some very elaborate. A lot of the very detailed ones, like some of the Stormtrooper costumes, people assume they bought ready-made. Not so! Most of them aren't even available that way! The Clone Trooper costumes from Episode II for example, I don't think they exist ANYWHERE in reality, they were all drawn digitally for the film (I think I read somewhere that the production crew only had ONE physical model of the costume and helmet). These people study the movies and any sketches or stills they can get their hands on, they talk to shops with vacuum forming equipment and design and have the helmets custom made for them. Most of them look really professional. It makes for a fun atmosphere on the line.

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--http://www.idexter.com

[gloria]

I wish I could take you to Mexico with me. This kind of places still exist there!
Sandly, the multi-screens smaller rooms are also invading Mexico so we don't have many left.

Take care, and thanks for the pics

gab

[jbug]

I miss drive ins. In my hometown our Drivein is now a Walmart how's that for irony? Where I live now there is a drive in and they always have a double feature. I haven't gone to it but have heard its really cool. The last movie I saw at a drive in was Wierd Al's movie UHF. I was so bored I leaned back in my seat and watched myself chomp down on wintergreen lifesavers so I could see the spark it made.

Janniebug

Something bad must going to happen I feel to damn good.

[SeptemberMorn]

LMAO!! Watching the spark from the life savers! WOW what an exciting movie it must have been!

Our last drive-in is now a shopping mall... I fully intended to take my youngest to see a movie there before they tore it down so he could have the experience, but they tore it down before we had the change.




<font color=blue>"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt" --Shakespeare</font color=blue>

[Rapunzel]

We still have drive-ins in Utah! I don't know if we do here where I have just moved, but Vernal and Roosevelt have them. It's fun! We saw Shreck II and something else I can't remember the name of - they always have double features, but it gets really late!

<font color=orange>"If a light beckons to you, follow it. If it leads you into the quagmire, you'll probably find your way out of it again; but if you don't follow it, you'll be plagued for the rest of your life by the thought that perhaps it was your star." Friedrich Hebbet</font color=orange>