Film Forum
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Cinema name : Film Forum
Address : 256 W 88th Street Neighborhood : Upper West Side Years of occupancy : 1970 - 1975 Screens (seats) : 1 (50) Active individuals : Peter Feinstein and Sandy Miller (founders); Karen Cooper (Director 1972) Cinema name : Film Forum
Address : 15 Vandam Street Neighborhood : West Village Years of occupancy : 1975 - 1980 Active individuals : Karen Cooper (director) Cinema name : Film Forum Address : 57 Watts Street Neighborhood : West Village Years of occupancy : 1980 - 1989 Active individuals : Karen Cooper (director) Cinema name : Film Forum Address : 209 W. Houston Street Neighborhood : West Village Years of occupancy : 1990 - presentScreens (seats) : 3 (472) Active individuals : Karen Cooper (director); Bruce Goldstein (programmer) |
Quotes & Notes
256 W 88th Street from 1970-1975, 15 Vandam Street from 1975-1980 (the Thalia Soho would take the space in 1984), and 57 Watts Street from 1980-1989 (a twin). Since moving to its current location at 209 W. Houston Street, Film Forum has remained the foremost revival house in New York City
In 1970, The New Yorker covered a new alternative theater in a walk-up loft space on West 88th Street, describing its charming sideburned host, imaginative programming, 16mm projector and "snappy" folding chairs.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
In 1975 New York magazine reported that four revival houses in the city offered movies full-time, but Film Forum is now one of only a handful in the U.S. screening repertory films seven days a week.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
"I think it would be hard," says Ms. Cooper when she is asked whether a venture similar to Film Forum could be launched today, or if it could only have emerged from the unique film culture of the 1960s and '70s, when cinephilia was rampant and alternative screening spaces sprang up around New York. "The economics of film are such that you're selling something for a very low price. It's not the opera; it's not ballet; it's not theater. And you have to sell a lot of tickets. So you have to do it on a certain scale to make it financially feasible."
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
Image Credit: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/14194 (1980s 57 Watts St location)http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2013/08/12/million-dollar-movie-381/ (209 W. Houston St location)
In 1970, The New Yorker covered a new alternative theater in a walk-up loft space on West 88th Street, describing its charming sideburned host, imaginative programming, 16mm projector and "snappy" folding chairs.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
In 1975 New York magazine reported that four revival houses in the city offered movies full-time, but Film Forum is now one of only a handful in the U.S. screening repertory films seven days a week.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
"I think it would be hard," says Ms. Cooper when she is asked whether a venture similar to Film Forum could be launched today, or if it could only have emerged from the unique film culture of the 1960s and '70s, when cinephilia was rampant and alternative screening spaces sprang up around New York. "The economics of film are such that you're selling something for a very low price. It's not the opera; it's not ballet; it's not theater. And you have to sell a lot of tickets. So you have to do it on a certain scale to make it financially feasible."
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704022804575041243384304102
Image Credit: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/14194 (1980s 57 Watts St location)http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2013/08/12/million-dollar-movie-381/ (209 W. Houston St location)