The American Theater, which has been open since 1940, is set to close in the next four days. The popular movie theater located on East Avenue in Parkchester. Five years ago the theater was leased to Bow Tie Cinemas, and renovations were made to keep patrons coming to the theater. However, crowds are not enough to keep the films rolling. I remember coming to this theater and only paying $4 dollars for matinee and $6 or $8 dollars for an evening show.
This is the second movie theater in The Bronx that will be closed. You may remember back in June the Whitestone Cinemas closed . The movie operator said the theater was no longer financially viable and the management at Bow Tie Cinemas said that their lease cannot be renewed. Only handful remain open in the Bronx..
This is a crime if this already happened. I have fond memories of the old Loew’s American (I graduated from junior high school in that theatre, and saw many a fine movie there), so to see this happen is downright criminal.
This leaves only two theatres in the borough, both duplicating the same features on different sides of town. Perhaps it is time for someone to open another theatre, one that will not only show commercial features, but also stress the importance of independent and art house movies that are not booked by distributors because they feel there is no audience in the Bronx that are willing to see real movies as opposed to the current Hollywood machine of mayhem, sex and bad comedy. There is an audience for these movies and such a theatre is needed.
I hope someone re-opens the American, but also opens a small theatre much like the Downing Film Center in Newburgh, which shows independent and art movies and has proven to be a success in a community where one does not think such movies would be successful.
(http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/save-parkchester-american)
Please Sign the petition to Re-Open the theatre and forward to concerned citizens