Independent Cinemas...and how they have changed (or disappeared)

The old sign outside from what used to be a European first-run movie theater up on Third Avenue in the 50's ( now a big Artisan Carpet place)...

The recessed entrance just out of sight to the right...

I can even remember the last movie I saw there, back in probably about 1970..it was an Italian film (comedy) called "the Pizza Triangle"-- I would have to google that to see if there is even a reference to it to be found these days... 

Oh, they have it, all right, and I was right, it WAS 1970...with Marcello Mastroianni as I thought but was not sure...

The Pizza Triangle (Italian: Dramma della gelosia (tutti i particolari in cronaca) and also release as Drama of Jealousy) is a 1970 Italian commedia all'italiana film directed by Ettore Scola and written by Scola and the famous screenwriter duo of Age & Scarpelli.^[1] It stars Marcello Mastroianni, Monica Vitti, Giancarlo Giannini. It was coproduced with Spain and Spanish actors Manuel Zarzo and Juan Diego are dubbed into Italian. The film is available on DVD in Germany, released by WB as Eifersucht auf italienisch, and in Italy.

Plot

Adelaide (Monica Vitti) is a florist who begins to date Oreste (Marcello Mastroianni), who is an already married construction worker. However, Nello (Giancarlo Giannini), a pizza cook, interposes in the relationship, seducing Adelaide as well. The situation ensues in a quarrel, after which she is injured and hospitalized. Then, the three of them decide to live together but, eventually, the confused Adelaide leaves them after attempting suicide, to get involved romantically with Ambleto (Hércules Cortés), a butcher. Nonetheless, Nello the cook attempts suicide and the moved Adelaide returns with him. Oreste, who is unemployed now, intervenes again. Adelaide refuses both so another fight ensues, which causes the death of Adelaide.

Cast

• Marcello Mastroianni - Oreste Nardi
• Monica Vitti - Adelaide Ciafrocchi
• Giancarlo Giannini - Nello Serafini
• Manuel Zarzo - Ughetto
• Marisa Merlini - Silvana Ciafrocchi
• Hércules Cortés - Ambleto Di Meo
• Fernando Sánchez Polack - District Head of Communist Party
• Gioia Desideri - Adelaide's Friend
• Juan Diego - Antonia's Son
• Bruno Scipioni - Pizza maker
• Josefina Serratosa - Antonia
• Giuseppe Maffioli - Lawyer
• Paola Natale - Flower Seller
• Brizio Montinaro - Restaurant Night Guard

Awards

Marcello Mastroianni won the Best Actor award at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival.^[2]

Well, again more than you need to know...(by the way, it was not, I hate to tell you, that great a movie!)

 But moving right along--

What was once ONE movie house became three at some point I believe ( you have seen this before, I am sure).. ..Had a totally different name back then of course...this too is East Midtown..

What I like so much about places like this is that besides showing "Man of Steel"it also has "Much Ado About Nothing"  and--what I am NOT interested in--some idiot rom-com called "The Bling Ring" I guess it is...( I would go for "Much Ado," of course...or maybe even Man of Steel just because the volume level would be bearable (such is my experience) compared to the incredibly ultra-sound overkill level at the local AMC Loews Complex here...( remember, I posted the 4 minute trailer for "White House Down" a while back and reminded you half of it was probably going to be explosions basically--which turned out to be about right...oh, they did have a few little comic moments thrown in so you realize that this movie is of a hipper type than some real stone cold action piece of junk for real dummies)...

Yes, I have to get to  another movie soon to do a review, and odds are I will take the easy way and amble over to the local Cineplex, getting ready to have my fingers in my ears through the umpteen blasting trailers they will have before the main feature ( the "music"blasts being usually just as bad as the helicopters crashing and exploding etc.)