If you’re like film professional and Upper West Sider Ira Deutchman, you may remember Lincoln Plaza Theater fondly for its selection of foreign and independent films. Unlike Deutchman, however, you may not have a plan for how to bring these cinematic offerings back uptown.
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In an article penned on his website in early February, Deutchman lays out his plans to open a five screen cinema somewhere between 72nd and 86th street. While the exact layout may shift depending on what space is available, the overall intention remains the same: multiple screens, a broad variety of programming, and a public cafe or lounge area where the community can connect.
Per Deutchman’s article, as well as a follow-up phone call, there is a clear interest in film programming on the Upper West Side that goes beyond mainstream cinema offerings. The success of New Plaza Cinema’s first open-ended run, currently housed at the Macaulay Honors College, attests to this – as did the large outcry when Lincoln Plaza Theater first announced they would be closing.
And it’s not just about the movies. Beyond the importance of “see[ing] cinema in the environment it was intended to be [seen],” Deutchman notes a “retail apocalypse” along Broadway – where storefronts have been standing empty since the start of the pandemic. And with large chains like Best Buy, Marshalls, and Bed Bath & Beyond permanently closing their doors, this trend only seems to be ongoing. A large cinema, Deutchman suggests, may help revitalize the neighborhood; serving as a magnet to draw people to local businesses.
New Plaza Cinema has been presenting independent films uptown since 2018, and there are plans in the works for the Metro Theater between 99th and 100th to be brought back to life as a film-and-food project. However, Deutchman believes there is enough interest and need to create more opportunities for folks uptown to see the kind of films you can only find below 14th – and he wants to do it now. As a film distributor, marketer, producer, professor, and resident of the Upper West Side, he may be just the person to get the job done.
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So what’s next? Deutchman has already formed an advisory board and brought on Adeline Monzier as co-founder. Together, they have “developed the business concept and fleshed out a lot of the details,” as well as starting to plan for funding. Right now, there’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation (which Deutchman humorously notes feels similar to film financing itself); without a space, it’s hard to secure funding, and without funding, it’s hard to secure a space. And for the time being, those two things – funding and space – are what Deutchman is looking for. In particular, he notes that a new cinema project would not necessarily need to be above ground. Therefore, if any savvy Upper West Siders are aware of a large and empty space that isn’t visible from the street, they can certainly let him know. And if you’re simply looking to stay up to date on this project and future plans, you can subscribe to his newsletter through his website, here.
Nothing ever happens at the Metro Theatre except talk. Fifteen years of talk and nothing.
A small correction, Mr. Owl: we are now talking 19 YEARS of talk and nothing more, regarding the Metro.
To steal an old joke, the Metro is the cinema of the future, and always will be.
Fingers crossed this works out for Ira. I worked in the film industry years ago and know how tough support for indie film is. I wholeheartedly support this effort!
Please check out films at New Plaza Cinema on 67th!
Isn’t the original Lincoln Plaza Cinema still vacant? It’s hard to imagine what business other than a movie house would find a use for the oddly shaped, multi-level basement. This seems so obvious, I’d think Ira would have already contacted the owner, but there was no mention of this obvious home for the new movie house in the article. Wherever it goes, a new theater will be most welcome. Good luck, Ira!
The old Lincoln Plaza Cinema space is still empty. The funny and seemingly illogical thing is that the landlord isn’t necessarily interested in having the space filled by a neighborhood organization. One can only speculate what he is holding out for.
New Plaza Cinema is certainly a test to see if the neighborhood can support an independent theater. Please make sure to check out the film schedule at newplazacinema.org
Yes, yes and more yes. Although one concern is that mainstream movie theaters have started shuttering in NYC (Union Square, 23rd Street). 5 screens is ambitious.
5 screens is ambitious. Please do check out New Plaza Cinema on 67th between Columbus and Central Park West. At this time this is a single screen cinema and we have thus far proven that we can make this a viable entity but we need as much support from the neighborhood as possible. We applaud Mr. Deutchman’s goals and desires. And, we have been working toward this same goal for the past 4 plus years. Of course, Covid did through a spanner in the works but we are back on track.
New Plaza Cinema is a trusted community of film lovers providing thought provoking entertainment, education and conversation through curated cultural film experiences.
Our focus is to keep Art Cinema Culture alive in Upper Manhattan and wherever we reach our patrons.
http://www.newplazacinema.org
I would love to see this actually happen and will support it in any way I can.
One of the best ways to start supporting Mr. Deutchman is to come see films at New Plaza Cinema on 67th between Columbus and Central Park West. We are definitely working toward the same goal (but we are at a stage of actually presenting films in a single screen theater rather than waiting for significant funding for a multi screen space).
newplazacinema.org