New York City pays homage to cinema by opening a new one-of-a-kind movie theater. When the pandemic seemed to have sunk the halls and even if late on schedule,
the Alamo DraftHouse opened its doors in Lower Manhattan,
not far from the World Trade Center, in an area that metaphorically seems to be used to rising from its ashes. The chain, founded in Austin, Texas in 1997 and famous for its food and beverage service during film screenings, as well as being linked to movie director Wes Anderson, a native of Texas, chose a
hybrid formula that combines new releases and archive films as well as a museum with period newspapers with cinema guides, relief prints of film posters and posters
covering the history of cinema of the 20th century, particularly from the years 30s to 80s.
The museum of prints, renamed Press Room, is located at the entrance to the multiplex and in the center the protagonist is a
Vandercook from 1938
, a machine for embossing. The collection inside the Press Room comes from an archive of about 60,000 plates with advertising for the films. The Vandecook will also be put into operation every weekend to create prints inspired by the collection on display in the museum. Among other things, it is seen in the latest film by
Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch
released these days.
Along the corridor leading to the theaters another homage to the cinema of the 20th century and this time with an Italian gaze.
In fact, on display is a collection of Italian and some French posters that celebrate vintage and timeless films such as King Kong and Godzilla, among others, and the different versions and interpretations over the years. Above all, these are posters and playbills that are works of art in themselves. "I am a collector by passion - explained to ANSA Tim League, founder of Alamo Drafthouse - and when I threw myself into the world of cinema I began to collect posters and playbills. The Italian ones attracted me for their colors and ability extraordinary they have to sell a film. They get the message right. "
On the occasion of the 67th anniversary, on November 3, Alamo Drafthouse has screened the world premiere of the 4K version of Gojira (Japanese for Godzilla).
The 1954 film about the huge prehistoric sea monster is also nicknamed the King Of Monsters in the original language with English subtitles.