The holidays are over, and Mother Nature isn’t brightening the bleakness of winter with her usual blanket of white snow. Even the prospect of going to the movies again seems humdrum.
But, wait, there’s a solution. The Palace Theatre in Albany has returned to its roots, and in addition to the spectacular touring performances it offers, it’s showing classic movies on the big screen between now and June.
We opened as a movie house 75 years ago, Sean Allen, marketing and member services director at the Palace said. `We started showing movies again in Sept. 2005, when we received a donation from First Albany Capital to purchase movie equipment.`
The last movie shown at the Palace was in 1969, with one notable exception. The 1987 premiere of the movie `Ironweed,` based on Albany native William Kennedy’s novel, took place at the Palace, with a bevy of Hollywood stars arriving to grace the Capitol city.
The first film shown was `Casablanca;` last year’s movies were voted on by the general public, but this year, Allen said, the theater wanted to give the classics a try. Sometimes, that attempt is joined by the updated version of the movie, like this Sunday’s showing of the 1962 and the 2004 version of `The Manchurian Candidate.`
`Our ‘Then and Now’ series take place on some Sundays, beginning at 1 p.m.,` Allen said. `We show the old movie at 1 p.m., and the new version right after that.`
An April 15 showing of `Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory` followed by `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory` will benefit the Ronald McDonald House.
Certified Angus Beef sponsors all of the movies shown at the Palace this year. In addition to the ‘Then and Now’ movies, there are Wednesday movies screened at 1 and 7 p.m. Next up in that series is Alfred Hitchcock’s `Rear Window` on Wednesday, Jan. 10, followed by `Rebel Without a Cause` on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
`This is an underserved genre,` Allen said of the classics that will be shown. Add to that the atmosphere of the Palace and being in downtown Albany, and Allen said it’s a combination not to be missed.
`The screen is the size of the stage, which is one of the biggest in the Capital District,` Allen said. `The screen adjusts based on the film. We also have new seats, and you won’t find this much leg room or comfort in mall cinemas. It’s really an elegant atmosphere.`
At a very affordable price, too. Admission for adults is $5; $3 for children.
`Our concessions are very reasonable,` Allen said. `For $20, two adults and two children can go to the movies, and get popcorn to go with it.`
Those reasonable prices could leave a family with some leftover money to enjoy the area around the Palace Theater.
`The Pearl Street area is blossoming,` Allen said. `There are a lot of places to eat, ranging from McDonald’s , to a sports bar, to a pricey steak house. There are a lot of garages in the area to park in, and street parking is free on the weekends. The area is safe.`
Going to movies at the Palace has become a tradition that people are happy to keep alive, Allen said.
`When we showed ‘Gone with the Wind` this fall, a woman was there with her daughter and granddaughter,` Allen said. `She had first seen the movie at The Palace with her mother and grandmother, and a wanted to continue the tradition.`
She wasn’t alone. Allen said a pre-Christmas screening of `it’s a wonderful life` drew thousands to the theater.
The Palace Theatre is located at 19 Clinton Ave., Albany. The phone number is 465-3335. For complete information about the movies to be shown, visit the Web site, www.palacealbany.com.“