The Best Theaters in NYC to Watch Classic Films on the Big Screen
Did you out on the thrill of experiencing Alien in a crowded theater in 1979? Wish you’d been part of the crowd reduced to tears of laughter at a l938 screening of the quintessential screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby? Regret you weren’t born in time to see The Wild Bunch rewrite the book on how to create a gun, guts and glory shoot-out?
NYC’s got just the (movie) ticket for audience members who never experienced the golden age of the cinematic experience – or those who want to remember. A number of revival / art houses cater to the varied tastes of the avid cinephile, offering everything from A to Z – or, one might say, from Alphaville to Zombie Strippers.
If your focus is less on the old and classic and more on the bold and contemporary, fear not: a couple of homes for envelope-pushing cinema are included.
And so: Here are a few of the best to enjoy the (almost) lost art of going to the cinema.
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IFC Center
IFC plays everything from Hitchcock to Scorsese, from Kubrick to Fight Club. Place it first on your list if the night calls for a movie with either “classic” or “cult” in its description. They cover the celluloid waterfront, screening everything from documentaries to queer cinema to forgotten classics to films that deserve to be forgotten. Trash and treasures, cheek by jowl. Five – count ‘em – five spaces with state-of-the art sound and image.
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Film Society of Lincoln Center
For a more academic schedule of screenings, the Film Society of Lincoln Center hosts retrospectives and series that explore cinematic themes, directors, composers, and more. Its Walter Reade Theater frequently shows classics alongside new releases from groundbreaking, independent and foreign filmmakers. Founded in 1969, the force behind the New York Film Festival, the FSLC is a renowned home for quality cinema of every stripe.
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Film Forum
Houston Street’s Film Forum remains one of the city’s best venues to catch a classic film on the big screen. The nonprofit theater is open 365 days a year and holds lots of events, including films with live piano accompaniment and Q&As with directors. For members (membership starts at only $75/year), tickets are half-price and the membership fees are partially tax-deductible. Houston Street is a great place for a pre- or post-movie meal, too. A Manhattan staple of cinephiles for decades.
Quad Cinema
The beautiful, and reopened Quad Cinema on West 13th Street is a futuristic place to watch the best classic films. Walk into a seemingly Kubrick-inspired theater to watch his classics on the big screen.
According to its website, when the Quad opened in the autumn of 1972 it “was the first theater in the city to have multiple screens under one roof.” That’s changed in the intervening years, but the place is still a home for film connoisseurs with a yen for the new and the offbeat. Newly-renovated and spruced up, the Quad‘s a futuristic gem. Enjoy the comfortable, wide seats and the LED-lit walkways. The theater’s cafe next door serves snacks and alcohol, as well. There’s always something to see there…something you might not know you needed to see!
Metrograph
In business since 2016, Metrograph is a relatively new venue that’s made up for lost time with its “rare archival screenings (35mm and digital), special premieres, and Q&As. Metrograph NYC includes a restaurant, The Commissary, bookstore, and candy store.” (Throw in a record store and the place would be heaven on earth!) But hold the phone – Metrograph not only shows films, it distributes them, too. Films are also available through streaming. Discover what this young Turk of a movie house is up to at
Anthology Film Archives
No survey of film in NYC is complete with this landmark showcase to the experimental, the avant-garde, and the offbeat. The brainchild of Jonas Mekas and handful of other ultra-serious and unconventional filmmakers, Anthology Film Archives offers the viewer a heady, bracing dip into the independent visions of a vast array of bold souls who think there’s more to the art of the screen than a Hollywood ending.
Firehouse
Is it all right to yell “Movie!” in a crowded Firehouse? (Thank you, Steve Martin.) It is, if it’s the Historic Engine Company 31 Firehouse, a gorgeous 19th Century building in Chinatown. All kidding aside, Firehouse is a most worthy non-profit that stresses the social, cultural, and community-building aspects of movie-making. It’s part of DCTV, which describes itself as “one of the leading documentary production and film education centers in the country. A community of and for documentary filmmakers, DCTV is a unique space where screenings, discussions, youth media, continuing education programs, and filmmaking resources exist side by side with award-winning productions.”
Need more classic films in New York City?
Check out the Museum of Modern Art. For even more, jump on the subway and head to BAM in Brooklyn or the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens.
