Bleecker Street Cinema

Bleecker Street Cinema was an influential art-house movie theater at 144 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Founded in 1960 by filmmaker and social activist Lionel Rogosin, the approximately 200-seat venue was established to show Rogosin's controversial documentary-drama Come Back, Africa. It subsequently became an important New York venue for foreign cinema, independent films, experimental work, midnight screenings, and repertory revivals. The cinema occupied a historically layered building. The structure began as two rowhouses constructed in 1832 at 144 and 146 Bleecker Street. Restaurateur Placido Mori converted part of the property into the restaurant Mori in the nineteenth century, and architect Raymond Hood later designed a new façade incorporating the adjoining building. After Mori closed in 1937, the premises served several institutional and restaurant purposes before the cinema opened. New York University owned the building by 1959. During the 1960s, the theater supported the emerging New York film culture surrounding independent and experimental filmmaking. The Film-Makers' Cooperative, an organization associated with avant-garde filmmakers, used the venue for midnight programs. Alongside the New Yorker and the Thalia, Bleecker Street Cinema became recognized as one of the city's key revival houses. Its programming helped expose audiences, critics, filmmakers, and scholars to international directors and films that were not generally available through mainstream theatrical distribution. Sid Geffen acquired the cinema in 1973 or 1974 and operated it with his wife, filmmaker and programmer Jackie Raynal, later known as Jackie Raynal-Sarré. Geffen also acquired the Carnegie Hall Cinema. The two venues became training grounds for several figures in New York exhibition and distribution, including Bingham Ray, who later co-founded October Films and became a United Artists executive, and Bruce Goldstein, who later became a longtime programmer at Film Forum. The cinema faced severe financial and property pressures near the end of its life. After Geffen died in 1986 without a will, Raynal-Sarré said that she and developer John Souto sought to resolve ownership issues by buying out Geffen's children from an earlier marriage. She also stated that the annual rent increased from $160,000 to $275,000, a level she considered unsustainable for the theater. Litigation and court proceedings ultimately led to a bidding process for the building. In its final configuration, the cinema had a 171-seat main auditorium and a 78-seat James Agee Room. Bleecker Street Cinema closed on September 6, 1990. Its final program included Aki Kaurismäki's Ariel, Jesus of Montreal, and Fun Down There in the James Agee Room. The venue briefly reopened later in 1990 as a gay adult-film theater, then returned for a short period to art-house programming. It closed permanently on September 2, 1991, with a final program that included Voyeur, Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight, Shadows in the City, and Suckling. Nick Russo Nicolaou was the final operator. Although defunct, the cinema's legacy remains visible in New York's independent-film ecosystem and in popular culture. Its exhibition choices influenced later programmers, filmmakers, critics, and film historians. It also appeared as a filming location in Desperately Seeking Susan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Prince of Tides, and Maniac Cop.

The building associated with Bleecker Street Cinema originated as two rowhouses built in 1832 at 144 and 146 Bleecker Street. Placido Mori converted 144 Bleecker Street into the restaurant Mori in 1883. In 1920, architect Raymond Hood designed a revised façade that unified the buildings and added classical detailing. Mori closed in 1937, and the property later housed political and activist organizations, including Free World House, followed by Restaurant Montparnasse. New York University owned the building by 1959. Filmmaker and social activist Lionel Rogosin established Bleecker Street Cinema in 1960. The roughly 200-seat theater was created in part to screen Rogosin's Come Back, Africa, a politically charged film that had limited prospects in conventional commercial venues. The cinema soon developed beyond its founding purpose, presenting foreign films, independent productions, experimental works, and repertory revivals. During the early 1960s, the Film-Makers' Cooperative used the theater for midnight programs, connecting it to New York's avant-garde film movement. The theater became one of Manhattan's notable revival houses, alongside the New Yorker and the Thalia. Its programming provided access to international directors and films that were important to the education of filmmakers, critics, academics, and cinephiles. The cinema was also known for an informal atmosphere, including theater cats named Breathless and later Wim. Sid Geffen purchased the cinema in 1973 or 1974 and ran it with Jackie Raynal, later Jackie Raynal-Sarré. Geffen also acquired Carnegie Hall Cinema, creating a small but influential exhibition network. Several important New York film programmers and distributors worked at the venues. Bingham Ray joined Bleecker Street Cinema as a manager and programmer in 1981 before later becoming a co-founder of October Films and an executive at United Artists. Bruce Goldstein, later associated with Film Forum, held his first New York theater job at one of Geffen's cinemas. Geffen died in 1986. Because he left no will, ownership became complicated. Raynal-Sarré stated that she partnered with developer John Souto to buy out Geffen's children from a prior marriage. She also described a rent increase from $160,000 per year to $275,000 after a four-year rental period, arguing that the higher cost could not be supported by the theater's operations. Litigation followed, and a judge ordered the co-owners to bid for the building. The theater's final layout consisted of a 171-seat main auditorium and a 78-seat James Agee Room. Bleecker Street Cinema closed on September 6, 1990. The final film to begin was Aki Kaurismäki's Ariel, while Jesus of Montreal was the last film to finish in the main auditorium. Fun Down There was the final film shown in the James Agee Room. By November 1990, the premises had reopened as a gay adult-film theater. It later returned briefly to art-house exhibition, but shut permanently on September 2, 1991. The closing program included Voyeur, Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight, Shadows in the City, and Suckling; Nick Russo Nicolaou was the final operator. The cinema's influence extended beyond its operating life. Its selection of foreign, independent, experimental, and revival films helped shape New York's film culture and influenced later exhibition practices. The venue was also used as a location in Desperately Seeking Susan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Prince of Tides, and Maniac Cop, preserving its presence in popular representations of Greenwich Village film culture.

• 1991

  Permanent closure

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  After brief changes in programming and operation, Bleecker Street Cinema closes permanently on September 2.

• 1990

  Regular cinema operations end

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The theater closes on September 6 after a dispute involving ownership and rising rent.

• 1986

  Sid Geffen dies

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Geffen's death without a will contributes to later ownership and property litigation.

• 1981

  Bingham Ray begins work at the cinema

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Bingham Ray joins as a manager and programmer, beginning a career in independent-film exhibition and distribution.

• 1973

  Sid Geffen becomes owner

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Sid Geffen acquires the cinema around 1973 or 1974 and operates it with Jackie Raynal.

• 1960

  Bleecker Street Cinema is founded

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Lionel Rogosin opens the approximately 200-seat theater to present Come Back, Africa.

• 1920

  Raymond Hood redesigns the façade

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Architect Raymond Hood creates a unified façade for the two adjoining buildings.

• 1883

  Mori restaurant opens at 144 Bleecker Street

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Placido Mori converts 144 Bleecker Street into the restaurant Mori.

• 1832

  Rowhouses are constructed at the future cinema site

  [1]Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The buildings at 144 and 146 Bleecker Street are constructed as rowhouses.

A culturally influential Greenwich Village art-house cinema positioned around international, independent, experimental, and repertory film rather than mainstream commercial releases.

• Art-house movie theater · 1960

  Bleecker Street Cinema

  The venue's core offering was theatrical exhibition of foreign, independent, experimental, and repertory films. It operated with a main auditorium and, in its final configuration, a smaller James Agee Room. Its programming emphasized films and directors outside mainstream commercial distribution and included special midnight screenings.

• 1990

  Theater closes amid ownership and rent pressureOther

  Background

  After Sid Geffen's death, ownership was disputed and the reported annual rent increased substantially.

  Action taken

  Court proceedings led to a bidding process for the building, while the cinema ceased regular operations.

  Aftermath

  The theater closed in September 1990, briefly reopened under another format, and eventually shut permanently in 1991.

  Reported annual rent. $160,000 → $275,000 (Reported by Jackie Raynal-Sarré in connection with the 1990 ownership dispute)

  Source

• 1960

  Focus on controversial and independent cinemaStrategy

  Background

  Lionel Rogosin founded the theater to give Come Back, Africa a venue and to support films underserved by mainstream exhibitors.

  Action taken

  The cinema adopted an art-house program centered on foreign, independent, experimental, and revival films.

  Aftermath

  The approach made the venue an important part of New York's film culture and a training ground for later programmers.

  Source

1. 1Bleecker Street Cinemaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bleecker Street Cinema in New York, NYcinematreasures.org
3. 3The Bleecker Street Cinematerpconnect.umd.edu