Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island Celebrated Its Grand Opening With RZA of Wu-Tang Clan
This past weekend, Alamo Drafthouse celebrated the official grand opening of its newest location. Located in Staten Island, it is the fourth Alamo Drafthouse to open in New York. The celebration included the usual Drafthouse fanfare, from the tradition of sabering a bottle of champagne to a gathering of cinephiles discussing all the latest releases. Afterwards, guests were treated to a screening of The Man With The Iron Fists. The RZA-directed film is no random selection, but instead, a loving pick dedicated to the special guest of the evening. RZA himself, leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and collaborator on this location stopped by to show love for his hometown theater.
Yet RZA attending the event was not just for fun. On the contrary, he was there due to his deep involvement with the concept of this Staten Island theater. With a bar aptly named The Flying Guillotine and an archive of memorabilia and posters that cover the vast history of kung-fu films, RZA and Alamo Drafthouse worked together to create an experience that would make the Wu-Tang Clan proud. The mission appears to have been a success, as everything in the bar and theater feels as if it was picked or designed out of a deep love and admiration for the cinema and artform it was inspired by; This is forever something that Alamo Drafthouse will excel at. With 45 draft beers to choose from (including many locally brewed options) and two uniquely named sections of a cocktail menu, it’s the perfect place to discuss all things film pre- or post-screening.
With a combined total of 893 reclining seats across 9 auditoriums, this theater is equipped with Sony 4K Digital Laser projection with HFR capabilities. As if that wasn’t enough, the benefit of Dolby Surround Sound and 35mm capability is the true cherry on top for cinephiles. Alongside the biggest first run films, the beloved signature programming Alamo Drafthouse is known for will also be regularly showing. From Movie Parties and Brunch Screenings to a monthly series of martial arts titles curated by RZA, Staten Island moviegoers are in for a true cinematic treat.