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Sam_C | all galleries >> Current >> Gallery: BTR > Paradise Lost
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Sam_Charupakorn

Paradise Lost

Ah yes, the grand old Loews Paradise Theater on
the Grand Concourse in the boogie-down Bronx.

Built in 1929, this is a place old-time New Yorkers still speak
fondly about. I was in this theater once, years
back as a kid when I was living in the area. Some adults
took me to see the horrible Dino DeLaurentis remake
of "King Kong."

I remember the feel I had in this theater, like a royal
concert hall or something.

The theater's glory days have past, and for a time it looked
like it was doomed to destruction. But now, miraculously, it's
back. But it's not the same. It's become a place where people
rent out for odd events, balls, etc. And the neighborhood
just ain't great, got to be honest.

So you see, you really can't go home again.


other sizes: small medium large original auto
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silvia marmori14-Jun-2008 17:00
home is where we were happy.. but we can be happy in different ways, maybe..in different places..
i do agree with -soenda's words.. about the river.. about the feelings..
we change, things change..
an excellent work, with same quality words... a sense of melancholy..
V
Soenda25-Mar-2008 09:09
We'll only ever be able to go home again when we achieve time travel. There's the old saying about how you can never step in the same river twice...and truly, that's been my experience. Seeing the ornate stonework on the old theater brings strains of the song, "Delta Dawn," to mind. The building's persona seems unaware of its faded glory. What's ironic is that the current architectural style, Postmodernism, employs the same pastiche approach to ornamentation as this building from what, eighty years ago? The more things change...

It's a lovely photo subject, and the accompanying observations make it all the more so.
12308-Dec-2007 06:44
Wow! :) V
James Clarke30-Nov-2007 22:23
Excellent shot, title and caption Sam... and in my old hood the "farm" (actually a small horse paddock) has been turned into a housing estate and the "creak" (actually an open drain, were we used to catch tadpoles) a been replaced by a pipe and filled in. As you say you can't go home again.
QUERIDO30-Nov-2007 18:32
Nice shot,vote
Guest 30-Nov-2007 15:19
What a grand old theater! It's sad that it isn't being used that way anymore, but at least it wasn't torn down. It must have been a neat experience to see even a bad movie there. Great capture Sam!!
Guest 30-Nov-2007 13:56
a beautiful building.
FrankB30-Nov-2007 10:37
The old Paradise on the GC by Forgham Rd!! Used to go to the movies there there all the time (and bowl across the street!)....it was grand inside as I recall...great capture of the facade Sam...thanks for the memory......V