Henry Stampfel, a Massapequa resident, has co-owned the Malverne CinemaM with his wife, Ann, since 1990 — an establishment considered by many to be a fixture in the village. Regardless of the time of year — whether Oscar season, or the quiet spring season — the theater has continued to see a strong turnout of moviegoers over the years.
Henry, who is 57, recently spoke with the Herald about how he came to own the Malverne Cinema, how he’s been able to keep it afloat amid a tough economic climate and what he hopes film lovers take away from their stay at the theater.
What role did film play in your life growing up?
I wasn’t an over-the-top moviegoer. I’d watch them at home and go out sometimes, but it wasn’t a passion. I was hired at the Wantagh Cinema when I was 17 and learned how the projectors worked. I became a union projectionist. At the New York Institute of Technology, where I graduated in 1980 and majored in communications, I was always in film rooms. I learned about filmmaking. My wife was trained as a bookkeeper and worked at the Oceanside Cinema, which is where we met. We were both caught by the idea of running a theater.
How did you come to own the Malverne Cinema?
My wife had been the manager there since 1980, and when the owners decided they no longer wanted to run the theater, we were interested. We had already owned the Long Beach Cinema in 1985 and the Bellmore Cinema in 1986, so we had experience. When we took over in Malverne, we ran it as a twin for four years, but realized we couldn’t maintain it. That was when we decided to make it a four-plex, which allowed us to really dedicate it to art, foreign and independent films. It was a huge success.
How do you select your movies?
Our booking agent, Rob Lewinski, monitors the films coming out. With an independent market, we may hear from slightly larger independent companies, like Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures Classics. It’s a struggle — people want to see a film with backing and reviews, and there has to be some form of marketing strategy. We can’t just show any independent film — it’s an art, but it’s also a business.
What’s your take on today’s film scene — we’re in a time where there are constant 3-D productions and remakes. What do you think of the quality of films being released?
The quality is excellent, but the story is not. There is no real character development in commercial films. Everything is digital now — in fact, we’re converting over to a digital format soon. But so many commercial films lack depth and they are always more technology oriented than story oriented. It’s a business, and companies will make movies that sell. But the movies we show are story oriented — I have hope for those.
Why do you think the Malverne Cinema is a popular destination?
It’s a comfortable place. The theaters are the right size, people aren’t cramped. We have movies other places don’t show. We have a strong turnout from Malverne residents, but we also have people come from Brooklyn, Suffolk County and Queens because of our proximity to the Southern State Parkway.
In this tough economic climate, what does it take to remain a steady, profitable theater?
We’re always nervous about the economic climate. We have been steady over the years. I worry about how to keep prices low — right now, tickets are $7.50 for seniors and $9.50 for adults. But with repairs, rent, maintenance, et cetera, we often have to consider raising our prices. We try to keep them down, being one of the only factors we can control.
What experience are you hoping people take away from your establishment?
One of the biggest joys is that people thank me for keeping it open and showing the films we show. They see it as a little haven. I got a call from someone 6 years ago, who had been at Cannes and was talking about the Malverne theater. The people behind them overheard and told them they knew about it too! We try to make it as nice as possible, and treat people well. We want them to know we’ll go the extra step if we can.
