Quad Cinema, Independent movie theater in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, US
Quad Cinema is a four-screen movie theater on West 13th Street in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Each screen runs several showings a day, with a program that mixes independent releases, international films, and classic retrospectives.
The theater opened in 1972 as New York City's first small multiplex, bringing four screens under one roof at a time when most cinemas had a single auditorium. A full renovation completed in 2015 updated the building while keeping its identity as an independent film house.
The Quad tends to draw an audience that follows directors and genres rather than blockbusters, which gives the room a different energy from a standard multiplex. The programming often centers on documentary film, international cinema, and retrospectives that are hard to find elsewhere in the city.
It is worth checking the program online before you go, since popular screenings tend to sell out, especially on weekends. The theater has a bar inside where you can get a drink before or after the film.
The building appeared as a filming location in the original 1984 Ghostbusters, which means the cinema itself has been on screen as well as showing films. For anyone who notices that connection, it adds a small layer to the experience of sitting in one of its rooms.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
