Ziegfeld Theatre

DLP may have a place in cinema today but I want no part of it. When I go to the movies I want to see a 35/70mm motion picture film projected. I will admit film does show signs of wear like scatches and focus drifts but DLP has it’s flaws as well. In some of the theatres I am connected with we have DLP projection, and in a most cases a multipex theatre will be a showing a movie in DLP as well as a film version I have watched both DPL and film versions of the same movie and much prefer the film. As a matter of fact the theatre going public does not know or care about DLP. I remember when “Jurrassic Park” was released in DTS. In every location where a multiplex had two or more prints, it was the theatre showing the film in DTS that was always sold out. The public wanted the big sound. That is not the case with DLP, mainly because the public seems to see little or no advantage to movies projected that way. CConnolly hit the nail on the head with respect to cost, since there seems to be no real advantage for the theatre owners to install the very expensive equipment, it should be the studios who will have to pay at least a part of the expense. The studios of course save a ton of money on film costs and shipping and have the most to gain. By the way, silver screens are only installed today for 3-D engagements and IMAX.

DLP is O.K.; I’ve never been particularly blown away by it – I personally don’t have any issues with celluloid, I suppose due to my familiarity with it and the vast majority of the 150-170 films I see per year in theatres which AREN’T presented in DLP – but that’s just one man’s perspective.

I had the pleasure of seeing a couple films in DLP at the Ziegfeld and did not see any problems with it. Seeing that 70mm seems to be a thing of history I don’t see a problem with viewing an unscratched print of a film.
I am hoping that the Ziegeld will be showing ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ during the Christmas holidays. This would be the perfect theater in NYC for this engagement.

If a screen were 80 feet I’d take it as well in a heartbeat!

Sad to say New York will probably never see Cinerama again :(

Just a few quick notes about Walter Reade, Jr. and his Ziegfeld. First, oldtimers might remember Reade as the first person Skouras and Fox went after legally in 1954 when Reade refused to run Fox scope films with 4-track mag. He had purchased so-called “integrators” which mixed the 4 channels down into one thus obviating the need and expense of 2 extra stage speakers as well as surrounds. For a number of years, Reade, as an executive of Allied States (independent theatre owner organization) fervently went tooth-and-nail against the Fox 4-channel policy. This is odd considering that this is the same man who a few short years later foisted the ridiculous AromaRama on a largely uninterested world. Later, his distribution arm, Continental, bought the rights to a 70mm documentary. Reade had it reprinted in something called “Wonderama” and ran the film as “Mediterranean Holiday” in a few houses in North Jersey. He even released it “in Cinerama” where it played the Warner for a short period. Later on, Reade was elected to the Board of Directors of Cinerama, Inc. and announced that Cinerama would run at his newly reopened DeMille. This never happened. In 1967, when plans for the Ziegfeld were announced, he claimed it would, too, be a 70mm Cinerama house. Also, according to a press release in the NY Times 12/22/67, “the theater will require formal attire on Saturday nights."
As for the 70mm version of "This Is Cinerama,” the free-standing screen (measuring 27x63 feet) stood where the main curtain – which had to be removed – was located. Lights were shown on the screen to represent curtains, even to the extent of “draping” the prologue. This was a trick which was used for a time at the Times Square Paramount when the width of the original VistaVision screen left no room for screen curtains or masking.

You are a real winning combo,CaptRonLI….a New Yorker and a romantic too. Keep up the romance.

Thank you William. It is the NY premiere that I’m looking for; I forgot to mention it. I’m looking for Paramount’s number now, and with your help I hope I’ll be able to find out about the premiere. Coming from Seattle and only having lived in NY for about a year, I have never seen a “classic” theater such as the Ziegfeld. It is for this reason that I am so curious about finding the date of the “Sky Captain” premiere, even if it is not at the Ziegfeld itself. That, and possibly catching a glimpse of Angelina Jolie. Again, thanks for your help!

Will there be a way to find out about the time and date of the “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Premiere” so that fans can at least attend the red carpet portion of the event? I don’t see why fans should be kept in the dark without any details concerning these events, because after all, isn’t the purpose of a glamorous movie premiere to provide the studio and actors a chance to promote their movies?!?

The heading for the Ziegfeld does not list the architect, and I didn’t see it in all the comments. It was probably the same architect who designed the Burlington House (or whatever they are calling the office building fronting on Sixth Ave. these days), since the theatre was part of that development. However, the original interiors of this Ziegfeld were by Dolly Reade (Mrs. Walter Reade, Jr.) She also redecorated several other Walter Reade theatres.

Does anybody know how to be at the red carpet part of movie premieres?

Every few days they go through the comments people make and update info on theatres on the site.

Isnt there a way when you or anyone can stand outside to see the red carpet part of the premiere?