When the building owner ran into his construction delays last year, Galaxy Theatres had to pass on the Sparta theatre project (Nelson Page’s plan was to have it open in November and I don’t know when the building will finally be finished). I’m not sure who would be potentially in line to open it up if, in fact, a theatre is still part of the new building.
10th Avenue Angel was originally released by M-G-M, so it’s a good possibility that the rights are now held by Warner Bros. (who control the majority of the M-G-M films) – whether they have 35mm prints of it or not is another story.
Sadly, tonight held the last performances at the Galaxy Triplex. Newspaper story here:
“At the end of this one, the movie theater dies"
Thursday, January 11, 2007, By CHARLES HACK – JERSEY JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
GUTTENBERG – The organist for the Galaxy Triplex on Kennedy Boulevard will be playing the movie theater’s swan song tonight. Organist Jeff Barker will play the cinema’s vintage Kimball theater pipe organ for the last time.
A tightening real estate market is forcing the theater, which has been selling its tickets for $5, out of business, said Nelson Page, the owner of Galaxy Theatre Corporation.
“It been there for 20 years,” Page said. “It was such a local institution and it is a shame to see it go.”
Galaxy Mall owner Martin Sergi said that the theater is a victim of flagging attendance – a trend in the industry.
“Unfortunately, the neighborhood theater is more behind us than ahead of us,” Sergi said. “We supported it for as long as possible, but we couldn’t do it any longer.” The 17,000-square-foot theater will be converted to offices, he said.
Page said the theater had been doing a steady business over the last five years – with up to 80,000 people attending each year – but its lease was up and he could not pay what the owner wanted.
He said there are no plans to close his other five theaters.
The cinema is in the Galaxy Towers condo complex, where a four-alarm blaze in early December swept through a 10th-floor apartment, killing the 32-year-old daughter of the pilot whose plane was hijacked on 9/11 and was crashed into the Pentagon.
Tonight’s features: Charlotte’s Web (G) 7:10 p.m., Eragon (PG) 7 p.m., and Rocky Balboa (PG) 7:15 p.m.
Page said the organ will be moved to another theater, but he hasn’t decided which one.
Thank you, Peter. I am very happy to read your comments about our work and will pass them on to the gang – thanks for your support. 2024? Maybe my son will be running the projectors by then :)
Rhett – I hope to have the full schedule ready to announce in the next two weeks or so (learning from past experince not to count on anything until I get a confirmation) – no clues, but there will be a terrific assortment of shows.
No, he means that they used a low rez video projector (normally used for pre-show advertisements) for the telecast instead of a high-rez Cinema DLP unit.
Where will they be getting a “VistaVision stereo print” of The Ten Commandments, since Paramount doesn’t currently have even a runnable regular 35mm print of it? A recent 35mm screening at the AMMI was from a collector’s print.
And the VistaVision projectors? Where did they find a pair that are in operable condition?
Yes, Bill, but in those cases, the movie wasn’t opening only 10 days later on 7000 screens, including the one that’s now charging $25. The high ticket for the real roadshow days was for the exclusivity of it.
Scorsese’s film of Last Temptation of Christ is a masterpiece. I haven’t read the novel so I have no idea what he may or may not have captured from it, but as a film unto itself it is stunning. It remains the only film that actually made me believe – however briefly – in the Christ story.
The new 2-disc 50th Anniversay Edition of Forbidden Planet is under $20 at most retailers.
There are ways to illegally copy DVD movies – a simple interent search will detail it – but why would you want to do that when they are so inexpensive to begin with?
The DVD content – film transfer & extras – on both the “50th Anniversary Ultimate” and “50th Anniversay Standard” editions of Forbidden Planet is exactly the same. The “Ultimate” tin package contains reprints of lobby cards, a Robby figure, etc., for the additional money.
While I haven’t seen the Forbidden Planet high-definition version yet, I’ve yet to see a high-def transfer that did not far exceed the standard-def DVD version on a quality display over 40" diagonal. Of course, high-def still doesn’t reach the resolution of film, but it’s better than standard-def DVD.
The new transfer of Forbidden Planet on the 50th Anniversary edition is noticably superior to the older DVD release on almost any display.
Those legends in the newspaper ads are supplied by the studio placing the ad. The studio, in turn, is supposed to get updated information from the theatre chain’s film booker regarding technical upgrades/changes to locations. Rarely, however, are these updates done by the studio. We have DTS at the Lafayette, and in some ads we get listed as DTS, but in others it’s Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, or nothing.
Went to the 4:15 showing of Casino Royale (a gigantic borefest) at the new Rockaway 16 yesterday. Screen was nice and large, digital sound was pretty good (bass was a little too boomy and one-note for my taste, they just need to calibrate it better), crowd was well-behaved. Other than the endless video commercials and then film trailers, the presentation was top-notch. Only technical issue was that there’s a light in the projection booth that, when it was turned on, cast a rectangular shadow image on the left side of the screen. They need to find that light and move it and/or mask off the window it’s shining through.
The Thing is exceptional 50s science fiction, as is Forbidden Planet and The Day the Earth Stood Still. When I played The Thing at the Lafayette a couple of years ago, the audeince (of all ages) ate it up.
The release of the full-length version of “Heaven’s Gate” in 1980 (at the Cinema 1 in NYC) was a roadshow with hard-ticket sales via mail-order. I guess it was probably not an “official” roadshow, since tix could also be bought at the door.
The two organs are being uninstalled and should eventually find new homes.
Have you checked with the American Theatre Organ Society? www.atos.org ; There is probably also a local theatre organ chapter near you.
When the building owner ran into his construction delays last year, Galaxy Theatres had to pass on the Sparta theatre project (Nelson Page’s plan was to have it open in November and I don’t know when the building will finally be finished). I’m not sure who would be potentially in line to open it up if, in fact, a theatre is still part of the new building.
10th Avenue Angel was originally released by M-G-M, so it’s a good possibility that the rights are now held by Warner Bros. (who control the majority of the M-G-M films) – whether they have 35mm prints of it or not is another story.
Sadly, tonight held the last performances at the Galaxy Triplex. Newspaper story here:
“At the end of this one, the movie theater dies"
Thursday, January 11, 2007, By CHARLES HACK – JERSEY JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
GUTTENBERG – The organist for the Galaxy Triplex on Kennedy Boulevard will be playing the movie theater’s swan song tonight. Organist Jeff Barker will play the cinema’s vintage Kimball theater pipe organ for the last time.
A tightening real estate market is forcing the theater, which has been selling its tickets for $5, out of business, said Nelson Page, the owner of Galaxy Theatre Corporation.
“It been there for 20 years,” Page said. “It was such a local institution and it is a shame to see it go.”
Galaxy Mall owner Martin Sergi said that the theater is a victim of flagging attendance – a trend in the industry.
“Unfortunately, the neighborhood theater is more behind us than ahead of us,” Sergi said. “We supported it for as long as possible, but we couldn’t do it any longer.” The 17,000-square-foot theater will be converted to offices, he said.
Page said the theater had been doing a steady business over the last five years – with up to 80,000 people attending each year – but its lease was up and he could not pay what the owner wanted.
He said there are no plans to close his other five theaters.
The cinema is in the Galaxy Towers condo complex, where a four-alarm blaze in early December swept through a 10th-floor apartment, killing the 32-year-old daughter of the pilot whose plane was hijacked on 9/11 and was crashed into the Pentagon.
Tonight’s features: Charlotte’s Web (G) 7:10 p.m., Eragon (PG) 7 p.m., and Rocky Balboa (PG) 7:15 p.m.
Page said the organ will be moved to another theater, but he hasn’t decided which one.
© 2007 The Jersey Journal
Link: View link
Thank you, Peter. I am very happy to read your comments about our work and will pass them on to the gang – thanks for your support. 2024? Maybe my son will be running the projectors by then :)
Rhett – I hope to have the full schedule ready to announce in the next two weeks or so (learning from past experince not to count on anything until I get a confirmation) – no clues, but there will be a terrific assortment of shows.
Pete Apruzzese
No, he means that they used a low rez video projector (normally used for pre-show advertisements) for the telecast instead of a high-rez Cinema DLP unit.
Where will they be getting a “VistaVision stereo print” of The Ten Commandments, since Paramount doesn’t currently have even a runnable regular 35mm print of it? A recent 35mm screening at the AMMI was from a collector’s print.
And the VistaVision projectors? Where did they find a pair that are in operable condition?
No commercials (or pre-show slides) at the Lafayette since we’ve had the theatre (11/2002).
Yes, Bill, but in those cases, the movie wasn’t opening only 10 days later on 7000 screens, including the one that’s now charging $25. The high ticket for the real roadshow days was for the exclusivity of it.
Scorsese’s film of Last Temptation of Christ is a masterpiece. I haven’t read the novel so I have no idea what he may or may not have captured from it, but as a film unto itself it is stunning. It remains the only film that actually made me believe – however briefly – in the Christ story.
mikemovies:
The new 2-disc 50th Anniversay Edition of Forbidden Planet is under $20 at most retailers.
There are ways to illegally copy DVD movies – a simple interent search will detail it – but why would you want to do that when they are so inexpensive to begin with?
The DVD content – film transfer & extras – on both the “50th Anniversary Ultimate” and “50th Anniversay Standard” editions of Forbidden Planet is exactly the same. The “Ultimate” tin package contains reprints of lobby cards, a Robby figure, etc., for the additional money.
While I haven’t seen the Forbidden Planet high-definition version yet, I’ve yet to see a high-def transfer that did not far exceed the standard-def DVD version on a quality display over 40" diagonal. Of course, high-def still doesn’t reach the resolution of film, but it’s better than standard-def DVD.
The new transfer of Forbidden Planet on the 50th Anniversary edition is noticably superior to the older DVD release on almost any display.
RCDTJ:
Thanks for the information. Question – how effective is the 3-D since it doesn’t run on a silver screen (needed to maintain the proper polarization)?
How much does he get for a personal appearance? :)
Vito – got a spare cue-scriber in your parts box? :)
If there were cue marks, it was not a digital showing. Perhaps they had a problem with their DLP unit and were using the 35mm backup print?
Vito:
Those legends in the newspaper ads are supplied by the studio placing the ad. The studio, in turn, is supposed to get updated information from the theatre chain’s film booker regarding technical upgrades/changes to locations. Rarely, however, are these updates done by the studio. We have DTS at the Lafayette, and in some ads we get listed as DTS, but in others it’s Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, or nothing.
Went to the 4:15 showing of Casino Royale (a gigantic borefest) at the new Rockaway 16 yesterday. Screen was nice and large, digital sound was pretty good (bass was a little too boomy and one-note for my taste, they just need to calibrate it better), crowd was well-behaved. Other than the endless video commercials and then film trailers, the presentation was top-notch. Only technical issue was that there’s a light in the projection booth that, when it was turned on, cast a rectangular shadow image on the left side of the screen. They need to find that light and move it and/or mask off the window it’s shining through.
Good job – I’ll be back.
Are all of these shows on 35mm film?
The owner of the building has apparently run into issues with his construction project, so I don’t know what the current timetable is.
The Thing is exceptional 50s science fiction, as is Forbidden Planet and The Day the Earth Stood Still. When I played The Thing at the Lafayette a couple of years ago, the audeince (of all ages) ate it up.
According to the Variety article, there is no Intermission in Dreamgirls.
The release of the full-length version of “Heaven’s Gate” in 1980 (at the Cinema 1 in NYC) was a roadshow with hard-ticket sales via mail-order. I guess it was probably not an “official” roadshow, since tix could also be bought at the door.