When it was twinned, they put a wall right down the middle – each side had orchestra and balcony seating. The auditoriums were then very narrow and the screens were on the small side if you wanted to sit in the rear. I know for certain that at least one side had 70mm capability.
TC – Since the Big Screen Classics series at the Lafayette is on hiatus until September, one of my projects over the summer is to update all of the web pages for the Galaxy chain.
It stays open until the construction is under way, same as the Tenplex. They continue to use the Triplex as a ‘move-over’ house with films from the Tenplex.
The Little Cinema was actually located inside the Willowbrook Mall. I believe the Valleyview/Jerry Lewis was known as the “Ramapo Plaza Adult Cinema” during its x-rated run.
I can’t say for cerain Robert, but I believe that UA had it until the late 70s. I have a copies of newspaper ads from 1954 showing it as a Skouras Theatre and from 1966-69 showing it as a UA theatre, so they got it sometime after the mid-50s.
I’m going to spend time this summer at the microfilm reader trying to put together a definitive playlist & history to use for an upcoming event and will post it here when it’s complete.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
First, you’d need to see who holds the USA theatrical rights. Then, they would have to have a 35mm print available. It was originally released by Warner Bros., but I’ll bet their license expired a long time ago.
They’ll be closing those two locations once the new megaplex is built (it’s waiting for final approvals from the towns involved) in the back parking lot area of the Garden State Mall.
Rob:
Thanks for giving us information about the attendance during the film series held at the Hall. In all of the deal papers we’ve seen from Cablevision, the Hall is never mentioned as being sold off as part of any future plans, so it’s in safe hands for now. I do wish that a programmer with vision (and a budget for the crew!) could coordinate a film series within the Hall’s live event schedule.
It is a DLP-based system. It’s Dolby’s all-in-one solution -hardware, software, automation – for “digital” presentations. It’s used at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan, if the article is correct.
I’m sorry Vito, but not all models of 35mm projectors and platter systems are convertible to 70mm, not even close. You also need magnetic sound heads (if the film has mag sound) or, for these new 70mm prints, a dedicated 70mm DTS sound reader. Not to mention different lenses, aperture plates, sprockets, intermittent, pad rollers, guide rollers, platter brains, platter rollers, splicers, etc.
Unless the theatre is always set up to do 35/70 projection, it’s much more involved than just something that can be done during intermission.
No, Bill. Both can share the same space as long as the booth is big enough. They have to keep the film projectors on hand, since the digital shows do have a high number of failures.
If I recall, the Sony Lincoln Square also as 70mm capability in the main auditorium.
One of the reasons a lot more films are being presented in scope is that they are shooting them in Super35, which allows a scope theatrical print and a nearly full-frame (without panning and scanning) video image to be extracted.
There is one upcoming film shot in 65mm (for 70mm presentation), Terence Malick’s The New World. I’ll be very curious to see who is able to show it in 70mm in the NY metro area.
That is correct, Robert. Other than very unusual circumstances, Disney does not do theatrical bookings for any of their classic animated features, and a number of the live-action ones as well. I’ve tried for 3 years to get Mary Poppins for the Lafayette, but no dice.
A very nice article featuring the Lafayette Theatre appeared in today’s Bergen Record “Go” section centerfold. The print version includes two nice interior shots.
Don – I don’t know. I guess it would depend on whether they were ‘laid off’ of if Clearview can temporarily put them in another location.
Jodar – I beleive the bigger theatres used to do this from time to time during the roadshow era, especially if they needed to do technical upgrades between engagements. Depending on the size of the venue, it certainly does cost more money just to open the doors for a handful of customers instead of being dark.
According to information I heard from Clearview, the plan now is for the Ziegfeld to remain dark between major first-run engagements. And expect nothing to be playing September and October.
When it was twinned, they put a wall right down the middle – each side had orchestra and balcony seating. The auditoriums were then very narrow and the screens were on the small side if you wanted to sit in the rear. I know for certain that at least one side had 70mm capability.
TC – Since the Big Screen Classics series at the Lafayette is on hiatus until September, one of my projects over the summer is to update all of the web pages for the Galaxy chain.
Pete Apruzzese
Galaxy Theatre Corp.
No, they are still part of the Galaxy Theatres chain.
Pete Apruzzese
Galaxy Theatre Corp.
Michael – it is a CompUSA store, but a lot of the building was changed so it’s not really recognizable as a theatre any longer.
The Totowa Cinema – ¼ mile up the road – is now an Office Max store and is similarly unrecognizable.
Yes, that’s where it was – I worked there as an assistant manager in 1982, the summer of Poltergeist in 70mm!
It stays open until the construction is under way, same as the Tenplex. They continue to use the Triplex as a ‘move-over’ house with films from the Tenplex.
RobertR:
The Little Cinema was actually located inside the Willowbrook Mall. I believe the Valleyview/Jerry Lewis was known as the “Ramapo Plaza Adult Cinema” during its x-rated run.
This theatre has been part of the Galaxy Theatre Corp. since January 2001.
I can’t say for cerain Robert, but I believe that UA had it until the late 70s. I have a copies of newspaper ads from 1954 showing it as a Skouras Theatre and from 1966-69 showing it as a UA theatre, so they got it sometime after the mid-50s.
I’m going to spend time this summer at the microfilm reader trying to put together a definitive playlist & history to use for an upcoming event and will post it here when it’s complete.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
No, the Loew’s Jersey does not have air conditioning.
No, the Loew’s Jersey does not have air consitioning.
First, you’d need to see who holds the USA theatrical rights. Then, they would have to have a 35mm print available. It was originally released by Warner Bros., but I’ll bet their license expired a long time ago.
They’ll be closing those two locations once the new megaplex is built (it’s waiting for final approvals from the towns involved) in the back parking lot area of the Garden State Mall.
Rob:
Thanks for giving us information about the attendance during the film series held at the Hall. In all of the deal papers we’ve seen from Cablevision, the Hall is never mentioned as being sold off as part of any future plans, so it’s in safe hands for now. I do wish that a programmer with vision (and a budget for the crew!) could coordinate a film series within the Hall’s live event schedule.
Pete Apruzzese
It is a DLP-based system. It’s Dolby’s all-in-one solution -hardware, software, automation – for “digital” presentations. It’s used at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan, if the article is correct.
Vito – Thanks for the clarification, that makes it clearer. Otherwise, I’d be asking where I could get 70mm parts for my Century’s for the Lafayette!
Days of Heaven was astounding in 70mm, CConnolly. Even more amazing in that it was a blow-up from 35mm.
I’m sorry Vito, but not all models of 35mm projectors and platter systems are convertible to 70mm, not even close. You also need magnetic sound heads (if the film has mag sound) or, for these new 70mm prints, a dedicated 70mm DTS sound reader. Not to mention different lenses, aperture plates, sprockets, intermittent, pad rollers, guide rollers, platter brains, platter rollers, splicers, etc.
Unless the theatre is always set up to do 35/70 projection, it’s much more involved than just something that can be done during intermission.
No, Bill. Both can share the same space as long as the booth is big enough. They have to keep the film projectors on hand, since the digital shows do have a high number of failures.
If I recall, the Sony Lincoln Square also as 70mm capability in the main auditorium.
No.
One of the reasons a lot more films are being presented in scope is that they are shooting them in Super35, which allows a scope theatrical print and a nearly full-frame (without panning and scanning) video image to be extracted.
There is one upcoming film shot in 65mm (for 70mm presentation), Terence Malick’s The New World. I’ll be very curious to see who is able to show it in 70mm in the NY metro area.
That is correct, Robert. Other than very unusual circumstances, Disney does not do theatrical bookings for any of their classic animated features, and a number of the live-action ones as well. I’ve tried for 3 years to get Mary Poppins for the Lafayette, but no dice.
A very nice article featuring the Lafayette Theatre appeared in today’s Bergen Record “Go” section centerfold. The print version includes two nice interior shots.
Here: View link
Thanks for the nice comments Irv, Richard, and Peter. See you at Godzilla this Saturday!
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
Don – I don’t know. I guess it would depend on whether they were ‘laid off’ of if Clearview can temporarily put them in another location.
Jodar – I beleive the bigger theatres used to do this from time to time during the roadshow era, especially if they needed to do technical upgrades between engagements. Depending on the size of the venue, it certainly does cost more money just to open the doors for a handful of customers instead of being dark.
According to information I heard from Clearview, the plan now is for the Ziegfeld to remain dark between major first-run engagements. And expect nothing to be playing September and October.