According to someone I know who was at the theatre last week, only 1 screen has digital projection, and only 2 screens are stadium. 35MM is installed in each screen. Need to get our facts right before posting. I know everyone wants to see digital rule, but believe me, it will be a long time before that happens.
Hi Peter Apruzzese. Its nice to see you and Nelson back here at this great place. I wish you both well. As for my dream place, the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J., its now for sale for $3.8 million, and I just hope its taken over by a group of people where I can some day show classic 35MM films there as well.
Nice idea, but years too late. Anytime I mention to someone about old films, or cartoons, or something like your suggesting, all I get is, no one would come, cant find prints, film companies dont care. Its really sad, todays world.
I can feel his pain. As a union projectionist for over 34 years, I have to wonder if I’ll still have a job in a few years. And even as I try to break into stagecraft, its mostly a waiting game right now because of the economy. Very scary indeed.
This sounds so incredibly close to what happened to the Loews Route 18 theatre in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Opened in 1970, it to was twinned in 1973. It ended up with 2 nice 700 seat auditoriums, and large scope side masking screens, but the 2 Century JJ2 35/70MM projectors were removed, and 2 old Super Simplexes put in their place, along with 2 Christie platters. Sound was mono right up till the day it closed in Dec 1997.
I know the Fords Theatre quite well. As a child I went there often when my father was a projectionist. A few years ago when my wifes foot doctor leased space in one of the stores, I managed a peek inside. Construction items filled the auditorium space. And the shop keepers had told me that at that time (about 3 years ago) that the entire projection room had been stripped and everything trashed. As it sits right now, it looks nothing like a theatre, and I live in Woodbridge, so I wish them well. I hate to say it, but I think its just a pipe dream.
Wow Norelco, there actually is another person besides me who still does projection. Curious as to how long you have been doing it?? I’m currently in my 34th year. And I agree with you 100% on this whole digital thing, and the remakes too. Problem today is too many number crunchers work in the big chains, and hollywood has morons who cant think up anything original. Add to that that there are no more sub-run or dollar houses, everything today is push it out, 2 or 3 weeks, then off to DVD land.
ALL of the pictures mentioned from both years were great. Nothing today comes close to any of them. What I wouldn’t give to be able to project and watch all of them on the big screen again in a true cinema treasure palace.
My father had a saying years ago before he passed on to that giant movie palace in the sky…“what goes around, comes around”. Imax is killing itself with dietmax, this whole digital thing to me, and many others is going to be a passing fancy, and I still believe film will live on in many formats. What we need are people to build theatres like Jon Lidoit mentions above. Huge curved screens. Something that you wont find in your local AMC or Regal.
Enough said. This digital crap is going to put every last one of them out of business. Then we’ll be stuck with a country full of American Mutilation Cinemas, a.k.a. AMC.
Well RobertC, as one of the few remaining full-time union projectionists left, I can only only say, you really hit ALL points right on the money. And its so refreshing to hear someone else think this whole 3-D thing is just a passing fancy. I go around in circles with my owner, who totally thinks that digital is here to stay and 35mm ( or any other format, 70MM etc) is like that famous movie of yesteryear, “Gone With The Wind.”
According to someone I know who was at the theatre last week, only 1 screen has digital projection, and only 2 screens are stadium. 35MM is installed in each screen. Need to get our facts right before posting. I know everyone wants to see digital rule, but believe me, it will be a long time before that happens.
Its the same thing for the theatre in Brooklyn N.Y. Everyone still refers to it as Loew’s Kings, and will continue to if it ever comes back to life.
Hi Peter Apruzzese. Its nice to see you and Nelson back here at this great place. I wish you both well. As for my dream place, the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J., its now for sale for $3.8 million, and I just hope its taken over by a group of people where I can some day show classic 35MM films there as well.
Another beauty bites the dust, 1 year shy of its 60th birthday.
Nice idea, but years too late. Anytime I mention to someone about old films, or cartoons, or something like your suggesting, all I get is, no one would come, cant find prints, film companies dont care. Its really sad, todays world.
I can feel his pain. As a union projectionist for over 34 years, I have to wonder if I’ll still have a job in a few years. And even as I try to break into stagecraft, its mostly a waiting game right now because of the economy. Very scary indeed.
Number of seats for this theatre was 1500 as a single, and after twinning each theatre had 600.
This sounds so incredibly close to what happened to the Loews Route 18 theatre in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Opened in 1970, it to was twinned in 1973. It ended up with 2 nice 700 seat auditoriums, and large scope side masking screens, but the 2 Century JJ2 35/70MM projectors were removed, and 2 old Super Simplexes put in their place, along with 2 Christie platters. Sound was mono right up till the day it closed in Dec 1997.
Hope it gets sold soon, so perhaps then it can take off with shows and classic films.
I know the Fords Theatre quite well. As a child I went there often when my father was a projectionist. A few years ago when my wifes foot doctor leased space in one of the stores, I managed a peek inside. Construction items filled the auditorium space. And the shop keepers had told me that at that time (about 3 years ago) that the entire projection room had been stripped and everything trashed. As it sits right now, it looks nothing like a theatre, and I live in Woodbridge, so I wish them well. I hate to say it, but I think its just a pipe dream.
Same old boring crap. Digital, digital, digital, ra, ra, ra, big deal.
THIS, I like.
Wow Norelco, there actually is another person besides me who still does projection. Curious as to how long you have been doing it?? I’m currently in my 34th year. And I agree with you 100% on this whole digital thing, and the remakes too. Problem today is too many number crunchers work in the big chains, and hollywood has morons who cant think up anything original. Add to that that there are no more sub-run or dollar houses, everything today is push it out, 2 or 3 weeks, then off to DVD land.
If it were up to me, I say 35MM is the way they should be shown, but I know its fighting a losing battle, so why bother anymore.
Hello, RCDTJ, do you know if the load in includes wardrobe?? My wife works there as one of the setdressers.
Ra, ra, ra, so another one jumps on the digital bandwagon, big deal.
ALL of the pictures mentioned from both years were great. Nothing today comes close to any of them. What I wouldn’t give to be able to project and watch all of them on the big screen again in a true cinema treasure palace.
My father had a saying years ago before he passed on to that giant movie palace in the sky…“what goes around, comes around”. Imax is killing itself with dietmax, this whole digital thing to me, and many others is going to be a passing fancy, and I still believe film will live on in many formats. What we need are people to build theatres like Jon Lidoit mentions above. Huge curved screens. Something that you wont find in your local AMC or Regal.
I STILL say there’s nothing wrong with 35MM, or better yet, 70MM.
Great idea Al. Couldn’t agree with you more. BUT…never gonna happen. And that’s the sad part.
the end is near…..
Bring on the classics!!!!!
Enough said. This digital crap is going to put every last one of them out of business. Then we’ll be stuck with a country full of American Mutilation Cinemas, a.k.a. AMC.
Well RobertC, as one of the few remaining full-time union projectionists left, I can only only say, you really hit ALL points right on the money. And its so refreshing to hear someone else think this whole 3-D thing is just a passing fancy. I go around in circles with my owner, who totally thinks that digital is here to stay and 35mm ( or any other format, 70MM etc) is like that famous movie of yesteryear, “Gone With The Wind.”
I agree with ALL of the above.