The Loews Jersey looks like a beautiful movie palace of a theatre, and a perfect place to show great golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as Dr. Zhivago, West Side Story, Lawremce of Arabia and many others. However, I do agree that the photo on the front of this page doesn’t look like it does this theatre any justice.
I also might add that I noticed that the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles is scheduled to play the 70mm print of the film “West Side Story”. How cool. Sure wish the 70mm print of West Side Story could and would come to the Boston area!!
Simon, I wholeheartedly agree with you about West Side Story being a beautiful film, but I take issue with the idea that WSS is just a “teen” film. Imho, West Side Story is a film for people of all ages and all walks of life to enjoy. West Side Story is my alltime favorite movie, so that’s the ONLY movie that i’ve made my own road trips to neighboring states to view screenings of. However, if and when WSS isn’t around on the great big wide screen in a real movie theatre, I will watch an airing on TV’s TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Channel when it takes place.
Btw, West Side Story played at the Brattle Theatre last May as part of United Artists' 90th Anniversary film series. I attended both screenings of this great film that day. Then, early last August, I drove down to Hartford, CT. for a screening of WSS at the CineStudio Theatre, and I saw it at the Albany palace Theatre in Albany, NY. I guess roadshows of West Side Story are making a comback. A good sign to see. Let’s hope that this great classic continues to play in movie theatres after the new year, when the new POTUS is sworn in.
Btw, Michael—I’m unable to get to the link. Is there a way to access it?
That I’m aware of, Giles. It would be cool if it were shown here in the Boston area too. I’m aware of the new Broadway stage revival of West Side Story that’s coming up after the new year, and of its pre-Broadway engagement at the National Theatre in mid-December. It’s also scheduled, I think, to show at the Palace theatre in NYC afterwards. As a devout fan of the film version of West Side Story who’s also seen several different stage productions of this great musical, I think it would be interesting to see WSS presented and interpreted differently, but who really knows how it’ll turn out.
Here’s hoping for a national re-release of this great film classic (WSS) in theatres nationwide! That would be cool!
Good point, movie534. That’s why even many, if not most of the independent, NON-profit movie theatres have had to play some of the more mainstream movies in order to survive.
Hey, KingBiscuits: The above-mentioned films sound like they’d be great in Digital cinema. However, I wish to add West Side Story to that list, because it would likely be fantastic.
The Museum of Science in Boston has an IMAX film theatre, which shows cool stuff from time to time. I once saw a movie about skiing there…and had a cool time. Say…I wonder what some of those great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as Lawrence of Arabia, West Side Story, Wizard of Oz and many of those other great classics would be like if shown in such a format.
The first time that I saw The Graduate was at the Fine Arts Theatre, in Maynard, MA, which was a very popular theatre. It was not uncommon to see other kids that we knew from school there on a given night, especially on the weekends.
Without having seen the film Grease, and being a baby-boomer myself, I think that Grease probably was to most GenXer’s what West Side Story was to many, if not most babyboomers, if one gets the drift.
Well, when I’ve gone and visited several other theatre sites here in Cinema Treasures just to browse for the heck of it, I’ve noticed that West Side Story seems to be making a road show comeback. A good omen for this great classic, hopefully?
I agree, movie534. What passes for the moviegoing experience today is certainly not what it used to be. “Anything old can be new again” would be possible, maybe, if there was more cooperation between the general public, elected officials, and the movie studios.
The Loews Jersey looks like a beautiful movie palace of a theatre, and a perfect place to show great golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as Dr. Zhivago, West Side Story, Lawremce of Arabia and many others. However, I do agree that the photo on the front of this page doesn’t look like it does this theatre any justice.
I vaguely remember that theatre.
That sounds like a lot of baloney to me.
Is this the same Palace Theatre that will be hosting the new Broadway stage revival of the musical “West Side Story”, btw? Just curious.
I also might add that I noticed that the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles is scheduled to play the 70mm print of the film “West Side Story”. How cool. Sure wish the 70mm print of West Side Story could and would come to the Boston area!!
I love the postcard photo of the entrance to the Egyptian Theatre. How cool!!
Simon, I wholeheartedly agree with you about West Side Story being a beautiful film, but I take issue with the idea that WSS is just a “teen” film. Imho, West Side Story is a film for people of all ages and all walks of life to enjoy. West Side Story is my alltime favorite movie, so that’s the ONLY movie that i’ve made my own road trips to neighboring states to view screenings of. However, if and when WSS isn’t around on the great big wide screen in a real movie theatre, I will watch an airing on TV’s TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Channel when it takes place.
Btw, West Side Story played at the Brattle Theatre last May as part of United Artists' 90th Anniversary film series. I attended both screenings of this great film that day. Then, early last August, I drove down to Hartford, CT. for a screening of WSS at the CineStudio Theatre, and I saw it at the Albany palace Theatre in Albany, NY. I guess roadshows of West Side Story are making a comback. A good sign to see. Let’s hope that this great classic continues to play in movie theatres after the new year, when the new POTUS is sworn in.
Btw, Michael—I’m unable to get to the link. Is there a way to access it?
That I’m aware of, Giles. It would be cool if it were shown here in the Boston area too. I’m aware of the new Broadway stage revival of West Side Story that’s coming up after the new year, and of its pre-Broadway engagement at the National Theatre in mid-December. It’s also scheduled, I think, to show at the Palace theatre in NYC afterwards. As a devout fan of the film version of West Side Story who’s also seen several different stage productions of this great musical, I think it would be interesting to see WSS presented and interpreted differently, but who really knows how it’ll turn out.
Here’s hoping for a national re-release of this great film classic (WSS) in theatres nationwide! That would be cool!
Good point, movie534. That’s why even many, if not most of the independent, NON-profit movie theatres have had to play some of the more mainstream movies in order to survive.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think that most U. S. Theatres have gone Digital yet.
Hey, KingBiscuits: The above-mentioned films sound like they’d be great in Digital cinema. However, I wish to add West Side Story to that list, because it would likely be fantastic.
The Museum of Science in Boston has an IMAX film theatre, which shows cool stuff from time to time. I once saw a movie about skiing there…and had a cool time. Say…I wonder what some of those great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as Lawrence of Arabia, West Side Story, Wizard of Oz and many of those other great classics would be like if shown in such a format.
I’ve got a ticket….and I plan on going.
The first time that I saw The Graduate was at the Fine Arts Theatre, in Maynard, MA, which was a very popular theatre. It was not uncommon to see other kids that we knew from school there on a given night, especially on the weekends.
What a sweet story of memories, aud. Thanks for posting it and sharing it with us.
Return of the Jedi, too, was a cool movie—even cooler than Star Wars.
I saw Star Wars at the Charles Cinema in Boston, when this film first came out. It was a cool film, and it was worth going to.
Without having seen the film Grease, and being a baby-boomer myself, I think that Grease probably was to most GenXer’s what West Side Story was to many, if not most babyboomers, if one gets the drift.
Oh, Ok. Thanks for the info, JSA.
When theatres are allowed to just go to seed like that due to neglect, it’s quite sad…and inexcusable.
That is so sad.
Movies that I recall seeing at the Assembly Square Theatre, in Somerville, MA, include the following:
Killing Fields
Perfect Storm
Spiderman I and Spiderman II
L. A. Confidential
and afew others.
An update: I’m also a member of the Brattle Theatre now, too.
Well, when I’ve gone and visited several other theatre sites here in Cinema Treasures just to browse for the heck of it, I’ve noticed that West Side Story seems to be making a road show comeback. A good omen for this great classic, hopefully?
I agree, movie534. What passes for the moviegoing experience today is certainly not what it used to be. “Anything old can be new again” would be possible, maybe, if there was more cooperation between the general public, elected officials, and the movie studios.