Sad to see. Lets hope it gets a new lease on life. It may take a ‘miracle’. (no pun intended) We dont need more condos office buildings and shopping centers. And as far as NA starting out only in the drive-in business, the way things are going over there, they might be in the theatre business much longer.
Good for you Denny Pine, I wish I could do the same. Unfortunately, the union has me working in 2 of those multi’s, but you know, the mortgage has to be paid. But I agree, give me the good old days, like last night when I ran a 35MM print of “Citizen Kane” in a restored 1500 seat theatre. 20 min reels and changeovers, now thats movies.
Yes I do remember (and miss) those double features. And the one you saw in 1974 was typical of that era, where a new movie would be doubled with one from 6 months to a year earlier. (sometimes even 2 or 3 years earlier) Some other classic ‘double features’ from that time include, “The Graduate” & “Carnal Knowledge”, “The French Connection” & “MAS*H”, and “Bullitt” & “Bonnie and Clyde”. When the theatres were short on films to run, they could always count on these, and others to get them thru.
No pun intended, but lets hope a “miracle” happens before cash strapped Sumner sells the land to some developer who’s going to put up more useless condos or another unnecesary shopping plaza. Todays kids look at you like youre from outer space when you say ‘drive-in movies’ or even ‘single screen theatres’. All they know are these damn 18 and 24 plexes.
It is something to think that a festival like Woodstock could never happen again, not in todays world. And yes the promoters had no idea what was coming because that festival had been going on for a few years with maybe a few thousand people showing up over the 3 days. But in 1969, it was like all the planets aligned and we all know the result from the great movie that was to follow. What I wouldn’t give to see it on the big screen again in 35MM stereo.
Its funny how this theatre was an RKO from the start, and yet was built similar to many Jery Lewis theatres from the early 70’s. I remember the twin my late father worked at in Carteret N.J. The left theatre was blue and the right theatre was red. The concession stand was built right across the lobby, so there was no way to cross from one side to the other. This was helpful later in the decade after JL was out of the business and the theatre started showing soft porn in the blue theatre (which they called the adult side, the other theatre was the family side.) It finally closed in 1984, but man that place was fun, alot like your sounded like.
I couldn’t agree with you more on BOTH statements Peter. Only one thing however. Having worked for them for almost 8 years, Clearview is HARDLY a major chain. They are a major chain wanna be, who unfortunately sucked up a lot of the beautifully run independent theatres you speak of. I know people are going to say former union projectionist with a grudge, but I have been in the business for over 33 years and I have seen what works and what doesn’t. And these big megaplexes have ruined the whole industry.
Isn’t that the case most of the time pamajestic? And I totally agree with you about film. Its going to take a LONG time for them to totally get rid of it, if they ever do.
Hi joni. I am a projectionist from here in central New Jersey. I hope you guys make it. I have been sick of late, but if I get time I would like to come visit. After working so many booths the past 33 years, I still like to see new ones. Maybe I’ll try the trek in a few weeks.
I know it was a long time ago, and I scanned thru all the above posts, perhaps I missed it, but isn’t this theatre one the few that Loew’s walked away from after the great blackout of 1977? As I remember reading, they just never showed up again after the power returned.
Nice to see this place still around. I know that over the past 15 to 20 years its been under numerous ownerships and closed for long periods of time. Good Luck. It will be nice for someone to say ‘see you can make money with a twin’.
You are right Ken. The independant theatre owner I work for had to put out a boat load of money for the hearing inpaired system (10 screens) and in the 5+ years I’ve worked there, I can recall about maybe 10 people requsting it. Do the math, that’s 2 people a year. A most expensive outlay. Now he is faced with putting in at least one digital projector, so as to keep up with everyone else.
With regards to the very first post at the top of this page, there was a film made about that raft expedition. I remember the theatre my late father was projectionist at ran it in 1974 I believe. If memory serves me, I think it was called “The RA Expedition.” I have tried to find this on video for years, but there seems to be no record of this film. It was very interesting how they trekked across on just a small raft.
WOW Christophersepp, you said everything that just couldn’t bring myself to type. You are right on several accounts, the biggest one being, AMC doesn’t want anything less than 15 to 20 screens. End of story. (too bad for the rest of us) And as the independant owner I work for always says, 90% of the ill’s in todays movie business is because of AMC. They were the ones who introduced 20-plexes, they were the ones who brought about stadium seating. And they are the ones who are pushing for the elimination of film and having digital projection and dietmax (or minimax or whatever the hell you want to call it, but it isn’t IMAX). I have been in the business for over 30 years, and I can tell you, I hate it now, the only time I get pleasure is the occasional film fest at the Count Basie in Red Bank. Reel-to-reel and changeovers, on 20 minute reels. Movies the way they were meant to be.
The funny thing Bill is that after Regal bailed out on Columbia Park, it became a $ 2.00 house for a while, then Pheonix came in and its first run again. I often have tried to figure out how you get to that place. Maybe there’s a secret passageway. (ha-ha)
Try contacting the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth New Jersey, a beautifully restored 2770 seat theatre that sits virtually empty. 908-352-7315 or 908-352-7469.
I could be wrong, but during the 1980’s, if this was a porn theatre at that time, then this, along with the Earle in Jackson Heights, the Globe in the Bronx, The Polk, as well as the Cinema 9 and Sayrewoods in New Jersey were all run by the same person. I worked at the Sayrewoods, and I know every week we would shuffle the film around from one theatre to the next. He made a lot of money out of those places, I could tell you that.
As much as it hurts to read Christophersepp’s comment above, I have been feeling his pain now for years. As an IA projectionist, who has run everything in a theatre, 16MM, 35MM, 70MM, IMAX, I can say that this is the future. Traditional is out, this stadium crap, with all that digital crap is in. And don’t even get me started on the newest rebirth of 3-D. I was around for the last one in the late 70’s that only lasted a few years. Wait until people realize they have to pay $ 3.00 to $ 5.00 more to see digital and 3-D. With this economy, the theatres should be thankful they have people coming at all. My wife who works on stage at various venues has been out of work since the beginning of the year. There are many more like us. And I at least have the privilidge to see this digital crap for free, and you know what? You can keep it. As I have said numerous times before, give me good ol 35 or 70MM anyday, anytime.
I still cannot see how, with this economy, Redstone is going to come out of this without a major sell-off and closing of theatres. As my friend Tom mentioned above, here in New Jersey, several NA theatres have closed the past few years, including the Amboys (floor collapse) the All-Jersey in Newark, and the Atco. The only ones left now are Edgewater, Hazlet and West Windsor, as well as the Ritz in Haddonfield.
And in the past few years, Redstone has put an emphasis on the westchester area of New York. Its only been a few years since City Center opened in White Plains, and there already were seveal NA theatres in the area.
I must give credit, cablevision did a fabulous job renovating. I wonder if they might someday have movie premieres here like they do at the Zig, since this is over twice the size. It could really be a red carpet premiere here.
Sad to see. Lets hope it gets a new lease on life. It may take a ‘miracle’. (no pun intended) We dont need more condos office buildings and shopping centers. And as far as NA starting out only in the drive-in business, the way things are going over there, they might be in the theatre business much longer.
Good for you Denny Pine, I wish I could do the same. Unfortunately, the union has me working in 2 of those multi’s, but you know, the mortgage has to be paid. But I agree, give me the good old days, like last night when I ran a 35MM print of “Citizen Kane” in a restored 1500 seat theatre. 20 min reels and changeovers, now thats movies.
Looks to be one of those ‘automaticket’ machines that were popular in the 60’s and 70’s.
Yes I do remember (and miss) those double features. And the one you saw in 1974 was typical of that era, where a new movie would be doubled with one from 6 months to a year earlier. (sometimes even 2 or 3 years earlier) Some other classic ‘double features’ from that time include, “The Graduate” & “Carnal Knowledge”, “The French Connection” & “MAS*H”, and “Bullitt” & “Bonnie and Clyde”. When the theatres were short on films to run, they could always count on these, and others to get them thru.
No pun intended, but lets hope a “miracle” happens before cash strapped Sumner sells the land to some developer who’s going to put up more useless condos or another unnecesary shopping plaza. Todays kids look at you like youre from outer space when you say ‘drive-in movies’ or even ‘single screen theatres’. All they know are these damn 18 and 24 plexes.
It is something to think that a festival like Woodstock could never happen again, not in todays world. And yes the promoters had no idea what was coming because that festival had been going on for a few years with maybe a few thousand people showing up over the 3 days. But in 1969, it was like all the planets aligned and we all know the result from the great movie that was to follow. What I wouldn’t give to see it on the big screen again in 35MM stereo.
Its funny how this theatre was an RKO from the start, and yet was built similar to many Jery Lewis theatres from the early 70’s. I remember the twin my late father worked at in Carteret N.J. The left theatre was blue and the right theatre was red. The concession stand was built right across the lobby, so there was no way to cross from one side to the other. This was helpful later in the decade after JL was out of the business and the theatre started showing soft porn in the blue theatre (which they called the adult side, the other theatre was the family side.) It finally closed in 1984, but man that place was fun, alot like your sounded like.
I couldn’t agree with you more on BOTH statements Peter. Only one thing however. Having worked for them for almost 8 years, Clearview is HARDLY a major chain. They are a major chain wanna be, who unfortunately sucked up a lot of the beautifully run independent theatres you speak of. I know people are going to say former union projectionist with a grudge, but I have been in the business for over 33 years and I have seen what works and what doesn’t. And these big megaplexes have ruined the whole industry.
This theatre, I believe, was almost identical in size and style to the Loew’s Route 18 (which also was twinned in 1973) in East Brunswick, N.J.
Isn’t that the case most of the time pamajestic? And I totally agree with you about film. Its going to take a LONG time for them to totally get rid of it, if they ever do.
Hi joni. I am a projectionist from here in central New Jersey. I hope you guys make it. I have been sick of late, but if I get time I would like to come visit. After working so many booths the past 33 years, I still like to see new ones. Maybe I’ll try the trek in a few weeks.
We need more of these around the country!!
I know it was a long time ago, and I scanned thru all the above posts, perhaps I missed it, but isn’t this theatre one the few that Loew’s walked away from after the great blackout of 1977? As I remember reading, they just never showed up again after the power returned.
Nice to see this place still around. I know that over the past 15 to 20 years its been under numerous ownerships and closed for long periods of time. Good Luck. It will be nice for someone to say ‘see you can make money with a twin’.
You are right Ken. The independant theatre owner I work for had to put out a boat load of money for the hearing inpaired system (10 screens) and in the 5+ years I’ve worked there, I can recall about maybe 10 people requsting it. Do the math, that’s 2 people a year. A most expensive outlay. Now he is faced with putting in at least one digital projector, so as to keep up with everyone else.
With regards to the very first post at the top of this page, there was a film made about that raft expedition. I remember the theatre my late father was projectionist at ran it in 1974 I believe. If memory serves me, I think it was called “The RA Expedition.” I have tried to find this on video for years, but there seems to be no record of this film. It was very interesting how they trekked across on just a small raft.
WOW Christophersepp, you said everything that just couldn’t bring myself to type. You are right on several accounts, the biggest one being, AMC doesn’t want anything less than 15 to 20 screens. End of story. (too bad for the rest of us) And as the independant owner I work for always says, 90% of the ill’s in todays movie business is because of AMC. They were the ones who introduced 20-plexes, they were the ones who brought about stadium seating. And they are the ones who are pushing for the elimination of film and having digital projection and dietmax (or minimax or whatever the hell you want to call it, but it isn’t IMAX). I have been in the business for over 30 years, and I can tell you, I hate it now, the only time I get pleasure is the occasional film fest at the Count Basie in Red Bank. Reel-to-reel and changeovers, on 20 minute reels. Movies the way they were meant to be.
Somewhere on the tube it was shipped in should be the size on a label or written with a sharpie marker.
The funny thing Bill is that after Regal bailed out on Columbia Park, it became a $ 2.00 house for a while, then Pheonix came in and its first run again. I often have tried to figure out how you get to that place. Maybe there’s a secret passageway. (ha-ha)
Try contacting the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth New Jersey, a beautifully restored 2770 seat theatre that sits virtually empty. 908-352-7315 or 908-352-7469.
I could be wrong, but during the 1980’s, if this was a porn theatre at that time, then this, along with the Earle in Jackson Heights, the Globe in the Bronx, The Polk, as well as the Cinema 9 and Sayrewoods in New Jersey were all run by the same person. I worked at the Sayrewoods, and I know every week we would shuffle the film around from one theatre to the next. He made a lot of money out of those places, I could tell you that.
As much as it hurts to read Christophersepp’s comment above, I have been feeling his pain now for years. As an IA projectionist, who has run everything in a theatre, 16MM, 35MM, 70MM, IMAX, I can say that this is the future. Traditional is out, this stadium crap, with all that digital crap is in. And don’t even get me started on the newest rebirth of 3-D. I was around for the last one in the late 70’s that only lasted a few years. Wait until people realize they have to pay $ 3.00 to $ 5.00 more to see digital and 3-D. With this economy, the theatres should be thankful they have people coming at all. My wife who works on stage at various venues has been out of work since the beginning of the year. There are many more like us. And I at least have the privilidge to see this digital crap for free, and you know what? You can keep it. As I have said numerous times before, give me good ol 35 or 70MM anyday, anytime.
I still cannot see how, with this economy, Redstone is going to come out of this without a major sell-off and closing of theatres. As my friend Tom mentioned above, here in New Jersey, several NA theatres have closed the past few years, including the Amboys (floor collapse) the All-Jersey in Newark, and the Atco. The only ones left now are Edgewater, Hazlet and West Windsor, as well as the Ritz in Haddonfield.
And in the past few years, Redstone has put an emphasis on the westchester area of New York. Its only been a few years since City Center opened in White Plains, and there already were seveal NA theatres in the area.
I must give credit, cablevision did a fabulous job renovating. I wonder if they might someday have movie premieres here like they do at the Zig, since this is over twice the size. It could really be a red carpet premiere here.
Glad to see this one back up and running. Hey LuisV, although nothing is happening now, the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J. also has been restored.