Lafayette Theatre
97 Lafayette Avenue,
Suffern,
NY
10901
97 Lafayette Avenue,
Suffern,
NY
10901
35 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 902 comments
I’ll have to check on the exact numbers. I thought that they have to pay $300 to show a classic film. As well as take a fee but it could be either or. I’ll have to check
Movieguy, do you think when Lafayette shows a classic film, the studio requires a certain fee upfront (such as $500) in addition to 30% of the box office sales? I thought it was more like 50/50 – where for each movie, the studio gets 50% of the sales while the theater gets 50% with no fee upfront.
Yes paying for admission would be helpful. Also getting somthibg At the concession stand is also quite helpful. It does not have to be a big purchase. Even a box of candy helps. This IS were Lafayette makes its profit. For a regular film like Star Wars or Dead pool Hunger Games studio takes 65%,of each dollar. 30% from the classic series admission. So purchasing a water box of candy popcorn or a popcorn and drink HELPS!
I ALWAYS get a popcorn and drink for regular films. At least a drink for classic series.I don’t know how many of the folks who get free admission buy somthing at the concession stand. But even tho some may think the cost for an item may be high. It’s a small price to pay to help the theatre
I totally agree, Sam83….“everyone needs to pay” for a ticket… everyone. (and this is coming from someone who is considered a “senior”) If we truly appreciate something such as the Classic Movie program at the Lafayette we need to open up our wallets every time at the Lafayette box office.
Cost is a factor. 35MM cost $500.00 to run a print. DCP can be almost be the same cost now sadly. A DVD Blu Ray still can be $180.00 to $300.00. Plus the studio STILL asks for a percentage of the box office. Only about 25%. Last fall cost of admission $5 Ramapo seniors FREE. The series did do farily well attendance wise. 250 Hard Days Night. 350 Nosferatu. 200 Bicycle Theif. 450 Mary Poppins. 800 Polar Express (free event) near sell out Christmas show. How many were paying customers vs free seniors I do not have hard numbers. DCP WOULD look better then a Blu Ray. But $$ factors into how they will run ( DCP OR BLU RAY) best thing to spread the word about the upcoming spring series . As well as have MORE folks attend the regular first run films. This IS where the theatre makes its bread and butter. That enableds them to do more special events.
So spread the word about the Lafayette ( Which WILL on March 3 be operating for 92 YEARS ) spread the word on Facebook your page share by posting in your feed to share with your contacts. And other social media sites
Hello Pete,
I agree with others – going to the movie theater to watch a movie shown from a DVD or Blu-ray is not worth the time or money. Sadly I also stopped going. I went to see Jaws last year and was stunned to see it being played from a Blu-ray disc.
Will the Classic series be continuing this year? I know the theater won’t be able to show 35 mm films anymore but any way they can obtain digital versions of classics(DCP)and show that?
I am wondering if there is anything we all can do to bring the classic movie magic back to Lafayette Theater and also make it profitable for the Theater. Maybe have a special set of classic series where everyone needs to pay. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words, guys. The 10 years running the classics at Lafayette were the most fun I ever had while working, no matter how much hassle they could be.
Having been in the trenches with Nelson and Pete, I know they went out of their way to put together seasons of famous and not so famous films. We got Maltese Falcon, White Heat, Red River, Scarface, and we also got The Red Shoes, Bedford Incident, The Stranger and many others. I know Pete knocked himself out to find the best 35mm prints he could find and many Friday nights would be spent inspecting and cleaning the prints to insure the best quality show he could present. I know Pete would sweat over what exit music to play from his vast collection of soundtracks.
The last 2 seasons with Nelson & Pete were starting to show a downturn. Perhaps the seniors were aging out, maybe people just got bored with it. The line-up from the last 2 years is just a very pale shadow of it’s former glory. Instead of programming an interesting and eclectic season, they went for the obvious and common. Casablanca, 1925 Phantom, It’s A Wonderful Life are all good films but they are tired. Some selections just were all wrong. Taxi Driver?? At 11:30 in the morning with a bunch of seniors?? You just don’t do that! Wrong audience entirely! The seniors want to see what THEY saw when they were younger, not what the current owners want to see themselves.
Unless the new management can turn things around, the Lafayette may fade away forever.
Very well said, RHETT52 albeit a somewhat sad admission for me as well. The former Big Screen Classic program was at its height when Nelson and Pete were running the show, so to speak. They always brought to the table films of various interest levels and styles which reflected the involvement of two people who really enjoyed their films. I’m wondering if that’s still the case with the current management group who runs The Lafayette these days. As you said, Nelson and Pete, whether it was with the Bond films, a tribute to Ray Harryhausen, a musical or two, the weekend animation festivals or… the Horror-Thon always brought to the Lafayette their unique perspective and wonderful cinematic variety. It’s a true shame that the patrons of the Lafayette did not seem to appreciate the two showmen who were running the “Big Screen Classics” at the time and their sense of (dare I say it) “good old-fashioned fun” that they presented each weekend at the Lafayette. I guess if this were the case during the last couple of years of the “Big Screen Classics”, perhaps Nelson and Pete might have been able to turn a profit.
I was a loyal patron of the Big Screen Classics since it began. Unfortunately, the series now only shows either a DVD or blu ray copy and a $10 admission price.I have stopped going to the Lafayette for the Big Screen series as I can watch blu ray at home and not pay $10 for it. While I applaud the people running Lafayette for bringing the series all these years and do realize that they weren’t making much of a profit especially with all the senior passes, I cannot justify the trip, the admission price and the fact that I’m not getting a presentation befit of a total movie lover. If they are still successful, then keep it going, but with Nelson and Pete I always knew I was going to get a big screen classic experience and always did. It’s sadly, time for me to say goodbye to the Lafayette but thank them for the over 100 big screen classics I did see there. Still the best theater on the east coast!!
JACA Will program classic series and special events as well
So who is “JACA ENTERTAINMENT” Town of Ramapo will NO LONGER book first run films or do Promotion for the theatre. I guess they wil program the classic Series as well as other events like BAMF film festival and Wild and scenic film fest
“Operated by” needs to change to “JACA Entertainment” as of 11/20/2015 (also, Majestic Star – which no longer exists – hasn’t been the operator since 2013).
Yes. To have a film festival, you need to actually run film. The Lafayette runs all video these days. That is not to say that their classic movie series is not fun, but the magic of actual film is gone.
Hi,
Any thoughts yet on the 2015 Ramapo Saturday Film Festival?
The print I ran of The Sand Pebbles at the Lafayette was a brand new one struck from a newly-done restoration. It was perfect with a wonderful stereo track and remains one of my favorite showings from the 10 years I spent there.
Vidanpar, Yes, there is a roadshow edition of Sand Pebbles (196 min. from 1966, I believe.) Not sure if the edition I saw at the Lafayette was newly – struck or an original from 1966 but it certainly was an almost flawless presentation. Robert Wise at the height of his directorial skills.
A roadshow print of Sand Pebbles? I didn’t even know one existed. Do you know if this was newly struck or was it from the 60s?
Hi JeffS and (a belated) thank you for your attention to and clarification of my neglect in my not giving attention when attention is due to Pete Apruzzese for his program contributions during the “good old days” of “Big Screen Classics”. Certainly not intentional on my part. I just finished listening to excerpts from Elmer Bernstien’s score from “To Kill A Mockingbird” and this started me thinking about all of the great films that I saw for the first time on the big screen at the Lafayette. (The roadshow version of “The Sand Pebbles”, the Japanese version of the first “Godzilla” (Gojira), those great Harryhausen’s… to name a few) Here’s a thought for the Christmas holidays… how about bringing back the 1951 Alastair Sim “A Christmas Carol” or “The Bishop’s Wife” ?
The Basie still has its 35MM connected, (last used 1/13/2015), but we do mostly DCP or Blu-ray as well.
Although the 35mm projectors are still in the booth at the Lafayette, they are no longer connected and all the 35mm sound equipment is no longer functional.
They currently run DCP for first run, and DCP when available for their classics, and Bluray when not.
Yes, mostly concerts. I wont know till a few days before if its 35 or DCP. I ran it there 3 years ago and it was 35mm. Now, not sure. Will keep you posted.
Not a 35MM I am not 100% sure but believe it will be DCP.
Are you doing 35MM? Love to see it in 35
At your theatre. As there are mostly concerts at CB Theatre correct?
Just curious, are you getting a print or DCP ? Im running it on June 24 at the Count Basie Theatre and trying to figure out what I mighy expect
JAWS will screen Sat June 6. 40th anniversary of its release