It was sad to see that the Friday and Saturday night shows did not sell out, especially when compared to the overflow crowds in 2003, but I hope this doesn’t deter Arclight from showing the film every couple of years or so. The Cinerama faithful will come from all over, just to experience it one more time. As I said to one of the ushers, entering the Dome to see “How the West Was Won” was like walking into a church.
Bill Kallay and Manwithnoname are right – if there’s any way you can get there before the engagement ends, you won’t be disappointed. In fact you won’t believe your eyes. Cinerama can turn a simple shot of Debbie Reynolds and Carroll Baker standing among a bunch of trees on a riverbank into a truly beautiful, awe-inspiring sight. Don’t even get me started on what it can do for the action sequences.
I like how the ad for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” tells us that the movie is “after Stephen Vincent Benet”. Seems like moviegoers were more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.
I like how the ad for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” tells us that the movie is “after Stephen Vincent Benet”. Seems like moviegoers more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.
And the audience for the opening night of “The Fly”, which I attended, was very enthusiastic (and also very afraid). I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. I went it expecting a big stinker, an insult to the memory of the beloved 1958 version. I still think it’s one of the few remakes ever made that were just as good as the original.
I met Mr. Wise also, when the Biograph showed “Star!” sometime in the ‘90’s (may have been the same festival Vincent attended). During intermission, I got to thank him personally for “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “The Haunting”.
No, you’re right, Vincent. He deserved one of those front page below-the-fold articles with a picture. He got the same treatment as Bob Denver. He should’ve gotten the same treatment as Marlon Brando.
To be fair to the New York Times, they did mention Wise on the front page of yesterday’s late edition, which we get here at work. It was a listing in the “Inside” index at the bottom of the page: “Robert Wise, Director, Dies” … page A29.
I agree with Vincent here. The obituary in Variety was more in keeping with Wise’s great talent. The headline read “A Master of Cinema”.
The Rivoli page is a good place to talk about Robert Wise. His films kept the theater packed with thrilled, satisfied customers for several years.
Now that he’s gone (and Guy Green, director of “A Patch of Blue”, died yesterday at age 91, same age as Wise), who’s left? I can only think of Stanley Donen and Sidney Lumet.
Thanks, TC, for that great picture of the Lee. When I’d go there as a 7-year-old in 1962, it always seemed very futuristic-looking to me. The funny thing is, it still does!
“The Silver Chalice” – probably the funniest example of unintentional humor ever seen on the screen. Even that ad is funny (“With A Cast of Thronging Thousands”).
William Castle’s “Homicidal” (1961) had the 45-second Fright Break, when those too frightened to see the end of the movie could sneak off to the Cowards' Corner in the lobby. I was 6 years old, and a definite coward, but since we saw it at a drive-in all I could do was hide my head in my mother’s lap. Then of course I instantly regretted not watching the scary scene, and had to be told “the head rolled down the stairs”.
Vincent’s idea about making the Ziegfeld into an East Coast American Cinematheque is so logical. How can we get the Clearview executives to read these posts? Right now the Ziegfeld is going to waste and it’s really sad. Remember back in 1996 when “Vertigo” played there to big crowds for weeks? A Friday night show I attended a couple of weeks into the run was a complete sellout. Forget stuff like “The Baxter”: the Ziegfeld would be the perfect home for classic movies. We can all see it – why can’t Clearview?
Vito: your love for your profession was never more apparent than when you talked about the IMAX prints loving the high humidity, as if they were alive. Guys like you and Rob Endres belong in the Projectionists Hall of Fame.
I saw “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in that Museum of Modern Art series, and the print was missing the important scene in Berne, Switzerland, in the lawyer’s office. It just skipped right over the entire sequence. And that was supposed to be a print from Broccoli’s personal collection. Never could figure out what went wrong there.
Thanks for the two great ads, Robert. You always see hype like “one of the greatest” tossed around in movie ads, but in the case of “West Side Story”, they were being 100% accurate.
What a classy coming attractions announcement for “The Nun’s Story”, as befitting one of the finest movies ever made. Out of all the excellent movies Audrey made, I’d choose this one as her best. The long-awaited DVD release is set for November 8th.
Do they have tours of the Chinese Theater? I was there two years ago and bought a ticket to “The School of Rock” mainly to see the theater like Knatcal did. The movie turned out to be very good anyway, but I’d hate to have to sit through something like “The Dukes of Hazzard”.
I was wrong about the song – it was sung by “The Pennypipers”. It was an early credit for John Williams. He wrote the film’s score and the music for the title song.
I feel bad about Natalie. Now I’m glad I did go to see it in wide release, at the Rivoli in Rutherford NJ. All I can remember about it now is the title song, sung by (I think) the Association. Got to check on that …
Strange how one of the all-time great Christmas movies opened on June 4th. Maybe it was so popular it played right through the rest of the year after leaving the Roxy?
I was only 4 years old when these great classics played the Hall in 1959, but Bill’s amazingly detailed memories are the next best thing to having been there too. As for the programs, my printer sure is getting a workout.
It was sad to see that the Friday and Saturday night shows did not sell out, especially when compared to the overflow crowds in 2003, but I hope this doesn’t deter Arclight from showing the film every couple of years or so. The Cinerama faithful will come from all over, just to experience it one more time. As I said to one of the ushers, entering the Dome to see “How the West Was Won” was like walking into a church.
Bill Kallay and Manwithnoname are right – if there’s any way you can get there before the engagement ends, you won’t be disappointed. In fact you won’t believe your eyes. Cinerama can turn a simple shot of Debbie Reynolds and Carroll Baker standing among a bunch of trees on a riverbank into a truly beautiful, awe-inspiring sight. Don’t even get me started on what it can do for the action sequences.
I didn’t know Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler (“The Ballad of the Green Berets”) ever made a movie. But there he is, in the cast of “Dayton’s Devils”.
I like how the ad for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” tells us that the movie is “after Stephen Vincent Benet”. Seems like moviegoers were more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.
I like how the ad for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” tells us that the movie is “after Stephen Vincent Benet”. Seems like moviegoers more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.
And the audience for the opening night of “The Fly”, which I attended, was very enthusiastic (and also very afraid). I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. I went it expecting a big stinker, an insult to the memory of the beloved 1958 version. I still think it’s one of the few remakes ever made that were just as good as the original.
I don’t know, Bob … I have a feeling “Farewell Uncle Tom” (rated X) is probably more interesting than 90% of the movies playing in theaters today.
Thanks Robert R.: I saw “Ben-Hur” at the Loew’s during that engagement (I was 6) but I couldn’t remember the exact month.
I met Mr. Wise also, when the Biograph showed “Star!” sometime in the ‘90’s (may have been the same festival Vincent attended). During intermission, I got to thank him personally for “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “The Haunting”.
No, you’re right, Vincent. He deserved one of those front page below-the-fold articles with a picture. He got the same treatment as Bob Denver. He should’ve gotten the same treatment as Marlon Brando.
To be fair to the New York Times, they did mention Wise on the front page of yesterday’s late edition, which we get here at work. It was a listing in the “Inside” index at the bottom of the page: “Robert Wise, Director, Dies” … page A29.
I agree with Vincent here. The obituary in Variety was more in keeping with Wise’s great talent. The headline read “A Master of Cinema”.
The Rivoli page is a good place to talk about Robert Wise. His films kept the theater packed with thrilled, satisfied customers for several years.
Now that he’s gone (and Guy Green, director of “A Patch of Blue”, died yesterday at age 91, same age as Wise), who’s left? I can only think of Stanley Donen and Sidney Lumet.
Thanks, TC, for that great picture of the Lee. When I’d go there as a 7-year-old in 1962, it always seemed very futuristic-looking to me. The funny thing is, it still does!
Capt. Ron: Here’s an excellent explanation of the roadshow concept from Marty Hart’s American Widescreen Museum site:
View link
You shouldn’t feel ignorant about it – the concept was practically dead by the early 1970’s, sad to say.
“The Silver Chalice” – probably the funniest example of unintentional humor ever seen on the screen. Even that ad is funny (“With A Cast of Thronging Thousands”).
William Castle’s “Homicidal” (1961) had the 45-second Fright Break, when those too frightened to see the end of the movie could sneak off to the Cowards' Corner in the lobby. I was 6 years old, and a definite coward, but since we saw it at a drive-in all I could do was hide my head in my mother’s lap. Then of course I instantly regretted not watching the scary scene, and had to be told “the head rolled down the stairs”.
Vincent’s idea about making the Ziegfeld into an East Coast American Cinematheque is so logical. How can we get the Clearview executives to read these posts? Right now the Ziegfeld is going to waste and it’s really sad. Remember back in 1996 when “Vertigo” played there to big crowds for weeks? A Friday night show I attended a couple of weeks into the run was a complete sellout. Forget stuff like “The Baxter”: the Ziegfeld would be the perfect home for classic movies. We can all see it – why can’t Clearview?
Vito: your love for your profession was never more apparent than when you talked about the IMAX prints loving the high humidity, as if they were alive. Guys like you and Rob Endres belong in the Projectionists Hall of Fame.
I saw “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in that Museum of Modern Art series, and the print was missing the important scene in Berne, Switzerland, in the lawyer’s office. It just skipped right over the entire sequence. And that was supposed to be a print from Broccoli’s personal collection. Never could figure out what went wrong there.
Thanks for the two great ads, Robert. You always see hype like “one of the greatest” tossed around in movie ads, but in the case of “West Side Story”, they were being 100% accurate.
What a classy coming attractions announcement for “The Nun’s Story”, as befitting one of the finest movies ever made. Out of all the excellent movies Audrey made, I’d choose this one as her best. The long-awaited DVD release is set for November 8th.
Do they have tours of the Chinese Theater? I was there two years ago and bought a ticket to “The School of Rock” mainly to see the theater like Knatcal did. The movie turned out to be very good anyway, but I’d hate to have to sit through something like “The Dukes of Hazzard”.
I was wrong about the song – it was sung by “The Pennypipers”. It was an early credit for John Williams. He wrote the film’s score and the music for the title song.
I feel bad about Natalie. Now I’m glad I did go to see it in wide release, at the Rivoli in Rutherford NJ. All I can remember about it now is the title song, sung by (I think) the Association. Got to check on that …
Strange how one of the all-time great Christmas movies opened on June 4th. Maybe it was so popular it played right through the rest of the year after leaving the Roxy?
I was only 4 years old when these great classics played the Hall in 1959, but Bill’s amazingly detailed memories are the next best thing to having been there too. As for the programs, my printer sure is getting a workout.