Ziegfeld Theatre
141 West 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 West 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
104 people
favorited this theater
Showing 201 - 225 of 3,892 comments found
Agree with Bill and William. Install Cinerama and play 70mm classics and classic festivals including 3D films like Dial M For Murder.
Maybe thats what New York needs to do. With a game plan like that the Ziegfeld would be saved and New York would get a true State-of-the-Art theatre for the future.
We have nothing like them here. The Film Forum programs great but lets face it the cinemas are tiny as are the screens.
Yes, the American Cinematheque / Egyptian and Aero Theatres do very well.
One thing that would work for the Ziegfeld Theatre. Is to build a ARCLight type plex around it like Pacific Theatres did for the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. And offer TRUE State-of-the Art movie presentations and retro film & Director series there. And add food and coffee cafe service and make it a one stop GOING TO THE MOVIES type of Theatre.
I used to go to the movies once a week but now maybe once a month because of the garbage product. I loved IMAX until they started making IMAX screens that were half the size of the original. I still travel to the Ziegfeld for the festivals or if anything of quality plays there. I have attended the theatre since it opened and have always felt the screen is way to small to really impress. I always hoped they would put in a huge wall to wall curved screen that could give us an experience similar to the Music Hall.
Does anyone know if the Egyptian Theater/American Cinematheque in Hollywood is a success? They show classic movies only, several times a week. A format like that might be just what the Ziegfeld needs. I was there once in 2003 (“Dial M for Murder”) and there were no empty seats.
Then why is it not doing the business? Yes you can get anywhere in Manhattan. But alot of people like to go to the plexes over on 42nd or Lincoln Square. I live three blocks from the Ziegfeld and I’m in the film business. I just don’t go down that street most of the time. I go by Radio City afew times a week. The Large single screen theatres no longer make money, they are limited.
But that was May. There needs to be hundreds of people every day to make it work. I know that was back then Al. You’re right on the 42nd Street houses.
Hello Again-
i always enjoy reading my fellow posters comments. to which i myself do not consider this theater in the-“Out Sight~Out of Mind” category. i mean Radio City Music Hall is within spitting distance and people don’t have trouble finding that theater. so considering we humans have the ability to walk and Manhattan has both great bus and subway lines i don’t see how this theater is anymore “out of the way” than any other movie theater in Manhattan.
Special events always do well at the Ziegfeld. There were hundreds of people there for “Yellow Submarine” in May.
If clearances still existed in Manhattan the Ziegfeld would have closed long ago. The 42nd street theatres with staggered showtimes on multiple screens and bigger grosses would deny it any product at all, much less tentpole titles.
The Ziegfeld Theatre only survives on the Big Studio Tentpole movies each year. Which could be around 4-5 films, the rest of the time it runs mostly empty. The only time the Ziegfeld roars is with a exclusive engagements and you see the numbers and lines. The only thing the Ziegfeld can offer is the biggest regular movie screen in town. You can get Digital Projection and Digital sound at 90% of the area theatres. In many first run markets there was a area clearance zone. As to this theatre and the next closest theatre that could play the film. In Los Angeles at one time it was 5 miles clearance zone. That was before the Big Multi-Plex build up. So the pie got cut smaller for the big releases. So if your theatre was going to play it on two screens and the next chain down the street has it on 3 screens, he got more business. The film distribution has changed in the last 10 years and is changing faster with digital presentations. The only way the Ziegfeld Theatre can survive is to give the theatre patron , something they can’t get at another local theatre. One problem is that the theatre is over on 54th Street away from Times Square business, so I find it Out of Sight, Out of Mind.
I’m sure the Dark Knight Rises will be the longest running movie at the ZIegfeld lol…..
This is the New York Post folks. What they meant is “that story we made up last week is simply not true.” They do this all the time.
Thanks Gary (Ziegfeld Man) for the funny quote from another great movie I saw from the front row of the Ziegfeld.
Usually when the theater closes between movies they usually check for bugs or bad equipment as well as upgrade the theater to the latest projection and surround sound. Clearview’s most famous venue is also its most valuable and profitable. FYI, the parent company of the Post, News Corp (which will soon break up into two), had its Fox division send some of its movies there, including the Star Wars prequels and the classic trilogy special edition.
Hello To My Fellow Posters-
there’s one statement in the doom and gloom article from this past Sunday’s N Y Post that seems made up simply to give the article bite. it says patrons were shocked when they arrived at the Ziegfeld the Memorial Day weekend an the doors were looked. but why would people have shown up at the theater that weekend if it was temporarily closed and there- fore couldn’t have had any advertised screening times.
Or put another way:
Charles Foster Kane: You’re right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I’ll have to close this place in… 60 years.
The New York Post has been crying doom for the Ziegfeld for months, but here’s an article from today’s paper.
You should take everything from Fox News sources in stride. The Ziegfeld couldn’t loose over $1 million a year even if it remained closed all year. The math simply doesn’t add up.
The two theatres on 42nd street do lose more than that with their newer leases, but they are cash producing cows and that cash can be invested elsewhere before the bills have to get paid.
I was very upset as Fox News said that the Ziegfeld lost over $1 million last year and will have to close for good. This is the last movie palace in New York; the rest are tiny multiplexes. The Music Hall, of course, is a palace as well, but rarely shows films anymore. How sad; no more glamorous premieres in midtown. I already miss the Roxy and the other palaces which were demolished. Maybe this theter can get a landmark status but this takes a long time. Remember what happened to the elegant old Penn Station and the Roxy. The grandeur of the Ziegfeld will remain in my heart as a senior but the young will have no such memories. Sad!
Sorry should read {seemed ok not of }
Clearview aka Cablevision and throw in the mix Newsday, wants to sell Clearview…any takers? Clearview and Cable seemed of combo til' they bought Newsday..Lets hope the new owners take the OPT free movie night cards..
As the Ziegfeldman, I must comment that this entire NY Post article is totally based on conjecture.
“In addition to showing the latest blockbuster films, Clearview’s Ziegfeld Theatre is a landmark location for movie premieres and events,’’ Clearview said in a brief e-mail statement that didn’t address financial issues. “It is normal course of business for the theatre to be closed at certain times.”
We already know this. We’ve known it for years.
So, what does it take to keep a 1000 seat venue viable? Not enough movie premieres and not enough exclusive films (see above). But events, yes!!
I have been to the Ziegfeld for several Metropolitan Opera HD broadcasts, one of the most creative money-making things the Met ever came up with. And the Ziegfeld, to my ecstasy, was packed. At $25, a bargain.
We are in the era of Fathom events…and the Ziegfeld is a perfect venue. The Rolling Stones will tour in 2013. For my money, I would get a better view at the Ziegfeld, than at a stadium seat for much more money. Now, multiple that by all the EXCLUSIVE events that people would come to see. The market is there.