again thanks to Al A. for your font of knowledge about the
roadshow policy. of the seven houses the studios used for
their roadshow engagements during the 1952-1972 period
(Criterion, Loews State, RKO Palace, Demille, Warner,Rivoli
Loews Capitol) the shortest roadshow run I can remember
was Half A Sixpence at the Criterion which ran a grand
total of 6 weeks. either Paramount or the management of
the Criterion or both decided to pull the film. my point
being simple- apparently if a roadshow run wasn’t doing
business it would/could be pulled rather quickly. therefore
I assuming that TGSET’s box office at the Warner was in fact
sufficient enough to keep it there 44 weeks otherwise as
HAS demonstrates the theater and or studio would have no
trouble pulling it.
another thought. the blu-rays discs of Hello Dolly and
Cleopatra make those two films truly come alive. anyone
watching these two films for the first time on blu-ray disc
will certainly wonder why they’re considered flops duds, etc…
the answer is simple- they’re considered flops, duds etc….
because they cost too damn much for the dollar value of
their day(June ‘63 and Dec. 69) there was no way they could
possibly break even.
to Al A. as always thanks for your font of knowledge when ‘
it comers to the roadshow policy. another question. I hope
to find it again but a few years I came across a site that
listed Manhattan’s roadshow engagements listed by length of
run with the theater listed. now I saw The Greatest Story
Ever Told twice during its roadshow run “in Cinerama” at
the Warner. I enjoyed it regardless of the reputation the
film has. now the list stated TGSET roadshow run at the Warner
lasted 44 weeks. at the time the film was a big loss for UA
since it cost to damn much for the dollar value of the day to
turn a profit. but if it was a disappointment for UA why in
God’s name did the Warner keep it for 44 weeks? some
roadshow runs that were considered successes didn’t run
44 weeks.
to Al A.– as always thanks for the info as you have been
kind enough to do since I discovered this wonderful a few
years ago. a follow up question. a friend of mine in San
Francisco told me an interesting story. UA was able to hook
the Golden Gate into a lengthy enough contract for Man
of La Mancha based on the previous years success with
Fiddler on the Roof. unfortunately for the Golden Gate
lighting didn’t strike twice. so he said week after week
when the theater was playing to smaller and smaller
audiences rather than lose more money they simply closed
the theater. so I was wondering what ways there were
for a theater to get out of a long term contract.
a questions for anyone knowledgeable about the roadshow
exhibition policy. when a theater made a deal with a
company to host the roadshow engagement did they do so for
an agreed period of time and if the film was popular enough
to hold past the original period it was great for the
theater. but what if the film didn’t exactly ignite
the box office was there a way for the theater to get out
of its contract?
to HowardBHaas- unless you have a vested interest in
Milstein Properties(the owner of the building complex
Lincoln Plaza was a part of) I thought your comment was
a tad to frank. I suppose I should have said this- the
fact that the Lincoln Plaza never reopened is by an large
proof that MP’s comment about the theater reopening
after structural work was completed was a big fib. I by
no means meant to interpret Al A. and MarkNYLA’s comment
comments as providing evidence.
for the opening weekend April 26-28 how can I tell if a
showing is in the Dolby Cinema? I figure End Game is the
perfect film to experience the Dolby Cinema for the first
time.
thanks to Al A. and MarkNYLA for the info. so are your
responses a discreet way of saying when the Lincoln
Plaza closed end Jan. 2018 and the management company
said “the theater will reopen when the necessary
structural work is completed” it was one big fat lie?
is this theater ever going to be a regular 1st run house
again. the ads I’ve seen in the Times makes it appear to
only show films after they’ve exhausted they original 1st
run engagements.
what’s all this i hear/read about people paying
astronomical sums to scalpers for opening tickets
to End Game? i just looked at Fandango and none of
the shows for opening weekend i looked at were sold out.
one of my most pleasant experiences of seeing a film
at this theater was the opening day 1st performance of
A Bridge Too Far. aside from from enjoying the film
and getting a nice free brochure guess who was outside
the theater shaking hands and greeting people as they
entered? none other than Joseph E. Levine himself.
looking at the “Today on Stage at….” at the top of the
image i don’t know see how they could have done a personal
appearence at one theater and gotten to the next by the
time listed.
I find it fascinating how classic Oscar winning films
faired in different markets. for example The Diary of
Anne Frank played here on a two performance a day reserved
seat engagement for was it 6? months. in San Francisco
the film’s sole 1st run engagement was a 2 week one at
the Fox where it ran on a continuous performance basis.
is the comment “the theater rapidly deteriorated” after
the late80s/early90s renovations referring to the physical
condition of the theater or the to be frank the quality of
the patrons?
in terms of being in continual operation(which includes
being closed for renovations) since the day it opened isn’t
this the oldest movie theater in NYC?
this is a question for people who saw Dumbo at this theater
this past weekend. I don’t like this new trend in dark films
meaning the visuals not the dramatic tone. I saw the film
at the 19th East and found the film as dark as Solo: A Stars
Story and Captain Marvel. I don’t get it. they spend millions
on a film and can’t afford proper lighting? even the scenes
in Dumbo which took place during the day were unusually dark.
is my assumption correct that large movie theaters such
as the Roxy(or the Fox in San Francisco) probably played as
many B or even C movies as they played A movies?
thank you to my fellow posters for their replies to the
darkness issue I started. a question- is it remotely
possible that some directors consciously shot scenes that
are under lit to be artsy?
thanks to stevenj for your thoughts on the darkness issue.
I saw Boy Erased at this theater last Nov. and was disappointed
that a few scenes were rather under lit. so last month when
the Blu-ray came out I bought and guess what? the scenes I had
the dimly lit issue with were the same way on the Blu-ray.
thanks for your replies about the darkness issue. so is
stevenj saying that CM wasn’t filmed that dark its just how
the Orpheum was screening it? I ask the question again
since the Orpheum manager said in the case of “Solo” that
that was the way the film was shot and not a result of their
screening of it.
in terms of ridethectrain’s comment. as I said my screening
of CM at the Orpheum was way to dark in spots to the point
in a few scenes you couldn’t see exactly what was happening.
so is ridethectrain’s comment to infer that the projectionist
at the Orpheum was incorrectly screening the film? I had the
same problem at the screening I attended last Spring of
Solo-A Star Wars Story. I questioned the manager and he said
it was the film not the way they were showing it.
Hello-
again thanks to Al A. for your font of knowledge about the roadshow policy. of the seven houses the studios used for their roadshow engagements during the 1952-1972 period (Criterion, Loews State, RKO Palace, Demille, Warner,Rivoli Loews Capitol) the shortest roadshow run I can remember was Half A Sixpence at the Criterion which ran a grand total of 6 weeks. either Paramount or the management of the Criterion or both decided to pull the film. my point being simple- apparently if a roadshow run wasn’t doing business it would/could be pulled rather quickly. therefore I assuming that TGSET’s box office at the Warner was in fact sufficient enough to keep it there 44 weeks otherwise as HAS demonstrates the theater and or studio would have no trouble pulling it.
another thought. the blu-rays discs of Hello Dolly and Cleopatra make those two films truly come alive. anyone watching these two films for the first time on blu-ray disc will certainly wonder why they’re considered flops duds, etc… the answer is simple- they’re considered flops, duds etc…. because they cost too damn much for the dollar value of their day(June ‘63 and Dec. 69) there was no way they could possibly break even.
Hello-
to Al A. as always thanks for your font of knowledge when ‘ it comers to the roadshow policy. another question. I hope to find it again but a few years I came across a site that listed Manhattan’s roadshow engagements listed by length of run with the theater listed. now I saw The Greatest Story Ever Told twice during its roadshow run “in Cinerama” at the Warner. I enjoyed it regardless of the reputation the film has. now the list stated TGSET roadshow run at the Warner lasted 44 weeks. at the time the film was a big loss for UA since it cost to damn much for the dollar value of the day to turn a profit. but if it was a disappointment for UA why in God’s name did the Warner keep it for 44 weeks? some roadshow runs that were considered successes didn’t run 44 weeks.
Hello-
to Al A.– as always thanks for the info as you have been
kind enough to do since I discovered this wonderful a few years ago. a follow up question. a friend of mine in San Francisco told me an interesting story. UA was able to hook the Golden Gate into a lengthy enough contract for Man of La Mancha based on the previous years success with Fiddler on the Roof. unfortunately for the Golden Gate lighting didn’t strike twice. so he said week after week when the theater was playing to smaller and smaller audiences rather than lose more money they simply closed the theater. so I was wondering what ways there were for a theater to get out of a long term contract.
Hello-
a questions for anyone knowledgeable about the roadshow exhibition policy. when a theater made a deal with a company to host the roadshow engagement did they do so for an agreed period of time and if the film was popular enough to hold past the original period it was great for the theater. but what if the film didn’t exactly ignite the box office was there a way for the theater to get out of its contract?
Hello-
to HowardBHaas- unless you have a vested interest in Milstein Properties(the owner of the building complex Lincoln Plaza was a part of) I thought your comment was a tad to frank. I suppose I should have said this- the fact that the Lincoln Plaza never reopened is by an large proof that MP’s comment about the theater reopening after structural work was completed was a big fib. I by no means meant to interpret Al A. and MarkNYLA’s comment comments as providing evidence.
Hello-
for the opening weekend April 26-28 how can I tell if a showing is in the Dolby Cinema? I figure End Game is the perfect film to experience the Dolby Cinema for the first time.
Hello-
thanks to Al A. and MarkNYLA for the info. so are your responses a discreet way of saying when the Lincoln Plaza closed end Jan. 2018 and the management company said “the theater will reopen when the necessary structural work is completed” it was one big fat lie?
Hello-
is this theater ever going to be a regular 1st run house again. the ads I’ve seen in the Times makes it appear to only show films after they’ve exhausted they original 1st run engagements.
Hello-
what’s all this i hear/read about people paying astronomical sums to scalpers for opening tickets to End Game? i just looked at Fandango and none of the shows for opening weekend i looked at were sold out.
Hello-
one of my most pleasant experiences of seeing a film at this theater was the opening day 1st performance of A Bridge Too Far. aside from from enjoying the film and getting a nice free brochure guess who was outside the theater shaking hands and greeting people as they entered? none other than Joseph E. Levine himself.
Hello-
in the early 60s I remember going here with friends to
see The Three Stooges Meet Hercules.
Hello-
looking at the “Today on Stage at….” at the top of the image i don’t know see how they could have done a personal appearence at one theater and gotten to the next by the time listed.
Hello-
the building currently at 2319 Westchester Ave. looks nothing like the building in the picture above. what building might dave-bronx be referring to?
Hello-
I find it fascinating how classic Oscar winning films faired in different markets. for example The Diary of Anne Frank played here on a two performance a day reserved seat engagement for was it 6? months. in San Francisco the film’s sole 1st run engagement was a 2 week one at the Fox where it ran on a continuous performance basis.
Hello-
Disney should release this film on a limited edition Blu-ray so people can see just how racist it allegedly is.
Hello-
is the comment “the theater rapidly deteriorated” after the late80s/early90s renovations referring to the physical condition of the theater or the to be frank the quality of the patrons?
Hello-
before it closed in Sept. 1978 was it still showing films first run?
Hello-
in terms of being in continual operation(which includes being closed for renovations) since the day it opened isn’t this the oldest movie theater in NYC?
Hello-
this is a question for people who saw Dumbo at this theater this past weekend. I don’t like this new trend in dark films meaning the visuals not the dramatic tone. I saw the film at the 19th East and found the film as dark as Solo: A Stars Story and Captain Marvel. I don’t get it. they spend millions on a film and can’t afford proper lighting? even the scenes in Dumbo which took place during the day were unusually dark.
Hello-
what changes if any are they doing to the theater’s
auditorium?
Hello-
is my assumption correct that large movie theaters such as the Roxy(or the Fox in San Francisco) probably played as many B or even C movies as they played A movies?
Hello-
thank you to my fellow posters for their replies to the darkness issue I started. a question- is it remotely possible that some directors consciously shot scenes that are under lit to be artsy?
Hello-
thanks to stevenj for your thoughts on the darkness issue. I saw Boy Erased at this theater last Nov. and was disappointed that a few scenes were rather under lit. so last month when the Blu-ray came out I bought and guess what? the scenes I had the dimly lit issue with were the same way on the Blu-ray.
Hello-
thanks for your replies about the darkness issue. so is stevenj saying that CM wasn’t filmed that dark its just how the Orpheum was screening it? I ask the question again since the Orpheum manager said in the case of “Solo” that that was the way the film was shot and not a result of their screening of it.
Hello-
in terms of ridethectrain’s comment. as I said my screening of CM at the Orpheum was way to dark in spots to the point in a few scenes you couldn’t see exactly what was happening. so is ridethectrain’s comment to infer that the projectionist at the Orpheum was incorrectly screening the film? I had the same problem at the screening I attended last Spring of Solo-A Star Wars Story. I questioned the manager and he said it was the film not the way they were showing it.