AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 Tenplex

I remember reading about the Route 4 Paramus theatre in the New York Times movie listings since I was a kid. It was originally owned by RKO Stanley Warner. It always played the biggest blockbusters during the 70s and 80s. Some even played in 70mm. What is the architectural design of the theatre? When the theatre was split into three separate ones, what were the seating capacities? When they started adding screens in the 80s, was it next to the existing theatre? How many screens had 70mm capacity?

When Cineplex Odeon owned the Route 4 Tenplex in the 80s, did it have a neon-and-art deco-style lobby?

At a recent screening as I was leaving the theater I looked in the booth by the entrance (the office) and on the wall were large pictures of when the theater opened featuring shots of the original exterior, interior with the balcony before splitting into a multiscreen, and the interior from the elevators. I meant to ask about them but the people sitting there didn't notice me or ask me and they seemed aloof but I hope to get copies (although i doubt it) Does anyone have any pics of the previous theaters. or acssess to.

My first time there was in June 77 , waiting in line for Star Wars...it was a grand experience, 20 years later , I waited in line again to see it on the same screen, it was a great trip and nostalgic. In all the years I go there to see alot, I prefer the big theater as that's the original with screen. I hear it may close if they build a new multiplex down the road. A shame.

Theaters 8 and 9 are to avoid as they are the small theaters with TV size screens. Does anyone remember the Route 4 Cinema?? Is theater 6 and 7 that theater?? or where was the Route 4 Cinema?? Appreciate a little help on this.

Overall, I go there as it's the last of the classic theaters still going with the original auditorium even though it's been re-done, but it's the same as Star Wars 77 as there was no balcony then. A great theater, i hope they don't close it.

The Stanley-Warner Route 4 Cinema is now theatres 1 - 5.

So what was the layout of the theatre complex? I heard it was like a spaceship?

The Route 4 theater was one of only 3 in New Jersey, and 32 nationwide, to open "Star Wars" on May 25, 1977.

As of 1988, in its 10 screen configuration, the theater's total seating capacity was 4100.

4100 seats total for the Paramus theatre complex? That's an average of 410 seats per screen! Even the megaplexes now average 100-200 seats per screen!!

You think 4100 is a lot? Check out the listing for the Loews Ridgefield Park, this theatre's 'competition' for much of the 1990s. Before its largest auditorium was tripled, taking the screen count from 10 to 12, that theatre accommodated 4802!

Joe, can you clarify for me a bit?? The old Route 4 Cinema was another theater along with the Stanley Warner...but you say it was theaters 1-5?? That's the main auditorium with the upstairs theater on the right....I always thought it was theater 6???

I believe you're talking about the Stanley Warner...I wish I would have got to see the old theater before it was cut up....in the picture in the lobby it seems the original auditorium spread to where theater 2 was...huge....but I always remember it from 77...

Question...the original auditorium was alot bigger in 77 during Star Wars then cut up to include theater 2 and 3, correct?? I always remember the upstairs( balcony) was a single theater before it was split in 2...

I just hope it stays up longer as well, I saw every Star Wars flick in theater#1 and I want to see the new one (part 3) there so I can have a complete viewing memory of everyone of the Star Wars films at Stanley Warner (I still call it that)...wouldn't it be nice if before they ever close they re-install 70MM equipment and have a Star Wars festival of original prints as a farewell??? Yea, right!!

Has ownership of the theater recentely changed? Who is the current owner and how long has ownership been in place?

I forgot to ask for notification of a reply...!

The original huge screen used to be on the left. When they showed SW there in 1977, man it was so amazing, 6 track sound, great speakers, astonishing screen size. At that time, there were two other screens to the right, the auditoriums there were about the same length, but much narrower and without the towering height and balcony. At the time Phantom Menace came out, the only one of the 1970's screens left was the far right auditorium, very, very long, but so tiny compared to the fabled great main screen which I have heard described as making a top ten list of movies screens in the entire world back in the late 70's or early 80's. A crime. I also saw ESB in 70mm there. Some of the scenes were different than in the 35mm releases for both SW and ESB. I have been looking for such a theater, with such a giant screen ever since. My local mall had about as large as a screen would get for an early 80's multiplex in its biggest auditoriums, yet this theaters main screen must have had 4x the surface area for sure. When I saw TPM there in digital, an employee told me that the main screen used to sit over 2200 people. I recall it being an extremely long and wide theater with many different rows, perhaps two giant main section and perhaps two smaller ones at the edges. The screen was so, so much bigger and better than say the Ziegfield in NYC, although the theater was certaintly not as ornate, if moreso than for a typical multiplex. Maybe, the Sony Lincoln square is using there 100' screen for some regular films not and it will feel the same. I've heard the AMC 24 in Hamilton has 4 giant screens with balconies. I doubt they are as big as this one was. Has anyone been there?

ski...you mention screens to the left? and theaters to the right...I'm a little confused...can you elaborate...I saw the same films there that you mentioned...are you saying that during the original Star wars, the screen was more to the left in a bigger auditorium than it is now?? that when they cut the theater, they moved the screen to the right more??

The box office # s for this theater have always been huge....

I saw the pictures that rhett speaks of. They were pictures from 1965 playing a movie called "Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious". It looked like a large single screen movie theater standing alone without any additional stores or space. The entrance faced directly out onto Route 4. If you stand in the lobby with your back to Route 4, you can see the way the floor slopes upwards the way theaters did back then. I never realized this until I saw those pictures.

When I first moved to the area in 1994, I saw virtually all my movies here. But lately, it's kind of gotten trashy. In addition, I'm ok with driving up to the Palisades Center to the Megaplex. For the same price, you get stadium seating and it's generally better maintained.

ONE OTHER QUESTION for those who know the area (Paramus):

1. There was a Drive-In in Paramus. I believe it was located where or near where the existing entrance to the Garden State Plaza Mall is.

2. Someone told me a few years ago that the present Davids Bridal store on Route 4 across from the Bergen Mall also used to be a theater and it closed in the early 80's. Can anyone confirm this?

The Paramus Drive-In's entrance was on Route 4 East, across the highway from the huge Alexander's department store (which is now Ikea). Never got to see a movie there, unfortunately, but you could see the back of the screen from the highway.

Does anybody remember the really big BIG abstract painting on the front of Alexander's? Wonder what ever happened to that - was it destroyed when the store was torn down?

CConnolly:
I don't know what it turned into, but there was a theatre in that mall called, not surprisingly, the Bergen Mall Cinema. It was a single screen with, I would guess, around 500 seats and the entrance was on the outside of the mall. I think that at one time it was run by the B.S. Moss organization, I don't know who was running it when it closed.

Bill:
The company I worked for in the early 80s owned the Paramus Drive-In for a time. We were probably the first - if not only - drive-in that used the radio sound system to transmit in FM Dolby Stereo. At that time, most drive-in's used AM transmitters (because you could control very precisely how far the signal traveled). The FM transmitter we used had no such control (and was probalby illegal), lucky drivers on Routes 17 & 4 could often hear several minutes of the film sound. "American Pop" sounded great in the car while on the road!

Bill Huebig: though this is off the topic, the huge mural that was on Alexanders was salvaged and is (I believe) on display at the Bergen Community College in Paramus. When it was announced that Alexanders was going to be demolished, there was a public outcry over the mural and it's value. So someone (this was at least five years ago) got together with some art enthusiasts to get it moved.

Back to the Drive-In...it's not listed here and I don't know enough about it to post it. In the Garden State Plaza Mall management offices (near the Mexican restaurant) there's an amazing over head picture from (I think) 1962 that clearly shows the drive in. It looks like the back row of the drive in was on Paramus Road with the screen roughly where the large parking lot is in front of Nordstroms. I don't think the Garden State Parkway was built in that area yet. Do you know what year it closed?

PeterApruzzese: I understand that there was a movie theater in the Bergen Mall but no one in my neighborhood seems to recall much about it except that it closed in the early 80's and it was crummy. But I know I saw a photograph in the Bergen record a few years ago of Route 4 West bound that showed a movie theater in what is now David's Bridal across the street from the Bergen Mall. You can clearly see that it must've been a fairly large size theater because it has exit stairs coming from the upper sides and the roof line has that distinctive curved appearance of a movie theater.

Thanks CConnolly for the info on the mural. My niece goes to school at Bergen Community and I'll ask her about it. Alexander's has a connection to my all-time favorite movie: when I was 13, I was there with my family the day the review for "2001" was due to appear in the New York Daily News in 1968, and I couldn't wait for the shopping trip to end so I could get home and read that review (which was not a good one). That was also the day Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Pete, I remember the theater in the Bergen Mall. I think it was called the Mall Theater back in the '60s. I saw "To Sir With Love" there, and it was so small and crowded that my family had to split up and find separate seats.

Bill Huelbig: Regarding the Bergen Mall theater, where exactly was it in the mall? A few years ago, the Record ran a story about the Mall and how it really hadn't changed since it opened in 1955 or so (though I found out fairly recently that they got rid of that nifty, and very retro yellow star fountain...why they did is beyond me...it is what gave the place it's weird vibe). Anyway, in the article, they did mention the theater. I don't go to that mall much (if ever) but I know it well enough. Let me know if you remember where it was...I'm just curious.....

Just to add a comment out the Tenplex, the last movie I saw there was "Unbreakable" in 2000. Not sure which number theater it was but it wasn't in the main complex. The theater sucked. Besides the floor being sticky (hell, a lot of theaters have that problem) the two end aisle seats were broken (backs were hanging off) and they had wrapped yellow tape (like crime scene tape) around the two of them to ward off potential sitters. But the seat that I lucked out in sitting in was right next to those two and it's seat back felt like it was the next to go. The theater also smelled awful. It smelled like a locker room, damp and disgusting. That was the last time we went there. Soon after we discovered the comparatively new Loews Palisades Center Megaplex. But now that place is falling apart as well.

The problem is that these theaters take such a beating but the owners seem to do little to maintain them. Thats why when a bigger, better place opens up, these "older" places die and close. But if the chains kept them up better, audiences might be more loyal.

I'm not sure which chain is proposing to do this, but there's a proposal being debated (hotly) in Paramus to open up a megaplex at the Garden State Plaza Mall. I believe it will be at least 16 screens. If this happens, the tenplex is toast...

The (Bergen) Mall Theatre was located almost centrally in the building, facing the back roads (I'm not from there, so I don't know the name of the road), not Route 4. The entrance was on the outside only, facing the parking lot. It was a split design, you entered in the middle of the auditorium and could go up to the left or down to the right. The last show I saw there was a double-feature of Star Trek V and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I was nearly ejected for complaining about the soft focus and trying to get in the booth to fix it myself!

Loews is trying to build the multiplex at the Garden State Plaza as they do not want to maintain the Route 4 and Route 17 theatres.

CConnolly: The Bergen Mall theater's entrance was in the back of the Mall, not the side facing Route 17. It faced Spring Valley Rd. I guess it was behind Stern's - it was near the eastern end of the mall. I guess it qualified as an art house - I saw Bowie in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" there and also "Swept Away" (not the Madonna version).

I made a couple goofs in my last post: the highway it didn't face was Route 4, as Pete pointed out, and the street it did face is called Spring Valley Ave., not Road.

there was never a movie theater on Route 4 Westbound other than Cinema 35 which no longer shows films. What theat across from the bridal shop are the people talking about.

The 10 Plex is badly run down and is way past its heyday.

there was never a movie theater on Route 4 Westbound other than Cinema 35 which no longer shows films. What theat across from the bridal shop are the people talking about.

The 10 Plex is badly run down and is way past its heyday.

No, the theater WAS where the David's Bridal is now. I wish I could find the picture I saw of route 4 westbound that showed it. It was taken around the early 60's.

And yes, I agree with you, the 10 plex is badly run down. It still brings in a crowd but that won't continue if they build the proposed 16 screen megaplex at the Plaza. It'll kill this sucker off big time. And frankly, the way they've NOT been keeping it up, good riddance. The shame is that this theater, in one form or another, has been a fixture in the area for years.

The idea is that the new multiplex will replace the Tenplex & Route 17 theatres - the same company is building it.

I looked at a map of where David's Bridal is located, that spot was not the Bergen Mall Theatre, the theatre was on the other side of the mall. I don't know what that might be, except that there used to be a live theater company that had its auditorium in the mall. I can't remember their name, however. Perhaps the shape you saw in the photo was their performance space?

it was called Playhouse on the Mall

"The idea is that the new multiplex will replace the Tenplex & Route 17 theatres - the same company is building it."

And what will become of the Paramus 10 plex? Oh, yeah...if it closes, it'll be REAL hard to sell that space. Jesus...can you imagine what the HELL they'll try to build there? That space is HUGE.

So that's probably why the Tenplex is getting so run down. Why invest in something that's soon (they hope) to close. But there's still a lot of litigation with regards to that space at the Plaza, right? It's not a done deal...

Saw "Lemony Snicket" here this past weekend as was kind of surprised that the theater was actually clean and in decent shape. Saw it in Theater 4 (upstairs).

I noticed that it looks like at one time, there were working curtains in that theater before they started doing that annoying advertising that virtually all theaters do now for extra $$$. Does anyone know if this is true in these upstairs theaters? Or if it is, when the stopped opening/closing them?

The tenplex has always been in very decent shape. Although the floors in the theatres can eb sticky, all in all they maintain the theatre very nicely - i don't think anyone complains.

Well....I was there in 1999 to see "Unbreakable" and it was one of the worst experiences I ever had at any theater. The theater I saw it in (not one of the four main ones...it was in the newer area) was in horrible condition...broken seats, wet, sticky floors, you name it.

But one bad experience doesn't mean the place has gone all to hell. The last two times I've been there, it was a lot better than I remebered it. Yes, rough around the edges (especially the concession stand) but still decent enough.

I have a "Boxoffice/Modern theatre" magazine from 1966. It introduces the "New Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre as a 1,908-seat entertainment center of modern design. it is also reported as the firm's first "highway oriented" theatre in New Jersey.

The magazine goes on to say that the "new" theatre is located on busy route 4, in the center of a landscaped 1,000-car parking area. so as to afford an imposing view from the highway. Adjacent to the Bergen Mall. the Garden State Plaza and other large retail units, it is termed as an "integral part of the world's largest shopping complex."

Opened in October, the 50-foot-high structure was designed by architect Drew Eberson and blends various masses and areas into an unusual treatment. The side walls of the main building are sculptured block. The front facade is dominated by a huge lighted panel that embodies the theatre name and the attraction letters. The effect is to provide a brightly-lighted landmark easily spotted by the highway traffic.

The entrance lobby has a lace-like grille effect. Large expanses of glass wall incorporate seven pairs of entrance doors that create an airy indoor-outdoor feeling and allow a full view from the exterior into the massive, colorful lobby.

The lobby and foyers, as well as the theatre front, are faced with marble. The 50-foot-high lobby walls are decorated with modern dramatic sculpturings and reliefs by the Italian sculptor, Francis Bevelacqua. The wall covering is plastic gold.

The main feature of the lobby- and an innovation among New Jersey theatres- is the Otis escalator that transports patrons to the mezzanine-balcony levels. The escalator is push-buttoned controlled to reverse downward during show breaks. The escalator's side rail is of glass, thereby giving the installation a light transparent treatment rather than a heavy, ponderous rail of the traditional escalator.

The general decorative color scheme is red, gold and white. The carpeting-in red, gold and black by Alexander Smith-is in original design made exclusively for Stanley Warner Theatres. The seats are red and by American Seating. they have foam padded seats. Over-stuffed spring-back type seats are in loge and balcony.

The auditorium, with it's unusual decorative treatment and floor-to-ceiling gold drapes, has been carefully engineered to incorporate the latest techniques in audio-visual presentation. The wall-to-wall screen is 62 feet wide and 31 feet high. A six-channel Ampex stereophonic sound system with 18 surround speakers is used.
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There's so much more in this magazine to type and 7 GREAT pictures! The following is a listing of theatre credits:

Architect: Drew Eberson
Carpeting: Alexander Smith
Escalator: Otis
Projectors: Century
Public Address Amplifiers: Bogen
Screen: Technikote

Seats: American Seating
Sound: Ampex
Tape Recorder: Ampex

If you ever get a chance to get this magazine, it's the January 17, 1966 New England Edition!!!

WOW! My fingers are tired. I'm not a good typist. Hope you enjoyed the reading. Like I said, there's so much more on this theatre in this mag.

THe last time I went to this theatre was nearly 5 years ago, when I went to see "X-Men" and it was crowded. The sound was allright and the picture OK, but the seats were uncomfortable although the movie was enjoyable. It's time that the Route 4 Tenplex gets a makeover or soon this theatre could be extinct. Other movies I saw at this theatre were "Congo", and "Outside Providence" as a rough cut before it was released theatrically to poor box office. The last I heard about the tenplex was from my aunt who went to see "Monster-In-Law" with a few friends, one of whose husband works as a security guard (excellent job) at the movie theatre. It's good that this popular multiplex is one of the safest theatres around.

I thought this and the Centurys Triplex were both coming down? Has something changed?

They'll be closing those two locations once the new megaplex is built (it's waiting for final approvals from the towns involved) in the back parking lot area of the Garden State Mall.

How many screens will this new theatre have?

Oh, I know already. 16, just like the new Rockaway theatre that will open next spring in 2006. When will this new theatre open in Paramus?

Re: The Bergen Mall movie theater

I can confirm there was a movie theater in there, with entry only from the south side's parking lot. The last movie I specifically remember seeing there was "The Sheltering Sky," so it was open until at least then (1990).

This is one of the safest theaters around because it's in a very nice town and such. But the new theater (located in the Garden State Plaza) is not yet a done deal. The town of Paramus is doing some in-fighting and I don't believe that they mall owners have been given anything near a green light yet.

So that puts this place in limbo and it looks it. While the theaters are clean, the place looks very tired. Seats need to be replaced, carpet should be replaced as well as a new paint job all around. But why do it when a bigger and better place might open...eventually?

They should revamp the Tenplex as a state-of-the-art movie theatre with all digital sound in all auditoriums, stadium seating, bigger screens, and a museum showing the history of the theatre.

I just saw "Revenge of the Sith" there on the big screen. I had to see it there on the big screen main auditorium because I've seen every Star Wars film on that screen since 1977. That experience in "77 was one of the best. I could only imagine what the theater was like as a single screen.

JohnO: any way you can scan the pictures from that magazine and put them in here?

From today's Bergen Record---say Goodbye to the Paramus Tenplex. The real estate alone where the tenplex now resides is probably worth God only know how many millions:

Theater complex upheld in Paramus
Tuesday, June 21, 2005

By MERRY FIRSCHEIN
STAFF WRITER


PARAMUS - The borough's Planning Board was allowed to approve an application for a 16-screen movie theater at Garden State Plaza, the state appellate court unanimously ruled Monday.

The decision comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by the borough against its own Planning Board and Westfield Corp., the parent company of the shopping mall.

In the suit, filed originally in December 2003, the borough said the Planning Board didn't have jurisdiction over Westfield's application to build a 163,000-square-foot "entertainment lifestyle precinct" at the mall.

The ruling could be the last step in a three-year quest by Westfield to build the project. Along with the cinema, the proposed addition would include shops and restaurants.

Attorney Brian Giblin represented the borough on May 25 before Appellate Division Judges Howard Kestin, Jose L. Fuentes and Naomi G. Eichen. He argued that the zoning board should have heard Westfield's application. Giblin said only a zoning board can hear issues of square footage, parking and building height.

Westfield attorney Stephen Sinisi told the judges that the shopping center corporation fulfilled all the requirements asked of it and should not be penalized.

The judges, in Monday's nine-page decision, unanimously agreed, saying that state Superior Court Judge Jonathan N. Harris was correct in his June 2004 decision when he said the Planning Board was the right place for Westfield's application.

The panel also ruled that the borough cannot use a new ordinance to stop the project. That ordinance is the focus of a lawsuit brought by Westfield against the borough. A trial date in state Superior Court has not been set.

Planning Board Attorney Paul Kaufman said the ruling found that "the Planning Board acted completely within its authority and within the applicable law."

Westfield officials said they are ready to start their project.

"We look forward to getting back on track with our reinvestment with Garden State Plaza," said Katy Dickey, Westfield's vice president of communications.

The concept of "entertainment lifestyle precincts" includes stores with a hands-on component, such as a Sony store or an Apple computer store or other stores with a large entertainment aspect.

Experts see this as a natural progression for the shopping experience, which some say has become routine.

"When it's more fun to shop at Costco than the Garden State Plaza, then we're missing the ball," John Goodwin, Westfield's vice president of development, said at the 2003 hearings.

There is no start date for building at the mall because Westfield still must get county and state permits before beginning any construction.

Construction is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.

Giblin said he hasn't spoken yet with the mayor and council on Monday's ruling. Giblin was the borough attorney in 2004.

"I'm sure [borough officials] will want to review it and ask me whatever questions they might have about it, and they'll make their decision" on whether they want to appeal, Giblin said.

E-mail: firschein@northjersey.com



Copyright © 2005 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
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Whats up with the triplex?

It stays open until the construction is under way, same as the Tenplex. They continue to use the Triplex as a 'move-over' house with films from the Tenplex.

Now that Loews Cineplex and AMC will merge during the time period when the new 16-plex is constructed and completed, will things change a bit? This and the new Rockaway 16 plex will be big investments for the new AMC-Loews chain.

"In the (possibly 1950's and) 1960's, they showed three strip Cinerama/Cinemiracle ... and just a few years ago they were the first theater in the state to present the digitally projected Star Wars Episode I." (Robert MacLeay)
**********************************************

I'm not aware of any Cinerama engagements at this theater.

Clarification on the digital cinema comment: this theater was *among* the first to be equipped since "The Phantom Menace" played simultaneously at *two* NJ venues, this and the Loews Meadows Six in Secaucus.

"The Route 4 theater was one of only 3 in New Jersey, and 32 nationwide, to open "Star Wars" on May 25, 1977." (Damien Farley)
***************************************

There were **four** New Jersey theaters included in the original 5/25/77 limited market launch of "Star Wars." They were located in Edison, Lawrenceville, Paramus, and Pennsauken.

I bet you got your reference to three NJ theaters from the list posted on the starwars.com website. A more comprehensive list appears here:
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/star_wars_a_day_long_remembered.htm

If you wish to count newspaper ads, additional AKAs for this theater used during the late-70s include "RKO Paramus" and "RKO-Stanley-Warner Triplex Paramus."

I believe the very first digital showing of "The Phantom Menace" was at the Meadows 6 in Secaucus. That's what they said at the theater anyway, when they gave out the commemmorative badges. The shows may have opened to the public on the same night in both Secaucus and Paramus, but I think the first test of the system took place in Secaucus.

Here it is in 1977 known as Triplex Paramus, sounds like they were not sure who owned it at the time :)
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/StarWars1977.jpg

That "Star Wars" ad looks like it is from August 1977 after the release expanded to region-wide. The exclusive engagement ads from May reference the Paramus engagement as "RKO/Stanley Warner Triplex Paramus."

I remember 1977. I was 12 years old and even at that age my friend and I would refer to it as "the route 4 Stanley Warner". We'd cut school and go there to see Star Wars all day long. The ushers rarely threw us out between showings. I'm from Garfield, NJ. We'd hop on a bus early in the morning on Midland Avenue in front of "The Garden State Farms" in Saddle Brook, NJ to get to the Garden State Plaza. Before the movies started we'd always eat at "Rustlers Steak House". My friend Nicky would order me "The Westerner" and pay for it because I had no money and he, somehow, always did. Come to think of it, he'd always pay for my movie ticket to. I think he found his parents "cookie jar" where they stashed their change, anywho, after we ate we'd walk over to the theatres from the Plaza.

Just to let you know, plans are still underway for a 16-screen theatre to replace both the Route 4 and Route 17 theatres once it opens sometime in the future.

The Stanley Warner, as the marquee called it, was a magnificent theatre as a single with marble walls and art deco wall sconces in the lobby. The last film I saw there as a single was The Godfather. In the early 1970's, they built The Route 4 Cinema next to it. Although there was no space between the buildings, The Route 4 was a seperate building with it's own marquee, boxoffice, etc. It had a magnificient waterfall curtain. A few years later, the Stanley Warner was twined by extending and walling up the balcony. The original projection room became the upstairs projection room, and a new projection room was built behind the consession stand on the main level for the "big" theatre. Then, at some point, they split the balcony theatre into 2 theatres, and the big theatre got split into 3 theatres by putting a wall down the middle, with one long hallway theatre on the left, and 2 small theatres (one in front of the other) on the right. Sometime in the late 1980's, they finished destroying the theatre by ripping out most of the original lobby, and building the rest of the 10-plex.

The Bergen Mall was originally built with 2 theatres, one live, and one for movies. This was by the choice of the builder, who wanted to recreate a downtown fell. There was even a little kiddie amusement park in the middle of the mall. At the time, the mall was not enclosed. The movie theatre, the Mall Theatre, was located towards spring valley road at the east end of the mall, the entrance was outside toward the parking lot. The Playhouse On The Mall's entrance was on the inside walkway, at the west end of the mall. There was never a theatre across from the Bergen Mall. E.J. Korvette's department store was located directly across, taking up all of what is now a strip mall. The bridge across the highway at that time extended all the way to a second floor entrance to Korvette's.

Can't believe this tenplex is still in operation, and how moviegoers had to endure sitting in run-down auditoriums watching good blockbuster hits.

I probably haven't been to this theatre since I saw "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," which at that time monopolized five of the complex's six decent-sized screens. Judging by some of the comments posted here, I haven't missed much except a serious decline in upkeep; in 1997 the place was still reasonably well-run. Over the 20 years that I did patronize the Route 4 Theatre, in whatever configuration (triplex, eightplex, tenplex), I had a very mixed bag of moviegoing experiences, some very good to outstanding, and some pretty poor. Lest anybody think that the poor experiences have all been confined to more recent times, let me point out that on my second time seeing the original "Star Wars" in the supersized Theatre #1 back in the day, the surround channels failed to work for most of the show, the projectionist TWICE failed to synchronize the changeover from one reel to the next, and the film broke when Luke, Leia, and Han were in the trash compactor. Whereas the first time I saw it there, about a week and a half after it opened, the "only" problem was the sound going off at one point. Six years later, during "Return of the Jedi," there was another film break. On the other hand, seeing a "Star Wars" movie (or any other, for that matter) on that enormous screen was a treat, and when Theatre #1 was subdivided into one okay-sized auditorium and two shoeboxes, the place lost much of its allure.

So if there's going to be a new 16-plex to replace it (and, one assumes, the Route 17 triplex), it may simply be that the Route 4 tenplex has reached the end of its useful life.

Does anyone know about Greater Union Cinema 11, that is located at One Garden State Plaza? When did this particular cinema open, and what is it doing to the business at the Loews Cineplex Route 4 10 Theatre (The former Stanley Warner's Paramus Route 4 Theatre)?

Uh... I think the Greater Union is in Australia (mate). So, I don't think it's caused too much of a drop off, though they do appear to have some pretty decent bookings!

Going to this theater is still a mixed bag. Sometimes it's OK and sometimes it's not. I saw "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" here back in December in the "big" auditorium and it literally stunk. It smelled like bad feet but was probably the carpet never being cleaned. We got stuck in the crowd leaving and the entire houselights came up. The place looked awful. They should leave the lights off. Chipped paint, worn ceilings. Very tired looking. The sound was muffled too.

Then I saw "The Chronicles of Narnia" in (I think) #6. This is one of the larger ones in the back part of the theater. Now this one wasn't bad at all. No smell, excellent projection and sound. Seats were fine too.

This former Stanley Warner's Route 4 Theatre should be updated as AMC Paramus Route 4 10 Theatre.

I didn't know it changed hands. Why would AMC buy the theatre if it will be torn down and rebuilt?

AMC (Durwood) bought out the entire Loews Cineplex chain. All Loews Theatres, Cineplex Odeon (RKO Century, Plitt, Walter Reade) Theatres, Star Theatres, and Magic Johnson Theatres, as well as the former Gulf State, General Cinema and Budco (William Goldman) theatre chains, are now called "AMC Theatres".

Let's not rename theatres on this site here at CinemaTreasures until they are renamed either in newspaper ads or on actual theatre signage.

The AMC website has all the former Loews Theatres as AMC Theatres already. It will take a couple of weeks for the newspapers. This happened 4 years ago when AMC acquired General Cinema Theatres as well.

I remember this theater well. In fact I grew up in this theater. My father and grandfather where projectionists since it was 3 screens. I was able to enjoy countless movies there. Yes 70mm and magnetic 6 track sound made me a movie buff at a very young age. It was wonderful to touch and play with all the equipment there. It was very exciting to start a movie at 5 years old. I remember sitting in the lobby as the lines formed around the building for the original star wars. Theater one was the biggest theater I have ever seen in my life. This theater might have been the first with stadium seating. There was one large theater that was ontop of theater 1. It was a balcony, and the rise was the best I have ever seen. When the built all the additional theaters they really tore the place up. The projection booths are scattered about. It is kind of neat though. Long dark hallways, stairs gallor. The 2 theaters that are upstairs, you have to walk through the theater to get to the projection booths. I have nothing nice to say about sony.. for they led the way for theater presentation demise. If people want to preserve theaters, they need to start at the corporate level. They really don't care about theaters.. I have seen it.

If you want a good example of theatre preservation, look at clearview. Not only do they restore old movie theatres, but they add more screens or renovate/upgrade them for the future, as they did with the Ziegfeld theatre and most recently the renovations of several North Jersey theatres like Succsaunna and Parsippany. Too bad the screens are not as big as those in the good old days.

Last time I was there, it must have been 5 years ago. Too many kids running around, not very good projection, and expensive. The 12 plex
in Ridgefield Park has replaced Paramus as one of my main theatres. I fondly remember seeing Star Wars there, first day, third show. I got there early and the lobby was already packed for the 5:15 showing. I remember during the Death Star assault waiting in the lobby and feeling the floor shake. When we were let into the theatre for our showing, I remember saying that I had never seen a screen that big before. Amazing!
FYI, the first film they played when they opened in December 1965 was Thunderball.

Sad but true-the theatre will probably be replaced by a 16 screen theatre at Garden State Plaza with all the amenitities (Stadium seating, snack bar, etc). They are starting to construct it as we speak in an area where I normally park (where Borders is). I was there on Monday. I don't know who the operator of this theatre will be but I have a feeling it will be AMC (Loews Cineplex). The last time I was in this theatre is when I saw Independence Day with my friend in 96.

As far as the Rt 17 triplex, the theatre is still vacant but I think it will be gutted down for more parking space for GSP.

That's good news for shoppers. When will the theatre open?

This ad is dated 4/22/70, and features slighly more technical information than you could ever hope to see in a movie ad nowadays. I think we must be heading backwards as a civilization:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/warner2001.jpg

A few weeks later: live rock and roll at the Stanley Warner:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/swarner1.jpg

THat's pretty cool, Bill. Too bad the giant screen that the theatre was known for was cut up into ten theatres.

Bill, great ads from The Record! Do you know, or does anybody here know, if the N.Y. Daily News if available on microfilm too, and if so, where?

About 20 years ago I went to the Daily News building on 42nd St. somewhere on the east side, and asked them about access to their microfilm collection. They told me no, but maybe that has changed. The New York Public Library may have it as well - I should investigate. I'd love to read those original Daily News reviews - I think they were the first publication to use the 4-star rating system.

Thanks Bill. The best I can come up with out here in N.J. is the Hackensack Public Library for The Record. They have it on microfilm from, I think, the beginning up to now. Some of the films are really scratched and worn out, but it's the only way to see them as far as I know. The Ridgewood Public Library has The Record from Jan. 1, 1970 up to now. Ridgewood also had the N.Y. Times from it's inception up to today. That sucks about the Daily News. I've searched in vain out here and nobody's got them on microfilm.

The Clifton Public Library has some pretty good microfilm. Last time I was there, they were in pristine condition and have every issue of the times and record; I look at the arts and leisure section to read which theatres existed, and the tenplex was there since the mid 1960's...when the tenplex closes, it will be one of the longest running theatres on a major highway of all time.

Any news on when the theater will be replaced by the 16 screen version? It's been awhile.

An update to the previous post about the New York Daily News: The Main Branch of the New York Public Library (42nd and 5th) has the entire collection on microfilm.

Justin, the AMC website has the Garden State 16 listed for "spring 2007" opening. I assume that means they plan to have it open around the time "Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third" and the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie are scheduled for release (early to mid-May). I had thought of going to see one last movie between now and May at the Route 4 tenplex, which I imagine will be closed soon after the new theatre opens, but judging by some of the comments above, maybe I should just stick with my memories of the place in its better days.

As a very delayed response to the very first post in this thread, I can recall seeing 70mm presentations in four of the eventual 10 auditoriums: several in the original theatre #1, of course, as well as one ("Batman") in the subdivided theatre #1; one in the upstairs theatre #2 (where I saw the "special edition" reissue of "Close Encounters" in 1980 and somebody forgot to adjust the side masking for scope) before it was twinned; three in theatre #6, which appeared to be the original theatre #3 ("Silverado," a 1985 reissue of "Return of the Jedi," and "Stakeout"); and theatre #8 (which I believe was later renumbered as theatre #10), where I saw "Empire of the Sun." Since the complex went through several different configurations, I'm not sure that means four auditoriums were equipped for 70mm at any one time. Also, my numbering may be faulty; somebody would need to show me some floor plans of the theatre over the years.

what movie was the most popular and which one was the least popular at the tenplex? also, what will become of fuddrucker's and the surrounding area near the theater?

Fuddruckers will probably take a hit when the 10 plex closes, since there will be less foot traffic, especially on Saturday nights. Not sure about the other surrounding businesses, though. I can guarantee you one thing, when the 16 plex opens, any memory of easy parking in the GSP parking lot, especially past the Best Buy store, will be long gone. Parking will be horrific!

Of course, there will be more parking after the triplex is demolished and cleaned up....hopefully the winter storm doesn't postpone the opening and construction of the new 16-plex!!!

True - I'm still in a state of denial over the triplex coming down soon. I thought I heard that a parking garage may go up where the triplex stands now.

Here's a recent article regarding the tenplex's replacement...
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyOSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzA4NTg2MSZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTI=
May 25 is the scheduled date for the opening, which will be attached to the mall instead of being a standalone theater like the current theater. Will it be better than Rockaway? Hopefully it will be for Paramus moviegoers who have to drive to Edgewater, Ridgefield Park, or West Nyack for their big screen fix.

There's no doubt that the theatre will be a huge success. But the down side may be other smaller theatres closing because of no business, due to the 16 plex. The other thing I personally don't care for is no access from the side streets on Sunday. Traffic on both 17 and 4 will go way, way up on Sunday.

I agree with you. Look at the Rockaway theater; since the theater opened, traffic around the mall has increased going to that exit, with backups as far as a few miles. BTW, will the new theater offer digital projection? It would be nice to see Garden State Plaza's new addition to the mall offer state of the art sound and picture, along with comfy seats and excellent food!!!

What's the status on the new theater? If the theater opens next month as scheduled, what business would replace the aging complex?

I haven't heard what will be going in there, but I would venture a guess that the only thing going there will eventually be a wrecking ball. Aside from the theatre, the 3 connected stores are a joke; the last time I saw them open for business was 10 years ago, at least.

When the new theater opens, the governor of New Jersey will attend the event (probably Codey if Corzine still recovers from that horrific crash) as well as local town officials. Besides the new 16-screen monster of a theater, there will be a new restaurant as well as a few new stores just in time for the 50th anniversary of the largest shopping center in New Jersey, Garden State Plaza.

What I've heard is that the new AMC Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre will be 100% digital when it opens next month, and replacing the AMC Loews (RKO Century Warner/RKO Stanley Warner/Stanley Warner's) Paramus Route 4 10 Theatre.

Also, the GM of the AMC Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre was last at the AMC Neshaminy 24 Theatre.

Sounds interesting...a former Philly manager moving on up to be a New Yorker manager. Will there be any celebs besides Codey? I'd like to see some Jersey celebs (like those stars from "The Sopranos") as well as the locals who represent the state as well as the town. As for the Garden State 16 being all-digital, does that mean that ticket prices will be more expensive than the Rockaway location? The Rockaway is the most expensive AMC in North Jersey, followed by Clifton Commons and Jersey Gardens. When that theater opens, post the new theater online and change the status of this one to Closed.

The last movie that will open at the AMC Paramus Route 4 10 Theatre will be: Shrek The Third.

Thanks for the info. I think that movie will play on the smaller screens while Spider-Man plays on the bigger screens. When the new theater opens, which movies will be shown digitally?

All 16 screens at the AMC Garden State Plaza 16 will be digital

thanks for that info. Which movie was the most profitable at the theater and which movie stayed the longest?

Most profitable movie at AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 10 Theatre was probally "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" (released 1977 as "Star Wars" when theatre was known as RKO Stanley Warner's Route 4 3 Theatre; released 1997 as Special Edition when theatre was known as Cineplex Odeon Route 4 10 Theatre).

The movie that probally stayed the longest is either 2001, Alien, or Star Wars Episode IV. If anyone knows, let everyone know.

When the new movie theater opens, will it be open on days when the malls are closed due to the blue laws?

The blue laws didn't affect the other Paramus theatres, so they won't affect this one either.

I'm guessing it will be. The old Bergen Mall Cinema a couple of miles further west from the tenplex (but further east than the new 16-plex) was open for business on Sundays even though the rest of the mall was closed, if memory serves. And of course both the theatres that the Garden State 16 will replace (the Route 4 10 and the Route 17 triplex) were open on Sundays, despite surrounding stores not being open that day. FWIW, I'm guessing that "Shrek the Third" will open on at least one of the larger (or what passes for "larger" at the tenplex) screens, as "Spiderman 3" will have been out for two weeks already by then and will have probably opened on something like 8,000 screens at 4,000 locations. With that wide an opening, most of the people who see "Spiderman 3" will probably go in the first week or two, and in light of that probable dropoff in demand and to make room for the third "Shrek," I'm sure theatres with "Spiderman 3" on multiple screens will start shuffling Spidey around on May 18. Maybe they'll cut back from four screens to three after two weeks, and/or start moving it into some of their smaller auditoriums. Even blockbusters today have much faster turnover than they did in the days when "Star Wars" could tie up Theatre #1 for six months.

I agree with you, Paul. What was the best "Star Wars" film in terms of crowds and presentation at the Tenplex?

The Tenplex's last day of operation is May 24th.

When the new theater opens, how many of the 16 screens will the new Pirates movie open on? I guess maybe four or five, given the demand for the movie!!!

Justin: I'd say "The Empire Strikes Back" was the best presentation at the Stanley Warner Route 4. During the 1977 original "Star Wars"' time there, the screen had big dirty blotches on it. I used to try to look away from the stains while watching the movie. By 1980 and "Empire", the screen had been repaired.

how about jedi and future installments?

I only saw Jedi and Phantom Menace there. Both were fine presentations, but Empire was the best, maybe because it was the best movie in the series.

I have to agree with Bill on both counts about "Empire." Twenty-seven years later, I still remember the collective gasp that resounded through that large auditorium on opening day when Darth Vader spoke the line that, in the parlance of season-finale episodes on TV, "changes everything."

Was the theater packed when "Spidey 3" came out? The previous two played at the theater to big crowds, as well as dozens of superhero films since the days of Superman and Batman.

May 25th this will all be history. I saw a poster at Clifton Commons announcing the opening date of the new AMC Garden State 16 (and the new Pirates movie). Despite the mold I'll miss the huge Theater #1 - the last film I saw in that theater was Borat, on opening night, with a sold out crowd.

Was theater #1 the most popular of all the 10 screens at the tenplex?

Depends which picture is showing, its the largest theater in the complex and I doubt anything at the new complex will come close in terms of its size (the screen size could be surpassed, however).

"The Tenplex's last day of operation is May 24th."

Hard to believe this theater is actually closing. I'm sure the land is quite valuable and will make a fine new mall. It's just what Paramus needs, another mall.

I saw 2001 when it opened at this theater, when it was still a single, on what can only be described as a monster screen. I also saw the first screening (early matinee) of Star Wars. No crowds that day! Word had not spread yet, but in two days the lines were around the building into the parking lot. A notable remembrance of this showing was that the film broke and melted in the gate just after the Fox CinemaScope fanfare music that Lucas used on the front of his films at that time. I'm assuming both 2001 and Star Wars were 70mm presentations.

Here are more details on certain engagements at the "Tenplex."

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_1968.htm
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_1977.htm
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_rte_4.htm

I have'nt been to this theatre in at least 10 years, but I might go one last time, to look around. I was just remembering the lobby in the original part of the theatre; I recall seeing 2 of the biggest standees I've ever seen were on display during these films original runs; one was Star Trek TMP; the standee was probably 15 or 20 feet tall. The other was for the remake of Mighty Joe Young; that was from the top of the escalator to the floor. Gigantic!

I attended last week with Spiderman 3, knowing it would be the last film I saw at the big auditorium. Fitting, since Spiderman 2 was the last film I saw at the Loews Astor Plaza in NY. I brought my video camera in last week and took some quick shots of the auditorium and exterior. I told the ticket employee that I saw Star Wars there 30 years ago (before he was even a concept). The only other theater now tat I have some nostagic memories that's still running is the Ziegfeld. The new mulitplex in Paramus will be just another assembly line theater. "Pirates" will be on probably 10 screens.
Gonna miss the Paramus theater. Never forget whn I saw Star Wars there in '77.

If you have always been a fan of this theater, please help save it. Sign the Save The Tenplex petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/tenplex The new theater at Garden State Plaza is going to be the typical AMC assembly line theater with lots of small theaters with little screens. The Tenplex is one of the few classic orchestra style seating theaters left in Northern New Jersey with wide screens. There is no reason to knock it down for more retail stores, which Paramus doesn't need. Other than signing the petition, you can call the Mayor and Council of Paramus at 201-265-2100 ext. 613 and State Senator Joseph Coniglio at 201-576-9199, who's based in Paramus, to express your concerns. Thank you for any help you can provide.

The AMC Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre was designed by and started it construction by the long-gone Loews Cineplex Entertainment Company. AMC took over this project, as well as the now-opened AMC Rockaway 16 Theatre, when they acquired Loews Cineplex on 1/26/2006

The Paramus Planning Board approved of the construction of the AMC (then-named Loews Cineplex) Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre back on June 21, 2005.

Any word on when advance ticketing will be available for the theater? I've checked the showtimes for the theater on opening day and there's no movies listed yet. Probably two days before the grand opening, much like what they did with Rockaway. Too bad the Paramus theater will not have an open house event in which the movies are free if moviegoers bring in an ad in the newspaper, much like Rockaway. Back when AMC clifton commons was General Cinema, they had a free movie weekend one week before they did regular money business, and I was glad that Clifton finally had a multiplex of its own. I saw two movies that weekend: You've Got Mail and Star Trek Insurrection; the latter movie was the best experience as it had great surround sound and good picture. I hope the AMC Garden State 16 follows the success of other AMC megaplexes in the garden state.

Wouldn't it be awesome if the Rt. 4 had a finale of a 70MM print of STAR WARS on the day it is closed, May 25th, the actual day that it opened 30 years before in 1977....That'll be the day, I guess it's OK to dream..can you imagine the line of people...there's be more there than at the new complex...it would be a definite throwback....unfortunately, there are no good businessmen to come up with that idea...I'm going to miss that theater...now there's nothing in North Jersey....but I'm going to the Lafayette for a showing of SCARFACE (1932)for a dose of old time grand movie theater experience

Thats very interesting - I'm also not looking foward to the new AMC, I wish they spent time on this theater, remodeling and fixing it. The theater still did pretty well from what I gather. My favorite memory is seeing Borat in Theater #1, the late show, opening night - that huge theater was sold out. In its later years the theater has showen its age, especially the last few years when they had been planning for the new complex. I'm also shocked that Paramus, the shopping capital of the country, at the top mall in the town can't support something more luxerious than an AMC. If any region in the country deserves a high end luxery theater with leather reserved seats and the like, shouldn't it be Bergen County?

The design of the auditriums will simular to Rockaway I'm sure, which is decent but ultomatly not satisfying - I actually found in Morris County I prefer Cinema 12 to the new Rockaway theater as Clearview has beefed up its opperations in responce to the threat, adding better seats and being more careful with their projection (Cinema 12 also has digital projection). AMC really hasn't done much to any of the Loews theaters it's aquired, although they added a "no weppons permitted" sign at AMC Loews Wayne. They did re-do the Cineplex at Universal City Walk in LA - perhaps intend on moving foward and will eventually rebrand and improve the former Loews Cineplex sites. Or shut them down....

Regardsless, I'll miss the Route 4 Tenplex and I'll only go to the new place late on weekdays and on Sundays where, hopefully, parking won't be that obnoxious.

I agree with you, John. Parking near the theater will be massive compared with parking near Rockaway, since the GS 16 will not attract a large mall-sized crowd and that there will be massive parking spaces for everyone to park; the only trouble will be the seating. I guess it will have the same number of seats as its Rockaway brethren. Too bad the people who work at these Loews-turned AMC theaters are not as experienced and local as those clearview people, which still is the preferred choice of moviegoers in the Tri-State area. Too bad Clearview doesn't have a multiplex in Bergen County to compete for top dollar (about the only closest thing that the AMC Garden State 16 will compete with is the Edgewater Multiplex, which was the first Bergen County megaplex with stadium seating when it opened nearly seven years ago along the Hudson river and was the second theater to offer digital projection and is currently the only one in that area to offer DLP). Imagine if Clearview bought Edgewater from NA...that would be a good deal!!!

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTM2NDYzJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==

Thanks, Justin, for posting the link to The Record's article.

One minor error I spotted was in reference to the number of opening-day bookings of "Star Wars" in the state of New Jersey. The article's author claims there were three; my research indicates there were four (two in greater New York City, two in greater Philadelphia).

For more info, see: May 25, 1977: A Day Long Remembered (I may as well start circulating this article since the anniversary is approaching!

so far, more than 300 signatures on the internet for AMC to keep the tenplex open. I hope they keep the theater open so that it will be like 27 total screens; the tenplex could be an art house theater while the 16 plex can host blockbusters. It's a good thing that the triplex was demolished because that theater didn't get the popularity that the tenplex endured throughout its 40-some year history. This tenplex was in the movies, too: It was shown in the hit film "Ransom". BTW, how much money was spent into the tenplex when it was built compared with the new one that will open this weekend? I guess way cheaper than what AMC is doing with their megaplexes. They should make their own theaters, not just Loews-type theaters. I used to like the Loews "Star" theaters, such as Wayne and Secaucus, but I'm so used to the AMC/GC style auditoriums (modeled like Clifton Commons and Essex Green) that have been copied to every multiplex. A good example of a Loews-style AMC theater is the Jersey Gardens one, since it's the only one in North Jersey to have digital projection.

Hello all,

My father was a projectionist at this theater for over 30 years, and I grew up there and learned how to be a projectionist there as well. On Thursday of last week I went down with my my Dad to say goodbye to the theater. I took pictures of all the auditoriums (except one), all the projection booths, lobby, and outside. If enough people are interested I will post them on photobucket or one of those sites.

Just to let you know that 2 of the theaters, to the day of destruction, are capable of running 70mm. In fact.. I have half a reel of 70mm film!

If anyone has questions about the place you can email me fjr1001@yahoo.com

Frank

Hello all,

My father was a projectionist at this theater for over 30 years, and I grew up there and learned how to be a projectionist there as well. On Thursday of last week I went down with my my Dad to say goodbye to the theater. I took pictures of all the auditoriums (except one), all the projection booths, lobby, and outside. If enough people are interested I will post them on photobucket or one of those sites.

Just to let you know that 2 of the theaters, to the day of destruction, are capable of running 70mm. In fact.. I have half a reel of 70mm film!

If anyone has questions about the place you can email me fjr1001@yahoo.com

Frank

What 70mm capable projectors are still installed? Century JJ's?

Yes, post the pictures.

Most of the century projectors were replaced a couple of years ago. Theater 1 still has a simplex projector that can run 70mm. Theater 6 has an old norelco that can run 70mm as well. All the other theaters are 35mm only.

So if AMC still keeps the theater, they should show IMAX movies, since they're also shot in 70mm but require a screen taller than the ones in the tenplex. They should keep theater 1 and make it into AMC Imax at Route 4. That way moviegoers won't have to drive from Paramus to Lincoln Square to see a good movie. Heck, they should call it AMC Route 4 Paramus 9 and IMAX, for theater #1.

Well.. even though Imax is 70mm it is a slightly different format and would not be able to run on the old machines. An Imax makeover would be great. I saw the movie '300' in Imax. I sat through the movie with goosebumps. It brought back memories of theater 1 with 70mm and 6 track magnetic sound.

Frank's correct, the current IMAX is called 70/15, and the film runs horizontally through the projector, like the old VistaVision format. 70mm "from days gone by" was 70/5 and the film ran vertically, like 35mm film does. There aren't too many 70/5 prints left to run! Lawrence of Arabia is one, and there are a few more in archives, etc. Most of today's IMAX films are blowups from 35mm or digital shooting. They are not shot on 70/15. I imagine those 70mm machines are still set up with their 6 track penthouses just waiting to be scrapped.

Justin -

The Tenplex *has* to close, it was part of the deal with the town to get the new location constructed. Heaven and earth can not keep it open.

i agree with you. the new theatre will be a big improvement over the aging complex, much like the Essex Green 9-plex improved over the original three screen theatre of the same name.

One of my favorite memories of this theater was waiting in line for hours in the light rain with my younger brother for RETURN OF THE JEDI in 1983 on opening weekend, as the line went around the building. Seeing the poster as we went in and then watching the film - it was pure joy.

My favorite memory of going to the tenplex was going to see the first ever X-Men movie; I was waiting in line to see it, and my late nana said the name of the movie wrong, like G-Men (as in the old serials from the 1930's), then I corrected her since I had better knowledge of that stuff. I went with her as well as my cousin michael. The theater was packed at the time, and it was worth seeing it on the very big screen. It was at this time that the theater showed its age, but I can't believe that it still survived for more than seven years. Now it's come to this. The new theater will still show great movies, as evidenced by the new Pirates movie, but it will recruit new people who never worked at the old location before. Since the 1990's, there were more ads than trailers before the movies (along with the slideshows), but that didn't stop me to check out a movie with my aunt, who lives in the same town where the tenplex lives. Oh, if I could go back in time to see the old "Star Wars" movie in that huge auditorium.

Other movies that I saw at the tenplex were "Congo" in the summer of 1995 as well as "Vampires" in the fall of 1998. So far, nearly 400 petitions to keep the tenplex open!

Just went to the new theater's showtimes listing and they're showing pirates on only one digital screen out of 16. Two screens will have rear window captioning. The rest will be normal screens. Tomorrow night Pirates debuts as the last new film at the Route 4 location before heading off to the AMC Garden State 16, which will carry over most of the ROute 4 stuff as the old theater will be demolished this weekend.

Justin, where do you get your information? I spearheaded the campaign to save this historic theater, and have been in constant contact with the employees and Eric, the general manager, of the Tenplex. While the theater is scheduled to close after Thursday night's shows, there are NO imminent plans to demolish it. There is a supposed deal to knock it down when the Bergen Mall gets enlarged into that property, but this isn't going to be for a while. I have been speaking with all the local legislators, Assemblyman/woman, State Senators, and anyone else who represents this voting district. They, along with the mayor of Paramus, are looking into the historic significance of the theater, along with the zoning laws which could prevent it from being turned into more retail space. The NJ Historic Trust and the League of Historic American Theaters are also looking into what can be done. Please do not give people the impression this is a done deal. There are a lot of us, including most on the petition, who are working hard to save this theater. Read some of the comments on the petition and you'll see how much it means to many people. I know the chances of saving it are slim, but I feel the need to try as hard as I can to save this theater. I will only go to Clearview or Landmark theaters now.

Christopher, didn't Pete Apruzzese just say a few messages up that "The Tenplex *has* to close, it was part of the deal with the town to get the new location constructed."

I know Pete and tend to trust his facts. What's the story?

I think Christopher is objecting to Justin's use of "demolished this weekend", whereas the place is simply closing instead. Who knows how long it will be until it's actually demolished.

What films could play there if it re-opened in the future? All Hollywood first-run product will go to AMC Garden State (and can't play both locations) and art house fare (which has very limited print availabilty) will continue to go to Tenafly and the Cedar Lane in Teaneck.

Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then. Any ideas?

Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then. Any ideas?

Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies that the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then, so hopefully there's an easier way. Any ideas?

Peter, you understood what I was saying exactly. It's closing this week, not being demolished. I've gotten mixed messages from the legislators I've spoken to, in regards to what's actually going to be happening to the Tenplex. Most were taken completely unaware that anything would be happening to it at all. AMC has really kept the closing very quiet. In fact, most people I spoke to, including the legislators, told me they wouldn't have known if they hadn't read the article in The Record or gotten a call from me. I think the main misunderstanding/disagreement is between the Borough of Paramus itself and its own planning board. I'm still disheartened to know that the courts found in favor of the Planning Board versus what the borough itself and its citizens wanted in regards to the theater at the mall. I actually got a call from an individual who runs independent theaters in the tri-state area who said he would be very interested in leasing the property to make it a second run theater. If the mall got Pirates this weekend, the Tenplex would get it 3 or 4 weeks later and charge $5 or $6 versus $10 at the mall. That way, neither theater would actually cause problems for the other. This would only work if AMC would lease or if Paramus actually took over for the good of the community.

Yes, it would be tedious to go through the newspapers on microfilm, but that's the most likely way in which you're going to obtain the information you are seeking. By coincidence, just recently I conducted a week-by-week search covering a 37-year span in an effort to reconstruct the exhibition history of the NATIONAL in Los Angeles. A tedious and slow process...but also rewarding. Granted, the NATIONAL has been a single screener its entire existence, so I imagine it was "easier" than a similar search would be for the ROUTE 4.

There might be someone out there who has kept track of the ROUTE 4's playdates, but I suspect the likely answer to your question would be for you to conduct the research yourself, as tedious as it may be. The owner of the theatre would have records of the bookings, but...(1) I'd be surprised if they would allow you to access them, (2) they would almost certainly not exist in a single document, and (3) the theatre has changed ownership many times which would complicate one's ability to obtain access to a full set of bookings...which brings us right back to looking this info up yourself in the newspaper.

As for the ROUTE 4's 70mm bookings, Bill Kallay and I attempted to account for these, and they can be searched year by year in the article 70mm In New York. Interesting stuff, for sure, but the 70mm bookings represented only a fraction of the total bookings over the years at the ROUTE 4.

Christopher -
A second run operator would not be able to get Pirates in 3-4 weeks at the Tenplex. They would not be able to get it until the AMC Garden State dropped *all* of their prints of it, which is probably 10 weeks minimum. Disney and the other studios make it very difficult for second run theatres in this area, because bookings in the county are on a distance basis by location. That's why the Route 17 Triplex and the Route 4 Tenplex could never show the same film at the same time. That's why the Cedar Lane Cinemas could not get a second run film until it left the Tenplex completely.

If Clearview or another chain renovated this place, it might get "B" grade first run product - there are many films currently out that will not be showing at the AMC Garden State 16. I point you to Danvers, MA - where Loews constructed a 20-screen theater, closing a 7 screen theater. The 7-screen is run by another opperator and shows (currently) first run art house films with some first run studio product (Georgia Rule is playing), while the AMC Loews Liberty Tree shows Spider-Man, Pirates, and the like. 26 screens in one booking terratory is not unheard of, it is however uncommon. Paramus should have a first run art house, Montclair's offerings lately have tended to be "too safe" - perhaps if this is slated to be intergrated in to Bergen Mall's renovation part of this theater can be saved (say the old RKO house, especially screen one) and transformed in to an 5 screen upscale art house. I think Paramus/Bergen County could support another theater geered towards a high end crowd.

I agree with you...the last art house theater in Paramus was the Paramus Picture Show, which I used to go to when it was not an art house theater but a runover product for movies that played at the larger venues. And it won't be too long before Bergen County gets another new theater this decade, the one to claim number one, the 26 screen Xanadu complex owned by Muvico which will open next year near the Meadowlands will draw huger crowds than any movie theater in New Jersey.

It's funny you mention Xanadu. I've heard rumors that AMC might close the 6 and 8plex in Secaucus when Xanadu opens, due to too much competition. Most people I've spoken to who can't avoid AMC altogether, due to distance and time constraints, have told me they'd probably go to one of the two Secaucus theaters instead. Both the 6 and 8 are similar in design to the Tenplex, and neither has the traffic, parking, or security problem that the Garden State Plaza theater will have. If it's true that both the 6 and 8 will be gone when a 26 screen theater is opened at Xanadu, it will really be a shame for people in this area who don't want jumbo assembly line theaters with tons of traffic and parking issues. It would be nice if everyone could just go to the classic theaters in NYC, but I understand that it can be impossible for people with kids and larger families. Many of my good friends live in East Rutherford, and I know, due to what they've heard at past public meetings, that the residents of East Rutherford were dead set against Xanadu. It's amazing that we live in a state with the highest property taxes in the country, yet the citizens have so little say in how their communities are developed. I think part of the problem is we hear about stuff AFTER it's already too late to do anything about it.

Does anyone know about the history of the Rialto Theater in Ridgefield Park? That seems like another theater with a lot of history attached to it.

movieguru:
Dude, you ignored my post from earlier today where I replied in regard to your questions about the films that played at ROUTE 4. Did you not see my reply? Hmmm, maybe I should've posted it three times like you did with your question...

And...why are you asking about the RIALTO in this discussion of the ROUTE 4? Why not do the common sense thing and just go to the RIALTO page?

Remember, this page is only for the ROute 4 theater, not the Rialto; the same can be said for other Bergen County theaters.

The new AMC Garden State Plaza theatre will have 2 screens showing the digital version of "Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End". This Pirates film is, with previews, running at 3 Hours.

The 8:00 PM showing of Pirates will be at the AMC Loews (Stanley Warner's) Paramus Route 4 Theatre tonight, the last day of the Route 4 Theatre's operation.

Tomorrow, there will be no tenplex. May there be another use for this long-running theater, which will pass the torch tomorrow morning to the new theater near the Garden State Plaza.

"The 8:00 PM showing of Pirates will be at the AMC Loews (Stanley Warner's) Paramus Route 4 Theater tonight, the last day of the Route 4 Theater's operation."

What a waste of time to build that print up on the platter, show it once, then break it down.

I just drove past it a little while ago, a last look at it still in operation. The entire building's painted the ugly shade of dark green. How long has it been like that?

Circa the LCE take over of Cineplex. LCE really ran the place in to the ground, yes, they replaced the seats but beyond that and the hot foods they really didn't make much of an improvement. I miss how great things were back in the Cineplex Oden days. I just got back from the theater myself - there were many folks snapping shots. Employees wore various uniforms ranging from AMC to Loews Cineplex to even one in a Cineplex Oden uniform. The manager's desk still had the uniforms up, as I had discussed in my posting from Saturday and they had photos out of the main theater when it had been whole, as well as the lobby. The Record's print additional from last Saturday also had some great photos from "back in the day" including some from its period as a Sevenplex.

I saw Pirates at 8AM, in theater one, with a sold out crowd. (They also showed an 8:01PM show interlocked in 6 and 7). An employee (in an LCE shirt) announced that "this will be the last public showing in theater one, we'd like to thank you for coming, no matter how long you've been coming here - one year, five years, ten years, all 42 years, thank you". Some even were crying when the last show let out. This theater will be greatly missed, most were unaware it was even closing in the community. I see why, for 42-years its served the community through technological and social changes. This is a true cinema treasure and I'll miss it - however, for a new generation the 16-screen theater will be their venue of choice, and despite the fact I'm not a fan of the Loews design, I hope they great moments to remember in it.

On a side note: anybody see Good Bye, Dragon Inn - it's a really wonderful movie from Taiwan about a movie theater show its final film. I started thinking about it again for two reasons: I saw Ming-liang Tsai's new movie I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, and because it reminded me a bit of tonight at the Tenplex.

There will still be a Tenplex tomorrow. It just won't be open for business. As I said in my earlier posts, as long as the building is still up, there is still a chance the Borough of Paramus, NOT the planning board, or Bergen County officials could step in to keep the property zoned for only cultural, not retail use. According to the historical trust and other state historical reps I've spoken to, there is still a chance this theater might be protected for its historical significance. I'm not saying it will, but please stop making it sound like tomorrow morning there will just be a big hole where the Tenplex once stood, because that's just not the case. Ask the other 400+ people who signed the petition, a lot of us are in no way looking forward to the theater at the mall. Remember, that number might be small, but it's purely based on word of mouth. It wasn't listed in the article in The Record and it wasn't advertised at the Tenplex. Thank heavens NYC is so close, as I can still go to historic theaters there and enjoy the cinematic experience associated with that, without feeling like I'm in an assembly line. To a lot of us, the Tenplex has been more than just a movie theater. It has really meant something to us, as we've grown up with it. Please stop dismissing it so lightly.

John, I didn't want you to think my post was aimed at you. It posted at the same time as yours and I'm very appreciative to hear your feelings on the history and emotion this theater has evoked from so many. It's such a shame that AMC had to be so shady about the whole situation because if they had actually announced the closing months ago when they made their decision, the public outcry would have swayed both them and the borough. This way, they hoped it would disappear as quietly as Sportsworld on rt. 17 and The Paramus Picture Show, which many of us thought was being redone with the renovation of that mini-mall.

I was an employee of this theater a few years ago, and I've stayed in touch with a few others. I just came back from its last night as an operating theater (as far as we all know). It was a beautiful farewell, with gifts, balloons, and a scrapbook for the head manager and long-time employee, Eric. At midnight, there was a champagne toast (ok, sparkling cider haha) and a special presentation...
A friend of George Lucas was there, and he was able to allow a screening of the 1977 Star Wars for friends and family of the theater. (someone on here actually said how it would be cool if that happened...)
Just thought you people might appreciate hearing that :) It was a very bittersweet night, seeing all the bonds that the theater has made. So many people's lives began here, and even Lucas' friend said it's where he met his wife. I'll be in a wedding party soon for an employee couple myself.
I'm not sure what else to say but to reiterate that it truly has been more than just a theater.

TENPLEX FOREVER!

good by old freind you'll be missed

As already mentioned I saw Star Wars at this theater 30 years ago today at the first showing. What a memory. And I can't forget seeing 2001 there years earlier when it was a single screen theater. I may not have been to the tenplex in years (don't live nearby), but I'm saddened by it's loss, just as I was when I saw the RKO Century Triplex on Rt 17 in a pile of rubble a few weeks ago.

emily24, the screening of star wars... are you speaking now? If so was it in 70mm?? I know theater one can run 70mm but it doesnt have a 6 track magnetic reader.

Did anyone from this forum take any pictures?

Wonderful postings by all, especially Christophersepp and emily24.

Hope you can somehow work out something positive.
Unfortunately, many members of municipal planning boards
have conflicts of interests with building trades, so keep this in mind regarding their stand on the theater's potential demolition. Too bad some elected officials were not involved early on with the entire situation.

Why did another poster say the theater was being demolished this weekend??
Sorry that I never got to visit this theater when it was a single screen.

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all.

I was there last night too to see Pirates in Theater One. And just as John J. Fink said (posted by John J. Fink on May 24, 2007 at 8:38pm), it was nice that the employee came into the auditorium and gave that little speech.

I grew up in Bergen County and have visited this theater many times. My first recollection of it was seeing the King Kong remake in 1976. I was 7 years old. I believe I watched the movie in the upstairs theater.

The next year, 1977, I saw Star Wars there in Theater One. My earliest memory of being in Theater One. The auditorium was jam-packed. Me and my two friends (I was 8 years old) had to sit a few rows in front of my parents because we couldn't find five seats together. I always remembered that the screen was huge and the sound made the walls shake. But then I read Paul Bubny's post on this page (posted by Paul Bubny on Dec 5, 2005 at 12:09pm), and it brought back a repressed memory. I too was at that showing of Star Wars when the film stopped during the scene where Luke, Leia, and Han were in the trash compactor! I can now recall that it took a few minutes before the film came back on and the sound wasn't completely right for part of -- but not the whole -- movie.

I can also remember that back then there was another movie theater directly next this one, as MBD recalled in his post (posted by MBD on Oct 25, 2005 at 7:13am). He said it was called the Route 4 Cinema. I remember thinking how it was weird that there were two theaters, with different names and separate box offices, right next to each other! The only thing I remember about that other theater was that it was a twin (I think) and that I saw a movie called The Stuntman there in or around 1979.

Anyway, back to yesterday, I am glad I went to see a film there one last time, especially it being closing night and all. The crowd was young but polite (meaning: not a lot of talking). Sorry, I don't mean to sound old, but I hate a lot of talking during a movie and cell phone noise, etc. But there was none of that last night, so it was good!

Unfortunately, as others have alluded to on this page, the sound system was not what it used to be back in the day. I had to struggle to hear some of the lines spoken.

But all in all it was a very enjoyable experience. I even took some pictures -- which embarrassed my wife a little.

As I left, I took a look at the marquee and it said (all lit up) Thanks for the Memories 1965-2007. (As I drove by there on my way to work this morning, I saw that it still said that.)

I would love to see a timeline of this theater -- when it changed from one screen to two, from two to a triplex, from a triplex to a sevenplex, and so on ...

How does one set the "Status" of this theater to 'closed'? It appears that must be an administrative function.

95crash.. believe it or not, the sound system in theater one is the same one that you heard the original Star Wars on. The problem is in the delivery system. Star Wars was 6 track magnetic. Now a days it is digital or optical. I know that theater one has DTS, which is played off of dvd disks. I can speak from experience that DTS and Sony SDD dont work as well as Dolby digital. All 3 formats will never sound like 6 track magnetic.. ever.

The memories of the film breaking are nothing compaired to the memories of the projectionists that had to work with 70mm film. It was heavy, stiff, and unforgiving. I dont think many people know the mechanics of the film delivery system.

Photoman: Nothing sounds like magnetic sound, be it 4 track 35mm, or 6 track 70mm. To me, nothing beats magnetic.

The sound system may be the same, but the room is certainly different now, hence the different sound. When was the last time it was EQ'd?

Also, DTS runs off CD-ROM discs (synchronized via time code printed on the 35mm film) and not DVDs and is generally more reliable than SDDS and on-par with Dolby Digital. Yes, none of the digital formats sound as good as magnetic.

EQ'd... whats that??? Lol.. yes you are correct DTS is on cd-roms. To me Dolby digital is the most reliable and sounds the best of the 3. DTS does not follow the directors standards, they over saturate frequencies and EQ to make the sound track more dramatic. Dolby keeps it more subtle and true. Sometimes I will run a movie in Dolby SR and listen for differences. Sometimes a movie will sound best in SR!!

I'm so happy to hear that there are many others who share my feelings about this truly special theater. If you grew up in Bergen County in the 70s/80s, the Tenplex was/is a touchstone from the "Wonder Years" of youth. I have so many countless memories of this theater, from my first film, Raggedy Anne and Andy: A Musical Adventure, to waiting in endless longlines around the building for any of the original Star Wars films. The Tenplex changed over the years, as did we all. Sometimes it was for the better and sometimes for the worst, but it was always there to help us get through those tough times when we needed a cinematic experience to take us away from the trials and tribulations of real life. I totally agree with one of the earlier posters, in the fact that, it corrupt local politicians who get kickbacks from contractors and corporations that are responsible for letting this happen. It's the same reason why we have the highest property taxes in the country. It's the local councils and mayors that are profiting from the loss of our cultural landmarks and the rising cost of living in NJ. If any of the above posters has the pics they took last night online, please refer me to the site they are on, or email them to me on here. Thanks, in advance.

For those of you who are still interested in trying to save the Tenplex, while the Tenplex is still standing, please call any of the following legislators to express your concern. I've spoken with their reps. already, and the most important thing I was told was to get as many people to call them as possible to express their feelings on the Tenplex situation, to show them how important it is to their constituents/voters. You can reach the Mayor and Council of Paramus at 201-265-2100 ext. 613, State Assemblywoman Joan Voss at 201-346-6400, State Assemblyman Robert Gordon at 201-703-9779, and State Senator Joseph Coniglio at 201-576-9199. As most of you already know, the online petition is located at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/tenplex Trust me, if you keep the pressure on these legislators, there might actually be a chance to save the Tenplex, because everything I've heard is that the building isn't going anywhere until they really get far with the Bergen Mall renovation. Thanks again, oh, and boycott the one at Garden State Plaza at all costs. Can you ever imagine having the same kinds of experiences that many of you posted above that you had at the Tenplex at the sterile assembly line 16plex at the mall? Me neither. :)

Hey photoman1001, I meant no disrespect to the projectionists, believe me. Most all of my memories of the this theater are positive.

I can remember seeing films here where the walls literally shook in Theater One! But unfortunately, during these last few years, more often than not I had to strain to hear much of the dialogue.

You're right, most people don't know the mechanics of the film delivery system -- including me! I'd like to learn more about it.

BTW, I'm the guy who emailed you the other day about the pictures. I can't wait to see them!

I am going to work on the pics this weekend. I know you didnt mean anything to be disrespectful. I wonder if I can talk to Eric and see about a tour of the building. You would be amazed at the layout.

For those above who mentioned the Muvico theaters at Xanadu, please note that this multiplex has now been downgraded from 26 screens to 18 screens (one of which is outdoors). See the 6th paragraph of this link for more information:

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/features/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003556879

The operning of this stupid 16 plex might also kill the Fair Lawn Hyway Theater 2 miles down Route 4 from Garden State Plaza. As someeone who lives about 30 seconds from that mall in Fair Lawn, it is basically impossible to park there especially on Saturdays when half of New York state is shopping there. The 16 plex takes up half the parking lot.

I'm hoping the Fairlawn Theater is going to be ok, mostly because, unlike the Tenplex, it's independently owned. Remember, it wasn't failing ticket sales that doomed the Tenplex, it was AMC's market strategy. The Tenplex was still packed every weekend. I think the Fairlawn theater might actually do better after the GSP theater opens, and the Tenplex is closed, because there is no parking/traffic problems there.

I just rode by today hoping to get some pictures, since I only found out about the Garden State opening this weekend. Interesting to note not much has been done yet, at least in the front.
http://server6.pictiger.com/img/187597/picture-hosting/10plexstand.jpg I got this picture from the side. There a few people driving through steadily who had no clue and learned of the closing by the sign outside.

Nothing will be done on the Tenplex site for a while, which is why there is still a chance to save it. Local legislators are looking into the zoning issues and NJ Historical societies are still looking into its historical significance. If it is true that they're going to extend the Bergen Mall on to the Tenplex property, that's still months, if not years away from happening. It's not cost effective to demolish a property, if you're not all set to build something new there. A lot of people are still surprised to hear about the closing, due to the fact that AMC kept it very quiet. Other than the article in The Record, which was not instigated by AMC, who actually tried to quash the article, there wasn't anything in the press about it. AMC knew there would be a lot of public outcry, if the story got to the public earlier. Now, most people think it's a done deal, and don't want to be bothered calling AMC, local legislators, historical societies, etc... when they think it's already too late to have an effect. The more public outrage, the more chance it can still be saved as long it's still standing. Boycotting the new theater will also help to get that point across, but with all the teens at the mall, that's an uphill battle in itself.

Actually, it should be simple (depending how much money you can raise). Assuming AMC still holds the lease, why not approach them about sub-leasing it? If it's a potential money-maker (come up with a good business plan that doesn't involve first-run or second run, though), you should be able to raise the funds. If they can generate a small income (enough to cover property taxes, etc.) from a rental for the time left on their lease, they might do it.

News of its closing was first talked about at least three years ago. I'm not sure why people think it was a secret.

if amc renovates the tenplex and rename both theaters amc garden state 1-16 and garden state 17-26 that would make a difference. they should make the tenplex a bowling alley since the borough doesn't have its own, and the nearest is bowler city in hackensack.

Unfortuntely unless somebody flinches AMC themselves cannot re-open the the theatre as it was a stipulation to open the new one. I did at least see the ticketing machines were taken out by the front door so it doesn't look like they are hoping for it either. Since first or second run is probably out of the question, what about this being used as "ended run" (like Columbia Park 12) theatre? So many films get thrown out so quickly and with big theatres becoming the norm, I expect that to happen more often. Have someone use this for films that are generally out of theatres but not on DVD yet.
Mix it in with some "special attractions" like showing past blockbusters again. Spider-man 3's out for example. Use the gimmick of showing 1 & 2 and say "see them on the big screen again." It's not as crazy as it sounds since they rereleased all of the SW films for the 20th anniversary and people showed up. DVD's are nice but there's nothing like seeing something on a bog screen in the theatre. Or maybe I'm a hopelessly nostagic nut.

Peter, there actually was an individual who contacted me, after the article in The Record, who was interested in leasing the Tenplex. He's been in the business of leasing older theaters, when the companies that own them decide to close, for about 30 years. The only problem is that no one seems to be able to reach AMC directly. If you go to their website, there is no email address or phone number listed for any form of contact whatsoever, only mailing addresses. Even the historical societies I've been in contact with haven't had any luck speaking with AMC directly. As I said originally, there is no reason you can't keep the Tenplex open for first run movies. The new theater at GSP was only showing 4 movies this past weekend, on its 16 screens, which leaves a lot of smaller and independent films that could be shown at the Tenplex. I know that won't always be the case when the summer blockbuster season is over, but the Hyway Theater, a few minutes further up Rt.4 has always shown first run movies, and that was never a problem with the Tenplex or the old theater at the mall. There were rumors about the Tenplex being closed, but up until recently, it was never definitive. Their own staff wasn't even informed until a couple of weeks ago. Where did you read about the stipulation of the tenplex closing?

did anyone try going to the towns assessors office, or receiver of taxes? They will have the corporate address and most likely telephone numbers.

Christopher:

Go to this page: http://www.investor.amctheatres.com/releases.cfm and you'll see a couple of corporate phone numbers in the communications department. I'm sure that if your potential tenant calls, they will direct his call to the appropriate department. If they haven't yet removed any of the equipment or seats, he could be in good shape. If they have removed them, it will be much more costly to re-equip (figure a half million for used equipment and used seats).

As for knowing it was closing, I'm not sure where I first heard of it. We in the theater business heard about it as soon as they began negotiating years agao to construct the new facility, since that affects the ability to book films in the area. I can't imagine that it was never discussed at any of the planning board meetings and reported on.

"Experience the Difference®"

Don't ever say those words... They're trademarked by AMC! :)

So is "Silence is Golden(R)", another popular AMC trademark used to quiet down those teens with cell phones and crying babies with that annoying trailer played before the feature presentation one at most AMC theaters. I prefer the original one with the flying eagle cartoon over the soundwave preview. I still miss the classic Cineplex galaxy trailer with the coliseum-like logo before each movie at the tenplex. Was this theater one of Cineplex's highest grossing theaters (along with the Ziegfeld and the CityWalk in CA)? I guess it was and was also a top grosser for the RKO and Stanley Warner chains and still survived to its Loews Cineplex and AMC days.

I'll tell ya, if you go to the link Pete listed, and click on the press release for the Paramus 16, it does sound like a nice place. Mind you, I'm not about to go there anytime soon, but it does sound very nice. Sounds too like they made an effort to keep one auditorium with a large (42 feet) wide 20 foot high curved screen. In fact they claim curved screens in all rooms.

Personally I disagree on the ICSO lenses, I think Schneider lenses are better. But that's just me.

It becomes obvious what AMC was shooting for. A "showplace" vs. a 40 year old "dump". I'm sure they achieved it. Time marches on People...

Amen to that, Jeff S. Same goes for the Rockaway 16, which brough movies back to Rockaway after a five year absence during which Clearview dominated the box office in that area with Parsippany. I hope AMC makes better multiplexes to replace those that don't have the amenities of AMC's newer theaters, and match the prices up with AMC's standards. When I checked out the pricing for the AMC in Paramus, the ticket prices remain the same for regular films, but digital 3-D pricing has come in, which is a bit more expensive but cheaper and better than IMAX 3-D. My dad went to see Star Wars the weekend it opened at the Tenplex since there was no other theater playing it. Back then, the film played on a giant screen before it was chopped up in the early 80's to what it was today. I hope they sanitize the building years after it's closed down just in case if they want to renovate the theater into a cheap theater. I think Clearview should buy that theater like they did with the Ziegfeld and show classic movies. It should be called Clearview Bijou Route 4 10. 'Nuff said.

my bad, ticket prices at the GS16 are a bit more pricey than Rockaway and the old tenplex.

I prefer Schneider lenses myself. You should watch your choice of words. The old 'dump' was a showplace. I remember it was good enough for special screenings of movies. When it was ran by real movie companys, it had curtains over the screens, colored lights, intermissions etc.. It wasnt run like a fast food Restaurant that played movies on the side. So is AMC's new theater a 'showplace' or just a 'cash cow'. Oh thats right... its attached to a mall.. hum.

On days when the mall closes, the only place hopping will be the AMC and the restaurants. 'Nuff said.

I'm pretty sure JeffS was being sarcastic about the "newer = better" mentality. If they fixed up the Tenplex (mostly by restoring Theatre One to its original size), it would be a "showplace".

No, the words were properly chosen from the AMC point of view (not mine). I've been going to the Tenplex since 1968. I remember the single Cinerama screen. I sat in row 1 to be given the headache of my life from watching 2001. I saw lots of movies there, and enjoyed them all. I saw Star Wars there on day one, show one. I have the same memories you do.

To AMC the place is a stand-alone, old, dump.

And yes, AMC is ONLY interested in the money. I keep wondering why people forget that EVERYTHING is only about the money. AMC feels they will more than recoup their investment in the new location, and you know what? They probably will.

We no longer live in a world where a film plays exclusive in one theater for 3 months or more before going into general release. Todays it's break it out on 5,000 screens all at once and make it all back in two weekends. Sad, but true. Let's not also forget the quality and kind of movies being made either.

Yes, Pete, you are partially correct. AMC is going for the "showplace" appeal. Look at the Loews's Jersey. That's "showplace appeal". No different then as it is today. AMC I'm sure feels the old stand-alone location isn't worth putting any money into. It is after all a 40 year old building that has seen it's glory days, and served everyone well. The mall has more traffic, and coupled with the new food wing, will attract families. I can understand their logic. Money people, it's all about the money.

I did forget to say that the Stanley Warner Rt 4 SINGLE SCREEN Theater WAS a showplace in every sense of the word. Even when it was a triplex it was still a showplace. For me it lost it when the other theaters started being added on.

Sorry I over reacted. What AMC should do is: take down theaters 6-10, remove the center divider down 4 and 5 and make it one theater again. It would have true stadium seating, remember it was a balcony! Remove 2 and 3 and make theater one big again like you said. That would be a partial circle of life. That would be a true "Showplace". We have an old theater up here where I live and they play OLD movies there every now and again, they sell out every time.

I agree with you. It would be interesting if I would go to the Route 4 theater when it gets restored to its single screen glory. Sell all the other equipment except the 70mm/35mm projector, then play films in all sound and film formats known to man. Keep the tickets cheap (at opening day prices when the theater was first introduced in 1965), make the seats stadium seating rather than the old-style seating, and show nothing but classic trailers and films, not that AMC moviewatcher crap!!! For concessions, they should bring out the goodies: popcorn, candy, and soda as opposed to the massive food menu that AMC provides. And no Moviewatcher rewards, that takes up a lot of time and money!!! Online ticketing is a must as shows might get sold out. Rename it AMC Route 4 Palace.

...and lose a fortune :)

yeah, right.

AMC will never reopen the tenplex - it will just never happen, unless this thing becomes part of a larger project (such as the redevolopment of the Bergen Mall). Secondly, as much as I liked the Tenplex back in the Cineplex Oden days (I never visted in the RKO days) - the new theater is pretty good - one of the best multiplexes around in terms of screen size and comfort. It's an improvement over the current state of the Tenplex. Although I think it's location will bring in more kids with "nothing better to do" which is never good (look at the morons walking around GSP with their cell phones and imagine them in a cinema)

With that said, I think Paramus could support an art theater. 10 screens is maybe about 5 or 6 too many for an art theater (given these large theaters) so I think if the original 5 were some how saved, including Theater 1 and the remander of the building featured a bar, a cafe, or some additional venue with live performance, and maybe an art gallery - that would be the way to go. In fact thats something Paramus should look in to, aquiring the building as an art theater/alternative space - almost like SOPAC in South Orange or Real Art Ways in Hartford, CT. AMC has no interest in this kind of thing, as nice as the new 16-plex is they lack the inovation to offer these kinds of ammenities. Someone like National Amusements (which has the best theater in the county - Edgewater Multiplex, which has a decent track record of showing indie films - I saw Y Tu Mama Tombien, The Host, Notes on a Scandal, Waitress, and several other indies there) might collaberate with a non for profit on this type of center. But look at the new upscale plexes that AMC has opened, none of have lounges with full kitchens in them like National's Cinema De Lux sites do. Regal and AMC aren't interested in this sort of business model whereas National, Marcus Theaters, Landmark, Mann Theaters, and Muvico are looking on ways to drag people out of the house by making movie going a high end experience. That's the way to save the tenplex, completly set it apart from the sixteen at GSP.

You're right, Mr. Fink. What about a cinema/museum hybrid? That would be really cool.

John J. Fink said:

With that said, I think Paramus could support an art theater.

The Mall Theater in the Bergen Mall was a top quality art house for many years. I remember seeing "To Sir, With Love" there in 1967 and having to sit separately from the rest of my family because the place was so crowded.

Pete said: "...and lose a fortune :)"

And he's correct. Sorry, but it IS all about the money, and good money isn't going to be thrown out for bad. Not by a company like AMC.

Folks, the building's 40 years old! You can be sure it has infrastructure problems by this point in time. It would cost a million+ dollars to tear away the other sections and refurbish it to a single screen house. And for what? Art films? Where is that money going to come from? You had "Cinema 35" (Rt 4 west, just before Rt 17) on the other side of the highway for years, it didn't survive. It showed films like this.

I'm sorry to sound so negative, but that's the realities of the economics.

And how is this expansion of the Bergen mall going to stretch around the back of the Shop Rite, and go down a hill to connect with the old Texplex property? There is a significant change of grade between those two lots. Don't forget the auto dealer there too, and Toys R Us.

This is a dead issue..this will never reopen...

Someone should change the status of this theater to closed...it's not open anymore.

I said that last week. It appears to be an administrative function.

I sent a message to the administrators to change it to "Closed"

A lot of the above posters have some really good ideas in relation to what the Tenplex could become. Now, if only the borough would step in to foster those kinds of cultural investments, instead of more retail. Remember, even though AMC owns the property, it's still ruled over by Paramus. In other words, if they don't want it zoned for retail, they can step in and say it's not happening. I still don't know how the Bergen Mall would extend across the road, but that's what I've heard. I'm not sure how true that is. The Tenplex might not be as nice as it once once, but it's still far from a dump. In relation to the above comment about families frequenting the GSP theater, most won't. Everyone I've spoken to who has children has said they will probably go to the Secaucus 6 or 8 instead of the mall due to the ease of parking and lack of traffic. I'm sure the GSP theater will do best with the teens who frequent the mall, as spoken about above, with their neverending cell phone conversations and talking through the movies. I know the Willowbrook AMC, while not actually connected to the mall, doesn't get the amount of families as the older theaters, like Cinema 46 did. It's all teens and preteens there, which is why I avoid it like the plague. Peter, thanks for the link to AMC investor relations.

Jeff S... we all know that the theater is old. We all know that it will never go back to its original state. We do know that we will miss the memories of the place. That is what this site is for, so stop telling us to get over it.

Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I'm not the only one that is speaking the truth, and have the same memories you do, so please don't single me out. Theaters have become a cut throat business. Studios want to make their investments back in one or two weekends, not months or years anymore. Show it, reap the cash, destroy the prints. That's how it works. Exhibition companies will do what it takes to draw people away from the home theaters. In the 50's it was the studios that fought TV with CinemaScope, Cinerama, Stereo Sound, 3D, and VistaVision. Today it's the exhibitors leading that charge.

I also don't believe I ever told anyone to "get over it".

I too will miss The Stanley Warner. Having grown up in the area, I saw countless movies there and at the Century's Paramus (before it became a triplex). Unfortunately, there is nothing left of historical note to make it worth saving. Even with economics aside, what would be the point. The marble walls and art deco decor is long gone. To me, the theatre closed the day they walled up the balcony, and it was demolished the day they chopped the big auditorium in half.

Referring to what MBD said: I didn't know the big auditorium had been divided in half. When did that happen? I saw "The Phantom Menace" there in 1999 (the first digital presentation) and it looked intact to me. Although I realize a lot of bad things can happen to a very large theater in the course of 8 years.

Bill,

I think MBD is referring to the original Theatre One, which was chopped up sometime after 1983 (I don't know when, but it was after Return of the Jedi and before Blue Velvet).

Which sound formats did this theater have? I guess most of them anyway.

the theaters had magnetic, optical, dolby, dolby sr, dolby digital, DTS and Sony sdds.

8 channel sdds?

don't know much about the sony sdds.. it didnt work most of the time.

"don't know much about the sony sdds.. it didn't work most of the time."

Not surprising, considering the location Sony chose to put the sound! For those not in the know, the SDDS digital track was placed on the edges of the film, the area subject to the most mechanical friction and wear. So the track got scratched and worn, and didn't read properly.

I work in an office building near the Tenplex, right off of the Route 4 East Forest Avenue exit, directly across from Shop Rite, and pass by the theater on my way to lunch every day. Yesterday I saw a U-Haul truck, albeit a small one, parked by the front doors. And today there was an 18-wheeler parked there, backed up to the front doors. I don't know what they were moving. Maybe tomorrow I'll stop over there and ask whoever is there what is going on.

Maybe all the stuff from the old tenplex will be moved to other theaters owned by AMC. The movies that played at the tenplex were moved to the new location.

U-Hauls? I'd like to know what they're moving. The building may be up indefinitely but if they are gutting the place, I guess we can put our dreams of this theatre being resurrected to rest. Hope that's not the case.
Life goes on but I already miss this place like crazy. While it was trimmed down in recent years, they were also one of the last few theatres with a decent arcade. Yeah, I'm getting old.

Justin, you're probably right. Whatever equipment is useable will be spread out among the other AMC theatres that need them; snackbar equipment, candy counters, projection equipment, you name it.
Face it, folks. It was nice while it lasted, but this theatre is d o n e.

I stopped over at the theater this afternoon, on my lunchbreak, and spoke with a gentleman who was loading up a Ryder moving truck with a combination of food-vendor machines and movie poster frames and other stuff. One of the popcorn machines wis sitting outside. I asked him if he knew what was going to happen to the building. He said he had heard that it was going to be torn down, but he wasn't sure. He also said that he had bought the film projectors. (I don't know if he meant all of the projectors.) I asked him if he owned a theater. He said he was opening one in Upstate New York. After that, his cell phone rang and I didn't want to stick around and take up more of his time.

On my way home I stopped by the theater yet again and this time asked another guy if he knew anything about what will happen to the building. He didn't know. When I asked him about the film equipment, projectors, and such, he said that AMC gave it to their other theaters -- just as Justin and hotwaterbottle had surmised. I didn't see the first guy there, or his truck, but maybe he only bought one film projector for his new theater in Upstate New York. I wish I had asked him what town it would be in. ... I am not in this business, so I don't know what other questions I could've asked. I am just a fan of the Tenplex. I will miss it.

me too..that theater changed the way people went to movies in North Jersey. the theater was on the big screen in the movie ransom.

Well here is the link to see some of the pics

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j193/photoman_1001/

enjoy

Photoman1001, thank you so much for the link to the pictures. It is greatly appreciated. I'm still calling/emailing everyone I can think of to save this theater, but it looks like I'm running out of venues to pursue. At least I'll now have your pics to keep my memories alive. Thanks again.

How many seats did it have as a single screen theater please?

Thank You.

Thanks for the pictures, Photoman 1001. My favorite is "The Original Lobby".

Booth-8910, is that a Norelco 35/70 machine in the foreground?

yes it is a norelco 35/70. It was by theater 10. There is also one in booth six. They just sat there longing for 70mm :(

I wonder where those are headed. My basement maybe?

where did everyone go?

They went to the AMC 16 at the GSP :)

photoman1001, in your photo marked Sound-theater-one. You put the caption "That Dolby unit is the original one that played the 70MM Star War."

That Dolby processor looks like a Dolby CP-65 unit, which was introduced in August 1991 from Dolby. The only Dolby processor that could handle 70MM Dolby 6-Track Mag Stereo available back in 1977 was the Dolby CP-100 with a Dolby MPU-1 and a Dolby 364 for Noise Reduction for the surrounds and a Dolby SRA-4 for the surrounds.

That pictures shows the theatre could handle Dolby SRD and DTS but no magnetic stereo sound. The other sound system must be long gone.

photoman1001, some of the theaters, such as four and five, have stadium seating. Were they the first stadium seating theaters to be formed out of the old one-screen theater to be located in Bergen County? BTW, you missed out on some theaters, such as #6.

William.. you might be right about the dolby. The magnetic system was thrown out long ago. But I do remember pushing the buttons on that unit forever. I will check with one of the projectionists that was a tech. That unit was around for magnetic sound though.

Justin.. The 'stadium seating' in theaters 4 & 5 was a result of consolidation. It was a balcony in the original theater design. As far as I can remember it was the only theater I was ever in that had seating like that.
The only theater that I missed was theater 6. It was running at the time I was there taking the pictures.

thanks for the info. BTW, nice photos. Maybe in the future when the GSP 16 closes to make room for a 100-plex you can take pictures of that one!!!

photoman1001, The Dolby CP-65 can run mag 70MM with a Dolby MPU unit set-up. But when Star Wars came out it was only the Dolcy CP-100 as the processor.

thanks Justin.. lol.. 100-plex with a fast food resturant in each one!

William.. thanks for the info, I do miss 70mm and magnetic sound.

Magnetic sound still lives in my home theater, the 35mm version anyway, and it sounds glorious.

I bet it does, I have to settle for IMAX.

Does anyone know when exactly this movie theater opened and what the first movie it played was?

Thanks to Michael Coate and Bill Kallay, here's the answer to Movieguru's question:

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_rte_4.htm

I guess "Marriage on the Rocks" was the actual first movie screened, even though it was a one-time-only engagement. My friend and frequent poster Jeff S. owns a 35mm print of that film. I'd like to think it was the same one that opened the Stanley Warner that night in 1965.

Unfortunately, all I remember about the Stanley Warner was waiting in a long snaking line that wound way back into the parking lot for well over an hour in 1977 for Star Wars. There aren't many movies I hate with a passion, but that tops the list. Always preferred the Century at the Garden State Plaza.

Does anyone remember which NJ newspaper(s) had movie listings for this theater before 1972? The Newark Star Ledger only goes back until 1972.

You can find listings for the Stanley Warner in the Bergen Record. The Hackensack Public Library has all the issues on microfilm, in the basement.

when I used to live in clifton, the library had past issues of all the local papers showing the movie listings for the tenplex, mostly NY Times, Bergen Record. To date, the only CO locations that survive as AMCs are two: The Newport Centre theater in Jersey City and the Menlo Park mall theater in Edison. Both of them could never match the longevity of the tenplex, which had better sound and picture equipment than those two.

The building's windows were boarded up over the last few days. I first noticed it on Friday July 20.

well i guess that the tenplex will be demolished or transformed into a walmart!

You can be certain it will be demolished. That was already in the cards as has been said before. The "when" is the only question. A Wal-mart? I doubt it. Land plot not big enough, and traffic is already atrocious on Rt 4. There's already a Wal-Mar on Rt 46 in Saddle Brook (incidentally on the plot of the old Rt 46 Drive-In). I also don't think Wal-Mart would be interested in another store that can only stay open 6 days a week.

When will the tenplex be gutted down? I haven't heard anything in the Record or on News 12. Also, did some of the security guards from the old tenplex move over into the new AMC, along with its employees. I've seen most of the new ones at the new location to be young and a bit unskilled.

The only former Tenplex employee that I recognize @ the new AMC 16 is a very friendly ticket taker.

is that ticket taker named Monika? I saw her last afternoon and she tore only one ticket instead of the two. She was very nice and courteous.

No, he was an elderly I think asian man.

On another unrelated note:

I did ask the manager (the one with the grey hair and grey walrus moustace)at the TenPlex whether he'd be working at AMC16 and he said no.

Most, if not all, of the Tenplex employees were offered jobs at the new theater, but turned them down. I, and all of my friends and family, will never go see a movie at the new theater, so I can understand why they wouldn't want to work there. For a lot of the employees of the Tenplex I spoke to, it wasn't just a job, it was like a second home. It's kind of the same feeling a lot of us patrons had for it over the past 30+ years or so. I'm still really disappointed because I had two independent theater owners interested in leasing the property, but when AMC let the lease go, the owners of the property leased it to a company who will eventually turn it into an extension of the newer Bergen Mall. If only I acted faster.

Actually, what I should have said was: if only I knew about the closing early enough to get something accomplished. The article in the paper didn't cover the situation from a sympathetic angle, and the writer I spoke with forget to put the website in the article, so most people thought it was a written petition. All the politicians I spoke to gave me lip service, but what else is new in New Jersey. We have the highest taxes in the country, property/state income/sales tax, and yet the Jets/Giants/Devils get state money and millions in tax incentives to build new stadiums/arenas that no one wanted, especially in Newark of all places. Why I foolishly thought a NJ politician would have helped out in this situation is beyond me.

I believe it was the city of Newark, not the state of New Jersey, that put a big chunk of its own money into the new arena. And as a NJ Devils fan, I hope it is a success -- for both the team and the city. ... Regarding New Jersey politicians not caring enough about the Tenplex or some other NJ landmarks, I agree. But then I guess we could go on for days talking about what is wrong with politics in NJ if we wanted to.

Part of the money for the new Devils Arena is coming from the state, but most is coming from Newark. Newark Mayor Corey Booker recently forced a large number of city workers to retire early or were let go, due to the fact that the city budget deficit is so ridiculously high, and yet hundreds of millions of dollars go into an arena that wasn't needed. I've been a huge Devils fan my whole life, and spent a huge percentage of my youth watching games at the arena. They should have just renovated Continental. The lower tier tickets at the new arena, in one of the highest crime areas of the state, will be almost double what they cost at Continental, $150. For that kind of money they should have built it in Upper Saddle River or Mahway, not Newark.

The Devils Arena is very similar to the tenplex situation. The new theater at the mall costs more per ticket and is in a worse location re: parking and traffic. The new Devils Arena will have costlier tickets, less seats than Continental, yet more extremely costly luxury boxes/club seats, and is in a much worse and less hockey friendly area. Most of my friends who've had season tickets at Continental all these years have finally been priced out of their seats $150 versus $90 or so, and the fact that you're paying $150 to risk going to Newark is the straw that broke the camels back. The Devils thought they had trouble filling the arena before, so they decided let's charge more and put the arena in the worst place possible?

"For that kind of money they should have built it in Upper Saddle River or Mahwah, not Newark."

I understand you're only trying to make a point, but they build these sort of things in Newark because there is no "not in my back yard" resistance. Residents of USR or Mahwah would never allow a project such as this to go through.

Now, back to the triplex!

You're right Jeff, good point. I didn't think of that. I know the residents of East Rutherford would have rather had a renovated Continental than the traffic nightmare which will be Xanadu, but when do residents ever have a say in these kind of things.lol In relation to the Tenplex. It just hit me again when I was in Paramus this week how three theaters have all disappeared this year. The Paramus Picture Show, famous for Rocky Horror showings, the little theater outside the mall whose name I can never remember, and of course The Tenplex. Has anyone gone by the Tenplex lately? I didn't get a chance to. I was wondering if they've done anything other than the boarding up someone else mentioned. Who knows, maybe it will be deserted for a while like Alexanders was and get haunted.lol

They are still pulling things out of it. I still eat at the Fuddruckers next door (which now has the Artic Thunder Machine formerly housed at the 10 plex, BTW)and saw a dumpster filled with stuff int 10 plex parking lot. There were some metal boxes marked for some type of film equipment and a stand up sign that looked like it could be lit up.
It had an illustartion of a movie camera on it. I wanted to look more, but I felt too conspicious since there is still a constant flow of traffic through the parking lot.

I don't see much of a correlation between the Devils' former situation at the Continental Airlines Arena (CAA) and the former situation at the Route 4 Tenplex. But I will say that I know that, aside from the people who live in Bergen County, it was not easy for a lot of fans to get to Devils games (or Nets games, for that matter) on a weeknight. Especially for those fans from Essex County and below. Sometimes we here in Bergen County don't realize that there are a lot of proud Jersey supporters in those areas. People who want to root for a Jersey team. At least with the new Newark arena there is easy access to NJ Transit from all over. That is huge. Sure, being a Bergen County resident, it will be a longer trip for me. But I can understand why the team moved. They could've renovated the old CAA and still they would've struggled to fill the building on a weeknight. The owner wants to see the team be successful, not only in winning but monetarily too, and, being a Jersey guy himself, he wants to keep the team in the state. I support that. In Newark, the team will get most of the profits from concessions, parking, and the like -- which is immensely important for a sports team in this day and age. That is in direct contrast to the setup at the Meadowlands, which is run by the state of NJ, which reaps most of those profits. And just because the arena is in Newark does not mean fans won't come. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) does just fine there. There is security in those places. It is not like they build those arenas/theaters in the middle of the projects.
Now back to the Tenplex, being the major theater in Bergen County, as far as I knew, they were not hurting for customers. They just needed to update the place a little. As has been discussed in this forum previously, the sound system was kind of shabby compared to what it used to be. They also could have installed comfier seats. I was at the new AMC Garden 16, or whatever it is called, and those seats are nice! Plus they give you plenty of leg room. And the screens are huge and the sound system is booming, compared the the old theaters at the Tenplex. ... Still though, i would rather they had fixed up the Tenplex.

The correlation between Continental and the Tenplex, is they are both being replaced by so-called new and improved versions of themselves in worse (parking, traffic, crime) areas. I've never understood the argument about it being hard to get to Continental with so many highways being in the area: rt. 3, rt. 120, rt. 17, the Turnpike, etc... The Newark Arena would only make sense if NJ was NY and we had rail/subway stations everywhere or at least complete bus service. There will be no way to get to the new arena from most of Bergen or Passiac County, without driving, and unlike E. Rutherford, that's driving to a bad area at night. All week they've had reports on News 12 about the high rate of crime and murder in Newark, not something you hear about in E. Rutherford.

I've always been a die hard Devils fan, and have the stacks of used tickets to prove it,lol, along with being a huge movie fan, so I would like to see the team and the Tenplex do well. The Tenplex was always profitable, but AMC thought the mall theater would do even better. If the Tenplex was failing financially, it wouldn't bother me as much. I don't like stadium seating, so the mall theater would never do it for me, even with comfy seats.lol I'll stick with the Willowbrook theater or Secaucus, if I'm forced to go to an AMC. The Devils could have found a nicer area to put the new arena, maybe more centralized and suburban, where the socioeconomic level of the populace fit the typical hockey fan and lowered ticket prices which would have helped attendance most. NJPAC is nice, but has never been profitable, that's why they're always asking for donations. It's easier for me to catch a bus/train to see a show in NYC, than it is to take public transportation to Newark. The Devils problem has always been fan base age, which is much younger, on average, than Rangers fans, which is why as the tickets prices rose much too high, attendance went down. In the old days, when the team didn't do as well, but tickets prices were dirt cheap, the arena was always close to full, now, Dev/Ranger games don't even sell out anymore. Newark will not solve their problems, just cost the city tax dollars.

By cost tax dollars, I meant due to all the huge tax incentives they got for building in Newark, similar to the new Giants Stadium deal.

the expansion into a ten plex was the pinacle for the theater. After that it was down hill and who ever was the owner at any given time NEVER wanted to do any improvements. They were always talking of relocating. The projection equipment was piecemealed and getting parts was an adventure. Big business thrives on new.. bigger.. better. The old timers were suprised it lasted till now. The new movie patrons are so dazzled by all this digital garbage that they are fooled to think that it is better than tried and true 70mm and magnetic sound. From a business standpoint it makes perfect sense. Why not put a theater onto a mall? I truely miss the ten plex. I miss playing with the equipment. I miss walking through the maze of hallways to the projection booths. I miss the old noisy rectifiers, platters and projectors. The stories of past adventures, problems, drama. Sitting for hours with my father in the original lobby watching people. Oh well.. its gone but not forgotten.

"The new movie patrons are so dazzled by all this digital garbage that they are fooled to think that it is better than tried and true 70mm and magnetic sound."

One thing everyone seems to constantly forget is the equipment used isn't there for YOUR satisfaction. If it were, 70mm and magnetic sound (even on 35mm) would still be the standard.

Digital is used for one simple reason: MONEY. PROFIT.
Moving to a glitzy new building is done for one simple reason: MONEY. PROFIT.

Using digital takes all the distribution (shipping) and photographic (film + lab) costs out of the equation. Result, more money for the studios without doing anything.

The spin machine is constantly working to make you think digital is bigger and better, and it's irrelevant if it is or isn't. The spin machine is there to make the studios money. It appears to be working. Now, if only the quality of the movies produced were better, perhaps I'd be more inclined to spend $11 to go see them.

"I miss the old noisy rectifiers, platters and projectors. The stories of past adventures, problems, drama. Sitting for hours with my father in the original lobby watching people. Oh well.. its gone but not forgotten."

Photoman: I also grew up at a theater. My grandfather ran a Summer operation at Rockaway Beach, Queens for 40 years. My mom grew up at that theater, and so did I. Both my mom and myself grew up with the same projectionist. The Simplex Supers ran for 40+ years in that booth with carbons behind them. I remember the noise, the Tungar rectifiers, the hand rewinding of reels, the heat in the booth on hot summer nights, changeovers, and so on. I also remember when I pulled on a chain and all the window shutters came crashing down during a show! It too is gone, but it certainly isn't forgotten. A little piece of it lives on in my basement.

Chris: I understand and respect your points. I have a very big stack of Devs ticket stubs myself -- having gone to their games since they came here in 1982. And I myself liked going to see them at CAA too. I guess the main reason I am pro-Newark is because I feared that if they didn't get that deal done, then the team would've eventually been sold and then moved out of state. And I would never want that to happen. I always liked the fact that there is a team that actually "wants" to play in New Jersey and, just as importanly, uses the New Jersey name (unlike the Giants, Jets, and now, ugh, Red Bulls). But I don't want to bore everyone else in this forum with sports talk. If you'd like to continue this conversation, post a message at www.nj.com/forums/devils and I'll gladly reply.
Now, back to the Tenplex, reading photoman1001's post makes me long for the old days of 70mm and magnetic sound! I am proud to say that -- even though the theater was not what it used to be -- I was at the closing show in Theater 1, the latest Pirates of the Carribean movie. It was a nice night, even if a lot of the kids were just there to see the movie, not to reminisce.

Like the old theater 1 in the old tenplex, there's a theater 1 in the new 16 screen that looks like one of the big ones, along with theater 2 on the left wing; the east wing of the theater has 14 medium to smaller screens. FYI, all of the bourne movies (except part three) that played at this theater were based on books by the guy who supervised Playhouse on the Mall, Robert Ludlum.

At the AMC 16, I just saw The Simpons Movie in theater 4, the other day -- my first-ever visit to the new AMC theaters. The screen looked pretty big to me. If theaters 1 and 2 have even bigger screens, that is pretty impressive.
That being said, I will still miss the old Tenplex. Too bad they didn't keep it open and make it an art-film house or a second-run movie theater or even an IMAX.

i agree with you. The old tenplex was a great theater for Paramus, and was ahead of its time in terms of presentation, movies, and popularity.

95Crash, I still have an old Crash line t-shirt someone in the house. Those were the days.lol The sad thing is, for many of us, due to the much higher cost of tickets at the new arena and more importantly the location, Newark is almost as bad as if they left the state. It's not like the $150 dollar ticket price, addition of more luxury boxes and less actual regular seats shows the team is looking out for us fans. I still can believe the state went along with the new Giants/Jets Stadium deal involving some state money and loads of tax incentives that could have helped the typical NJ property owner when the teams still won't rename as NJ versus NY. I don't know why everyone just caves when teams threaten to leave. For those of you who have such strong feeling about the Tenplex, I can totally relate. It's a shame how things that mean so much to our childhood can be ripped asunder due to corporate greed. CGI has been ruining Sci-Fi/Horror ever since it was created as this so-called "fantastic development" similar to the way that digital projection was rolled out. I'd take the old-fashioned, but more expensive and time consuming, models, puppets, and make-up of the old days. Just compare the realistic looking ships of the original Star Wars trilogy with the cartoon looking ones of the newer films. As many above have said, cost and profit dictate changes in the industry, not what's best. The problem is most consumers just accept it and keep paying for junk.

In an unprecedented move, director Christopher Nolan is filming four sequences in the next installment of Warner Bros. Pictures' Batman franchise, "The Dark Knight," with extremely high resolution IMAX® cameras using the giant 15/70 film format. While it is not unique for a feature lensed on traditional 35mm film to be re-mastered to screen in IMAX® theatres, this marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras, marking a revolutionary integration of the two film formats. July 2008.

This could be a start!!!

that previous post was not related to this theater. You should post it on a theater with IMAX capabilities, e.g. the AMC Imax theater in manhattan. BTW, Batman played at the tenplex six times, first in 1966 one year after the Route 4 theater's opening, then in 1989, 1992, 1995, 1997, and 2005. The new Batman movie will play at the theater's successor, which will probably show it in DLP, not IMAX, on two of its screens. Same goes for the new Indy jones movies, which all three played at the tenplex before the new one plays at the Garden State 16. Even Star Trek, Halloween, and any movie that was made post 1965 that is getting revived has played at this theater long before newer versions play at the GS 16.

I could care less if it shows in DLP at the new replacement theater. I posted the info for the people on this post that love the old 70mm. It was refreshing to read that a director wanted to use large format film.

oh, that's all. I posted a comment about the new batman on the lincoln square theater, since that theater can handle that film. The last Batman movie to be shown in IMAX, Batman Begins, was the second superhero to have his IMAX debut (spiderman was the first, with superman the third). Too bad Transformers wasn't filmed in IMAX, as that would add more money to the budget, even though seeing giant robots on a giant screen might sound cool. As for 70mm, I saw a movie about Mt. St. Helens that was previously shot in IMAX then downconverted to 70mm for smaller screens. It was at a now gone theater in Castle Rock, WA that was called the Dome or something. It was awesome and excellent. As for IMAX, it still carries on that 70mm feel.

I saw 300 in IMAX and still get goosebumps thinking about how great it was. I hope more directors choose IMAX over digital!!!

I prefer to see digital movies in HD on Bluray and seeing event movies in IMAX since IMAX rocks!!! Too bad IMAX doesn't have a widescreen process but makes up for it with two formats, IMAX big screen and Omnimax, which is back again at the reopened Liberty Science Center. I kinda liked Omnimax since you're in the movie surrounded by picture and sound...it sucks that the picture was a bit more fuzzy and blurry than regular IMAX, which is taller and more comfortable and less dizzy. BTW, IMAX sound is much better than film sound. Too bad the prices are still expensive.

Shouldn't the last part of the name be Decaplex, or don't they know that woid in New Joisy?

very funny.

so what's up with the tenplex now that AMC is making money on its successor? I hope there should be a strip mall where it's located, or maybe a concert hall since the only location nearby that has arts is the BergenPAC center in Englewood.

The June 4, 2007 link to photos of the theatre (http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j193/photoman_1001/)no longer works. Is there another site where these photos can be viewed?

Status should be changed to "Closed."

Status should be changed to "Closed."

I said the same thing MONTHS ago, and even sent an email to the site "owners" via a contact us link (months ago). You can see how well they respond to their emails or maintain the site.

it's been a few weeks since turkey day, and it's still closed. AMC Garden State 16 is the successor to this theater, which someone working for ct will ad to the summary soon.

Unfortunately, hopes for an IMAX theater in Paramus will have to go by as the AMC in ROckaway will be the only complex in North Jersey to show the format come summer 2008; the closest theaters are in West Nyack and Lincoln Square; Jersey City only shows Omnimax films.

It should be set to closed, CT people!!!

It also should have its name updated to "AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 Tenplex", as this was the name of the theatre when it closed.

That's right. When Cineplex Odeon merged with Loews, all trailers related to Cineplex were removed and replaced by the Loews Cineplex policy trailer, featuring a crowd attending a premiere of a movie at a Loews Cineplex theater. It would soon be replaced by the filmstrip guy from AMC after AMC bought the location and relocated the movies to GSP. A clip of CO's coliseum in space trailer can be found on Youtube. FYI, Loews Cinplex had a sibling in Europe called Yelmo Cineplex, which used the same music as Loews in the US. BTW, what will be in that old space since the theater's gone?

someone at ct should update the summary of the theater, as well as the status and in the near future, what retail space the former theater will turn into. I think the size of that building would fit an organic foods market like Whole Foods or perhaps Trader Joe's..maybe a Chuck E'Cheeses, since there's so few of them in North Jersey (East Hanover and Wayne come to mind). Maybe a Sonic Drive-In, since the crowd over at Fuddruckers has declined since the tenplex closed!!!

I'm check here right now, and it's still "open"? Boy, this theater policy will be taking a long, long, time...it's closed, closed, CLOSED!!!

I've sent several emails to the site's operators about this theater, and the Rt 17 RKO Century (which is demolished). No response, no change. I've been doing it for months. This site's on auto-pilot.

Screw CT....Cinematour does a good job of tracking theaters like this, but they don't get the popularity of Cinema Treasures!!!

Justin just think it took just till yesterday for the National Theatre in Westwood to have it's status change to closed/demolished. I guess seeing pictures of just the iron framework of the building helped.

i agree with you.

cinamatour has no traffic on the site..

I may be wrong, but I would think people would be on here to talk about their great memories of this theater, not to constantly harp on its closing. What's the point of complaining about this site's listing of its status? I keep getting emails from this site telling me there are new posts regarding the tenplex. Every time I follow the link here, all I find are people moaning that the site hasn't listed it as closed or discussing what new retail monstrosity should replace it. A lot of us still wish it remained open or that the land owners would change their minds about using it to put more unneeded retail space on. The new theater at the mall is horrible compared to the tenplex. Every theater there is exactly the same, no wide screens, no special feeling of being at a true theater, instead of a factory. It's like watching a movie on a large television screen, instead of in a classic, formal theater. It's amazing what people are content with these days. Yes, he tenplex had it's flaws, but its positives far outweighed the negatives, even in its latter years. I spent close to thirty years enjoying the tenplex with my family and friends, it's too bad people here just care about its closing status and dancing on its' grave. I'd love to log in here and actually read some stories about peoples' experiences at the theater over the years. In other words, let's see some positives for once, please.

thanks for changing the status of the theater, CT. I wonder what will become of this now barren building. I guess a million people visited this theater during its 42 year run.

one other thing....the name should be changed to Route 4 Tenplex, not Loews Primus Route 4 Tenplex.

This theatre closed as "AMC Loews Paramus Rout 4 Texplex", although the signs on the building still read "Cineplex Odeon Route 4 Tenplex"

They used to have signs that mentioned Stanley Warner, and then Century's. What plans will happend nearly a year after this place is closed?

Actually, according to an ad posted by a CT user, this theater opened in October of 1965, not when Thunderball came out. Thunderball was the first James Bond movie to play at the Route 4 theater, but not in Paramus, as older theaters in the area played Dr. No and Goldfinger. It would become the longest running film series at the Tenplex, ending with Casino Royale a few months before shutting down. Quantum of Solace will be the first James Bond movie to play at the Garden State 16. The new Indiana Jones will play at that theater, as all three movies have played in the Route 4. And the new Star Wars animated cartoon will be playing at GS16, too.

Back when Raiders of the Lost Ark came out, that year the Route 4 became a sevenplex and still had 70mm to project that movie and its successors, Temple of Doom (still a tenplex), and Last Crusade (when it became the tenplex and was owned by CO). Out of those three indy movies, which one lasted long at this theater, and which had the best presentation?

Speaking of 70mm, the new indiana jones will premiere in that format for its world premiere over in Cannes, and will be released in 35mm and in digital on May 22. As for the previous comment, Temple of Doom came out when it was still a seven plex and was one of the last major movies to be shown on the large screens before chopped up into 10 four years later. Since the tenplex is no more, what will become of Fuddruckers?

"Speaking of 70mm, the new indiana jones will premiere in that format"

You mean in the IMAX 70mm format, right?

It's not really the same thing. The image size is many times greater in the Imax 70/15 horizontal format than it is in the classic 70/5 vertical pull format. To archive the same image size on the screen requires less magnification, which of course means less grain blowup, higher perceived resolution, etc.

Fuddruckers looks to do doing fine. Off topic, it's attracts it's own customers that are looking for something different from the standard fare in the area. The game room/games are alo an attraction.
In fact I believe the Artic Thunder machine they have is the one formerly housed by the 10 plex.
On topic, they've continued their agreement with the new theater for reduced price tickets they should have retained whomever went for that reason.

That's a good thing, since the AMC right by me in Rockaway has a deal that lets you get a free hot dog at Nathans or cash off a burger at Fatburger. I believe the Fuddruckers in Bridgewater as well as those in Parsippany and Succasunna do these food offers when customers bring in tickets from theaters. BTW, when did Fuddruckers open...I believe it was during the late mid to late 90's when the Tenplex was starting to show its age but survived into the 21st century.

I walked aroubd the theater a few days ago The exterior) I was in the area...it's boarded up but still intact, there was a bulldozer picking up stuff at one end of the theater...wouldn't it be grand if they saved the theater, made it an entertainment venue for shows, concerts and special premiere film screenings as well as some classic retrospective? It'd be a dam shame to just knock it down, they have the parking. I hear that they saved the Wellmont in Montclair and that it opens in the fall , as a concert hall etc. Maybe they'll show an occasional movie. As for the Rt. 4- well, it's good to dream. Any millionaires out there looking for a good buy? Go for it...

Amen to that. I tried really hard last year to save this historic theater. I actually had two separate independent theater owners interested in leasing the property, which was never actually owned by Loews, AMC, etc... It's owned by the same company that's working on redoing the Bergen Mall. Supposedly, when the people I was working with called the company to express interest in keeping it a movie theater, they were told there were already plans in place to use the property for an extension of the new mall. The petition I had, actually still have online, along with the article in the paper, didn't seem to have enough of an effect on the local citizens to get them to do something about it. You rarely see anyone over 18 going into the new theater at the mall, so I'm guessing most of the older Tenplex crowd is going elsewhere or watching cable. I called every local city, county, and state politician, and although they didn't brush me off, they really didn't do a damn thing about it, because there were no kickbacks to be had. It still breaks my heart to think that this great theater will someday be gone. NJ has a major issue with not giving a sh*t about historical buildings and it's sad. Most other states I've visited pride themselves on keeping historical sites viable. Giants Stadium, the Meadowlands Arena, and the Bergen Mall are so easily thrown under the bus in the name of so-called progress. If the new theater at the mall is progress, than I'll be happy to go back to the past. No matter how many politicians want to use the message of change, most change is usually for the worse, not the better. Rhett39, if you can think of anything I didn't do to save the Tenplex, please let me know. I'd still do almost anything to save it.

All valid points, Chris, however, over my 33 years as a projectionist, there are many theatres I worked in that suffered the same fate. I wished I could have saved them too. But the sad truth is, in todays world, new is in, old is out. Look what happened in New York City over the years. And like you up in Paramus, down here in Woodbridge, do we really need anymore office buildings, or condo's? It is sad, because these places they build to watch movies in today are nothing more than 'sheetrock closets'. No charm, no nothing. As far as saving your tenplex, I think even if you won the mega-millions, you still would be out of luck. Chances are the decision has been made about this buildings fate, good or bad, and its only a matter of time...

before it gets quarantined or salvaged for more parking space, much the same way the tenplex's sister theater had as well as the old drive-in. Or it could be used for more retail, much like the fate of the old theater inside the Bergen Mall, or perhaps an arts center, since the Paramus Picture Show is mostly now used for rock music and concerts. Was this theater the first theater in Paramus' history? At the time, Paramus had the strip mall cinema, the Route 4 theater, the one on 17, the one at the Bergen Mall, and the drive-in, making Paramus the movie-going destination in Bergen County at a time when attendance was bigger than it is today. Another town that should improve its shopping is Wayne, which desperately needs an improved movie theater.

my bad. the paramus picture show is also retail, not a concert hall. The Route 4 tenplex should become a performing arts/concert/meeting venue, although that title goes to the BergenPAC in Englewood. Maybe a hotel or motel would be nice, probably a Hilton.

from what i read on cinema retro, a lowes will be built where this theater stands.

I walked by there not too long ago, just for nostalgia. It's boarded up but still intact although a small bulldozer was doing work. I miss that theater especially that it was 31 years ago today, May 25, 1977 that STAR WARS opened there.

And one year ago today that it closed down. The night before it closed, it showed its last new movie, Pirates 3, before digital versions of the movie played on 2 screens at its successor. Had it been alive, it would be 43 years old. I guess it's now all dust and bugs and mold that adorn this former Cinema Treasure.

Rhett39, was the small bulldozer doing any work on the actual building or just the surrounding property? Every time I see the Tenplex I feel it could still be brought back to its former glory in a short period of time, though I'm sure it would cost a pretty penny. I'm sure it's not that bad inside right now, as it's been sealed off from the elements since it closed. I still find it hard to believe it's been closed that long. I saw all the original Star Wars films there. Watching blockbusters in the newer factory style theaters is just not the same, exspecially since their screens are all so narrow compared to the wide ones at the Tenplex, and the stadium seating doesn't help. People start feeling like they're at home in that seating arrangement and talk, talk, talk. The old style makes you feel more like you're actually out at a real theater, similar to a Broadway theater.

Chris....the bulldozer was doing stuff in the surrounding property...however, that was a year ago and I haven't been there since...I think we can write the place off...another treasure buried.

I recently heard that a huge health club is going to go up on this property.

24 Hour Fitness.

Awful! I could half live with it if it something fun that I could go to. A health club? One dimensional and not my cup of tea. On a side note even though I've "adjusted" to the GS 16, I still find myself missing the 10 plex. Even though I loved the 10 plex when it was around only now does it really shine how perfect it was for me. When I wanted to go see a movie, there was never a doubt I'd be going to the ten plex. Now I find myself deciding between THREE theatres (Clifton Commons, Lowes Wayne & the GS 16) depending on what I'm looking for.

BTW, when is 24 Hr Fitness scheduled to open? There was an online petition to save the tenplex but sadly it's now going to be transformed into more retail for Paramus, which is always changing but has very few open space. There are no signs of Native American life around Paramus, hence there were few back when the theater opened in the 60's.

This theater was one of a few in America to show the original Star Wars and its sequels, which were rereleased so many times at this theater, and the prequels, of which Episode I was digitally shown (despite being shot on 35mm).

The place is an eyesore...should be demolished!

when it will be demolished...btw, paramus has enough gyms around. This was Paramus' cinema version of Yankee Stadium, and like the new Yankee Stadium, the old Paramus theater will still be remembered more than the one attached to a big mall.

For anyone missing this thatre I recommend the Menlo Park 12 if you're in the vicinity. It also used to be a cineplex Odeon and for the most part is still contructed like one.

Menlo link on this site: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/14451/

Except the AMC Loews Menlo Park 12 was always a "Cineplex Odeon" theatre, whereas the former AMC Loews Paramus Rout 4 10 Theatre started out as a "Stanley Warner" theatre.

The Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre showed lots of great movies in 70mm, and started as a single screen.

The Cineplex Odeon/AMC Loews Menlo Park 12 Theatre is a 1990's 12-plex that replaced another great theatre, the General Cinema Menlo Park Twin Theatre (opened as Cinema Menlo Park), which also show great 70mm films.

Of all the theatres I've been to since the tenplex closed Menlo had the closest feel (for me anyway), that's pretty much all I was saying. The tenplex itself was and always will be my all-time favorite theatre. It accounted for probably 90% of moviegoing experience over the course of 30 years until it closed.

"The Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre showed lots of great movies in 70mm, and started as a single screen."

And a HUGE single screen at that!

Thanks for the tip on the Menlo Park 12, MikeP. I'll have to check it out sometime.

I'll have to check out the Menlo Park 12 one too. There's just nothing around here that has the same feel of the Tenplex, or the screen size of theater 1 there. I find myself going into NYC much more often these days to see movies, due to there still being a few classic theaters left there. I completely agree with Justin's comment above that the Tenplex will be remembered long after it's gone. It breaks my heart every time I pass by and see it all shuttered up with wood where the doors and front windows used to be. If only the town of Paramus would have stepped in to prevent it from becoming more retail space, or another gym as many have said it will become. I'm still furious that it was a done deal before anyone even knew it was officially closing. I had two separate independent theater owners who wanted to lease the property, but unfortunately, the same people who own the property the Tenplex resides on also own the former Bergen Mall site. They had already made their decision about what was going to replace the Tenplex and they didn't have any interest in keeping it a movie theater. If it was a little older, I could have gotten it designated as a historical location, but it just misses the 50 year old cut-off. Why they couldn't at least turn it into a local theater for plays and musicals, I don't know. There are so many better uses for the property than a gym or another retail store. Well, I guess it's just typical of the modern day NJ, where everything is replaceable, as long as it gets some local politician a kickback from a developer. Remember, the mayor of Paramus was dead set against a new theater at the mall, and the closing of the Tenplex. All of a sudden he flipflopped on the whole issue. I wonder what could have caused that?lol

In Burn After Reading, there is a prediction of things to come...a fitness center on busy Route 4 in Paramus, where it was really shot. It's called Hardbodies, and in reality the Coen Brothers used the former Tower Records store on Route 17, not Route 4 as some people might think, as a stand in for the fitness center. The only gym in Paramus right now is a Gold's Gym, and when the new fitness center, opens, it will give Gold's a run for its money. However that might change in a tightening economy.

Just saw The new Punisher movie at the Menlo 12 this weekend aand after reviewing the photos of the tenplex someone took I can confirm the theatre style is an near exact match right down to the carpet. The tenplex may have not originally been a Cineplex Odeon but it looks like they did most of the latter work there. Here's one the pics of the tenplex that was posted. If you miss the 10 plex as I do and have yet to visit the Menlo park 12 you should. Your immediate reaction will probably be the same as mine, "I'm home."

MikeP, can you repost the link to where you found that photo and all the others? I went back to what I thought was the original link, but I can't find the photos.

those photo's are from me. The link is closed because there wasnt any hits.

Every time I look at those photographs I get very sad, as I remember what a true cinematic experience used to be like. On top of that, they also bring back memories of friends and family now long gone, who I had shared special times with there. I still find it hard to accept the fact that it's gone, well, not gone yet, but closed. :(

I was fortunate enough to have worked as an usher during its days when it was known as "The RKO Route 4 Tenplex." This was in the mid 1980s , and it was a real treat. It had not yet gone downhill as it had started to after it became Cineplex Odeon, although that horrid game room was always a problem. It was a real hang out on the weekends for kids, and there was ALWAYS a problem, fights, etc. However, on the upside, the theatre saw its best days at this time and was known as the east coasts premier theatre. I remember on many occasions the sneak previews or directors previews they would screen there. I was a teenager and never quite understood why they held these mega events there, I assume because it was one of the nicer theaters, and it’s proximity to New York City, being only a 15 minute drive to the George Washington Bridge. The main theatre (theatre 1.) was the biggest, and they showed al the important films in that one. What I remember most is how many famous people came and went out of that theater., some for the premiere events, some because they simply lived in the area. The regulars, as we as the staff called them were, Eddie Murphy (always with an entourage of friends, and tried to get in for free all the time), Brooke Shields, Danny Aiello, Lawrence Taylor, Charlie Callas (he was a favorite, would pull my on my nose or do a funny dance in the lobby), Patrick Ewing, "Captain Haggerty" (he came every weekend for a matinee), Dick Shawn, Alan Alda, and many others. I recall, popping in on one time events or premieres were, Ron Howard, Julie Andrews and Leonard Nimoy. One summer Saturday night, Tom Cruise AND Paul Newman both came together came for The Color of Money premiere, Joanne Woodward came too with her and Newman’s daughters. Even Michael Jackson couldn’t resist a visit to The Tenplex. He came in, once, on a weekday matinee. So as you can imagine, that place was really poppin during its heyday years. Yes, it was a great big theatre, yet it kept its intimacy and had style, a giant marble escalator, and hundreds of black and white movie star pictures in gold frames on the many walls in the giant lobby. These horrible current day multiplex’s now will never capture what real movie going used to be like. As a kid, the RKO Tenplex (I’ll selfishly never know it as anything else), will hold many, many great memories.

Great memories! Ironically enough the game room was one of things I loved about the tenplex. I loved killing time before and after the movie playing games. I actually have some cool memories of the game room itself. One time was playing a game set up for four players and there was a very sad little boy watching me play. I could see he really wanted to play but had no money. I threw some extra quaters in and said "I could use some help." It was nice to know that for 50 cents, a buck whatever I put in there, I made this kid's day.

Just for the record, after the theatre became a 4-plex, it became a 7-plex with the extension added on the front of the building with 3 screens that kind of ruined the lobby. I believe this may have opened in 1984 because I think that area was still new when I saw Passage to India on one of those screens. And then I am pretty sure it became an 8-plex with the twinning of the upstairs balcony theatre, and the breaking up of the main screen by building 2 small auditoriums in one end of it was the final and most tragic act that turned it into a 10-plex but also reduced the size of the wonderful main downstairs screen. But definitely screens #5/6/7 in the new building pre-dated the additional subdividing of the original.

Today I noticed that Vornado Realty Trust has slapped two "AVAILABLE" signs on the exterior of the building. So...they aren't going to tear it down after all? Or turn it into a fitness center (as someone posted above)? Hey, maybe somebody on this board would like to lease it and reopen it as a theater! ;-) Vornado's number is 1-800-242-4119....

Hmm, Vornado is overseeing that whole makeover of the Bergen Mall as well as a few other buildings in that area.

If they're actually putting it available for lease now, then I'm at a loss for words. I had two different independent theater owners interested in leasing the property to show either second run or independent/foreign films right after the theater shut it's doors for good. When they contacted the property owner, who supposedly also owns the property that the Bergen Mall is/was located on, they were told that the Tenplex property was already spoken for and that it was going to be demolished to make way for additions to the new mall. I wonder if that all fell through now that the economy has gone downhill. Before I try to track down where I put the phone numbers for those two gentleman almost two years ago, does anyone know for a fact that the property is available for lease? My guess is that so much time has passed since I originally spoke to them that they already have their hands/money into other things, but you never know. Just the faint hope that someone could take over the Tenplex and re-open it as a theater, in whatever form that would be, makes me happy. I will try to give Vornado a call as soon as I get some free time and see what the real story is. If anyone finds out any info before then, be sure to post it. I hope you're right Sebastian, and I think there's a good chance you are, since I found it quite odd that the theater itself has been sitting there untouched for so long. It's very possible the funding fell through for whatever was going to replace it. Let's all cross our fingers that someone is able to save this former movie palace from the wrecking ball. : )

Well, I just talked to Vornado. The good news is the property is available for lease. The BAD news is they have something in their contract with the actual property owner that will not allow any type of movie theater to be located on that property. :( I still don't understand why that would be the case, as AMC never owned the property and would be the only one who wouldn't want another theater located at that location, since they have the "factory" one at the mall, but that's just the way it is. The person I spoke to said there was no chance that policy would be changed. She also told me that the entire interior of the theater had been completely cleaned out, not just the projecters and chairs, but EVERYTHING, leaving only the exterior shell and the facade behind. Just thinking about that makes me want to start balling, but I know everyone doesn't have emotional connections to that theater like I do. She actually mentioned that she thought the theater looked horrible and couldn't understand why anyone would want to save it in the first place. I guess she never saw it in its glory days or understood that a lifespan of almost 50 years showing movies has an effect on a lot of people who frequented it during that time. It IS available for lease though and it could be used as a theatrical theater, like Bergen PAC or NJPAC, just not anything movie related, so if you know anyone who wants to open a community theater that would stage musicals, plays, etc.... give Vornado a call. The leasing rate she mentioned is pretty huge, so I honestly don't know who could afford it. She did mention that the health club idea is still a possibility. Oh well, my hopes have been dashed again. :(

No disrespect intended, but the building does look horrible. With all the hodge podge additions the building underwent it is an ugly structure. Being 50 years old, and neglected, it is probably in a state where it would cost more to renovate it for any type of reuse than it would to tear down and put up some shiny new building. You can be sure that AMC is the reason for the non-compete clause. This is typical in the industry.

Most times when a chain closes a theatre and has a new one nearby then can put that in their leases with the property owners. That the location can not be used as a movie theatre even if it had been showing first run and the new people want to show 2nd or 3rd run films.
As you said the agent said the leasing rate was huge. Well they want a retail type company to lease it, which makes more money.

I've been looking at old New York Times microfilm and I noticed that this theatre had some rather eclectic fare. For example, in 1982 they played the "Best Of Almi Cinema 5 Festival" and showed films such as Z, The Man Who Fell To Earth and other films not normally shown at multiplexes.

They also got the New Jersey exclusives of various art and foreign films. That is variety. Say in 1982, you could see films like Star Trek II or Blade Runner on one screen while on another screen, you could see Diva or The Long Good Friday.

Too bad nowadays, it's all playing Fast and Furious on six screens or My Bloody Valentine 3-D on three screens for $15 a ticket. They need variety in these big theatres. Isn't that why they built them? 30 screens, 30 movies?

The Tenplex was the role model for what a multiplex should be in North Jersey. AMC really drove the place right into the ground when it closed the Tenplex and build up an expensive new theater right next to the busy Garden State Plaza mall. This is also the same thing with the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, two new stadiums for old teams that don't look as memorable as the original but are technologically advanced.

I wish there was a Web site that had old photos of this theater from back in its glory days, aside from the ones already mentioned on this Web page. If anyone finds anything, please post the link here.

(Unrelated side not: Hey, Christophersepp, if you ever consider ditching that old Crash Line t-shirt, let me know. I'll buy it from you. I collect old Devs T's. (chembros68@aol.com)

AwfulAgent, the upstairs balcony was already divided into two theatres by 1977, when the original "Star Wars" came to rKO stanley Warner's Route 4 Threeplex. It was already a sevenplex when Return Of The Jedi played at the RKO Century's Route 4 Sevenplex in 1983.

Correction, It was the lower theatre that was split into two by 1977. My mistake.

It was the lower theatre that was split into two by 1977. My mistake.

No, you almost had it right the first time. The downstairs was intact, and the balcony was walled up to make a single, far too wide for it's depth, theatre. The balcony was several years later cut into 2 theatres, long before the downstairs. If you remember, they built "The Route 4 Cinema" too the right of the original building, with a separate entrance, boxoffice, etc, rather than divide the downstairs of the original theatre. The last week Star Wars played at the RKO Stanely Warner, they moved it over to the smaller route 4 Cinema, and the marquee read Darth Vader in Star Wars.

Too bad they didn't mentioned who played Darth Vader....the old Route 4 Tenplex was the Yankee Stadium of modern day movie theaters in North Jersey.

I would love to see a timeline of this theater ... as far as when it changed from one screen to two, from two to a triplex, from a triplex to a sevenplex, and so on ...

From what I have seen on Live maps, the old "Route 4 Cinema", which was to the right of the AMC Loews (RKO Stanley Warner's) Route 4 Theatre, was demolished and replaced by either Toys R Us or the stores that is built next to the closed tenplex.

The additional screens that's to the left of the original building, as well as the expanded lobby, looks like were added when RKO Century turned the theatre into the sevenplex.

There is a different roofline to where the last two screens were added over when Screens 6-8 and the expanded lobby area was added by RKO Century.

The name "Primus" should be removed from the theater name as it makes no sense. It should be called Route 4 Tenplex.

When this theatre closed, it closed as AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 Tenplex. Other names that this theatre was known as includes Cineplex Odeon Route 4 Tenplex, RKO Century's Route 4 Sevenplex/Tenplex and Stanley Warner's Route 4 Theatre.

An article in today's Record incorrectly mentions this theater as being on Route 17....it's in the business section and this theater is an example of how bad the economy is with lots of empty real estate. BTW, has anyone bought interest in the building?

Ugh...now there's *graffiti* all over the blank marquee of this rapidly decaying structure... You stay classy, Paramus!

boo!!! I think they should quarantine that building since it has bugs and mice eating up all the stale popcorn, candy, and sticky gum!!!

I, too, recently saw the graffiti on the marque but was hesitant to mention it in here. I figured most people would just rather reminisce about the theater's good ol' days. That being said, the building has been sitting there for two years now; no one seems to be caring for it. Desecration was bound to happen.

1930sfun, Michael Jackson passed away. It's a good thing he didn't go to the newer theater, as the high prices would've spooked the King of Pop.

This building should be quarantined by Paramus.

What is going on in the back of the parking lot? I see all sorts of construction going on there.

I don't know. Maybe they're building another store. Paramus has too much retail space and urban sprawl.

The fitness/health club plans supposedly fell through because the company wanted to install an indoor swimming pool, and the town was against it. The latest I'm hearing is it might be another car dealership. ... But it is all hearsay at this point.

The 1966 Boxoffice article about the single-screen Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre with photos showing Drew Eberson's original design as executed is currently available online. In addition to the article, a photo of the theater's lobby appeared as the frontispiece of the issue's Modern Theatre section.

Also, what's the deal with the word "Primus" in the current name given above? Sure, Primus is one of my favorite groups, but what have they to do with Paramus, New Jersey?

I do not think this theater was ever an AMC Loews.

There is an AMC within the Garden State Shopping center.

I believe you have mixed up the names of the places in the heading.

yes It was under the AMC Lowes banner but it was under the cineplax oseaon brand

Cineplex Odeon

whoever changed the name of the theater's listing should be thankful. BTW, is the building gone for good?

The building is standing, but has been vacant for over two and a half years.