Cedar Lane Cinemas

When the Teaneck Theatre was a single screen theatre it seated 1034 people.

The theatre's official website shows an image of the theatre in 1960, featuring "Strangers When We Met" on the marquee.

An older photo can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/t_munday/page15.html
The theatre can clearly be seen in the lower image at the site, with "Grand Opening [illegible] Sept 24" on the marquee. Note the adjoining retail space is also awaiting its 'grand opening.'

I recall having seen the Menahem Golan-helmed Sylvester Stallone flop "Over the Top" at this theatre in 1987. I am sorry to say I have absolutely no recollection of the visit, other than the fact that, after the show, my teenaged buddies and I journeyed up to Fiebel's Bowling Alley on Palisade Ave. (which, unlike the theatre, did not live to see the new century) to play some arcade games.

The previous link photo shows the facade's vertical fluting to virtually identical to that on the SHERMAN theatre of 1935 in Milwaukee. Wonder if the TEANECK/CEDAR also had neon tubing between the flutes?

Yet the mutilation and demise of another single screen classic theater. Never been there, I bet it was something back in the day. There are many theaters from North jersey, some still around...Hawthorne theater, Claridge Theater in Montclair, Allwood theater in Clifton, Hyway theater in fair lawn, Wayne Preakness in Wayne, Warner in Ridgewood etc. All former single screens, great theaters...back then. Now catered to the masses, showing crappy films. Some arew architectually a mess. the Claridge...it was a grand palace , now it's dank, drab, uncomfortable and run by morons. I had to get out of my seat on many occasions to tell them to start the flick and close the doors. The teenagers were too busy talking. God, I miss the 70's.

The theatre was split into 3 screens on the lower level. A fourth screen was recently added in what seems to have been some sort of storage room, located on the second floor above the ground level retail stores. The new theatre is just a long rectangle, with a completely flat floor and a ceiling that seems to be around 15 feet high. Unlike most split single screens, this theatre has no balcony theatres (assuming it originally had a balcony)

My mom boasts that she stood just feet away from Grace Kelly at this theater.

According to an article in The Record of May 13th, 2005, this theatre is now known as Cedar Lane Cinemas, not Cedar Cinemas. A color photograph confirms that, with Cedar Lane Cinemas displayed on the wall above the entrance. The marquee, however, still has the original name of Teaneck. The article states: "Cedar Lane classifies itself as an intermediate-run theater-- films arrive not quite as late as at Columbia Park [North Bergen], but there is a slight lag, and that translates to a lower price. The theater shows a combination of small independent films and high-profile movies. All shows are $4. The decor is old-fashioned; the classic movie posters adorning the walls add to the traditional ambience. The theater, once outdated, was acquired by the Galaxy Theatre Corp. in 2000. It prides itself on cleanliness." Programming information can be found at www.bigscreenclassics.com/cedarlane.htm

According to an article in The Record of October 26, 1996, the theater began a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on that date. The theatre was referenced as the Teaneck 3 Theatre.

Updated link for home page:
http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/cedarlane.htm

article about the new (in 1996) owner. This owner was probably the one prior to Galaxy.

The Record (Bergen County, NJ), July 3, 1996 pB1
A CINEMATIC REVIVAL; HOLLYWOOD AND CEDAR LANE; SECOND-RUN MOVIE HOUSE GETS FACE LIFT. (BUSINESS) L. Coleman-Lochner.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1996 Bergen Record Corp.

By L. COLEMAN-LOCHNER, Staff Writer

It's a premiere, so to speak, in Teaneck's Cedar Lane shopping district: a refurbished second-run theater that will also screen art and foreign films.

The script began three weeks ago when Frank Manis, a Florida-based businessman, bought the cinema from the Edison-based Movie City chain.

Manis and his wife, Lynn, also own the second-run Cinema 35 in Paramus through their Hudson Amusements organization.

And Manis hopes to expand his cinematic empire further.

He is also eyeing the Rialto Theater in Ridgefield Park.

"The concept there is to try to control the whole market," he said. Varying the offerings from theater to theater is also on the agenda.

"I think it has a tremendous amount of potential," he said of the Rialto's single screen.

In the meantime, there is the business of revamping the Teaneck theater, now named the Teaneck 3.

Scheduled over the next several months, the changes are already under way. Walls have been painted. The second snack bar has been reopened. Neon is being installed to brighten the lobby. Floors have been scraped and repainted. The stage around the screen has been repainted from black to red.

"We're proud of it now - we've come a long way in only three weeks," said Ed Jupin, the manager.

The renovation will cost between $50,000 and $75,000 and will include new screens, carpet, a marquee, and the replacement or refurbishment of the seats.

That will come at a cost to ticket holders: On Thursday, prices at both the Teaneck Theater and the single-screen Cinema 35 will increase from $2.50 to $3.

The new prices should be in effect for two years, Manis said.

With occupancy allowed for 1,100, he is investigating adding a fourth screen with about 125 seats upstairs, he said. The downstairs theaters seat 180, 265, and 390.

But ultimately, "it all depends on the product," Manis said.

According to plans, that product will expand to include art and foreign films, Manis said.

"Once the kids go back to school in September, then we will start to be creative," he said. Meanwhile, he added, the theater will build up its clientele.

At the single-screen Cinema 35, there is "a very regular customer following," said Margot Moll, general manager for both theaters. And of those interested in art and foreign films, she said: "I always had a very, very loyal following."

Manis of Boca Raton, Fla., owns nightclubs and has owned other first- and second-run theaters, including Gutenberg's Galaxy, which he sold three years ago.

He didn't like the first-run business, he said, and sold those theaters. Second-run "gives you an opportunity to pick the winners in first-run."

Suppliers like it because if a movie isn't a blockbuster and gets bumped from first-run houses, "the supplier of the film still wants to have it out there showing," he said.

"I think there's a tremendous market for it."

When Manis bought the Teaneck theater, updating was in order.

"It was in major disrepair, and we felt that we needed to clean it up," Jupin said. "I feel that the face lift should improve business."

The district could use the help - plagued by numerous vacancies, it has tried to rally by creating a Special Improvement District.

Although the renovation is a work in progress, there have been "a lot of compliments," Jupin said.

"A lot of the other merchants here feel that the new ownership is the talk of the town and could help their business."

Others seem to agree.

"I'm happy that it's being refurbished," said David Alan, whose Cedar Lane salon is one of three in his eponymous chain. "I think it's good for all."

Although Alan was unambiguous in welcoming the refurbishing, he said it could exacerbate an existing problem: "There's no place to park."

Still, he said, it was a "very dirty theater" that probably lost customers as a result.

"A theater is good because it brings people to the area."


Article CJ70809167

Was showing X rated movies in 1971 as a UA theater (courtesy of RobertR):
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Nana.jpg

This theater has a great mural-sized poster of Burt Lancaster's "The Kentuckian" (a favorite guilty pleasure of mine with a beautiful Herrmann score) hanging over the staircase to the 2nd floor.

This photo shows the opening night marquee. If my eyes serve me correctly it states: GRAND OPENING TH NIGHT SEPT 14

(this corresponds to 1944 from an online perpetual calendar)

http://www.teaneck.org/virtualvillage/Postcards/theaters/teanecktheater.jpg

Another old photo from the old Galaxy website:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/New%20Jersey%20Theatres/Teaneck-CedarLaneTheatrecirca1960Te.jpg

Listed as the Teaneck Theater and part of Skouras Theatres Corp. in the 1961 Film Daily Yearbook.

Here is a modern photo of the Teaneck theater.

This is a 2007 photo of the Cedar Lane Cinemas.

Here is a photo of the Cedar Lane Cinemas at night.

The Cedar Lane has free unpublicized organ concerts on Friday nights in the upstairs theater.

After hearing a great deal about this theatre, I finally drove over from Passaic County last night to see a movie. I had high hopes because they are running a great deal of art-house and independent fare on a sub-run basis of late, and also because the theatre is run by the same folks behind the wonderful Lafayette.

As has been mentioned, this is a former large single screen now cut up into four. Multiplexing a house like this is always regrettable, but in this case it seems to have been done with a modicum of taste. The downstairs center screen retains a good deal of the original theatre; at least you can get a sense from it what the place looked like before it was cut up. To me, this is always better than boxing off the original walls to create more screens. The place was immaculately clean as well. I bought a ticket for the 7:30 show in the large downstairs theatre, sat down in one of the original seats and was so far happy with the experience.

Then the movie started.

I can say, without exaggeration or hyperbole, that it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced a more inept projection of a movie. The daters, trailers and feature were all filthy and horribly scratched, the booming, bottom heavy sound brought new meaning to the words “wow” and “flutter”, the picture drifted in and out of focus several times accompanied by a horrible grinding noise in the soundtrack, as if the film were trying to weave its way out of the gate and soundhead. Again, I am saying this without any overstatement whatsoever. I walked out after about twenty minutes, went home, and put what seemed like a funny film (“In Bruges”) into my Netflix queue.

I have a feeling that had I confronted the young manager about all this, I would have gotten the old “What do you want for $4.50?” line. Well, I want decent projection. I want a clean, scratch-free print and intelligible sound. I don’t want to see any leader on the screen, and I don’t want to have to plug my ears every time a poorly made splice goes thru because of the thud.

I have been, am now, and will remain a supporter of classic cinemas. But at the end of the day, I go to see the movie, and I'd rather see them with some degree of technical proficiency. That’s the shame about this place; if they keep up with their current film selection policy I would have been a steady customer. Now, never again.

Nelson Page gets a lot of happyjoy on this site because of the Lafayette. He should pay attention to his other screens.

I have been to the Cedar Lane Cinema a number of times.I have NEVER experienced any problem close to what was described in the above post.

The film was crisp and clear and had no sound or projection problems.

It is not as nice as the Lafayette but a much better choice then a multiplex that charges $11.50 VS $4.75

Plus the town has a GREAT ice cream shoppe and bakery!


Not far from Ten

This is a very nice, classic theater. As their projection technician, they get the same treatment that is given to Lowes, National Amusement, Regal, UA and anyone else. They get the same treatment as all the mega-chains. If there was a problem, you should have reported it because we would be out to fix it. Yes, they get the same service as the big guns. I like this theater.

"Not as nice as the Lafayette" is an understatement, which makes it a crying shame that the Big Screen Classics series, which was such a perfect fit for the Lafayette, will be moved in March 2009 from that gorgeous single-screen theatre to a chopped-up multiplex like the Cedar Lane.

When will the complete "Big Screen Classic" schedule be posted since, I believe the program is scheduled to start in a little over two weeks?

Thank You

Hello,

We expect to announce the complete lineup by tomorrow. Just waiting for one final title confirmation to arrive.

Schedule for the Spring "Big Screen Classics at the Cedar Lane Cinemas":
3/11 - CASABLANCA
3/18 - A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
3/25 - GOLDFINGER
4/1 - BEYOND THE ROCKS (silent film with LIVE organ accompaniment)
4/8 - DR. STRANGELOVE
4/15 - JEZEBEL
4/22 - ON THE WATERFRONT
4/29 - IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD

The website at www.bigscreenclassics.com will be updated with this information over the weekend.

Attended the screening of BEYOND THE ROCKS this week. Although the movie was a piece of cheese, the presentation was first rate, with a live warm-up music act, good projection and excellent live organ accompaniment. The crowd was pretty substantial for a rainy Wednesday night--and for a very little-known silent film.

The theater is old, a bit threadbare and the seats are not as lush as are found in a modern chain theater, but the place is clean and well-kept and the management clearly cares about the quality of the experience. If you like classic films and you live in or near Bergen County, you should check out this series.

The year given for this photo is 1986.

Last night was the final event of the spring season, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and it was a treat to see it again as it should be seen, in widescreen 35mm. Kudos to Nelson, Pete, and the whole theatre staff for a wonderful experience, and to Paul Scrabo for the rare props and pre-film talk. A great way to end the series! See you again next season!

Thanks, hotwaterbottle. We'll be back in September for another round at Cedar Lane.

I'd like to second what hotwaterbottle said. "Mad World" looked great up there on that big screen, especially from the second row. I know it was 35mm, but you could tell that it was designed for 70mm. It LOOKED like 70mm, even in a reduction print. The whole Big W sequence comes to mind - the way it was shot, the way the actors were arranged in the frame, camera placement, etc. I wonder how many days they had to close off that state park to the public to get that scene on film.

Very glad to hear that BSC will return in September.... but I hope some consideration might be given to a new day and time. I certainly would have attended more shows had the presentations been scheduled for Friday or Saturday.

Bob

Here is a night photo of the Cedar Lane Cinemas.

Announcing the 2009-2010 season of Big Screen Classics at the Cedar Lane Cinemas; showtime is 8pm:

9/23 - Woody Allen's Manhattan (Woody Allen, Mariel Hemingway)
10/21 - Father of the Bride (Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor)
11/25 - Miracle on 34th Street (Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood)
12/27 - Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (James Stewart, Donna Reed)
1/20 - An American in Paris (Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron)
2/17 - Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (Marlon Brando, Al Pacino)

A Teaneck Theatre was built for Cedar Garrison Corp by John Eberson around 1937.Thursday 14 September also occurred in 1939.