AMC Essex Green

The AMC Franklin Mills 14 was a GCC with a soundstage cafe, that too has been closed down (the cafe)

Several of the newer GCC's had "Premium Cinema" operations in several theatres, with restaurants and bars. These operations were also closed down by AMC upon their takeover.

I was there the other night. They now have a set of 15 rules, a massive code of conduct that is about as discript as a legal agreement, taking up an entire poster case (in type 14 font, I bet). These rules almost distroy the spunk of an Essex Green movie, they have made the lobby in to a virtual ghost town (elliminating most seating) - the cafe is now compleatly gone as well as any arcade games (the cafe at Clifton Commons is occasionally open).

It's a little shocking AMC is still operating a 9-screen house, a few years before the merger they gave up the Headquarters 10 (not all that far from this one) because it was too small for their fleet. I'm shocked AMC just doesn't offer this one up to Clearview (even though it does have stadium seating and still does pretty well for itself).

I believe this was the first THX-certified theater in the NYC metro area.

Yes. See General Cinema Essex Green I-III. This is a tottally new complex. The old cinema (behind Stern's/Macy's now) which was torn down after this one opened is the theatre you're refering to.

Sounds like they were having serious problems there if they eliminated the revenue-generating game machines, Does this theatre attract a rough crowd?

The thing is it doesn't really - the "kids" that hang out in the green around by the theatre to me don't suggest "gangs" in anyway, they mostly are like 14-16, they can get anoying but not violent or anything really. Maybe they had a problem. But the West Orange PD has a substation in Essex Green next to the theater. Another measure they took in cutting crowds is that they planted a garden where these teens used to dwell, confining the space in which they can chill to strictly in front of police substation.

The funniest thing are those 15-rules which I intend to post when I get the time. I've seen Codes of Conduct before at the movies, but this was written out in to such a long legal agreement form that I had to ask the management for a copy of them on paper.

The township of West Orange made them take out the games and put up the signs. Every problem that happens in that center is blamed on the theatre.

General Cinema originally tried to build a 14-plex there, but the township wouldn't approve that, so it got scaled back to a 9-plex. GC was made to pay for the police sub-station as a condition of getting the original building permit.

That theatre continues to survive, despite the township doing all they can to kill it.

Thats horrable considering the triplex was nice and didn't really attract a huge, obnoxious crowd. The theatre still does well, it proves AMC won't close a theatre because it's "too small" for them, they have modified the grounds to make it less teen friendly but I never saw a real problem there, the movie goers (a cross section of diffrent races, ecnomic and social backrounds) never seemed to cause a problem, I always thought of it a nice place to go to the movies.

Excellent neighborhood movie theater - can't beat being able to get to the theater in ten minutes, not having to deal with crowds, and getting excellent stadium seats, on the first day of a mvoie opening. Grabbing something at Panera's next door is also a perk. Staff have always been courteous and overall, teen groups seem well behaved, and the theater appears clean and well run.

Would prefer a mix of indie product along with Hollywood fare, but they do score points for hosting the West Orange Classics festival. Infinitely better movie going experience over the Clifton Commons. Hope that any AMC /Loews restructuring will not ruin a good thing!

any word on when digital projection comes to this theater?