Cinema 23 Fiveplex

Route 23,
Cedar Grove, NJ 07470

Unfavorite 4 people favorited this theater

Showing 1 - 25 of 34 comments

Guodone
Guodone on October 6, 2020 at 4:41 am

markp, OK, that was probably the reason why we went to Cinema 23. Thanks-

markp
markp on October 5, 2020 at 3:53 pm

Guodone, no Menlo did not. We installed it before Grease but we didnt plat that in 70 MM either.

Guodone
Guodone on October 5, 2020 at 12:36 pm

markp, I’m trying to figure out why we went to Cinema 23. Maybe for the 70mm experience? Did Menlo have 70mm?

markp
markp on October 5, 2020 at 10:43 am

Guodone, it was playing at the Menlo Park Twin until late Dec 1977.

Guodone
Guodone on October 5, 2020 at 9:50 am

I took my parents to see Star Wars here in the fall of 1977 as it was no longer playing close to where we lived. Nice theater as I remember.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on February 10, 2019 at 8:36 am

Clearview closed the Cinema 23 on May 11, 2010 at the end of lease. It did outlast the Blockbuster Video Store that was a near neighbor in the same complex by one month.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 9, 2018 at 1:08 am

This opened on November 21st, 1969. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on April 24, 2018 at 4:04 pm

One of the few theatres in the area that showed Tron in 70mm during its theatrical run.

MovieMan____1952
MovieMan____1952 on June 21, 2014 at 1:42 pm

As manager of the Willowbrook Cinema, and the Little Cinema in the mall I also “opened” this theater for Spyro Lenas but did not manager it. Meyer Ackerman was a “partner” in this theatre. I’m not sure on the seating but I believe it may have been 800.

Ken Lehman

EsseXploreR
EsseXploreR on August 30, 2013 at 6:45 am

The building is completely gutted, it’s like a warehouse.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on October 17, 2012 at 9:54 am

The theater will be converted to office and retail space: View article

fred1
fred1 on October 4, 2011 at 7:37 am

You are correct misterrick It was closed by Reagal Cinemas shorty after taking over UATC

misterrick
misterrick on October 3, 2011 at 8:49 pm

My mind is totally spacing and I could be wrong but I seem to recall that Cinema 23 like the Colony in Livingston was originally part of the United Artists Theatres circuit?

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on December 27, 2010 at 10:56 am

Right on Alex,Had VHS been around in the seventies all those great Late Shows we booked would have died.

Oleksij
Oleksij on August 23, 2010 at 1:10 pm

Well, I’m sad to see another part of my youth vanish. I must admit, I hadn’t been there in a couple of years. Not because of any problems with the theatre, but because I could usually find the same films playing at a theatre closer to home. I think the last film I saw there was THE HULK with Ed Norton.

My favorite memory of Cinena 23 comes from the mid-1970s when for two – and possibly three – summers in a row, they held Disney festivals. Every week throughout the summer they presented a Disney double-feature, usually a classic accompanied by one of Disney’s lesser efforts. It was because of those festivals tha I finally saw FANTASIA, and ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and PETER PAN. I also got to see CINDERELLA and SLEEPING BEAUTY on the big screen again. And it was at the Cinema 23 that I go to see re-releases of DR. ZHIVAGO, BONNIE & CLYDE, and 2001. Of course, the advent of the VCR put an end to such re-releases.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 30, 2010 at 7:07 pm

Yeah,I could only think to put Steve Martin on the Marquee,but even his name did not help.I can’t believe it played anywhere over three weeks.Not including get dumped on a Drive-in in the same city.

William
William on June 24, 2010 at 3:33 pm

Well remember Mike that producer Robert Stigwood was coming off two Big music hits in a row. “Grease” 1978 and “Saturday Night Fever” 1977. So Universal was hoping for a third music hit with “Sgt. Pepper” with music by the Bee Gees and in 70MM 6-Track Dolby Stereo. Well you know the rest of the story.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 24, 2010 at 3:09 pm

Are you telling me someone approved “Sgt.Pepper’s” to be processed in 70mm! That was suppose to be our BIG summer Hit.I think we played maybe two weeks.

larry
larry on June 24, 2010 at 1:33 pm

The theater should have closed long ago…completely outdated.

Astyanax
Astyanax on June 24, 2010 at 1:13 pm

Sorry that this theater closed but I could only tolerate going there once. The closet-sized theaters and the overall tacky environment made other alternate locations worth an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 17, 2010 at 3:24 pm

This was at Route 23 just south of Harper Terrace in the Pilgram Plaza.

William
William on May 17, 2010 at 2:18 pm

The theatre opened with Woody Allen’s “Take the Money and Run” on Nov. 23rd. 1969 in 35mm.

William
William on May 17, 2010 at 2:10 pm

The theatre had a limited 70MM life.

1970
“Gone With The Wind” 4/29-5/5 1970
“Doctor Zhivago” 5/6-5/12 1970
“The Sand Pebbles” 5/13-5/19 1970
“2001: A Space Odyssey” 5/20-5/26 1970

1977
“Star Wars” 12/23 1977

1978
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” 7/21 1978

1979
“Alien” 7/27 1979

1981
“The Empire Strikes Back” 7/31 1981

1982
“E.T.” 2/18 1982
“TRON” 7/9 1982

1983
“Brainstorm” 10/21 1983

1984
“Starman” 12/14 1984

John Fink
John Fink on May 17, 2010 at 8:47 am

Wow – I haven’t been to this one in about two years (last flick I saw there was The Assassination of Jesse James…. ), last I saw two weeks ago when I was driving past from the Clairidge in Montclair it was open. The theater did big business pre-Essex Green’s move to a 9-plex in the 1990’s, but I’m not sure if this is one Clearview got around to upgrading yet with new seats – a 3+ movie wasn’t comfortable here. If I recall the theater was most likely a chop shop: one theater to the right, one to the left and a hallway to 3 in the back, small concessions and bathrooms.

I wonder if CJM who is still active would acquire it back (if they legally can, I remember there was a fight over the Caldwell Theater a few years ago which led to CJM functioning as Clearview’s landlord). Who knows, I didn’t particularly dig this theater but it served as an occasional move over house for successful art films from Montclair.

Coate
Coate on May 12, 2010 at 6:58 pm

Yes, tlsloews, there are photos. Scroll up to my comment from Jan. 16, 2007, where you’ll find a link to a page of photos and ads.