Clairidge

486 Bloomfield Avenue,
Montclair, NJ 07042

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ridethectrain
ridethectrain on April 13, 2024 at 8:48 pm

Please update, total seats is 458. Theatre 1 101 Theatre 2 121 Theatre 3 38 Theatre 4 88 Theatre 5 83 and theatre 6 27 seats. Source: Clairidge Cinemas Website

lumiere
lumiere on August 30, 2023 at 1:29 am

The theater was closed August 14-31 in order to replace all the seating in the 6 theaters. Reopens Sept 1

Comfortably Cool
Comfortably Cool on February 23, 2023 at 4:28 pm

The Clairidge was in the news spotlight yesterday with a unique “BYOB” event. Details can be viewed here

Moviefan333
Moviefan333 on December 7, 2022 at 6:35 pm

I saw an independent movie here and I enjoyed the film. But yes very small theaters. They really didn’t do anything to fix them up. Just a new lobby and the staff seems more outgoing. They really won’t restore the theater to what it once was years ago. So be glad that there’s a theater in the downtown that’s open showing films

vindanpar
vindanpar on November 26, 2022 at 7:20 pm

As I’ve said before what’s the point? They’re now nothing but shoe box multi-plexes. Now if you were going to restore them to what they once were…

RHETT52
RHETT52 on November 26, 2022 at 6:20 pm

First time back since it closed. New lobby, looks nice. The staff very friendly and courteous. But the theaters are pretty much the same, small screens, dank atmosphere. They’re showing mainstream movies I suppose to get the revenues. Would I go back?,,,,Yes!! For the classic film showings or something new on the independent front. Drove by the BELLEVUE on the way home, says a new theater soon and is boarded up in front. Maybe that will open soon too.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on October 27, 2021 at 4:46 pm

Adding the word ‘The’ to a theatre name would make searching Cinema Treasures ne'er impossible. eg. ‘The’ Capitol', ‘The’ Rialto, ‘The’ State etc. To keep things consistent on the site, the word ‘The’ will not be used. The correct name is given on our link to The Clairidge website. Ken Roe, Theatre Editor.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 20, 2021 at 10:09 pm

Robert Kratky: A press release in June said that the Montclair Film Festival had secured a long-term lease on the Clairidge Cinemas and would begin renovations immediately with the intent of opening the house for the 10th Festival, which is scheduled for October 21-30. The Information about the events will be posted on the festival’s web site, which is apparently going to be serving as the theater’s web site as well.

lfreimauer
lfreimauer on July 20, 2021 at 5:54 pm

It is supposedly going to be completely renovated very shortly.

Robert Kratky
Robert Kratky on July 20, 2021 at 2:49 pm

It’s only because I’ve loved attending the independent and “European” offerings over the past 20 or so years that I might seem a bit “impatient” for information but, is there an official Clairidge web site that would provide periodic up-dates as to the fate of this wonderful venue? (whether it’s permanently closed or in the process of being renovated? And if so, is there some kind of timeline as to its completion?) I know these are nearly impossible and or, at best tough questions to answer during these “times” but I’m trying to hold on to a sense of optimism and hope for one of my favorite movie houses

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on June 26, 2021 at 1:14 pm

The only reserved seat attraction I saw at the Clairidge was How the West Was Won in 1963, but I remember it being a very big audience. These engagements must have been successful because they almost all ran for quite a long time. 2001 played there for 36 weeks. How the West Was Won had the longest run, 39 weeks.

vindanpar
vindanpar on June 26, 2021 at 11:55 am

I remember as a boy going through the Bergen Record and seeing My Fair Lady playing a reserved seat engagement at the Claridge. Did it play on the Cinerama screen in 70mm? Was anybody in it during this period? Montclair had 3 hard ticket houses. The Bellevue, the Claridge and the Wellmont. That’s a lot for a suburban town when New York city was not that far from it. I wonder how well these reserved seat engagements did. SOM obviously did very well as it played longer there than at Manhattan’s Rivoli.

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on June 26, 2021 at 3:30 am

please update, became a sixplex on April 4, 1997 No grand opening ad

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on June 25, 2021 at 12:48 pm

CCMPI, thanks for that very nice comment!

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on June 24, 2021 at 10:43 am

Cinerama was first exhibited on the East Coast (Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY), so it’s only fitting that we have a Cinerama theater here too. I realize it’s close to impossible, but you never know.

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on June 21, 2021 at 7:07 pm

I know it’s asking too much for them to put the Cinerama screen back up, but I’m really glad the Clairidge is going to reopen soon.

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on June 21, 2021 at 6:51 pm

Please update, renovating

lfreimauer
lfreimauer on May 24, 2021 at 1:24 pm

Think it is all over.

Robert Kratky
Robert Kratky on May 23, 2021 at 6:33 pm

Please excuse the somewhat “crude” analogy but is the assumption correct that the Clairidge is rather “dead in the water” with little or no chance of re-opening as an “art house” theater?

lumiere
lumiere on February 15, 2021 at 4:41 pm

Apparently, the Bellevue is on hold again. The newest investors have lease issues with the owner - which is why the previous owners left. COVID didn’t help the situation I’m sure. The Montclair Film Festival montclairfilm.org had used the Clairidge, Wellmont and Bellevue as venues in 2019 and before.

lfreimauer
lfreimauer on September 21, 2020 at 8:56 pm

Any chance the theater will re-open?

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on September 3, 2020 at 1:51 pm

I think it’s OK. Anyone who lives in North Jersey who visits the Clairidge page is naturally going to be concerned about the Bellevue as well, and be hoping for the best.

markp
markp on September 3, 2020 at 12:35 pm

Theyre going to be really small theatres at the Bellevue with 6 screens. Its not that big.

walterk
walterk on September 3, 2020 at 3:17 am

I found an article dated last Thursday (August 27) in the Montclair Local which deals with the movie scene there. What I found interesting was the “no comment” by managers when asked if the Clairidge was permanently closed and the building’s owner saying their lease had “at least another year to go”.

The article also talks about the local film festival and their plans for this year’s event, and ends with an update on the nearby Bellevue Cinema 4, which will be reopening with 6 screens at some point after the pandemic ends.

markp
markp on September 2, 2020 at 6:14 pm

Permanent Closure. Not on their website.