Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
131 people
favorited this theater
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Ha! Thanks for that, saps.
saps: Lay off DavidM and DREAMGIRLS. We know the ropes.
I see the holiday fruitcake has arrived.
BobT: People should be home with their families on holidays. Only The Lonely seek a theatre or soup kitchen to handle the hungry heart. Bah Humbug! All joking aside, to all enthusiats of Walter Reade’s Ziegfeld- may you have health and happiness at this time and in the year 2007. May all of you be safe and with good healthand lots of monies that find their way into you life so you can enjoy motion picture buildings and the films they can present. Happy Holidays.
DavidM:
With all respect, this theatre and corresponding website of cinema treasures has nothing to do with individual observation and sexual proclivity concerning GAY. Since you are overwhelmed with professional normal human recognition of film presentation presentation. Since you are banner waving for “outness”, you put the mediocre DREAMGIRLS, a basic PBS, WNET, NJN fundraiser affair, into a “white glove honeymoon” of $ in and don’t give a S**t after your paid and left. Ziegfeld Theatre, of which I am overseer for its opening in 1969, doesn’t care squat for a psychological or personality background check on ticket buyers. So drop the gay stuff. I don’t care. Most others don’t. Enjoy who you are and be an activist for theatre and film preservation and not temporary emotional gratification at a piss poor revival of roadshow at $25 with a program and a walla walla 1991 En Vogue – “No You’re Never Gonna Get It” satisfaction. Gay and Afro-American isolationism doesn’t make it. Humanity, in its wonder and expression, in life, in theatre buildings, in films, in writings – does. And, it is in the expectation in a theatre, in that darkness that unfolds before a captivating screen of images, that we find ourselves unified, on a common ground, exploring and enjoying the second by second, metrics of self reflection.
I was there for last night’s 8 PM show. It was almost surreal being shown to our seats by an usher … in a MOVIE THEATER. If that doesn’t bring back memories of 40-year-old roadshows, I don’t know what will.
The movie was excellent, and Jennifer Hudson was beyond excellent. During her big song “And I Am Telling You …”, you are literally watching a star being born, and most likely an Oscar being won.
The sold-out audience was really pumped up for the show. The guys in front of us were a little TOO enthusiastic. One of them was jumping up and down in his seat so much that, when the show was over and he’d already left, my cousin found a set of keys lying on the floor. They must’ve jumped right out of his pocket from his leaping around so much (if you are reading this, we gave the keys to an usher).
As for the $25 ticket price, I forgot all about it once the movie got going, and the fancy program everyone got when they entered was worth at least $10.
All in all, it was a sincere pleasure to be a part of the return of showmanship to New York first-run moviegoing.
Excerpt from the Wednesday edition of Daily Variety:
Paramount and DreamWorks' gamble to kick off bigscreen musical “Dreamgirls” in an unusual “roadshow” format paid off handsomely last weekend. But will such pumped-up numbers continue once the pic expands to 800 screens on Christmas Day?
Roadshow, priced at $25, saw sellouts for all 21 of its unspoolings at theaters in Gotham, Los Angeles and San Francisco last weekend. With the higher ticket prices, formula resulted in a ballooned per-playdate average of $120,000 and a total take of $360,000 for the studio.
Concept proved so popular that Gotham’s Ziegfeld requested additional runs, as the pic was playing only twice daily. But Paramount and DreamWorks refused: The roadshow concept was used to build word of mouth for a national release, not simply to ramp up B.O. numbers.
But even with the roadshow’s success, the partners aren’t expecting such larger-than-life returns when the pic opens on Christmas.
“This was based on a (legit) model,” said DreamWorks marketing guru Terry Press of the roadshow concept, which was inspired in part by similar premium offerings at Hollywood’s El Capitan cinema. “It was organic and meant to drive word of mouth.”
A Par spokeswoman added the markets for the roadshow were “hand-chosen for (auds) that have a special affinity for this movie.”
“You can’t read Cincinnati based on these markets,” she said.
But even if the film’s initial weekend follows the lead of the roadshow’s impressive run, “Dreamgirls” will need to expand beyond its core aud to make any B.O. dreams come true.
Other studio pics with limited releases have posted bank-breaking numbers, only to meet with a largely uninterested general public once they expanded.
Last year, Sony rolled out “Memoirs of a Geisha” on just eight screens to seduce per-playdate returns of $85,313.
But when the film expanded three weeks later to 1,547 engagements, its per-playdate number plunged to $4,364. Pic wound up limping to just over $57 million and a loss for the studio.
So far, “Dreamgirls” is tracking most strongly with women over 25. That can be a tough demo to capture heading into Christmas, when women are prepping for the holiday rather than hitting the multiplexes.
But with Christmas behind them, femmes could be drawn en masse as the musical goes up against more macho fare, from “Rocky Balboa” to “We Are Marshall” and “The Good Shepherd.”
I’m happy to read that Clearview’s Craig Connor was there opening night; I’m not surprised to find that he had a hand in it.
It was great seeing Dreamgirls at the Ziegfeld. I really enjoyed the atmosphere generated by the “Roadshow” release. Everyone was excited and happy to be there. It certainly made a trip to the movies more exciting than its been in the recent past. Considering the number of gay men there (myself included), to see a line for the men’s room was quite funny.
The staff was great, white gloved, bow-tied and courteous. Someone on staff made an announcement asking the audience to turn off their phones and pagers. That was a welcome surprise, although I didn’t think we needed him at the front of the house introducing the movie. Digital presentation was fine, although the projectionist was a bit slow on the curtain cues at the end.
This is the first time in a long time I can remember going to see an “event” movie. I hope the “Roadshow” is returning and the trend will continue.
I was at Sunday night’s sold out performance of Dreamgirls and it was one of the best movie going experiences I’ve ever had. I was in a group of 20 and all agreed it was well worth $25.
Our performance was also delayed until 8:15, but as posted above, it was due to the late arriving audience due to heavy street and pedestrian traffic in the area. The audience energy was electrifying and many applauded the screen after many of the show stoppers. The ushers were very friendly and professional. There were no previews and NO COMMERCIALS!
Oh, and the movie was wonderful, though the original stage production was even better! Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson deserve Oscars!
Hooray for The Ziegfeld! This is a great theater!
Did they play the Dolby Digital Cinema projection trailer before the show? I love the sound voom boom at the end of it just after the CGI generated multicolored leaves sprout.
“Kudos to the Ziegfeld staff who were constantly monitoring the audience for usage of electronic devices. I noticed three instances of ushers pointing their flashlights at people who were using cell phones/BlackBerries while the film was in progress.”
ABOUT TIME!!!!
Every theater should be doing this.
I was at the opening night screening, which started about 15 minutes late. When I arrived at 7:45, the ticketholders line stretched almost to 6th Avenue. Each patron received a program and a limited edition lithograph of the poster art, with a certificate of authenticity. The display of artifacts from the film in the lobby wasn’t much—-a few costumes and sketches in two display cases.
A very excited and knowledgeable sold out crowd—-one of the biggest cheers was for the cameo appearance by Loretta Devine, who originated the role of Lorrell on Broadway. A partial standing ovation for Jennifer Hudson at the conclusion of “And I Am Telling You…” Spike Lee was in the audience.
A representative of Clearview spoke briefly before the film started—-he pointed to Craig O'Connor (who occasionally contributes here), who was standing nearby. BTW, I understand that Bill Condon introduced the first showing of the film at the Cinerama Dome in LA last night.
Kudos to the Ziegfeld staff who were constantly monitoring the audience for usage of electronic devices. I noticed three instances of ushers pointing their flashlights at people who were using cell phones/BlackBerries while the film was in progress.
The latest issue of Weekly Variety has a brief article on the “roadshow,” concluding that “If the technique bears fruit for "Dreamgirls,” perhaps movie musicals won’t be the only retro movie effort back in vogue."
Has anyone seen Dreamgirls yet?
I’m not sure if I can fit it into my schedule to travel to the Ziegfeld (not my nabe theater) but I might because I think it would be nice to sit there with a full house and see the lobby display. I am also pleased to sit there before the movie and look at the closed curtain before the movie. Full houses in large auditoriums and closed curtains are becoming quite rare on the East Coast.
The Ziegfeld was built to be a NYC “exclusive” house
(movie playing there before it is released in the other theaters) so this is a great use. For almost every mainstream release, the Ziegfeld doesn’t attract enough customers since the movie is playing at so many other nearby theaters. Any special presentations such as this one should be encouraged and supported.
This is great; a real discussion about presentation. Usually, when I read posts about Roadshows they are for shows that took place at least twenty years ago. At last, a “roadshow” we can actually go see. Thats progress!
Jeff made a point about the Lafayette only costing $6 or $8. That’s a great price for what the Lafayette provides and I am confident that a show there is well presented. I hope to visit the Lafayette as soon as I am able. However, the BSC series coincides with my working hours and I have not gotten the chance to go, yet. Additionally, The Lafayette is not my neighborhood theater; the Ziegfeld is.
So now we have a Roadshow on a very short road, with tolls. These days the only place I have to enjoy a real Roadshow presentation on a regular basis is my living room. It will be a welcome experience to see it at the Ziegfeld. I, like Bill H., am looking forward to it.
Vito hit the nail on the head. To see Dreamgirls at the Music Hall would have been heavenly.
Thanks for the good news, Erik. Nothing else contributes to what Vito (who should know) described as “the atmosphere of an opening night” quite like a sold-out house.
Bill apparently got his wish. The Clearview ticket website indicates that the Tuesday show is now sold out. Seats remain available for the remainder of the “roadshow” run.
I suppose if the new hollywood wants to use the term Roadshow to describe what they are doing with Dreamgirls, we can’t do much to stop them. Those of us who know what a real roadshow is, also know the difference betwen the real thing and what is happening now. It may quack like a duck but it ain’t a duck.
In addition, I say what ever the industry can do to bring back a little of the ole hollywood is a welcome thing, just don’t call it a roadshow.
As for the $25.00, there a lot of folks willing and eager to pay that admission, which to some is a small price to pay to be one of the ones to see it first in the atmosphere of an opening night.
What better place, other than Radio City Music Hall, to do that than the Ziegfeld
No commercials (or pre-show slides) at the Lafayette since we’ve had the theatre (11/2002).
You’re right about all that, Jeff. But for a New York City firstrun, the way they’re presenting “Dreamgirls” has been non-existent for a good many years now. I’m really looking forward to the experience. I hope my Tuesday night show gets sold out too.
Good old Roadshow days = 70MM projection = priceless
Trying to do a Roadshow = Digital projection = Better lucky next time
It doesn’t seem right Bill for you to pay $25 just to have the curtains closed and no commercials. I get that at the Lafayette for $6. Even when the Lafayette runs a regular show for $8 the curtain is still closed (and on weekends you have the organ playing), and you have only one or two trailers. Pete, I’ve never seen a commerical there, am I right?
With the relative short running time, short exclusivity opening and at $28k per sold out show, they could have squeezed a few more shows to sell more tickets. I would have run it starting at 8 am..then every 3 hours up to midnight. Maybe get one of the stars, extras, or production people to introduce the evening shows and/or a short Q&A, to make it even more special.
At least we’ll get no commercials or slideshows or even previews – just the movie, like it was in the good old roadshow days. And we’re still getting exclusivity, only it’s 10 days instead of 10 months. Can’t have everything :)