Comments from bigjoe59

Showing 276 - 300 of 1,248 comments

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Clay Theatre on Feb 15, 2020 at 11:42 pm

Hello From NYC-

it seems developers in S.F. don’t have anymore love for historic theater buildings than developers in NYC. the Clay is a small theater how can the lot be used for development?

also at least S.F. has something neither NYC or L.A. have.
2 movie theaters build before the advent of WW I. the Vogue
and the 4 Star.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about SIFF Cinema Downtown on Feb 15, 2020 at 12:49 am

Hello-

since I was talking about the fate of the prime roadshow houses in New York as opposed to Seattle I think it was a valid comment to make.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about SIFF Cinema Downtown on Feb 13, 2020 at 10:39 pm

to Mike(saps)– many thanks for your reply. Boys Scouts Honor the first two times I tried only 5 theaters ever showed up. I have no idea what I clicked on. speaking of Seattle. its interesting none of the 7 theaters the studios used for their roadshow engagements in Manhattan(Criterion, Loews State, RKO Palace, Demille, Warner, Rivoli and Loews Capitol ever wound up showing “adult” films. that apparently is not the case in other cities.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about SIFF Cinema Downtown on Feb 13, 2020 at 8:10 pm

Hello from NYC-

to MSC77. NYC is a big city comprised of five boroughs. but if one eliminates all the neighborhood theaters in the other four boroughs Manhattan alone had countless theaters. but if we narrow our search to just the 1st run theaters that have existed in Manhattan that’s still a hell of a lot of theaters. my question being simple. when I clicked om “all theaters” for Seattle all that comes up is five theaters. you mean in the entire history OF Seattle there have only been 5 movie theaters?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Feb 7, 2020 at 10:07 pm

Hello-

being a lifelong film buff I am still a tad confused as to what the term “grindhouse” means. if I am not mistaken this theater played several studio releases after TSON ran here. for instance Apocalypse Now played here after its run at the Ziegfeld.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Times Square Theatre on Feb 2, 2020 at 8:29 pm

Hello-

since they’re spending a truckload of $$$ why not just renovate back into a legitimate theater?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Jan 31, 2020 at 11:37 pm

Hello-

I thank everyone for their replies about Grimm. an additional question which I should have asked to begin with. would someone who knows the technical side of remastering for a Blu-ray disc explain why a HD transfer can’t be made from the 3 panel print shown at the Dome. if it was in damn good enough condition to show why not? thanks in advance.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Jan 30, 2020 at 11:49 pm

Hello-

based on the intro at top this theater which opened as the Strand in 1914 retained its original interior décor till it was converted to Cinerama in 1953?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Jan 30, 2020 at 9:27 pm

Hello-

I thank everyone for the info about the 3 panel Grimm print shown at the Dome in Hollywood. I’m guessing a number of older films released on dvd or Blu-ray were mastered from the best quality print of the film that’s available. so if the 3 panel print shown at the Dome is in damn good condition I don’t see why a Blu-ray can’t be mastered from it.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Jan 27, 2020 at 7:59 pm

Hello-

if the Dome showed a 3 panel print in 2012 can’t they remaster a Blu-ray disc of it? I’m assuming if the print was in good enough condition to be shown commercially its in good enough condition to use for an HD transfer.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Jan 26, 2020 at 11:12 pm

Hello-

to Ed S.– thanks for your reply. my point was simple. I had always been told the 3-panel negative was water damaged beyond repair end of story. but apparently that’s not the case. so the problem so to speak is not the condition of the negative but Warner Home Video spending the $$$ to properly restore it as they' did HTWWW. that’s what I was trying to point out.

speaking of theatrical exhibition. what print was shown at a Cinerama Festival at the Dome in Hollywood a few years back. or for that matter how is Turner Classic Movies able to air it?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Jan 26, 2020 at 9:47 pm

Hello-

after Warner Home Video’s immaculate restoration and HD
transfer of How The West Was Won I was eagerly awaiting
the same for The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.

after a few years and zippo I did some inquiries and was told the 3 Panel negative had suffered water damage that was beyond repair. but is it? in the trivia section on the IMDB pg. for the film it paints an entirely different picture as to how “damaged” the 3 panel negative is.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Paris Theater on Jan 23, 2020 at 10:29 pm

Hello-

to xbs2034- prior to its August 2019 closing i thought theater was always well maintained, helpful staff, clean men’s room etc…… baring this in mind could you please be specific as to what you mean by “looked to be better maintained than its City Cinemas days”?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about AMC Lincoln Square 13 on Jan 22, 2020 at 8:33 pm

Hello-

to markp- I thank you for your reply since I know you have personal knowledge in the area. but to reiterate my original comment I think not properly masking screens is a sign of poor showmanship pure and simple. I’m in my 60s and have been an avid moviegoer virtually since I could walk. to which the non-masking of screens is a relatively recent event. so if it was done for all these years why stop now.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Jan 21, 2020 at 10:43 pm

Hello-

I know Ryan’s Daughter is this theater’s longest running
film. so how long was the roadshow run of Marooned?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about AMC Lincoln Square 13 on Jan 21, 2020 at 7:57 pm

Hello-

to markp- who have been most helpful in answering questions about the technical side of movie exhibition so here goes with a new one. why did theaters come to the decision to stop masking screens? whether a film is shown in the 1.85.1 ratio or the 2.35.1 ratio to see white bars on the top and bottom or at the sides I find distracting. I would say its poor showmanship for theaters to not properly mask screens.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jan 10, 2020 at 10:01 pm

Hello-

to Al A.– as you said in a previous post Kennedy’s book begins with a negative slant so I shouldn’t be surprised by what he says in the book. in your last post you say “in that he is right”. well kind of if you’re talking strictly about box office returns maybe.after The Sound of Music finished its record run at this theater the studios released Oliver, Funny Girl and Fiddler on the Roof all on roadshow engagements. for instance many people consider FOTR the greatest musical ever made.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jan 9, 2020 at 11:25 pm

Hello-

the link to the interview with Kennedy doesn’t seem to work but I did read the interview when the link was first posted. it seems just that he book was going to have a negative viewpoint. his statement referring to Hello Dolly as a “well dressed dinosaur” is the epitome of a left handed compliment. granted Streisand should have been twice the age she was but in terms of her performance Streisand WAS every inch Dolly Levi. I still don’t get the comments about “over produced” musical numbers. one of the things I liked about the film was its lush production numbers. to criticize a film version of Hello Dolly for “over produced” numbers is just plain bizarre.

also in the interview Kennedy refers to Doctor Dolittle as an “ugly bomb”. I always liked the film. plus the recent restord/remastered Blu-ray disc from Twilight Time is A++. people who have never seen the film and are just aware of its somewhat off reputation after viewing the Blu-ray disc will wonder what all the naysayers were talking about.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:23 pm

Hello-

during the exclusive first run of Old Ironsides in 1926 not only did they have a live orchestra playing the score but they had people behind the screen doing sound effects during the battles scenes.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Palace Theatre on Jan 7, 2020 at 7:55 pm

Hello-

I had tickets for a matinee of the Ben-Hur rerelease the day after Judy Garland died. when you entered the lobby right before the theater proper they had portraits of all the great stars that had played the Palace. Garland’s had a black wreath around it.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jan 7, 2020 at 12:10 am

Hello-

to vindanpar- does Kennedy’s book discuss musical roadshows only of the ‘60s? for me the modern era of roadshows started with Oklahoma(Oct. 1955) to Man of La Mancha (Dec. 1972). while there were many musicals released during the 60s I’m hedging the bet more were released on a continuous performance basis to use an old term rather than on a roadshow basis. in other words if Kennedy sticks to only roadshow musicals of the '60s it must be a shorter book.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Palace Theatre on Jan 6, 2020 at 8:55 pm

Hello-

as I asked a while back what changes if any are being
made to the auditorium itself?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jan 5, 2020 at 11:06 pm

Hello-

I love your comment since I well remember your comments on Kennedy’s book “Musical Roadshows”. I wonder if he even saw Hello Dolly in its original TODD-AO projection at this theater.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Regal Union Square Stadium 17 on Jan 1, 2020 at 9:59 pm

Hello-

to be frank a colorblind person would have chosen a better color. I wonder who’s the idiot who chose the color?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Regal Union Square Stadium 17 on Jan 1, 2020 at 9:08 pm

Hello-

to ridethectrain. since you post frequently here don’t you find the color of the new seats off-putting? as I said it looks like a pumpkin threw up. plus they’re nowhere near as comfy as the new seats at the AMC/Loews 19 St.