AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 Tenplex
260 E. Highway 4,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
260 E. Highway 4,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
24 people
favorited this theater
Showing 326 - 350 of 463 comments
i agree with you. the new theatre will be a big improvement over the aging complex, much like the Essex Green 9-plex improved over the original three screen theatre of the same name.
Justin –
The Tenplex has to close, it was part of the deal with the town to get the new location constructed. Heaven and earth can not keep it open.
Frank’s correct, the current IMAX is called 70/15, and the film runs horizontally through the projector, like the old VistaVision format. 70mm “from days gone by” was 70/5 and the film ran vertically, like 35mm film does. There aren’t too many 70/5 prints left to run! Lawrence of Arabia is one, and there are a few more in archives, etc. Most of today’s IMAX films are blowups from 35mm or digital shooting. They are not shot on 70/15. I imagine those 70mm machines are still set up with their 6 track penthouses just waiting to be scrapped.
Well.. even though Imax is 70mm it is a slightly different format and would not be able to run on the old machines. An Imax makeover would be great. I saw the movie ‘300’ in Imax. I sat through the movie with goosebumps. It brought back memories of theater 1 with 70mm and 6 track magnetic sound.
So if AMC still keeps the theater, they should show IMAX movies, since they’re also shot in 70mm but require a screen taller than the ones in the tenplex. They should keep theater 1 and make it into AMC Imax at Route 4. That way moviegoers won’t have to drive from Paramus to Lincoln Square to see a good movie. Heck, they should call it AMC Route 4 Paramus 9 and IMAX, for theater #1.
Most of the century projectors were replaced a couple of years ago. Theater 1 still has a simplex projector that can run 70mm. Theater 6 has an old norelco that can run 70mm as well. All the other theaters are 35mm only.
What 70mm capable projectors are still installed? Century JJ’s?
Yes, post the pictures.
Hello all,
My father was a projectionist at this theater for over 30 years, and I grew up there and learned how to be a projectionist there as well. On Thursday of last week I went down with my my Dad to say goodbye to the theater. I took pictures of all the auditoriums (except one), all the projection booths, lobby, and outside. If enough people are interested I will post them on photobucket or one of those sites.
Just to let you know that 2 of the theaters, to the day of destruction, are capable of running 70mm. In fact.. I have half a reel of 70mm film!
If anyone has questions about the place you can email me
Frank
Hello all,
My father was a projectionist at this theater for over 30 years, and I grew up there and learned how to be a projectionist there as well. On Thursday of last week I went down with my my Dad to say goodbye to the theater. I took pictures of all the auditoriums (except one), all the projection booths, lobby, and outside. If enough people are interested I will post them on photobucket or one of those sites.
Just to let you know that 2 of the theaters, to the day of destruction, are capable of running 70mm. In fact.. I have half a reel of 70mm film!
If anyone has questions about the place you can email me
Frank
so far, more than 300 signatures on the internet for AMC to keep the tenplex open. I hope they keep the theater open so that it will be like 27 total screens; the tenplex could be an art house theater while the 16 plex can host blockbusters. It’s a good thing that the triplex was demolished because that theater didn’t get the popularity that the tenplex endured throughout its 40-some year history. This tenplex was in the movies, too: It was shown in the hit film “Ransom”. BTW, how much money was spent into the tenplex when it was built compared with the new one that will open this weekend? I guess way cheaper than what AMC is doing with their megaplexes. They should make their own theaters, not just Loews-type theaters. I used to like the Loews “Star” theaters, such as Wayne and Secaucus, but I’m so used to the AMC/GC style auditoriums (modeled like Clifton Commons and Essex Green) that have been copied to every multiplex. A good example of a Loews-style AMC theater is the Jersey Gardens one, since it’s the only one in North Jersey to have digital projection.
Thanks, Justin, for posting the link to The Record’s article.
One minor error I spotted was in reference to the number of opening-day bookings of “Star Wars” in the state of New Jersey. The article’s author claims there were three; my research indicates there were four (two in greater New York City, two in greater Philadelphia).
For more info, see: May 25, 1977: A Day Long Remembered (I may as well start circulating this article since the anniversary is approaching!
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I agree with you, John. Parking near the theater will be massive compared with parking near Rockaway, since the GS 16 will not attract a large mall-sized crowd and that there will be massive parking spaces for everyone to park; the only trouble will be the seating. I guess it will have the same number of seats as its Rockaway brethren. Too bad the people who work at these Loews-turned AMC theaters are not as experienced and local as those clearview people, which still is the preferred choice of moviegoers in the Tri-State area. Too bad Clearview doesn’t have a multiplex in Bergen County to compete for top dollar (about the only closest thing that the AMC Garden State 16 will compete with is the Edgewater Multiplex, which was the first Bergen County megaplex with stadium seating when it opened nearly seven years ago along the Hudson river and was the second theater to offer digital projection and is currently the only one in that area to offer DLP). Imagine if Clearview bought Edgewater from NA…that would be a good deal!!!
Thats very interesting – I’m also not looking foward to the new AMC, I wish they spent time on this theater, remodeling and fixing it. The theater still did pretty well from what I gather. My favorite memory is seeing Borat in Theater #1, the late show, opening night – that huge theater was sold out. In its later years the theater has showen its age, especially the last few years when they had been planning for the new complex. I’m also shocked that Paramus, the shopping capital of the country, at the top mall in the town can’t support something more luxerious than an AMC. If any region in the country deserves a high end luxery theater with leather reserved seats and the like, shouldn’t it be Bergen County?
The design of the auditriums will simular to Rockaway I’m sure, which is decent but ultomatly not satisfying – I actually found in Morris County I prefer Cinema 12 to the new Rockaway theater as Clearview has beefed up its opperations in responce to the threat, adding better seats and being more careful with their projection (Cinema 12 also has digital projection). AMC really hasn’t done much to any of the Loews theaters it’s aquired, although they added a “no weppons permitted” sign at AMC Loews Wayne. They did re-do the Cineplex at Universal City Walk in LA – perhaps intend on moving foward and will eventually rebrand and improve the former Loews Cineplex sites. Or shut them down….
Regardsless, I’ll miss the Route 4 Tenplex and I’ll only go to the new place late on weekdays and on Sundays where, hopefully, parking won’t be that obnoxious.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if the Rt. 4 had a finale of a 70MM print of STAR WARS on the day it is closed, May 25th, the actual day that it opened 30 years before in 1977….That’ll be the day, I guess it’s OK to dream..can you imagine the line of people…there’s be more there than at the new complex…it would be a definite throwback….unfortunately, there are no good businessmen to come up with that idea…I’m going to miss that theater…now there’s nothing in North Jersey….but I’m going to the Lafayette for a showing of SCARFACE (1932)for a dose of old time grand movie theater experience
Any word on when advance ticketing will be available for the theater? I’ve checked the showtimes for the theater on opening day and there’s no movies listed yet. Probably two days before the grand opening, much like what they did with Rockaway. Too bad the Paramus theater will not have an open house event in which the movies are free if moviegoers bring in an ad in the newspaper, much like Rockaway. Back when AMC clifton commons was General Cinema, they had a free movie weekend one week before they did regular money business, and I was glad that Clifton finally had a multiplex of its own. I saw two movies that weekend: You’ve Got Mail and Star Trek Insurrection; the latter movie was the best experience as it had great surround sound and good picture. I hope the AMC Garden State 16 follows the success of other AMC megaplexes in the garden state.
The AMC Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre was designed by and started it construction by the long-gone Loews Cineplex Entertainment Company. AMC took over this project, as well as the now-opened AMC Rockaway 16 Theatre, when they acquired Loews Cineplex on 1/26/2006
The Paramus Planning Board approved of the construction of the AMC (then-named Loews Cineplex) Garden State Plaza 16 Theatre back on June 21, 2005.
If you have always been a fan of this theater, please help save it. Sign the Save The Tenplex petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/tenplex The new theater at Garden State Plaza is going to be the typical AMC assembly line theater with lots of small theaters with little screens. The Tenplex is one of the few classic orchestra style seating theaters left in Northern New Jersey with wide screens. There is no reason to knock it down for more retail stores, which Paramus doesn’t need. Other than signing the petition, you can call the Mayor and Council of Paramus at 201-265-2100 ext. 613 and State Senator Joseph Coniglio at 201-576-9199, who’s based in Paramus, to express your concerns. Thank you for any help you can provide.
I attended last week with Spiderman 3, knowing it would be the last film I saw at the big auditorium. Fitting, since Spiderman 2 was the last film I saw at the Loews Astor Plaza in NY. I brought my video camera in last week and took some quick shots of the auditorium and exterior. I told the ticket employee that I saw Star Wars there 30 years ago (before he was even a concept). The only other theater now tat I have some nostagic memories that’s still running is the Ziegfeld. The new mulitplex in Paramus will be just another assembly line theater. “Pirates” will be on probably 10 screens.
Gonna miss the Paramus theater. Never forget whn I saw Star Wars there in ‘77.
I have'nt been to this theatre in at least 10 years, but I might go one last time, to look around. I was just remembering the lobby in the original part of the theatre; I recall seeing 2 of the biggest standees I’ve ever seen were on display during these films original runs; one was Star Trek TMP; the standee was probably 15 or 20 feet tall. The other was for the remake of Mighty Joe Young; that was from the top of the escalator to the floor. Gigantic!
Here are more details on certain engagements at the “Tenplex.”
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“The Tenplex’s last day of operation is May 24th.”
Hard to believe this theater is actually closing. I’m sure the land is quite valuable and will make a fine new mall. It’s just what Paramus needs, another mall.
I saw 2001 when it opened at this theater, when it was still a single, on what can only be described as a monster screen. I also saw the first screening (early matinee) of Star Wars. No crowds that day! Word had not spread yet, but in two days the lines were around the building into the parking lot. A notable remembrance of this showing was that the film broke and melted in the gate just after the Fox CinemaScope fanfare music that Lucas used on the front of his films at that time. I’m assuming both 2001 and Star Wars were 70mm presentations.
Depends which picture is showing, its the largest theater in the complex and I doubt anything at the new complex will come close in terms of its size (the screen size could be surpassed, however).
Was theater #1 the most popular of all the 10 screens at the tenplex?
May 25th this will all be history. I saw a poster at Clifton Commons announcing the opening date of the new AMC Garden State 16 (and the new Pirates movie). Despite the mold I’ll miss the huge Theater #1 – the last film I saw in that theater was Borat, on opening night, with a sold out crowd.