Radio City Music Hall

I forgot to add that one of the main things that helped that was the change to 7000 watt lamps. Add in all many, many minor changes and adjustments the last few years and the 3-D effect works very well.

On the subject of 3D, I recall that in 1954 (or was it 1953?) the Music Hall decided not to show Kiss Me, Kate in 3D, opting for the flat version for various technical reasons. One was that so many seats in the huge hall were located off-axis and there was significant loss of light when wearing glasses (typical of 3D projection even today). Wonder if that has been resolved in some way …

Local news station WABC7 in New York is reporting that there is an electrical fire burning in the basement of the hall and the building is full of smoke.

I’ve really enjoyed these comments, and I’ve got another dimension for everyone to consider: the surmise of film is likely part of a larger loss… that of the tradition of spectacular theater, as opposed to just “entertainment.”

I, too, saw the Spectacular this year and observed the continuation of a trend that brings a bit of sadness. While there are clearly so many talented and dedicated people working on this show, it is becoming sub-standard when measured against what the Hall is actually capable of doing. The magic and surprise of transitioning sets are gone, the numbers no longer crescendo and build, one of the world’s most technically proficient and unique stages is more or less static, the organ at best is used as a sweetener for the soundtrack. When new technology is introduced, it comes off as weak gimmick. (Those who saw the “snowflake” number understand what I’m talking about all too well… did anyone at all watch the stage or did we all just look up, wonder and worry about the weirdo orbs?)

No doubt there is a very real need for contemporizing the show for younger audiences – we don’t want to end up where we were in the mid-seventies with an irrelevant format putting the theater in danger of extinction. As a theater-goer, I’m first likely to hang the director, who admittedly has done wonderful things to restore the proficiency of the Rockettes (though while putting them through the paces of the most sophomoric choreography –- what’s with all the incessant pointing?!).

I think this is a three-pronged problem… art vs. commerce vs. talent. The first two are a necessary evil and will forever co-exist. The third, well, that’s just a shame — a lack of imagination and understanding of spectacle in the middle of an embarrassment of riches that is The Showplace of the Nation.

I’m not giving up. My fingers are crossed for Hearts & Lights. Pensively.

We are fairly certain that the 3-D film will still be used for next year. It just works too well and is still an important feature in the show. They still had some problems with the LED 3-D wall this year so it would be risky putting it on that. In the 7 years or so that I’ve been here, we lost the film for a show only 2 times.

The surround speakers that were put in actually are used for the entire show, not just film. They are also used in a lot of the events during the year.

Thanks for your comments Mark but the legend here is Bob Endres. Also, few people know that the man that worked with Bob here, is retired but still works about 10 days doing the Christmas Show with us. Andy plans on being here next year too. Remind early in the show next year and I will give you a tour of the booth.

Thank you rcdt55b. I’m sure she will be asked to return. It will give her a break from her other job a few blocks awy, Motown the Musical. On another note, I’m hoping to someday be able to meet the legend that is rcdt55b, as one projectionist to another.

And as a side note, after tonight my wife will have completed her 6th season as a dresser for the Rockettes at the hall on the Christmas Show.

It will be removed next week during load out and installed again next October during load in for next year’s show.

Mike, the 3-D video game sequence is on a separate LED wall made up of many horrible looking panels that do indeed have distracting seams (film wouldn’t do that…but that’s for another discussion). The second 3-D scene that I’m assuming you’re talking about is the Santa fly-in to Radio City. That is still 70MM film shown on the large silver screen and not the picture sheet. As I said earlier, the picture sheet has been removed.

As we mourn the end of movies at the Hall we must take time to be grateful for the fact that the theatre is still with us; for movies or no movies this treasure is alive and thriving. As rcdt55b has written we need to get used to the changes embrace them in fact for the Hall will continue to change as new technologies emerge and new challenges for the brilliant Music Hall staff and the great stage in particular emerge. Recently we have had the pleasure of reading posts from rcdt55b who has kept us up to date on the goings on at the theatre I very much enjoyed being kept up to dates on everything Music Hall. I am sure rcdt55b would agree that our greatest contributor here in the Radio City thread has of course been REndres. As most of you know Rob for many years was Chief Projectionist during the time of movies and stage shows and after the Hall stopped showing movies Rob continued to inform delight and entertain us with marvelous Music hall stories. Today is the final day of the 2013 Christmas show and could conceivably be the last time film will be projected at RCMH. So everyone join me at approximately 8PM tonight as the last show begins and bow our heads in a moment of silence ;)  Any final thoughts Rob?

Sad news indeed, however, movies at the Hall can always return. Nothing like a good show-biz comeback to lift our spirits. In the meantime, I’ll meditate on my now 36 year old mantra. “It could have become a parking lot.”

First off, get used to the stuff hanging everywhere. With more and more shows and the “need” for “effects”, more things will be added. Of course things change from show to show but there be always be equipment hanging everywhere…….. ……On a sadder note, the house picture sheet has been removed and most likely discarded. Also, the speaker border with the stage speakers has been dismantled and most likely permanently removed……….