i went to the Festival many times during its
reign as one of Manhattan’s leading art houses.
this is especially true since many of its
engagements were exclusive runs but there was
one thing about the theater i didn’t like. in
virtually all theaters when you enter the
auditorium from the back the floor is flat as
you walk toward the screen or in other
instances actually declines as you walk toward
the screen. but in the Festival the floor
actually inclined as you walked toward the
screen. it was rather uncomfortable if you
got stuck with a seat in the first row.
I still say if you knew the address the Plaza
wasn’t “hard to find” per se but you bring up an
interesting point. considering the Plaza and Paris
had similar names and were close by I can see
people forgetting which theater a film was playing
at if they hadn’t written it down.
its kind of like the late but great Ziegfeld. once
it’s closing was verified a number of people posted
that part of the problem was it was out of the way,
or off the beaten path etc….. but when the Ziegfeld
was still used by the studios for exclusive runs
of their big releases people had no trouble finding
it then so why should they have had trouble finding
it now.
speaking of which. I recently posted a question
for the late Crystal Hall on 14 St. if anyone knows
the answer I bet you do. thanks in advance.
I still say the description of the theater as “hard
to find” is unwarranted. many of the films I saw there
under the address said “between Madison and Park Aves.”
I mean even a blind person could have found it.
I frequently attended this theater. it often held
the exclusive Manhattan engagements of many top
American films and foreign films. it was not hard
to find. i don’t know why the intro at top states
so.
looking at pics of the original movie palace
I noticed an incorrect caption. one of the 2 pics
posted by Al A. on April 13, 2009 gives a date
of June 1965. now the marquee is advertising My
Fair Lady. the film opened at the Criterion the
fall of 1964 and i doubt its roadshow engagement
had ended yet.
in the above intro it never states point blank that
the building(s)which housed this theater were demolished. so does that mean that remnants of the
Crystal Hall might exist within the Whole Foods
and DSW stores?
thanks for the info. it was normal to tweak a longer roadshow film when it went to neighborhood theaters but to tweak it while it was still in its roadshow engagement seems bizarre, doesn’t it? they still only had two shows a day.
another question you might be able to answer. in
the mid to late 90s when VHS was till the dominant
home video format MGM/UA Home Video created a
vhs series MGM/UA Screen Epics. it was composed of
all the big roadshow films from both companies.
the slip case for the vhs tapes were redesigned and
a prominent series logo was atop each cover. this
is where my question comes in. if i am not
mistaken the cut of IAMMMMW used for this series
was the original roadshow cut. so couldn’t they
use whatever element they used for the vhs series
for a blu-ray disc?
i was rather disappointed by the recent Criterion
Collection blu-ray disc of the restored roadshow
cut of Its A Mad Mad Mad Mad World. while it may
have been the full roadshow cut the various
elements used were far from in prime shape. which
is where my question comes in.
it is my understanding that like its NYC engagement at the Warner Cinerama IAMMMMW was tweaked while it was still in its roadshow run at the Dome. in other words if you saw the film at the beginning of its roadshow run it was a slightly different cut than if you saw it at the end. so for how long was the original 3hr. 12min. cut used at the Dome?
i saw Me Before You here a few weeks ago. i’m assuming
the deal was already in the works at the time. the
question i have is simple- with all the $$$ Bow Tie
put into renovating the theater and updating the
projection and sound in the auditoriums why would
they sell?
you have been most helpful in the past so i am
a new question. in the intro at top it states
that the Astor closed down as a movie theater
due to “maintenance problems”. what exactly were
said problems?
The Greatest Story Ever Told began its reserved seat
run at this theater on Feb. 15, 1965. said engagement
ran 42 weeks if I am not mistaken. to which my
question- was the original 3hr. 45min. cut of the
film ever used during said 42 week run? or was it
only used for trade/press screenings and on opening
night?
this past weekend I saw Zootopia in IMAX-3D which
I thoroughly enjoyed. to which a question. the only
movie I have seen in this theater whether just IMAX
or IMAZ-3D that filled the entire screen was
Fantasia 2000 released in Feb. of that year. the
section of the screen taken up by Zootopia seemed
using my eye as a no bigger than the
screen of the Loew’s auditorium downstairs. in other
words I don’t see the point of showing a film in
this auditorium unless it fills the entire screen.
for the first several years the Ziegfeld did have
1st runs that were paired with a UA theater on Long
Island and a UA theater in New Jersey. this is how
Earthquake was exhibited. granted this wasn’t an
exclusive run for the NYC area but it was an exclusive
for Manhattan. on the other hand I do remember a few
that were exclusive for the entire NYC area. so
which ever type it was what the last exclusive run
of a big studio film at the Ziegfeld?
I should have been more precise in my question.
when I asked what was the last time the studios
used the Ziegfeld for an exclusive 1st run
Manhattan engagement I should have said those special
one or two week runs of say Dreamgirls, The Princess
and the Frog and Nine before they opened wide don’t
count. I mean a regular open ended run.
Hello to All-
as much as I try not to think about it makes me
sad whenever I think of the fact that the last
single screen movie palace in Manhattan as closed.
the interesting point being that the 1st movie
palace built in Manhattan the Regent at 116 St.
and Lenox Ave. is still with us. though its been
a church for 46? years I hear they’ve kept the
interior at least in darn good shape.
which got me thinking. after their debut at
Koster and Bial’s Music Hall in April of 1896
movies took off like wildfire. now no movie
theaters existed so for the first few years of
the biz whatever picture houses existed in
Manhattan were music halls, vaudeville or even
legitimate theaters that were converted to
show movies. but what was the very 1st theater
built brick by brick from the ground up with
the intent of being a picture house to use the
old term.
you are quite knowledgeable so I have a question that I can’t remember the answer to. what was the last “big” studio film to have an exclusive Manhattan engagement at the Ziegfeld?
to Al A.– I don’t subscribe to the N Y Times
so does registering for their website cost $$$?
I try not to let my friend stump me but I
don’t see spending $$$ to get the answer.
to Bill H.– seeing Ryan’s Daughter at the Ziegfeld
was a true movie going experience. most especially
during the storm sequence when the villagers are
trying to bring the guns ashore.
also seeing The Rose and Close Encounters of
the Third Kind in 70mm at this theater was perfect.
I also saw a special screening of Gandhi in 70mm
which the late Richard Attenborough attended. I spoke
to him after and said he’d better get his Oscar
speech for Best Director ready. he thanked me
graciously for my thought but said he didn’t want to
get his hopes up.
thanks for the info. I saw Ryan’s Daughter twice
possibly three times during its run at this theater.
I’m surprised they never sold a souvenir program.
you have helped me in the past with questions I
have posted so I hope you can do so again. I have a
friend who e-mails questions to se how good my
Internet searching skills are but I am stumped on this one. he asked me what movie was shown on all NYC
t.v. stations on January 22, 1950. do you have any
idea where I can find this info? thanks in advance.
the theater opened Dec. 1969 with Marooned which I
believe was its only traditional reserved seat attraction. now the theater was used for many years
by the studios for exclusive runs of their big
films. this is where my question comes in. if I am
not mistaken Ryan’s Daughter opened on a reserved
performance engagement. did it have 2 shows during
the week and 3 shows on Sat. and Sun.?
as has been said this theater’s days were numbered
the moment the multiplex era emerged and studios felt
it necessary to open all “big” films on 2,000-3,000
screens the same day. to which was the last exclusive
1st run engagement of a “big” studio film at the
Ziegfeld? I have tried to remember but can’t.
if I understand Mike’s statement correctly he refers to the Ziegfeld as being “in the middle of nowhere”.
I truly wish people would stop saying that. when the
studios still used the Ziegfeld for exclusive 1st run
engagements people had no trouble at all in finding
the theater. in fact when they ran the restored print
of Lawrence of Arabia the line went from the box
officer to 6th Ave. up to 55th St. then half a block
to 7th Ave. so if some 23? years ago people had no
trouble finding the theater what’s people’s excuse
today? I mean the theater it at 54th St. and 6th Ave.
so thanks to the grid plan Manhattan’s streets
are based on it there should be no trouble in finding
the theater.
you know damn well they will be raising prices when
new techno stuff is installed. but at least with the
LS IMAX you’re getting something for the extra $$$.
the Cinema I on 3rd Ave. and 60th St. raised their
regular adult ticket price to the highest in Manhattan.
and this just for regular screenings no 3D, IMAX or
3D IMAX.
you do have a point its just that the majority of
3D films I have seen I left the theater feeling
miffed that I paid extra for the 3D screening yet
the 3D-ness of the film was almost non-existent.
also prices in general are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to high.
as I said a regular adult ticket at the Cinema 1 is
as high as a 3D ticket at other theaters.
I can’t help but wonder if all this new fangled
techno stuff is simply theater owners way of
squeezing more $$$ out of moviegoers. I have seen
blockbuster films at the Ziegfeld in regular
projection- no 3D, no IMAX and no IMAX-3D and the
showing was still damn impressive. New Yorkers
love bitching and moaning about the cost of
everything so I’m highly surprised that regular
moviegoers aren’t bitching and moaning about the
fact movie tickets are already wayyyyyy to high.
for instance the most expensive regular adult ticket
in Manhattan is at the Cinema 1 on 3rd Avenue. no 3D,
no IMAX and no IMAX 3D just regular showing.
In other words does all this new fangled techno
stuff actually enhance the viewing of a film, in
most cases not in my opinion. in fact the only
super duper presentation that was worth the extra
$$$ was the original 3-Strip Cinerama screenings of
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grim and How The
West Was Won.
Hello-
i went to the Festival many times during its reign as one of Manhattan’s leading art houses. this is especially true since many of its engagements were exclusive runs but there was one thing about the theater i didn’t like. in virtually all theaters when you enter the auditorium from the back the floor is flat as you walk toward the screen or in other instances actually declines as you walk toward the screen. but in the Festival the floor actually inclined as you walked toward the screen. it was rather uncomfortable if you got stuck with a seat in the first row.
Hello-
is this theater the oldest continually in operation movie theater in New York City?
Hello-
I still say if you knew the address the Plaza wasn’t “hard to find” per se but you bring up an interesting point. considering the Plaza and Paris had similar names and were close by I can see people forgetting which theater a film was playing at if they hadn’t written it down.
its kind of like the late but great Ziegfeld. once it’s closing was verified a number of people posted that part of the problem was it was out of the way, or off the beaten path etc….. but when the Ziegfeld was still used by the studios for exclusive runs of their big releases people had no trouble finding it then so why should they have had trouble finding it now.
speaking of which. I recently posted a question for the late Crystal Hall on 14 St. if anyone knows the answer I bet you do. thanks in advance.
Hello-
I still say the description of the theater as “hard to find” is unwarranted. many of the films I saw there under the address said “between Madison and Park Aves.” I mean even a blind person could have found it.
Hello-
I frequently attended this theater. it often held the exclusive Manhattan engagements of many top American films and foreign films. it was not hard to find. i don’t know why the intro at top states so.
Hello-
looking at pics of the original movie palace I noticed an incorrect caption. one of the 2 pics posted by Al A. on April 13, 2009 gives a date of June 1965. now the marquee is advertising My Fair Lady. the film opened at the Criterion the fall of 1964 and i doubt its roadshow engagement had ended yet.
Hello-
in the above intro it never states point blank that the building(s)which housed this theater were demolished. so does that mean that remnants of the Crystal Hall might exist within the Whole Foods and DSW stores?
to Peter A.–
thanks for the info. it was normal to tweak a
longer roadshow film when it went to neighborhood
theaters but to tweak it while it was still in
its roadshow engagement seems bizarre, doesn’t it?
they still only had two shows a day.
another question you might be able to answer. in the mid to late 90s when VHS was till the dominant home video format MGM/UA Home Video created a vhs series MGM/UA Screen Epics. it was composed of all the big roadshow films from both companies. the slip case for the vhs tapes were redesigned and a prominent series logo was atop each cover. this is where my question comes in. if i am not mistaken the cut of IAMMMMW used for this series was the original roadshow cut. so couldn’t they use whatever element they used for the vhs series for a blu-ray disc?
Hello-
i was rather disappointed by the recent Criterion Collection blu-ray disc of the restored roadshow cut of Its A Mad Mad Mad Mad World. while it may have been the full roadshow cut the various elements used were far from in prime shape. which is where my question comes in.
it is my understanding that like its NYC engagement
at the Warner Cinerama IAMMMMW was tweaked while it was still in its roadshow run at the Dome. in other
words if you saw the film at the beginning of its
roadshow run it was a slightly different cut than
if you saw it at the end. so for how long was the
original 3hr. 12min. cut used at the Dome?
Hello-
i saw Me Before You here a few weeks ago. i’m assuming the deal was already in the works at the time. the question i have is simple- with all the $$$ Bow Tie put into renovating the theater and updating the projection and sound in the auditoriums why would they sell?
Hello to Ed S.–
you have been most helpful in the past so i am a new question. in the intro at top it states that the Astor closed down as a movie theater due to “maintenance problems”. what exactly were said problems?
Hello-
The Greatest Story Ever Told began its reserved seat run at this theater on Feb. 15, 1965. said engagement ran 42 weeks if I am not mistaken. to which my question- was the original 3hr. 45min. cut of the film ever used during said 42 week run? or was it only used for trade/press screenings and on opening night?
Hello-
this past weekend I saw Zootopia in IMAX-3D which I thoroughly enjoyed. to which a question. the only movie I have seen in this theater whether just IMAX
or IMAZ-3D that filled the entire screen was Fantasia 2000 released in Feb. of that year. the section of the screen taken up by Zootopia seemed using my eye as a no bigger than the screen of the Loew’s auditorium downstairs. in other words I don’t see the point of showing a film in this auditorium unless it fills the entire screen.
to Mike-
for the first several years the Ziegfeld did have 1st runs that were paired with a UA theater on Long Island and a UA theater in New Jersey. this is how Earthquake was exhibited. granted this wasn’t an exclusive run for the NYC area but it was an exclusive for Manhattan. on the other hand I do remember a few that were exclusive for the entire NYC area. so which ever type it was what the last exclusive run of a big studio film at the Ziegfeld?
Hello-
I should have been more precise in my question. when I asked what was the last time the studios used the Ziegfeld for an exclusive 1st run Manhattan engagement I should have said those special one or two week runs of say Dreamgirls, The Princess and the Frog and Nine before they opened wide don’t count. I mean a regular open ended run.
Hello to All- as much as I try not to think about it makes me sad whenever I think of the fact that the last single screen movie palace in Manhattan as closed. the interesting point being that the 1st movie palace built in Manhattan the Regent at 116 St. and Lenox Ave. is still with us. though its been a church for 46? years I hear they’ve kept the interior at least in darn good shape.
which got me thinking. after their debut at Koster and Bial’s Music Hall in April of 1896 movies took off like wildfire. now no movie theaters existed so for the first few years of the biz whatever picture houses existed in Manhattan were music halls, vaudeville or even legitimate theaters that were converted to show movies. but what was the very 1st theater built brick by brick from the ground up with the intent of being a picture house to use the old term.
to Howard B. –
you are quite knowledgeable so I have a question
that I can’t remember the answer to. what was the
last “big” studio film to have an exclusive
Manhattan engagement at the Ziegfeld?
Hello-
to Al A.– I don’t subscribe to the N Y Times so does registering for their website cost $$$? I try not to let my friend stump me but I don’t see spending $$$ to get the answer.
to Bill H.– seeing Ryan’s Daughter at the Ziegfeld was a true movie going experience. most especially during the storm sequence when the villagers are trying to bring the guns ashore.
also seeing The Rose and Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 70mm at this theater was perfect.
I also saw a special screening of Gandhi in 70mm which the late Richard Attenborough attended. I spoke to him after and said he’d better get his Oscar speech for Best Director ready. he thanked me graciously for my thought but said he didn’t want to get his hopes up.
to Al A.–
thanks for the info. I saw Ryan’s Daughter twice possibly three times during its run at this theater. I’m surprised they never sold a souvenir program.
you have helped me in the past with questions I have posted so I hope you can do so again. I have a friend who e-mails questions to se how good my Internet searching skills are but I am stumped on this one. he asked me what movie was shown on all NYC t.v. stations on January 22, 1950. do you have any idea where I can find this info? thanks in advance.
Hello-
the theater opened Dec. 1969 with Marooned which I believe was its only traditional reserved seat attraction. now the theater was used for many years by the studios for exclusive runs of their big films. this is where my question comes in. if I am not mistaken Ryan’s Daughter opened on a reserved performance engagement. did it have 2 shows during the week and 3 shows on Sat. and Sun.?
Hello-
as has been said this theater’s days were numbered the moment the multiplex era emerged and studios felt it necessary to open all “big” films on 2,000-3,000 screens the same day. to which was the last exclusive 1st run engagement of a “big” studio film at the Ziegfeld? I have tried to remember but can’t.
Hello-
if I understand Mike’s statement correctly he refers
to the Ziegfeld as being “in the middle of nowhere”.
I truly wish people would stop saying that. when the studios still used the Ziegfeld for exclusive 1st run engagements people had no trouble at all in finding the theater. in fact when they ran the restored print of Lawrence of Arabia the line went from the box officer to 6th Ave. up to 55th St. then half a block to 7th Ave. so if some 23? years ago people had no trouble finding the theater what’s people’s excuse today? I mean the theater it at 54th St. and 6th Ave. so thanks to the grid plan Manhattan’s streets are based on it there should be no trouble in finding the theater.
to moviebuff82-
you know damn well they will be raising prices when new techno stuff is installed. but at least with the LS IMAX you’re getting something for the extra $$$. the Cinema I on 3rd Ave. and 60th St. raised their regular adult ticket price to the highest in Manhattan. and this just for regular screenings no 3D, IMAX or 3D IMAX.
to stevej-
you do have a point its just that the majority of 3D films I have seen I left the theater feeling miffed that I paid extra for the 3D screening yet the 3D-ness of the film was almost non-existent.
also prices in general are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to high. as I said a regular adult ticket at the Cinema 1 is as high as a 3D ticket at other theaters.
Hello-
I can’t help but wonder if all this new fangled techno stuff is simply theater owners way of squeezing more $$$ out of moviegoers. I have seen blockbuster films at the Ziegfeld in regular projection- no 3D, no IMAX and no IMAX-3D and the showing was still damn impressive. New Yorkers love bitching and moaning about the cost of everything so I’m highly surprised that regular moviegoers aren’t bitching and moaning about the fact movie tickets are already wayyyyyy to high.
for instance the most expensive regular adult ticket in Manhattan is at the Cinema 1 on 3rd Avenue. no 3D, no IMAX and no IMAX 3D just regular showing.
In other words does all this new fangled techno stuff actually enhance the viewing of a film, in most cases not in my opinion. in fact the only super duper presentation that was worth the extra $$$ was the original 3-Strip Cinerama screenings of
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grim and How The West Was Won.