Clairidge
486 Bloomfield Avenue,
Montclair,
NJ
07042
486 Bloomfield Avenue,
Montclair,
NJ
07042
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 117 comments
In a movie that will surly piss off their core market (seniors) – I discovered today that Clearview has eliminated bargain pricing all together, now charging a general admission of $10.25, all ages, all seats, all times. This is sort of unheard of for a first run theater, it might be the first full price, non-luxury (Cinema De Lux, Lux Level, Muvico Premiere, ect) style theater in the country to do this (Hudson Mall for example is a first run, off-price theater charging $6, all seats, all times) – but what are the other alternatives for these kinds of movies? Wait for video or see it in the city.
Thanks, Bill!
Michael and other Clairidge fans: “This is Cinerama” closed on 12/24/60, and was followed by “Seven Wonders of the World” on 12/25/60.
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My sister got to see “7 Wonders” on a class trip to the Clairidge. I was only 6 years old but I was very jealous.
Justin’s got the right idea, but I think Michael lives in the Los Angeles area.
Michael: I may be able to find out the dates for you the next time I go to the Hackensack Public Library. They have The Bergen Record on microfilm, which always carried ads for the Clairidge. I have a day off coming up on May 8th, so maybe then … I’ll let you know.
you should go to a nearby library, such as the clifton public library, which has a huge collection of microfilm. They might have it, but it’s mostly old issues of The Record and The New York Times, which usually run listings of NJ theaters on weekends, especially Sundays.
Anyone have access to microfilm of THE STAR-LEDGER or another North New Jersey newspaper? I wish to verify the closing date of the CLAIRIDGE’s run of “This Is Cinerama” and the title of the film that followed it. (I believe “This Is Cinerama” premiered there on Aug. 25, 1960.)
Saw Atonement at the Clairidge. I can tell that I really enjoyed the movie if despite the surroundings, I still come away with a positive experience. From the postings describing the sumptiousness of the single screen theater, the current 6 screen set-up does feel like a grade-school basement. There is nothing to contribute to the sense of going to the movies as an experience within itself. Sorry never to have been to the theater in its Cinerama days.
The location is convenient, but I’d rather go to the SOPAC screen which has a few more comforts. Otherwise, going across the Hudson is still a good option.
Recently saw “Atonement”. a good if not greatly overrated movie. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn’t at the Claridge. Unfortunately, some movies will only play there and we have to grin and bear it. The Box-office line is one of the slowest…only one ticket seller (although the customers usually take a long time to make a decision as well. Many times, I’ve left since the wait was endless). The lady in front of me spent $49 on tickets for an afternoon show in one of the smallest auditoriums. I told her, she’d be beeter off just buying the DVD…she agreed, she wasn’t happy. I always close the theater door myself cause the employees never do or take a long time to. Again, sometimes the customers themselves won’t take it upon themselves to.
I don’t go there much anymore, unless I REALLY want to see something. Unfortunately, I kept waiting for “The Valley of Elajh” (Tomy Lee Jones) and “Jesse James” to open wide but they never did. and I didn’t want to sit in the Claridge for a two and a half hour movie.
What sealed the deal was seeing “Streetcar Named Desire”, it was screened in the 1:85 format, while shot in 1:33. The heads were cut off the entire movie. I fugured if I complained, an employee would just tell me that’s how the movie was made. I didn’t go see any of the other classic movies. I still remember seeing “Rocky II” in 79…what an experience.
The Claridge is a place with such bad atmosphere, it’s hard to just enjoy a movie there. If they closed it, truthfully, I wouldn’t be upset.
I grew up in Verona New Jersey in the 50’s and 60’s. I spent many afternoons at the Clairidge. One of the greatest movies I enjoyed at the Clairidge was Gone with the Wind. It started out with a small screen and then gloriously opened up into the full Cinerama screen. The sound was great too. What a treat it was to see movies in this theatre. There was also a beautiful round ceiling light that took up a good deal of the ceiling. It was beautiful as they dimmed the light for the movie.
Yes
it’s the back of the theater.
Oddly enough I don’t see any modern photos posted here, so I found one:
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$5 Clearview classics summer 2007 at Clairidge Cinema (973) 746-5564, sponsored by The Montclair Times, Wednesday & Thursday 7:15 PM, Saturday & Sunday 11 AM, June 6-7 & 9-10, Rebel Without a Cause, June 13-14 &16-17 East of Eden, June 20-21 & 23-24 Giant, June 27-28 & June 30, July 1 A Streetcar Named Desire, July 4-5 & 7-8 The Wizard of Oz, July 11-12 & 14-15 An Affair to Remember, July 18-19 & 21-22 Manhattan, July 25-26 & 28-29 Raging Bull
One benefit of being a nun back in the 60s – you got to see Cinerama:
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I photographed these classic Cinerama pictures that were hanging in the lobby of the Clairidge – and got my camera confiscated for it until the movie ended. They thought I was going to bring it into the theater, but I didn’t bother telling them I’d never do that. I wasn’t the least bit interested in how the Clairidge looks now, but in 1961 … that’s a different story.
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According to the book “Freedom Child” by Carrie Allen McCray, The Clairidge Cinema opened on February 17, 1923. It was at that time owned by a Mr Hinck.
Also mentioned in the same book was the Bellevue Theatre, located in Upper Montclair.
I worked at The Claridge theater for a few years in the mid 1970’s when it was still a one screen theater. The paneled Cinerama screen was still being used and was bright and clear as ever. Behind the Cinerama screen was a stage and several dressing rooms. I managed to find some programs from the Cinerama era and other items stored in the dressing rooms. I remember running features for a long time, several months sometimes. We premiered ‘Jaws’ there in June 1975 and it ran through December. By the way, Peter Benchley (Jaws author) came to the Claridge on opening night. I have been there a few times since the six screen conversion and get upset walking in and remembering where things used to be. The Claridge was selected as New Jersey’s Cinerama theater because it had a smoking lounge one flight up, between the restrooms (remember the marble stairs). This lounge was converted to the projection room because it had a straight shot to the screen. With three projectors you couldn’t project downward because of the keystone effect. The forth Cinerama machine (for audio) was another flight up in the original projection room. Most of the original equipment was there when I worked there, it was great. The same owner also had the Wellmont in Montclair, a larger and more ornate theater. I recall it having 1700 seats (800 downstairs and a 900 seat balcony). This theater is in limbo right now, I hope something good will come out of it. We were talking about bringing in live concerts there as far back as back in 1975!
I remember the Claridge theater quite well. My parents used to take my sister and I there when we kids. I vividly remember seeing “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World there in Cinerama (circa 1962) and "Windjammer” in Cinerama as well. Even though I lived in Newark and was closer to the Stanley, Castle and Sanford movie theaters, I visited the Claridge quite often. It was a great place to see a film back then. Just down the street was Grunnings Ice Cream, which was an awesome place to visit after the movie was over. It closed in the 1980’s I believe.
Goldmine! Check out these old photos:
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1981 photos:
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Listed as a 3 screen independent theatre in the 1991 International Motion Picture Almanac. Owner is P. Petersen.
You’re right about that, and I would encourage anyone who hasn’t ever been to a single-screen venue to try finding one, if it’s at all convenient. As for the memories of single-screen moviegoing, I’m glad to have quite a few and not as glad that in so many cases, the memories of these places are now the only opportunities to “visit” them.
Paul – I really enjoy your insightful postings on various NJ theaters. As far as the sadness of seeing a glorious single screen hacked into small theaers no bigger than a closet, remember “Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” Many of the younger CT members don’t even have first hand experience of a single screen viewing.
My experience with the Clairidge spans various phases of its existence. First time there was three days after “Jaws” opened in June 1975. At a Monday matinee, the place was packed. One of the greatest moveigoing experiences I’ve ever had: a mammoth Cinerama screen, a thoroughly involving movie, and a responsive (screaming, laughing and applauding as if on cue) but well-behaved audience. I saw the movie there three times more before it closed about five months later; each time I saw it, the projectionist left the maroon curtain closed for the first 30 seconds or so over the Universal Pictures header and the first couple of credits on a black screen, and then gradually opened it as the credits continued over that underwater “shark POV” shot and the familiar “Jaws” theme grew more menacing. A nice touch. I went to the Clairidge several more times while it was still a single-screen house, but the presentation seemed to decline after “Jaws” finished its run, particularly the sound.
The main auditorium of the Clairidge Triplex wasn’t too bad, actually; you still had the feeling of being in a movie theatre rather than a storage closet with a screen tacked up. I saw “Fanny and Alexander,” “Zelig,” “Back to the Future” and “Cape Fear” there, among others. More recently, I’ve been to the Clairidge in its “arthouse” six-screen configuration. A shame that a theatre with an often-interesting slate of movies now shows them in such dismal conditions. Not only are the auditoriums about the size of the restroom in the old place, but the projection and sound have been pretty ratty the last few times I’ve gone. It’s a good thing so many of the movies are shown with subtitles because I wouldn’t have been able to make out the dialogue if it was in English! I don’t plan on going there again unless I hear that conditions have improved.
GeneK…it’s best you never go to the Claridge again…..I guarantee you will cry…it’s like watching movies in a crowded basement….the glamour is gone