The Paramount has started a classic movie series again. Tomorrow morning at 11:30 they are running The Philadelphia Story, complete with pre-show organ concert. Even though they don’t run 35mm film, the shows should look and sound great as they did install a digital cinema projector for first-run films and a new screen last year.
I don’t think so. It was filmed in SuperPanavision 70 and tech credits around the Internet say that it only had regular 70mm prints. Why do you think it was billed as a Cinerama presentation?
Also remember that the majority of the “Roadshow” runs were of the shorter version. The film only played in its longer cut for about 4 weeks in the five premiere theatres: New York, L.A., Chicago, Boston, London; as of about 12/18/63, all of those engagements began playing the new shortened version and all future Roadshow engagements also received the shortened version.
If I had to guess – and I am guessing – more than likely they asked Paramount Pictures for their top-grossing “classic” titles that are on DCP instead of 35mm. The majority of their audience isn’t concerned with the presentation format, as sad as that might be.
No, the ownership has changed hands so I’m no longer involved with their programming or projection. They are most likely 100% digital from now on for everything.
As of July, the Paramount is no longer under the management of Majestic-Star Entertainment. See this article for more details:
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2013/07/07/news/doc51d8c876aef6c218364984.txt
We had a couple of years where we would break even over the course of the season with the classics, but mostly because of It’s a Wonderful Life or Wizard of Oz. The past several years saw a declining paying audience at the shows. And the special weekend events like the Horror-Thon were never money makers at all for us.
Not at all Rhett, as far as I know the theatre will continue the Saturday morning shows though the series will not be called “Big Screen Classics” any longer.
Good question, MD. My gut feeling is that they will be screening DCP for the most part.
Thanks Mark. Should be interesting to see the digital down at the Basie. Hopefully it means they run more movies, though some of the magic will be lost if its not on film.
It should be 2.20. If I had to guess, the DCP was probably created with the 2.20 image windowboxed within a 2.39 frame to keep the same height, but not as much width, as a 2.39 show.
Just to update, as of July 2013 Majestic-Star Entertainment and Nelson Page are no longer the operators of the Lafayette Theatre. The Benmosche family will continue to operate the Lafayette with first-run movies and the Town of Ramapo is planning to continue to sponsor the Saturday morning classic movie series. Thanks for all the support on CT – we had a great 10 years up there! Please continue to support the Lafayette.
As of now, they do not have a new website; the new phone number for the box office is 845-547-2121.
Nice video story here about the Hoboken International Film Festival currently underway:
http://hudsonvalley.news12.com/news/hoboken-international-film-festival-kicks-off-in-middletown-1.10488467
Not sure what you mean, first result in search list for “Varieties” brings up this listing for it: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/288
The Paramount has started a classic movie series again. Tomorrow morning at 11:30 they are running The Philadelphia Story, complete with pre-show organ concert. Even though they don’t run 35mm film, the shows should look and sound great as they did install a digital cinema projector for first-run films and a new screen last year.
Schedule here: http://middletownparamount.com/classic-films/
Thanks for posting the pics, Bill. I was hoping to get out there, but will have to hope they do another open house some time soon.
Since they used the long play platter system, that would have been impossible.
No mention of Cinerama in either LA or NY engagements:
http://fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_1964.htm
http://fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1964.htm
I don’t think so. It was filmed in SuperPanavision 70 and tech credits around the Internet say that it only had regular 70mm prints. Why do you think it was billed as a Cinerama presentation?
Regarding the lead above, the theatre has digital projection according to that linked article. It’s a lease problem, not an equipment upgrade problem.
The website says all movies are in DVD format, with Blu-Ray when possible.
RIP Jeff Barker, friend and organist at the Lafayette Theatre from 2002 to 2013. Jeff passed away on December 31, 2013.
More info on Jeff and his career here: http://www.gstos.org/Jeff_Barker.htm
And a brief clip of Jeff speaking and playing from a few years ago: http://youtu.be/ZJ8kfbqL_LQ
Original Fabian: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2851/
Also remember that the majority of the “Roadshow” runs were of the shorter version. The film only played in its longer cut for about 4 weeks in the five premiere theatres: New York, L.A., Chicago, Boston, London; as of about 12/18/63, all of those engagements began playing the new shortened version and all future Roadshow engagements also received the shortened version.
If I had to guess – and I am guessing – more than likely they asked Paramount Pictures for their top-grossing “classic” titles that are on DCP instead of 35mm. The majority of their audience isn’t concerned with the presentation format, as sad as that might be.
Yes, it has.
But back to the main point – the World 3-D Expo should be fantastic. Wish I could go this time.
No, the ownership has changed hands so I’m no longer involved with their programming or projection. They are most likely 100% digital from now on for everything.
Both, though most of the vintage features are presented dual 35mm polarized.
As of July, the Paramount is no longer under the management of Majestic-Star Entertainment. See this article for more details: http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2013/07/07/news/doc51d8c876aef6c218364984.txt
We had a couple of years where we would break even over the course of the season with the classics, but mostly because of It’s a Wonderful Life or Wizard of Oz. The past several years saw a declining paying audience at the shows. And the special weekend events like the Horror-Thon were never money makers at all for us.
Not at all Rhett, as far as I know the theatre will continue the Saturday morning shows though the series will not be called “Big Screen Classics” any longer.
Good question, MD. My gut feeling is that they will be screening DCP for the most part.
Thanks Mark. Should be interesting to see the digital down at the Basie. Hopefully it means they run more movies, though some of the magic will be lost if its not on film.
It should be 2.20. If I had to guess, the DCP was probably created with the 2.20 image windowboxed within a 2.39 frame to keep the same height, but not as much width, as a 2.39 show.
Thanks for your kind words. No, I am not involved with the programming at the Lafayette any longer.
Just to update, as of July 2013 Majestic-Star Entertainment and Nelson Page are no longer the operators of the Lafayette Theatre. The Benmosche family will continue to operate the Lafayette with first-run movies and the Town of Ramapo is planning to continue to sponsor the Saturday morning classic movie series. Thanks for all the support on CT – we had a great 10 years up there! Please continue to support the Lafayette.
As of now, they do not have a new website; the new phone number for the box office is 845-547-2121.
Sounds like they ran The Dirty Dozen with the wrong aperture plate and/or lens. A print would not have things cropped off of it.
The week-long Hoboken International Film Festival begins tonight at the Paramount:
http://newyork.newsday.com/entertainment/hoboken-film-festival-to-open-in-middletown-friday-night-1.5380096
It was built mostly using the Jerry Lewis design but it never operated as a Jerry Lewis Theatre.