Bob, Gee it was great hearing those D-150 stories, I only did relief work at the D-150 and missed out on a lot of the fun. I think Yentl was my favorite, boy we sure packed em in for that one.
I am glad you mentioned the great non-sync music we had playing thru Joe Kelly’s dynamite sound system. I can still remember parking my car and walking thru the side door leading to the auditorium and hearing Annie Lenox filling the theatre with music, remember how you would play music before we opened? Speaking of Joe, after I retired I did not hear much about him. I do know he started his own projector and sound repair company but I am not sure he’s still at it. Speaking of lenses, he was also very proud of the 3-D lens he developed. I always had a smile on my face when the union business agent would say “Vito, I need you at the D-150 for a while” I can honestly say there was no better place to work, mainly because of managers like yourself with a happy, fun staff and just the thrill of working at Long Island’s best theatre. I did not even mind working the double shifts, lifting those huge 70mm reels all day.
Thanks for writing, those days are gone for ever but we have our memories
Vincent, that was a shocker, David lean wanted to film Zhivago in 70mm, however MGM said no. The end result, shot in Panavision, did look better than most blowups. But you are so right, Zhivago was so right for 70mm, so was River Kwai for that matter. Kwai did not even get the blow up treatment, in fact the only prints I recall were 35mm optical (mono). Columbia did not even make mag stereo prints available at the time.
Vincent, with respect to “Lawrence”, In the early days of the films release, David Lean insisted that if you did not play it in 70mm you could not show it at all. For my money, “Funny Girl” was better in 35mm four track than the awful washed out 70mm blowup, which I imagine Stradling had to have hated. As for the “Funny Girl” showing at the Ziegfeld, I can only imagine what a unprofessional cookie cutter presentaion that was, I’m guessing the overture was played with a white bare screen? Well…. there ought to be a law. To think I almost went to see it, sure glad I didn’t.
Don, projectionist no longer have the control over the show we had in my day. It’s all automated, a push of the button and what ever happens is very mechanical now. Curtains have all but disapeared and most of the theatres that still have curtains leave them open for those damm slides.
Vincent, I guess once the studio’s realised they could get away with filming in 35mm and doing a 70mm blow up they saw $ signs in the savings on raw stock during filming.I so much agree that the result was a washed out pale comparision of true 70mm, By the way the original 70mm “Funny Girl” was no better than the reissue at the Ziegfeld. Those blow ups at RCMH were awful as well, the changeover to xenon lamps from carbon arc just added to the problem at RCMH, there just wasn’t enough light. By ther way, if you thought the lines for Woolf were long, you should have been there in 1954 when Jane Russell’s “French Line” played the Criterion in 3-D, the lines were so long you would have thought they were giving away money.
I would have to agree with saps, thanks very much for the insitefull writing. Oh, and by the way myron, I too loved hearing the Fox fanfare at the Roxy, and the popcorn question is easy to answer, RCMH never allowed popcorn be sold there.
Vincent, Bill, “South Pacific” was of course a true 70mm
(Todd-AO I think) presentation at the Criterion, “Funny Girl”, “Oliver” and many others were a blow up from the 35mm neg which in my opinion never compared to the real thing. We were bombared in the 60s with these 70mm blowups and I thought they paled by comparision. The image was sharp but dull, and the colors a bit faded. However, the magnificent six track magnetic sound made up for the picture quality. Would you agree?
RCDTJ, I know a lot of projectionists who still take a lot of pride in the job. However, you must admit, in most cases. it’s just not the same now as before automation, platters and multiplex’s. In my day we “put on a show” Dimming house lights as the last of the intermission music began to fade, then opening the curtain just as the stage lights were dimming, and opening/raising the curtain being carefull not to expose any white screen. Then there were the reel changes every 15-20 minutes where you took great pride in timing the changeover perfectly as not to interupt the presentation. Ending the movie had to be perfect as well, the curtain had to be in the full closed position as the title faded, again no white screen or titles running over the closed curtain, with the stage lights to full up position at the same moment the curtains finished closing. Of course the big days came with the Roadshow presentations with overtures, intermissions and exit music, all coordinated perfectly.
Now a days it’s all automation, you thread a platter set a timer and your finished. I prefered the days before I retired when we were showmen, is all I am saying.
Bill, I could be wrong but I don’t remember the Criterion installing VistaVision projectors for “10 Commandments”, I thought it was a reduction print.The only VistaVision projectors I recall were at RCMH and Paramount. In fact I recall when “White Christmas” opened at the Hall, they had temporary VistaVision projectors installed without sound heads, the sound had to be interlocked with two projectors untill the finished projectors were built and installled.
Do you have more info on how “10 Commandments” was projected?
Bill, thanks for the kind words, it was a lot of fun and we took a lot of pride in being a projectionist in those days. I dearly miss that.
Vincent, you mentioned seeing the Criterion before it was cut up, remember when it was renovated for the roadshow of
“10 Commandments”? curtains, seats, walls, everything was red.
Bill, for a moment, while reading your notes I was able to forget the troubles of the world, travel thru time, and imagine myself watching the grand curtain rise at RCMH to the MGM logo on “Teahouse” and hear the Fox Fanfare at the Roxy for “Anastasia”. Thanks for that.
Well said Christian, during the 50s hollywood did all it could to beat the evil black box popping up in homes across the world.
Sure they were gimmicks, but oh my, what fun in those good ole days.
Bill, I would have to agree Phantom is not very good. Sure glad the console is gone. Thanks for letting me know. I think the Digital projection is gone as well, Phantom, although available and playing in other theatres in Digital format, is on film.
Yes Jim, Dolby noise reduction and stereo tracks greatly enhanced the movie going experience. As for THX, it is just speaker array
and baffle system with it’s own cross-over network. Did you know, theatres with THX have to be certified by them? An inspection team visits the theatere from time to time to rate the quality of the presentation right down to the noise level of the HVAC (heat/ac)
Christian, “Earthquake” played in 35mm four track magnetic sound. The “sensurround” control tones were located in the very low frequences, which would trigger the sub woofers. The sounds heard in the rear were from the surround (fourth channel)track.
Fun was it not?
Brucec,I would have to agree with Warren. As a tourists, the Music Hall was high on the must see list of attractions to see. I don’t ever remember seeing lines at The Roxy that compared to those wraped around RCMH. Of course the Christmas shows were on everyones santa list, including us locals. One of the few exceptions was when
“The Robe” played the Roxy, everyone flocked to see
CinemaScope “the Miracle you could see with glasses”.
AS to film presentation, I always felt the CinemaScope screen and stereo sound at the Roxy was more impressive than RCMH. I was always bothered by the echo watching movies at RCMH.
Robert, I like that idea, perhaps even classic films as well.
The new owners of the St George have asked me to help launch a classic movie program next year. However I don’t expect to be in NY after March. I hope someone else will get that started.
Yes Astyanax, around this time of year many movies scheduled for wide release in early 2005 have an exclusive limited run in order to qualify for Academy Awards. Why not do something like that for perhaps 10 days – two weeks exclusively ay RCMH or Ziegfeld?
Bill, I was glad to see Phantom is being presented in 35mm film
(although 70mm would have been great),and not Digital as is is in some other locations. Wonder if they took they Digital equipment out again. I hope they did.
Bill,I used to like to hang out around the console at RCMH to watch that guy in action. He would never really speak to anyone but he was busy taking care of business. His, in contrast to the Ziegfeld guy’s, job was important to the presentation. By the way.,when you go back to the Ziegfeld and there is someone at the console, ask him what he does for a living and what his purpose is in being there. Then ask him to take a break and let the pros in the booth handle the show.(sarcasum)
Yup Larry, it was (is) what is refered to today as stadium seating.
I can remember carrying many a can of film down those stairs.
Anyone know what’s going on with the Lane now?
Oh Bill, I wish I had been there to witness that. In no stretch of the imagination was he “running the show”, but more like ruining it. I imagine all he had was a remote sound control at the console, along with lights and curtain controls. The remote sound control is not uncommon, many producers and directors like to have one at their seat during a studio preview. As a matter of fact I sat with Arthur Hiller during his screening of the W.C. Fields life story. (forget the title)He played with it from time to time, raising and lowering the sound at will.
Saps, I should have said the worst blow up, I knew of course it was not shot in 70, although 70 had been used in the early 30s, remember “The Big Trail” with John Wayne shot in “70mm Granduer”?
Even the 35mm magnetic four track prints of “GWTW” were horrible.
Of course many many 35mm films were blown up for the roadshow engaements, “Funny Girl”, “Oliver” to name a few but they looked and sounded half way decent.
Bill, I guess the audience was made to believe that console guy actually ran the whole show. I would have had him arrested for being an impostor trying to dupe people into believing he was a showman.
Roxydon, Thanks for the post, it gave me chills. What wonderful memories, you make it sound like it was just yesterday….
If only it were. Please keep posting, your writing is what this web site is all about.
Bob, Gee it was great hearing those D-150 stories, I only did relief work at the D-150 and missed out on a lot of the fun. I think Yentl was my favorite, boy we sure packed em in for that one.
I am glad you mentioned the great non-sync music we had playing thru Joe Kelly’s dynamite sound system. I can still remember parking my car and walking thru the side door leading to the auditorium and hearing Annie Lenox filling the theatre with music, remember how you would play music before we opened? Speaking of Joe, after I retired I did not hear much about him. I do know he started his own projector and sound repair company but I am not sure he’s still at it. Speaking of lenses, he was also very proud of the 3-D lens he developed. I always had a smile on my face when the union business agent would say “Vito, I need you at the D-150 for a while” I can honestly say there was no better place to work, mainly because of managers like yourself with a happy, fun staff and just the thrill of working at Long Island’s best theatre. I did not even mind working the double shifts, lifting those huge 70mm reels all day.
Thanks for writing, those days are gone for ever but we have our memories
Vincent, that was a shocker, David lean wanted to film Zhivago in 70mm, however MGM said no. The end result, shot in Panavision, did look better than most blowups. But you are so right, Zhivago was so right for 70mm, so was River Kwai for that matter. Kwai did not even get the blow up treatment, in fact the only prints I recall were 35mm optical (mono). Columbia did not even make mag stereo prints available at the time.
Vincent, with respect to “Lawrence”, In the early days of the films release, David Lean insisted that if you did not play it in 70mm you could not show it at all. For my money, “Funny Girl” was better in 35mm four track than the awful washed out 70mm blowup, which I imagine Stradling had to have hated. As for the “Funny Girl” showing at the Ziegfeld, I can only imagine what a unprofessional cookie cutter presentaion that was, I’m guessing the overture was played with a white bare screen? Well…. there ought to be a law. To think I almost went to see it, sure glad I didn’t.
Don, projectionist no longer have the control over the show we had in my day. It’s all automated, a push of the button and what ever happens is very mechanical now. Curtains have all but disapeared and most of the theatres that still have curtains leave them open for those damm slides.
Vincent, I guess once the studio’s realised they could get away with filming in 35mm and doing a 70mm blow up they saw $ signs in the savings on raw stock during filming.I so much agree that the result was a washed out pale comparision of true 70mm, By the way the original 70mm “Funny Girl” was no better than the reissue at the Ziegfeld. Those blow ups at RCMH were awful as well, the changeover to xenon lamps from carbon arc just added to the problem at RCMH, there just wasn’t enough light. By ther way, if you thought the lines for Woolf were long, you should have been there in 1954 when Jane Russell’s “French Line” played the Criterion in 3-D, the lines were so long you would have thought they were giving away money.
Sadly Bill, it’s all about the real estate and the money. UA could not afford the rent at the D-150
I would have to agree with saps, thanks very much for the insitefull writing. Oh, and by the way myron, I too loved hearing the Fox fanfare at the Roxy, and the popcorn question is easy to answer, RCMH never allowed popcorn be sold there.
Vincent, Bill, “South Pacific” was of course a true 70mm
(Todd-AO I think) presentation at the Criterion, “Funny Girl”, “Oliver” and many others were a blow up from the 35mm neg which in my opinion never compared to the real thing. We were bombared in the 60s with these 70mm blowups and I thought they paled by comparision. The image was sharp but dull, and the colors a bit faded. However, the magnificent six track magnetic sound made up for the picture quality. Would you agree?
RCDTJ, I know a lot of projectionists who still take a lot of pride in the job. However, you must admit, in most cases. it’s just not the same now as before automation, platters and multiplex’s. In my day we “put on a show” Dimming house lights as the last of the intermission music began to fade, then opening the curtain just as the stage lights were dimming, and opening/raising the curtain being carefull not to expose any white screen. Then there were the reel changes every 15-20 minutes where you took great pride in timing the changeover perfectly as not to interupt the presentation. Ending the movie had to be perfect as well, the curtain had to be in the full closed position as the title faded, again no white screen or titles running over the closed curtain, with the stage lights to full up position at the same moment the curtains finished closing. Of course the big days came with the Roadshow presentations with overtures, intermissions and exit music, all coordinated perfectly.
Now a days it’s all automation, you thread a platter set a timer and your finished. I prefered the days before I retired when we were showmen, is all I am saying.
Bill, I could be wrong but I don’t remember the Criterion installing VistaVision projectors for “10 Commandments”, I thought it was a reduction print.The only VistaVision projectors I recall were at RCMH and Paramount. In fact I recall when “White Christmas” opened at the Hall, they had temporary VistaVision projectors installed without sound heads, the sound had to be interlocked with two projectors untill the finished projectors were built and installled.
Do you have more info on how “10 Commandments” was projected?
Bill, thanks for the kind words, it was a lot of fun and we took a lot of pride in being a projectionist in those days. I dearly miss that.
Vincent, you mentioned seeing the Criterion before it was cut up, remember when it was renovated for the roadshow of
“10 Commandments”? curtains, seats, walls, everything was red.
Bill, for a moment, while reading your notes I was able to forget the troubles of the world, travel thru time, and imagine myself watching the grand curtain rise at RCMH to the MGM logo on “Teahouse” and hear the Fox Fanfare at the Roxy for “Anastasia”. Thanks for that.
Ok Warren, Bill, Vincent and all, I say we buy the place, throw Clearview out and run it properly. Starting with a 70mm festival.
Well said Christian, during the 50s hollywood did all it could to beat the evil black box popping up in homes across the world.
Sure they were gimmicks, but oh my, what fun in those good ole days.
Bill, I would have to agree Phantom is not very good. Sure glad the console is gone. Thanks for letting me know. I think the Digital projection is gone as well, Phantom, although available and playing in other theatres in Digital format, is on film.
Yes Jim, Dolby noise reduction and stereo tracks greatly enhanced the movie going experience. As for THX, it is just speaker array
and baffle system with it’s own cross-over network. Did you know, theatres with THX have to be certified by them? An inspection team visits the theatere from time to time to rate the quality of the presentation right down to the noise level of the HVAC (heat/ac)
The last sensurround release I can recall was “Zoot Suit”
Why in heavens name it was produced that way was anyone’s guess.
Christian, “Earthquake” played in 35mm four track magnetic sound. The “sensurround” control tones were located in the very low frequences, which would trigger the sub woofers. The sounds heard in the rear were from the surround (fourth channel)track.
Fun was it not?
Brucec,I would have to agree with Warren. As a tourists, the Music Hall was high on the must see list of attractions to see. I don’t ever remember seeing lines at The Roxy that compared to those wraped around RCMH. Of course the Christmas shows were on everyones santa list, including us locals. One of the few exceptions was when
“The Robe” played the Roxy, everyone flocked to see
CinemaScope “the Miracle you could see with glasses”.
AS to film presentation, I always felt the CinemaScope screen and stereo sound at the Roxy was more impressive than RCMH. I was always bothered by the echo watching movies at RCMH.
Robert, I like that idea, perhaps even classic films as well.
The new owners of the St George have asked me to help launch a classic movie program next year. However I don’t expect to be in NY after March. I hope someone else will get that started.
Yes Astyanax, around this time of year many movies scheduled for wide release in early 2005 have an exclusive limited run in order to qualify for Academy Awards. Why not do something like that for perhaps 10 days – two weeks exclusively ay RCMH or Ziegfeld?
Bill, I was glad to see Phantom is being presented in 35mm film
(although 70mm would have been great),and not Digital as is is in some other locations. Wonder if they took they Digital equipment out again. I hope they did.
Bill,I used to like to hang out around the console at RCMH to watch that guy in action. He would never really speak to anyone but he was busy taking care of business. His, in contrast to the Ziegfeld guy’s, job was important to the presentation. By the way.,when you go back to the Ziegfeld and there is someone at the console, ask him what he does for a living and what his purpose is in being there. Then ask him to take a break and let the pros in the booth handle the show.(sarcasum)
Yup Larry, it was (is) what is refered to today as stadium seating.
I can remember carrying many a can of film down those stairs.
Anyone know what’s going on with the Lane now?
Oh Bill, I wish I had been there to witness that. In no stretch of the imagination was he “running the show”, but more like ruining it. I imagine all he had was a remote sound control at the console, along with lights and curtain controls. The remote sound control is not uncommon, many producers and directors like to have one at their seat during a studio preview. As a matter of fact I sat with Arthur Hiller during his screening of the W.C. Fields life story. (forget the title)He played with it from time to time, raising and lowering the sound at will.
As I recall, Columbia and RCMH agreed on a two picture deal of
“Picnic” and “Eddie Duchin Story” playing back to back.
Saps, I should have said the worst blow up, I knew of course it was not shot in 70, although 70 had been used in the early 30s, remember “The Big Trail” with John Wayne shot in “70mm Granduer”?
Even the 35mm magnetic four track prints of “GWTW” were horrible.
Of course many many 35mm films were blown up for the roadshow engaements, “Funny Girl”, “Oliver” to name a few but they looked and sounded half way decent.
Bill, I guess the audience was made to believe that console guy actually ran the whole show. I would have had him arrested for being an impostor trying to dupe people into believing he was a showman.
Roxydon, Thanks for the post, it gave me chills. What wonderful memories, you make it sound like it was just yesterday….
If only it were. Please keep posting, your writing is what this web site is all about.