Just to add to my above post. If it was the 20-plex across town from the above mentioned Ritz, why forget it, the line would be around the building. Once inside, you’re greeted with those high prices and lousey projection. And you know what? The people that go there don’t even notice, or care. That’s the real shame of it all.
Too bad newt wallen is right. Except for maybe the Lafayette in Suffurn N.Y. and Loews Jersey in Jersey City N.J. all the theatres that try to bring back the true movie going expierience are met with brick walls. You cant advertise, you can get decent prints of film, now they dont even want to reprint anymore, just put everything on that damn digital. And a cartoon and short subject? Unheard of. I had visions of doing this in Elizabeth N.J. at the Ritz Theatre, if it ever gets sold, and things get moving, but with the stories I hear, I just dont know. And its too bad because it would be great to do that in a 2800 seat house with a 38 foot wide screen. (And reel to reel changeovers, and carbon arc too!)
Not to nit pick MikeRa, but theatres are not forced to card. Many of them do only because they dont want to be the one who gets caught letting in underage kids. The MPAA doesn’t care if you card or not. They just rate the film. I have been saying for years, they should keep the “G” “PG” which could cover your pre-teens till like age 16 or 17, bring back the “M” which could cover the group who wants to see Saw etc, the “R” would cover extreme violence or sex, and “NC-17” for what it is intended. But I’m just one fish in the ocean.
I remember you TomR, and yes the mall sure was in a hurry. I remember the next morning, which was a Sunday, how the mall had a crew out there taking down the marquee, which I and many others including you had our picture taken on just hours earlier. I have those photos in a frame on my bedroom wall as we post here today. I still remember when my dad filled in for Joe and Abe when the place was a single.
Here we go again…first the U.S., now the UK, next, the rest of the world!!!!! I still say, and I’m sure CinemarkFan will agree, (in fact I’m sure of it) give me good old 35MM or better yet, 70MM anyday, anytime, anywhere. Thats all I have to say about that!
Hey LuisV, upon looking again at the photos from the 10/21/08 post, there is a large amount of light coming from the projection booth, which makes me wonder if the roof is gone.
What a shame, such a once beautiful place has been left to rot away.
After making my above post, I got to thinking of all the stuff I got from Menlo when it closed, stuff that was just in boxes and forgotten about. So up to my attic I went and found it, and much to my surprise was the original blue prints to Menlo, along with a B&W photo of the projection room from the Majestic Theatre in Perth Amboy N.J. taken in the late 1940’s. All these years I wanted to go thru these boxes, but never did until today. They were in an old closet in menlo, and when I was there with my booth partner Ed, we found the box, threw it in the car and I stored it away and forgot about it.
I feel honored to be the first to post a comment here. As the very last projectionist to work at the old Menlo Park, and one of the last to work at Blue Star, ( I left 3 years before its closing ), I must say that my memories are so many that I could sit here and write a book. But for now, let me say, that I worked far longer at Menlo Park ( 15 years ) vs only 5 years at Blue Star. I was at Menlo when we had all 3 “Star Wars” movies, Mookraker, Alien (in 70MM) The Abyss (also in 70MM). That place use to jump. I caught Blue Star in its waning days, the last big movies I remember there was “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Hoffa”. If I may add one more thing, another central Jersey theatre that was equally as busy thru those years was also a GCC, the Woodbridge 1 & 2. They had such hits as Saturday Night Fever, and many of the first few “Star Trek” movies. I also worked there on and off from the mid 80’s till it closed in ‘92.
It is almost a foregone conclusion Justin that HSM3 will be number one this weekend, for 2 reasons. 1) almost every theatre playing HSM3 will have it on multiple screens, meaning more showtimes, (like the place I work which will have 3 prints) and 2) Saw V is rated R, so that takes away the teenage crowd.
This theatre was originally operated by the Nathan chain. When it opened in the early 70’s each auditorium seated 300. I would guess that each of the 4 now seat about 130 each. I remember my dad taking me here to visit the projectionists, and ended up seeing a Walt Disney double feature, “Snowball Express” and “Lady & the Tramp.” They had one print of each mounted on 6000 foot reels, and alternated shows between each theater. Those were great days.
Well I hope it continues for you. Don’t give up. I remember thru my life, in ‘83, my theatre closed, the union had me on a job the following week. Same in '91, '94, and again in '05. I now for an independant, in his 2 theatres, about 50 hours between the 2. I learned a long time ago, when one door closes, another opens. I heard for years thru the 80’s how projection was done, and I would out on the street by the mid to late 80’s. Well look at me, almost the end of 2008, and still going strong. Good people like you always come out on top.
Yeah newt, I know what you’re saying. I have loved doing this for 33 years too, but the big companies, the Loews, Cineplex, Regals, have all made it that a good hard working, caring projectionist like me cant make a living. They say its a union thing, but really its just that the technology has made it that they can pay a kid $7.25 an hour to run 20 screens, and the hell with showmanship.
You beat me to it Peter. I remember in the late 70’s, some of the old grindhouses I worked at did not cut the apertures on the keystone, and wow, our image would be 3 feet over on the bottom of the side maskings. If the Ritz in Elizabeth ever gets sold, and gets going, that is one place that will have a heck of a keystone.
Well it is sort of refreshing to here that some more recent people like you newt seem to take pride. I remember how my father always pounded that into me as I was joining the union in 1977. He stressed that till the day he passed on to that giant movie palace in the sky in 1993.
Hi newt, I’m sure you know quite a bit about projection, but how about changing a gear, filing an aperture plate, timing a shutter?? Of course its not really fair to compare, since I have 33 years in the business, which by regal’s standards would make me a dinosaur. By the way, on a seperate note, is there any good news on the Ventnor twin??
Just to add to my above post. If it was the 20-plex across town from the above mentioned Ritz, why forget it, the line would be around the building. Once inside, you’re greeted with those high prices and lousey projection. And you know what? The people that go there don’t even notice, or care. That’s the real shame of it all.
Too bad newt wallen is right. Except for maybe the Lafayette in Suffurn N.Y. and Loews Jersey in Jersey City N.J. all the theatres that try to bring back the true movie going expierience are met with brick walls. You cant advertise, you can get decent prints of film, now they dont even want to reprint anymore, just put everything on that damn digital. And a cartoon and short subject? Unheard of. I had visions of doing this in Elizabeth N.J. at the Ritz Theatre, if it ever gets sold, and things get moving, but with the stories I hear, I just dont know. And its too bad because it would be great to do that in a 2800 seat house with a 38 foot wide screen. (And reel to reel changeovers, and carbon arc too!)
Sorry to hear of your loss newt. I’m sure something will come up, perhaps with a small independant chain.
Not to nit pick MikeRa, but theatres are not forced to card. Many of them do only because they dont want to be the one who gets caught letting in underage kids. The MPAA doesn’t care if you card or not. They just rate the film. I have been saying for years, they should keep the “G” “PG” which could cover your pre-teens till like age 16 or 17, bring back the “M” which could cover the group who wants to see Saw etc, the “R” would cover extreme violence or sex, and “NC-17” for what it is intended. But I’m just one fish in the ocean.
Todays Star Ledger had a full page story with a great shot of the auditorium, and about events leading up to this friday’s re-opening.
Today’s Star Ledger had a full page story with photo’s about the opening planned for this coming week.
You just gotta love it!!!!!
Couldn’t have said it any better CinemarkFan.
I remember you TomR, and yes the mall sure was in a hurry. I remember the next morning, which was a Sunday, how the mall had a crew out there taking down the marquee, which I and many others including you had our picture taken on just hours earlier. I have those photos in a frame on my bedroom wall as we post here today. I still remember when my dad filled in for Joe and Abe when the place was a single.
Here we go again…first the U.S., now the UK, next, the rest of the world!!!!! I still say, and I’m sure CinemarkFan will agree, (in fact I’m sure of it) give me good old 35MM or better yet, 70MM anyday, anytime, anywhere. Thats all I have to say about that!
How about a double feature of “Porky’s” and “Revenge of the Nerds” just for the hell of it.
Hey LuisV, upon looking again at the photos from the 10/21/08 post, there is a large amount of light coming from the projection booth, which makes me wonder if the roof is gone.
What a shame, such a once beautiful place has been left to rot away.
After making my above post, I got to thinking of all the stuff I got from Menlo when it closed, stuff that was just in boxes and forgotten about. So up to my attic I went and found it, and much to my surprise was the original blue prints to Menlo, along with a B&W photo of the projection room from the Majestic Theatre in Perth Amboy N.J. taken in the late 1940’s. All these years I wanted to go thru these boxes, but never did until today. They were in an old closet in menlo, and when I was there with my booth partner Ed, we found the box, threw it in the car and I stored it away and forgot about it.
I feel honored to be the first to post a comment here. As the very last projectionist to work at the old Menlo Park, and one of the last to work at Blue Star, ( I left 3 years before its closing ), I must say that my memories are so many that I could sit here and write a book. But for now, let me say, that I worked far longer at Menlo Park ( 15 years ) vs only 5 years at Blue Star. I was at Menlo when we had all 3 “Star Wars” movies, Mookraker, Alien (in 70MM) The Abyss (also in 70MM). That place use to jump. I caught Blue Star in its waning days, the last big movies I remember there was “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Hoffa”. If I may add one more thing, another central Jersey theatre that was equally as busy thru those years was also a GCC, the Woodbridge 1 & 2. They had such hits as Saturday Night Fever, and many of the first few “Star Trek” movies. I also worked there on and off from the mid 80’s till it closed in ‘92.
It is almost a foregone conclusion Justin that HSM3 will be number one this weekend, for 2 reasons. 1) almost every theatre playing HSM3 will have it on multiple screens, meaning more showtimes, (like the place I work which will have 3 prints) and 2) Saw V is rated R, so that takes away the teenage crowd.
Looks like many the graffitti artists have been inside. With all that damage, does anyone think it could one day be saved and revived?
This theatre was originally operated by the Nathan chain. When it opened in the early 70’s each auditorium seated 300. I would guess that each of the 4 now seat about 130 each. I remember my dad taking me here to visit the projectionists, and ended up seeing a Walt Disney double feature, “Snowball Express” and “Lady & the Tramp.” They had one print of each mounted on 6000 foot reels, and alternated shows between each theater. Those were great days.
The theatre is looking great. Its amazing what they did in a little over 3 months.
Well I hope it continues for you. Don’t give up. I remember thru my life, in ‘83, my theatre closed, the union had me on a job the following week. Same in '91, '94, and again in '05. I now for an independant, in his 2 theatres, about 50 hours between the 2. I learned a long time ago, when one door closes, another opens. I heard for years thru the 80’s how projection was done, and I would out on the street by the mid to late 80’s. Well look at me, almost the end of 2008, and still going strong. Good people like you always come out on top.
Yeah newt, I know what you’re saying. I have loved doing this for 33 years too, but the big companies, the Loews, Cineplex, Regals, have all made it that a good hard working, caring projectionist like me cant make a living. They say its a union thing, but really its just that the technology has made it that they can pay a kid $7.25 an hour to run 20 screens, and the hell with showmanship.
Great great job Micheal.
You beat me to it Peter. I remember in the late 70’s, some of the old grindhouses I worked at did not cut the apertures on the keystone, and wow, our image would be 3 feet over on the bottom of the side maskings. If the Ritz in Elizabeth ever gets sold, and gets going, that is one place that will have a heck of a keystone.
Lets hope not John J. Fink
Well it is sort of refreshing to here that some more recent people like you newt seem to take pride. I remember how my father always pounded that into me as I was joining the union in 1977. He stressed that till the day he passed on to that giant movie palace in the sky in 1993.
Hi newt, I’m sure you know quite a bit about projection, but how about changing a gear, filing an aperture plate, timing a shutter?? Of course its not really fair to compare, since I have 33 years in the business, which by regal’s standards would make me a dinosaur. By the way, on a seperate note, is there any good news on the Ventnor twin??