I love the exterior. All the flashiness and lights and that big vertical sign. Even though it is again a playhouse, I am glad they kept the cinema’s extravagant signage. We don’t have much of that left in New York, and I appreciate it every time I walk by. It’s an eye-popping throwback to a time I miss. While I admire the authenticity of the Victory and Lyric’s exterior, they are just a bit dull.
I guess I thought the lion was roaring because there was music and Leo was moving due to the gentle undulations of the sheer traveler curtain. Funny tricks the mind plays sometimes.
Joe the projectionist lowered the house lights to half and opened the main gold curtain. The sheer white curtain remained closed, and the six-minute overture played.
The most beautiful part: as the overture ended, the house lights went all the way down, and the white curtain began to part the moment the MGM logo came on screen. Perfectly timed, the curtain was fully open just as Leo let out his last roar, and a big map of Judea and vicinity burst open the screen.
Real showmanship, the way movies were meant to be seen.
Bob, I agree with most of what you’re saying, but the 1.37 is the old academy ratio, right, which is almost square. And the 1.85 is the new “flat” which takes up the full screen. But then when you have the scope ratio of 2.35, you have less height but the same width, which means less screen space.
So, at the Loew’s Jersey, 2.35 is bigger than 1.37, but the 2.35 is smaller than the 1.85.
The only drawback to seeing widescreen pictures at the Jersey is that the actual screen space is smaller than for flat pictures, since they don’t widen the screen for the wider ratio but lower the top masking to get the proper view.
Hre’s the excerpt:
(1936) must have seemed like Champagne â€" first a 200-foot-wide store and theater complex on the west side of Park Avenue, from 53rd to 54th Street (now the site of Lever House). The trim little swank-modern stores had bronze and marble detailing, and the lusciously Art Moderne movie theater, the Normandie, was of sculptured concrete. Eric Gugler and Ben Schlanger also worked on this commission.
And I’m a little worried…AMC has said they want to concentrate on their newer, more comfortable theaters. I wonder what the future holds for this site.
As to The Misfits, besides Gable we also have Marilyn Monroe (her last film, too), Thelma Ritter, Montgomery Clift and Eli Wallach. All worth seeing on a big screen.
I reposted my comments of 2/23/06 about Ben-Hur directly on Clearview’s “Contact Us” page.
Please post reports on the condition and presentation of Singin' in the Rain, North by Northwest, and Dr. Zhivago.
I thnk the art theater was the Astor; I believe the one at Cortelyou was the Rialto. Though both pre-dated me by decades.
I like the Chelsea 9 and have not had a bad experience there.
I love the exterior. All the flashiness and lights and that big vertical sign. Even though it is again a playhouse, I am glad they kept the cinema’s extravagant signage. We don’t have much of that left in New York, and I appreciate it every time I walk by. It’s an eye-popping throwback to a time I miss. While I admire the authenticity of the Victory and Lyric’s exterior, they are just a bit dull.
I guess I thought the lion was roaring because there was music and Leo was moving due to the gentle undulations of the sheer traveler curtain. Funny tricks the mind plays sometimes.
The Paris on 58th Street is a nice single screen theater with a balcony.
Also, I like the AMC Empire on 42nd Street; the design is pretty interesting, and the lobby (the former Empire Theater) is great for picture-taking.
The AMC-Loews Lincoln Square is worth a visit; the different theaters are named after former movie palaces.
And the AMC-Loews Kips Bay is a good example of a newer theatre — big, airy lobby and nice roomy auditoriums.
I’ve been here several times recently and have not expereinced anything like that at all.
Beautiful presentation tonight of Ben-Hur.
Joe the projectionist lowered the house lights to half and opened the main gold curtain. The sheer white curtain remained closed, and the six-minute overture played.
The most beautiful part: as the overture ended, the house lights went all the way down, and the white curtain began to part the moment the MGM logo came on screen. Perfectly timed, the curtain was fully open just as Leo let out his last roar, and a big map of Judea and vicinity burst open the screen.
Real showmanship, the way movies were meant to be seen.
And no ads or trailers of any kind.
I love this effin' theater, 1.37, 1.85 or 2.35. Bring on the classics!
Please post reports about the condition of this week’s features — Ben Hur, Gladiator and Braveheart — but especially about Ben Hur.
Do they run trailers of upcoming features in this festival?
Also, the three week extension is not yet on the website, so we here have an exclusive.
Always wanted to visit this theater.
Craig, you’ve done a great job at Chelsea Classics and it looks like you’re a success here as well. Bravo!
So then it wasn’t the restored print.
The question about the restoration credits remains unanswered: Did the My Fair Lady print now running have the restoration credits at the end?
Bob, I agree with most of what you’re saying, but the 1.37 is the old academy ratio, right, which is almost square. And the 1.85 is the new “flat” which takes up the full screen. But then when you have the scope ratio of 2.35, you have less height but the same width, which means less screen space.
So, at the Loew’s Jersey, 2.35 is bigger than 1.37, but the 2.35 is smaller than the 1.85.
So if they lower the mask for the 2.35 (widescreen presentation) there is less square footage on view, right? which was my point.
The only drawback to seeing widescreen pictures at the Jersey is that the actual screen space is smaller than for flat pictures, since they don’t widen the screen for the wider ratio but lower the top masking to get the proper view.
Ben Hur is the one I want to see; I hope it’s a good print like West Side Story and not a bad one like My Fair Lady.
That’s some doggish lineup at the Ziegfeld in the 90’s. The wind must have been whistling across the empty seats. It’s a wonder it’s still open.
The Normandie is mentioned in the NY Times article about its architect.
View link
Hre’s the excerpt:
(1936) must have seemed like Champagne â€" first a 200-foot-wide store and theater complex on the west side of Park Avenue, from 53rd to 54th Street (now the site of Lever House). The trim little swank-modern stores had bronze and marble detailing, and the lusciously Art Moderne movie theater, the Normandie, was of sculptured concrete. Eric Gugler and Ben Schlanger also worked on this commission.
Century Fantasy
Cineplex Odeon Fantasy
Loews Cineplex Fantasy
AMC Fantasy
Did I miss any?
And I’m a little worried…AMC has said they want to concentrate on their newer, more comfortable theaters. I wonder what the future holds for this site.
>>Do I want Brokeback to fail? I’m not sure. If the general public sees this movie and notices the destructive nature of this lifestyle…
This could only have been written by someone who has not seen the movie and has no idea what it’s really about.
I wonder if this closing has anything to do with AMC taking over Loews as of this past Friday (1/27/06).
As to The Misfits, besides Gable we also have Marilyn Monroe (her last film, too), Thelma Ritter, Montgomery Clift and Eli Wallach. All worth seeing on a big screen.