In the long run how effetive will it be? I’m sure the manager will get tired responding to all the complaints.
Thank god this wasn’t needed at the Rivoli during the roadshow period. Though after that they probably could have used it big time with all the junk the theatre was showing.
Above talking about the ‘balcony,’ it was really a mezz and a balcony separated by an aisle.
During the road show period the mezz had the most expensive seats in the house and was fine. If they had streched it any further out it might have cut off the screen for the back orchestra. Also during this period the front rows of the orchestra had the cheapest seats in the house. I don’t think any other house did this.
It was horrible when they cut off the mezz/balcony and instead of simply cutting it off they made the theater a split level destroying it.
Along with the Rivoli my favorite cinema. The Music Hall is sui generis.
A tragic waste of a very great theater. I haven’t had any desire to go there since 42nd St(and I didn’t like it.)
By the wayI believe the very first Golddiggers played here in two strip technicolor. Film Forum showed the last sequence which is all that is left of the film and I thought it pretty sensational despite or because of the fact the camera just sat there and recorded the whole thing. I far prefer this to the editing of today. In fact I don’t think films are even edited anymore.
I went to 3 or 4 performances at the Ziegfeld and every one was sold out. But they had already scheduled a Meryl Streep action film. So that was that and I’m sure that film was a whopping success.
Sometimes it really is just a case of stupidity and who gives a damn.
What I cannot fathom is why no 70mm print of My Fair Lady is available. When the Ziegeld presented it in the early 90’s they ran it for 9 days! I went to the last performance and it was in perfect condition. It played in a few other theaters after the Ziegfeld but I believe this was in 35mm.
How could this print and the one from Hollywood be in bad condition? Even when these films ran roadshow they ran for many months and survived.
As far as I know the only 70mm print exists at the MOMA and they probably show it once every 5 years. And astoundingly enough the screen is even smaller than the Ziegfeld’s.
They did not enlarge the prosceniums. They put large curved screens in front of them and had curtains installed as well.
I believe the Rivoli was 65'. I do not know the Warner but I was very happy with it as I also saw a 70MM print there of the complete Paint Your Wagon and that wonderful score in 6 track. I still remember the haunting singing of ‘gold’ which opened the film. I enjoyed it enormously despite it’s negative press and failure but people in the late ‘60s were fools turning against big Hollywood films. Look also at Sweet Charity which was roadshow at the Rivoli. It was out of there pretty fast and it’s sensational.
By the way I also saw a ToddAO print at the Warner of South Pacific.
Though I’ve alway hated the tinting I like the film and it was the only way to see it.
Exactly. But it can be fixed like when they put in Cinerama at the Warner or ToddAO at the Rivoli.
But I am sure the people who run and own the place couldn’t care less. If they did though I would think the place was great.
By the way when I saw My Fair Lady in a vintage 70MM print, which still looked great, at the Warner with no digital messing about and true,no Dolby, 6 track sound, which was surround sound because I walked the theater trying to find the speakers, what detail I heard from them and such warmth!
This with the large stunning images was a totally exhillarating experience. This was in ‘77 I believe.
Then when I saw the restoration at the Ziegfeld in the early '90’s the screen was too small and the Dolby sound though loud was flat without the surround sound I heard at the Warner.
It was better than nothing but it was not the real thing which we will never see again.
Bill I do concede that. But I am concerned about all the political and financial factors I mentioned above taking the Loew’s Jersey. But then this belongs on the Loew’s Jersey’s page.
I was following up on what Luis V said. And if you don’t see the connection of what I was saying and the destruction of midtown one of the greatest neighborhoods in the United State ever I can’t believe it and have absolutely no apologies to make.
That tirade came from the fact that all the truly great NY cinemas are gone and the Ziegeld is a poor substitute. The middle class are the people who filled these great theaters and the politicians and developers destroyed Times Square as a great NY neighborhood. And yeah talking about the destruction of the middle class which attended movies and made this country great is not only more interesting but is endemic to all facets today of our lives.
And you guys are discussing Zodiac?
Sheesh.
The Ziegfeld screen was always small. It hasn’t changed, it still fits in that ridiculously small proscenium(at least for that size theater.) By the way the total destruction of Times square was because of the politicians changing the zoning laws which were initially put in place so sunlight could get through and not to overbuild.
Todays politicians said the hell with that starting with the destruction of the Roxy up to the insane speed of the 80’s which destroyed everything.
This is why the middle class is disappearing. Todays politicians are living off the gravy of developers and tourists. I mean with the middle class you can’t get a stone to bleed.
So what if you can’t afford to live here then get out. We get too much in kickbacks from from greedy insane developers.
Screw you.
They make the robber barons of the late 19th century and early 20th century look like benign, benevolent seekers of spiritual truth.
This is also why this country is losing its grip big time.
And we ain’t gonna get it back in our lifetime, if ever.
50 ft seems puny to me because I remember the large screens of the Rivoli, Warner and Criterion. I understand that in the midwest Cinerama theaters( now destroyed) had screens were up to 90 to 100 feet in width. If only I could have seen them!
Remember when the Jersey plays a wide screen film it fills only half of the screen space as opposed to when they play a film in 1.85 which fills the entire screen. In effect what they are forced to do is letterbox the print which is the exact opposite of what wide screen was trying to do.
By the way I hear the Fox theaters in the midwest have nice large and wide screens.
The widest screen I ever saw was Sevan Brides in the true early cinemascope at Radio city in the late 70’s. Wow that was great. Their Panavision and 70mm screen is no comparison.
I’m so amazed that people liked O'Neal’s performance. I felt it really need a fine charismatic young British actor in the role and just figured Kubrick needed some star for insurance.
I still feel outside of his very good looks and slight charm O'Neal couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag. I have never seen him give a halfway decent performance. Even in What’s up Doc what wouldn’t I have given for a young Cary Grant.
Robert Wise said he would get letters about the poor presentation and scratchy prints of Sound of Music. Can you believe there was a time when patrons and the director cared about such things?
Well it is a moody, atmospheric film but I found it compelling from beginning to end. Gorgeous.
But then I one of the very few people who thought Eyes Wide Shut was a great film. Probably the first new film that I went to see twice in decades. Well the public and critics will figure that out some day.
O'Neil excellent in Barry Lyndon?
Chacun a son gout.
But except for the black hole in the middle of the film which I assume is Ryan I think it’s one of the great films of all time.
Theater Rat,
Nobody knows more than me what you are saying. I happen to love GWTW though Michael Feingold of the Village Voice who is probably the best drama critic in the New York area called it rascist sludge. And Stanley Kubrick ,one of my favorite directors, said Vivian Leigh gives absolutely the worst performance in a movie he has ever seen.
What they were watching I have no idea. In my estimation she gives one of the greatest of all time.
But paying to see a film even in a great theater like the Loew’s I want to see it as it was meant to be seen. Off colors are like hearing a soundtrack full of distortions.
The print of Guys and Dolls was great and it was in stereo!! I had never liked it before until I saw it at the Loews. And there was nobody there!
I had never liked Oklahoma and a friend forced me to see it in Todd AO and I was stunned. It suddenly became one of the great film musicals.
It’s just that seeing a bad print drives me crazy and I’d rather not see it at all.
The Gypsy comment above was great. Also Thoroughly Modern Mille, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Viva La Vegas, Gigi and Love Me or Leave Me(with Doris Day and James Cagney!)are great choices.
But except for the real biggies like Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady and Sound of Music there really doesn’t seem to be any real interest in musicals at the Loews Jersey which is a pity as they come off so much better in a movie theater than they do on DVD.
There are a number of musicals which I didn’t like very much on TV and just thought they weren’t very good, but after seeing then in a theater they were absolute knockouts.
Could it be that they think they wouldn’t draw a crowd or do they just don’t like musicals very much?
Warren your’re totally right, however it seems that one topic leads to another and to respond directly you respond on that page. This seems to happen on pages of different theaters sometimes.
About the Roxy it seems that from the 40’s on there were ugly drapes covering that amazing proscenium for the rest of its existence which really seems awful to me.
In the long run how effetive will it be? I’m sure the manager will get tired responding to all the complaints.
Thank god this wasn’t needed at the Rivoli during the roadshow period. Though after that they probably could have used it big time with all the junk the theatre was showing.
Above talking about the ‘balcony,’ it was really a mezz and a balcony separated by an aisle.
During the road show period the mezz had the most expensive seats in the house and was fine. If they had streched it any further out it might have cut off the screen for the back orchestra. Also during this period the front rows of the orchestra had the cheapest seats in the house. I don’t think any other house did this.
It was horrible when they cut off the mezz/balcony and instead of simply cutting it off they made the theater a split level destroying it.
Along with the Rivoli my favorite cinema. The Music Hall is sui generis.
A tragic waste of a very great theater. I haven’t had any desire to go there since 42nd St(and I didn’t like it.)
By the wayI believe the very first Golddiggers played here in two strip technicolor. Film Forum showed the last sequence which is all that is left of the film and I thought it pretty sensational despite or because of the fact the camera just sat there and recorded the whole thing. I far prefer this to the editing of today. In fact I don’t think films are even edited anymore.
Warren I would like to correct you.
The last musical of any merit to open at the Winter Garden was Pacific Overtures.
Geez how depressing!
I went to 3 or 4 performances at the Ziegfeld and every one was sold out. But they had already scheduled a Meryl Streep action film. So that was that and I’m sure that film was a whopping success.
Sometimes it really is just a case of stupidity and who gives a damn.
What I cannot fathom is why no 70mm print of My Fair Lady is available. When the Ziegeld presented it in the early 90’s they ran it for 9 days! I went to the last performance and it was in perfect condition. It played in a few other theaters after the Ziegfeld but I believe this was in 35mm.
How could this print and the one from Hollywood be in bad condition? Even when these films ran roadshow they ran for many months and survived.
As far as I know the only 70mm print exists at the MOMA and they probably show it once every 5 years. And astoundingly enough the screen is even smaller than the Ziegfeld’s.
They did not enlarge the prosceniums. They put large curved screens in front of them and had curtains installed as well.
I believe the Rivoli was 65'. I do not know the Warner but I was very happy with it as I also saw a 70MM print there of the complete Paint Your Wagon and that wonderful score in 6 track. I still remember the haunting singing of ‘gold’ which opened the film. I enjoyed it enormously despite it’s negative press and failure but people in the late ‘60s were fools turning against big Hollywood films. Look also at Sweet Charity which was roadshow at the Rivoli. It was out of there pretty fast and it’s sensational.
By the way I also saw a ToddAO print at the Warner of South Pacific.
Though I’ve alway hated the tinting I like the film and it was the only way to see it.
Exactly. But it can be fixed like when they put in Cinerama at the Warner or ToddAO at the Rivoli.
But I am sure the people who run and own the place couldn’t care less. If they did though I would think the place was great.
By the way when I saw My Fair Lady in a vintage 70MM print, which still looked great, at the Warner with no digital messing about and true,no Dolby, 6 track sound, which was surround sound because I walked the theater trying to find the speakers, what detail I heard from them and such warmth!
This with the large stunning images was a totally exhillarating experience. This was in ‘77 I believe.
Then when I saw the restoration at the Ziegfeld in the early '90’s the screen was too small and the Dolby sound though loud was flat without the surround sound I heard at the Warner.
It was better than nothing but it was not the real thing which we will never see again.
Bill I do concede that. But I am concerned about all the political and financial factors I mentioned above taking the Loew’s Jersey. But then this belongs on the Loew’s Jersey’s page.
I was following up on what Luis V said. And if you don’t see the connection of what I was saying and the destruction of midtown one of the greatest neighborhoods in the United State ever I can’t believe it and have absolutely no apologies to make.
That tirade came from the fact that all the truly great NY cinemas are gone and the Ziegeld is a poor substitute. The middle class are the people who filled these great theaters and the politicians and developers destroyed Times Square as a great NY neighborhood. And yeah talking about the destruction of the middle class which attended movies and made this country great is not only more interesting but is endemic to all facets today of our lives.
And you guys are discussing Zodiac?
Sheesh.
The Ziegfeld screen was always small. It hasn’t changed, it still fits in that ridiculously small proscenium(at least for that size theater.) By the way the total destruction of Times square was because of the politicians changing the zoning laws which were initially put in place so sunlight could get through and not to overbuild.
Todays politicians said the hell with that starting with the destruction of the Roxy up to the insane speed of the 80’s which destroyed everything.
This is why the middle class is disappearing. Todays politicians are living off the gravy of developers and tourists. I mean with the middle class you can’t get a stone to bleed.
So what if you can’t afford to live here then get out. We get too much in kickbacks from from greedy insane developers.
Screw you.
They make the robber barons of the late 19th century and early 20th century look like benign, benevolent seekers of spiritual truth.
This is also why this country is losing its grip big time.
And we ain’t gonna get it back in our lifetime, if ever.
50 ft seems puny to me because I remember the large screens of the Rivoli, Warner and Criterion. I understand that in the midwest Cinerama theaters( now destroyed) had screens were up to 90 to 100 feet in width. If only I could have seen them!
Remember when the Jersey plays a wide screen film it fills only half of the screen space as opposed to when they play a film in 1.85 which fills the entire screen. In effect what they are forced to do is letterbox the print which is the exact opposite of what wide screen was trying to do.
By the way I hear the Fox theaters in the midwest have nice large and wide screens.
The widest screen I ever saw was Sevan Brides in the true early cinemascope at Radio city in the late 70’s. Wow that was great. Their Panavision and 70mm screen is no comparison.
I’m so amazed that people liked O'Neal’s performance. I felt it really need a fine charismatic young British actor in the role and just figured Kubrick needed some star for insurance.
I still feel outside of his very good looks and slight charm O'Neal couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag. I have never seen him give a halfway decent performance. Even in What’s up Doc what wouldn’t I have given for a young Cary Grant.
Robert Wise said he would get letters about the poor presentation and scratchy prints of Sound of Music. Can you believe there was a time when patrons and the director cared about such things?
And when Clockwork Orange opened at Cinema 1 he called and made sure they had the proper masking.
Well it is a moody, atmospheric film but I found it compelling from beginning to end. Gorgeous.
But then I one of the very few people who thought Eyes Wide Shut was a great film. Probably the first new film that I went to see twice in decades. Well the public and critics will figure that out some day.
O'Neil excellent in Barry Lyndon?
Chacun a son gout.
But except for the black hole in the middle of the film which I assume is Ryan I think it’s one of the great films of all time.
Well after I read that comment of Kubrick’s I figured he’d never seen Ryan O'Neil in Barry Lyndon.
Theater Rat,
Nobody knows more than me what you are saying. I happen to love GWTW though Michael Feingold of the Village Voice who is probably the best drama critic in the New York area called it rascist sludge. And Stanley Kubrick ,one of my favorite directors, said Vivian Leigh gives absolutely the worst performance in a movie he has ever seen.
What they were watching I have no idea. In my estimation she gives one of the greatest of all time.
But paying to see a film even in a great theater like the Loew’s I want to see it as it was meant to be seen. Off colors are like hearing a soundtrack full of distortions.
The print of Guys and Dolls was great and it was in stereo!! I had never liked it before until I saw it at the Loews. And there was nobody there!
I had never liked Oklahoma and a friend forced me to see it in Todd AO and I was stunned. It suddenly became one of the great film musicals.
It’s just that seeing a bad print drives me crazy and I’d rather not see it at all.
Considering how beautiful the print is on the DVD why not just stay home and watch it when the people who provide the prints couldn’t give a damn?
The Gypsy comment above was great. Also Thoroughly Modern Mille, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Viva La Vegas, Gigi and Love Me or Leave Me(with Doris Day and James Cagney!)are great choices.
But except for the real biggies like Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady and Sound of Music there really doesn’t seem to be any real interest in musicals at the Loews Jersey which is a pity as they come off so much better in a movie theater than they do on DVD.
There are a number of musicals which I didn’t like very much on TV and just thought they weren’t very good, but after seeing then in a theater they were absolute knockouts.
Could it be that they think they wouldn’t draw a crowd or do they just don’t like musicals very much?
Warren your’re totally right, however it seems that one topic leads to another and to respond directly you respond on that page. This seems to happen on pages of different theaters sometimes.
About the Roxy it seems that from the 40’s on there were ugly drapes covering that amazing proscenium for the rest of its existence which really seems awful to me.