I can’t say for cerain Robert, but I believe that UA had it until the late 70s. I have a copies of newspaper ads from 1954 showing it as a Skouras Theatre and from 1966-69 showing it as a UA theatre, so they got it sometime after the mid-50s.
I’m going to spend time this summer at the microfilm reader trying to put together a definitive playlist & history to use for an upcoming event and will post it here when it’s complete.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
First, you’d need to see who holds the USA theatrical rights. Then, they would have to have a 35mm print available. It was originally released by Warner Bros., but I’ll bet their license expired a long time ago.
They’ll be closing those two locations once the new megaplex is built (it’s waiting for final approvals from the towns involved) in the back parking lot area of the Garden State Mall.
Rob:
Thanks for giving us information about the attendance during the film series held at the Hall. In all of the deal papers we’ve seen from Cablevision, the Hall is never mentioned as being sold off as part of any future plans, so it’s in safe hands for now. I do wish that a programmer with vision (and a budget for the crew!) could coordinate a film series within the Hall’s live event schedule.
It is a DLP-based system. It’s Dolby’s all-in-one solution -hardware, software, automation – for “digital” presentations. It’s used at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan, if the article is correct.
I’m sorry Vito, but not all models of 35mm projectors and platter systems are convertible to 70mm, not even close. You also need magnetic sound heads (if the film has mag sound) or, for these new 70mm prints, a dedicated 70mm DTS sound reader. Not to mention different lenses, aperture plates, sprockets, intermittent, pad rollers, guide rollers, platter brains, platter rollers, splicers, etc.
Unless the theatre is always set up to do 35/70 projection, it’s much more involved than just something that can be done during intermission.
No, Bill. Both can share the same space as long as the booth is big enough. They have to keep the film projectors on hand, since the digital shows do have a high number of failures.
If I recall, the Sony Lincoln Square also as 70mm capability in the main auditorium.
One of the reasons a lot more films are being presented in scope is that they are shooting them in Super35, which allows a scope theatrical print and a nearly full-frame (without panning and scanning) video image to be extracted.
There is one upcoming film shot in 65mm (for 70mm presentation), Terence Malick’s The New World. I’ll be very curious to see who is able to show it in 70mm in the NY metro area.
That is correct, Robert. Other than very unusual circumstances, Disney does not do theatrical bookings for any of their classic animated features, and a number of the live-action ones as well. I’ve tried for 3 years to get Mary Poppins for the Lafayette, but no dice.
A very nice article featuring the Lafayette Theatre appeared in today’s Bergen Record “Go” section centerfold. The print version includes two nice interior shots.
Don – I don’t know. I guess it would depend on whether they were ‘laid off’ of if Clearview can temporarily put them in another location.
Jodar – I beleive the bigger theatres used to do this from time to time during the roadshow era, especially if they needed to do technical upgrades between engagements. Depending on the size of the venue, it certainly does cost more money just to open the doors for a handful of customers instead of being dark.
According to information I heard from Clearview, the plan now is for the Ziegfeld to remain dark between major first-run engagements. And expect nothing to be playing September and October.
Jeff is correct about Easter Parade, it wasn’t an original Technicolor print although there were sections that did look almost as good as one. The cartoon wasn’t Technicolor, either. Just a very nicely timed LPP print.
I think our silver screen adds a certain vibrancy to the image if the print has good color. I’ve had numerous knowledgeable collectors ask where I’d gotten Technicolor prints of certain films, when I wasn’t showing a Technicolor print!
Thank you for your attendance, Robert. Please be sure to introduce yourself next time you come to a show.
To update the first post a bit, this theatre was simply called the Totowa Cinema, the “Cinema 46” (I worked there in 1982) was just down the hill where the CompUSA is now.
Also, the Totowa Cinema had Dolby Stereo as early as the 1977 release of Star Wars, I also saw the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers there and it was presented in ear-splittingly-loud stereo.
The Silent Film Festival schedule is now available. Three days – April 8-10, 2005 with nine programs, all accompanied by live music by orchestra, pipe organ and piano. This is the year’s biggest silent film event in the New York-metro area and you don’t want to miss it. Go here www.bigscreenclassics.com/indexlafayette.htm for information or to buy advance multi-show tickets.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
The Jersey does not have mag stereo capability at this time, so a mag print – if even a runnable one still exists – of Ben-Hur wouldn’t have done them any good. Optical Dolby Stereo can sound very good when the proper care is taken transferring the mag tracks. The LJ has a bit of an echo problem, but overall the sound is good, IMO.
I ran one of the 1999 reissue prints of Gone with the Wind a couple of years ago at the Lafayette – the IB Technicolor image is nice, but there are some issues with the focus. The elements used to make the negative are occasionally misaligned, resulting in fringing at times. There are no newer prints of GwtW available, sad to say.
I’m sure Mitchell will do a good job vis-a-vis the presentation.
I can’t say for cerain Robert, but I believe that UA had it until the late 70s. I have a copies of newspaper ads from 1954 showing it as a Skouras Theatre and from 1966-69 showing it as a UA theatre, so they got it sometime after the mid-50s.
I’m going to spend time this summer at the microfilm reader trying to put together a definitive playlist & history to use for an upcoming event and will post it here when it’s complete.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
No, the Loew’s Jersey does not have air conditioning.
No, the Loew’s Jersey does not have air consitioning.
First, you’d need to see who holds the USA theatrical rights. Then, they would have to have a 35mm print available. It was originally released by Warner Bros., but I’ll bet their license expired a long time ago.
They’ll be closing those two locations once the new megaplex is built (it’s waiting for final approvals from the towns involved) in the back parking lot area of the Garden State Mall.
Rob:
Thanks for giving us information about the attendance during the film series held at the Hall. In all of the deal papers we’ve seen from Cablevision, the Hall is never mentioned as being sold off as part of any future plans, so it’s in safe hands for now. I do wish that a programmer with vision (and a budget for the crew!) could coordinate a film series within the Hall’s live event schedule.
Pete Apruzzese
It is a DLP-based system. It’s Dolby’s all-in-one solution -hardware, software, automation – for “digital” presentations. It’s used at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan, if the article is correct.
Vito – Thanks for the clarification, that makes it clearer. Otherwise, I’d be asking where I could get 70mm parts for my Century’s for the Lafayette!
Days of Heaven was astounding in 70mm, CConnolly. Even more amazing in that it was a blow-up from 35mm.
I’m sorry Vito, but not all models of 35mm projectors and platter systems are convertible to 70mm, not even close. You also need magnetic sound heads (if the film has mag sound) or, for these new 70mm prints, a dedicated 70mm DTS sound reader. Not to mention different lenses, aperture plates, sprockets, intermittent, pad rollers, guide rollers, platter brains, platter rollers, splicers, etc.
Unless the theatre is always set up to do 35/70 projection, it’s much more involved than just something that can be done during intermission.
No, Bill. Both can share the same space as long as the booth is big enough. They have to keep the film projectors on hand, since the digital shows do have a high number of failures.
If I recall, the Sony Lincoln Square also as 70mm capability in the main auditorium.
No.
One of the reasons a lot more films are being presented in scope is that they are shooting them in Super35, which allows a scope theatrical print and a nearly full-frame (without panning and scanning) video image to be extracted.
There is one upcoming film shot in 65mm (for 70mm presentation), Terence Malick’s The New World. I’ll be very curious to see who is able to show it in 70mm in the NY metro area.
That is correct, Robert. Other than very unusual circumstances, Disney does not do theatrical bookings for any of their classic animated features, and a number of the live-action ones as well. I’ve tried for 3 years to get Mary Poppins for the Lafayette, but no dice.
A very nice article featuring the Lafayette Theatre appeared in today’s Bergen Record “Go” section centerfold. The print version includes two nice interior shots.
Here: View link
Thanks for the nice comments Irv, Richard, and Peter. See you at Godzilla this Saturday!
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
Don – I don’t know. I guess it would depend on whether they were ‘laid off’ of if Clearview can temporarily put them in another location.
Jodar – I beleive the bigger theatres used to do this from time to time during the roadshow era, especially if they needed to do technical upgrades between engagements. Depending on the size of the venue, it certainly does cost more money just to open the doors for a handful of customers instead of being dark.
According to information I heard from Clearview, the plan now is for the Ziegfeld to remain dark between major first-run engagements. And expect nothing to be playing September and October.
Just a reminder to everyone that the Silent Film Festival begins tomorrow night at the Lafayette Theatre.
Complete details here: www.bigscreenclassics.com/indexlafayette.htm
See you then!
Hi, Robert.
Jeff is correct about Easter Parade, it wasn’t an original Technicolor print although there were sections that did look almost as good as one. The cartoon wasn’t Technicolor, either. Just a very nicely timed LPP print.
I think our silver screen adds a certain vibrancy to the image if the print has good color. I’ve had numerous knowledgeable collectors ask where I’d gotten Technicolor prints of certain films, when I wasn’t showing a Technicolor print!
Thank you for your attendance, Robert. Please be sure to introduce yourself next time you come to a show.
Pete Apruzzese
To update the first post a bit, this theatre was simply called the Totowa Cinema, the “Cinema 46” (I worked there in 1982) was just down the hill where the CompUSA is now.
Also, the Totowa Cinema had Dolby Stereo as early as the 1977 release of Star Wars, I also saw the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers there and it was presented in ear-splittingly-loud stereo.
Thank you, Richard.
The Silent Film Festival schedule is now available. Three days – April 8-10, 2005 with nine programs, all accompanied by live music by orchestra, pipe organ and piano. This is the year’s biggest silent film event in the New York-metro area and you don’t want to miss it. Go here www.bigscreenclassics.com/indexlafayette.htm for information or to buy advance multi-show tickets.
Pete Apruzzese
Director of Film Programming
Big Screen Classics at the Lafayette Theatre
The Jersey does not have mag stereo capability at this time, so a mag print – if even a runnable one still exists – of Ben-Hur wouldn’t have done them any good. Optical Dolby Stereo can sound very good when the proper care is taken transferring the mag tracks. The LJ has a bit of an echo problem, but overall the sound is good, IMO.
It certainly could be, YankeeMike. Warner just hasn’t done it yet.
From what I remember, Ben-Hur has no exit music. I think it’s probably the only one of the major epics of that era not to have exit music.
Sounds like the Ben-Hur will be a winner.
I ran one of the 1999 reissue prints of Gone with the Wind a couple of years ago at the Lafayette – the IB Technicolor image is nice, but there are some issues with the focus. The elements used to make the negative are occasionally misaligned, resulting in fringing at times. There are no newer prints of GwtW available, sad to say.
I’m sure Mitchell will do a good job vis-a-vis the presentation.