Loew's Jersey Theatre
54 Journal Square,
Jersey City,
NJ
07306
54 Journal Square,
Jersey City,
NJ
07306
98 people
favorited this theater
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was Ben Hur itself.Although I have seen it many times on tv and video, it just cannot be appreciated until you see it on the big screen.Awesome,in a word. This was worth the trip from Brooklyn.Parking was easy and cheap . My mother who I took with me probably enjoyed the experience even more than I.All I can say is that any movie and theater fan who does not come here at least once is missing the movie experience as it should be experienced.Theaterat 3 6 06
was Ben Hur itself.Although I have seen it many times on tv and video, it just cannot be appreciated until you see it on the big screen.Awesome,in a word. This was worth the trip from Brooklyn.Parking was easy and cheap . My mother who I took with me probably enjoyed the experience even more than I.All I can say is that any movie and theater fan who does not come here at least once is missing the movie experience as it should be experienced.Theaterat 3 6 06
This Friday was my first time at the Loew’s Jersey, and I have fallen in love with it. What a treat to see a classic movie in a classic setting. It’s really amazing to think that this was just a neighborhood theater, one you could go to any day of the week. Unlike Radio City, which I love but think of as more of a destination theater that I’d plan in advance, rather than just passing by and popping in. I was happy to see the big screen fill the proscenium, the picture nice and bright, and the sound loud and clear.
I saw a flat film that filled the screen. I know that in some places where there is no room for scope size, they drop the top masking and show the wide image on a smaller screen. Is that what they do here? Even so, it must look sensational.
I was ushering last night at the Jersey, and I had a woman tell me she had never seen Ben-Hur until she saw it last night at the Loew’s Jersey. She’s watched it four times on TV, but she has never “seen” it like last night. It really was a beautiful print, and the audiences keep getting larger. (Keep telling/bringing your friends!!!)
Another couple last night told me their first date was with each other in the Loew’s Jersey in 1940, and they were there for Ben-Hur. Older couple on the center aisle about half-way down.
Please excuse the non-operation of our beloved mechanical “St. George at the Dragon” clock. It needs constant care, and is quite problematic at the moment. We expect it in full operation again in the springtime.
I hope some of you who are reading this were there to see “Ben-Hur” last night. The picture and sound were beautiful, and the chariot race was never before as thrilling as it was from the front row of the Loew’s.
The PATH stops right at Journal Square, literally across the street from the Loew’s. If the PATH trains are convenient for you I would definitely take them. Wish I could be there with you all tonight.
I’m going to see Casablanca here tonight — my first time in a Loew’s Wonder Theater, or in any movie palace for that matter, except Radio City.
I’m coming from downtown Brooklyn. Should I drive? How is traffic and how is parking? Should I take the PATH train?
See some of you there!
Thanks guys> I knew it wasn’t the ususal 1.85 flat version.
Thank you Pete.
As to the picture, as William posted above:
You will have a full 1.37 aspect ratio picture within the scope 2.35 frame, with black on the sides.
/Mitchell
Loews Jersey Projection Staff
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.
In today cinemas as Ian posted above in todays theatres you only have Flat 1.85 or Scope 2.39. So to get the full frame of the original picture without cropping any picture information. To done this the labs have reformated the 1.37 picture into the scope frame, so you do not loss any picture information on the frame. Otherwise you would loss picture information like that 1968 reissue that MGM did for 70MM. The 35mm prints from that reissue were also cropped and lost picture information. Thats the only way the film is available from New Line/Warner.
When we saw the 1999 reissue, I was very disappointed becuase it was in the old 16mm format. It was at a Regal cinema and they opened the masking as if they were showing a film in cinemascope and all we got was this terrible square in the middle of a huge screen.
I can’t wait to see both GWTW and Ben Hur this weekend.
On the last reissue of “GWTW”, all the prints were printed anamorphic. So you will have a full 1.37 aspect ratio within the scope frame. Like on TV when an old 1.37 picture comes on, during the titles you see it windowboxed on the sides for the full frame and then it goes to slightly cropped.
I think that Mitchell means is that the last round of prints for the most recent re-release used a 1:33 image printed in the middle of a widescreen picture, with black bars to fill in the sides.
They did it this way because so few theaters have 1:33 lenses these days, and this new method would guarantee they could show the picture, since all theaters have 1:85 (flat) and 2:35 (scope) apertures and lenses.
Mitchell,
I’m not sure what you mean. Is this the original 1.33 image or did the reissue cut off the image from the top and bottom?
What exactly does “side letterboxed” mean?
What is the color like?
I ran the chariot race reel from Ben Hur last night, and wow, the print is stunning and in Dolby Stereo.
The Gone With The Wind print is from the 1999 re-issue, which unfortunately, are all “side letterboxed” in a widescreen image. What this means to those watching it at the Loews Jersey is that the picture size will be somewhat smaller than the normal huge picture we normally present.
/Mitchell
Loews Jersey Projection Staff
Since the clock has a twin, It might be possible to re-cast the figure so that St. George can slay his fire breathing dragon again.
Wouldn’t that go wonderfully with the fully restored sign?
Thank you Divinity, that always puzzled me….I am speachless now about that….
People Assumed that the crew removing the dragon were construction workers that might have been repairing the building Beardbear31. No one would suspect that theives would have done this in broad daylight at the city’s third largest shopping district.
Great! Can’t wait to see it.
If the studio sends the print of Ben Hur I expect they are going to send, the sound will be Dolby Stereo. GWTW will be the restored print from a few years ago, the only one currently distribution.
/Mitchell
Loews Jersey Projection Staff
Hope they show the recently restored print of GWTW. Should look great on that big screen.
Great link, TC! Looking at those photos of them raising the restored dragon with a crane, makes me wonder how someone could have stolen the dragon from the Loew’s Paradise clock…..
“Ben-Hur” at the Loew’s Jersey on March 5th – 44 years after I first saw it there when I was 6 years old. I was hoping this day would come someday.