Comments from bigjoe59

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bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Coliseum Theatre on Jun 29, 2021 at 10:01 am

Hello from NYC-

the last thing the intro at top says is that the theater was gutted in 2000. since it says it was gutted rather than demolished what is it being used as today?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jun 15, 2021 at 3:08 pm

Hello-

to vindanpar. was a roadshow engagement deemed successful based solely on how many weeks it ran or how many weeks it ran juxtaposed with the film’s production cost. Cleopatra’s roadshow run here was 63 weeks and The Greatest Story Ever Told’s at the Warner was 44 weeks I would say those were damn good roadshow runs.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Alpine Cinema on Jun 11, 2021 at 2:33 pm

Hello-

now at 100 years old one wonders how this theater survived while other neighborhood theaters didn’t. for instance the Coliseum at Bway and 181 St.in Manhattan would have bested this theater by a year as the oldest continually operating movie theater in all of NYC if hadn’t been demolished last year. groups tried to save the theater but weren’t able to.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jun 10, 2021 at 11:51 am

Hello-

to vindanpar- might you have meant musical roadshow? after Hello Dolly closed at this theater there were several roadshow films in several of the big Times Square houses. Fiddler opened here in Nov. 1971. Patton opened at he Criterion Feb. 1970 and Tora Tora Tora also at the Criterion Nov. 1970. plus as Al A. states Nicholas and Alexandra opened at the Criterion Dec. 1071. plus as stated Man of…… is the last time the studios used one of the big Times Square houses for a roadshow run.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Times Square Theatre on Jun 9, 2021 at 2:36 pm

Hello-

speaking of the old 42 St. theaters. Disney published a beautiful book on the Mew Amsterdam across the street following its reopening in 1997. while the book contains photos of the interior literally right before the renovation began it oddly contains no photos of the interior when it was still a functioning movie theater in the mid-late 80s.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Times Square Theatre on Jun 8, 2021 at 2:22 pm

Hello-

to markp- thanks for the info. speaking of which what happened to the loading dock it had when it was a legitimate theater?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on Jun 7, 2021 at 3:05 pm

Hello-

I have often wondered what went into deciding to release a film on a roadshow engagement as opposed to a continuous performance one. I have always figured it was a combination of how important a property was and its production cost. as you stated if nothing else MOLM will be remembered as the last time a studio used one of the 7 big houses in the Times Square area for a roadshow engagement.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Times Square Theatre on Jun 7, 2021 at 11:51 am

Hello-

I was wondering what in God’s name was going on with this theater since its been in a state of “renovation” for like 20 years. I don’t know why it can’t be renovated into some sort of entertainment complex. do we really need more retail space?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 26, 2021 at 3:24 pm

Hello-

to Bill H.- thanks for your reply. of my 140 the oldest one which I bought in a memorabilia store a few years ago is for the 1925 silent version of Ben-Hur.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 25, 2021 at 2:22 pm

Hello-

to vindanpar- I second Peter A.’s assessment of the Ten Commandments 4K disc. recently I bought a 43" 4K t.v. the film looks beyond spectacular.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 25, 2021 at 2:12 pm

Hello-

to Bill H.- as I said collecting souvenir programs are in my blood. I have 140 movie souvenir programs and brochures. how many do you have and what is the oldest one?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 24, 2021 at 4:27 pm

Hello-

to vindanpar- I am 99% certain that in the extras for the blu-ray digibook of Dr. Zhivago someone mentions the reason it wasn’t shot in Super Panavision 70 was the cost. I’m guessing Ponti was the deciding vote. of course Lean’s next film the Oscar winning Ryan’s Daughter was. so in that case the producer made the right choice.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 24, 2021 at 2:32 pm

Hello-

I thank you for your reply. I was going to ask you if the Coal Miner’s Daughter you inherited from your folks was an actual souvenir program or just one of those elaborate freebie handouts that were sometimes given out during a film’s opening week. but in your reply you said they bought it. again I saw CMD during its opening weekend in Manhattan and I didn’t encounter a souvenir program which is interesting.

speaking of things one inherits from your parents. my mother was a constant moviegoers since high school. many years ago when she realized I had become a true movie buff as well she gave me 3 items. the souvenir programs for Romeo and Juliet sold at the Astor Theater in 1936. the souvenir program for Gone With the Wind sold at the Astor Theater in 1939 and the souvenir program of Fantasia sold at the Broadway Theater in 1940 and they’re in mint condition.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 23, 2021 at 3:25 pm

Hello-

to Ennis A.- I am by no means criticizing your post. considering your comment about the problem getting the Todd-AO image perfect on a somewhat curved screen I just assumed the projectionist at this theater must have gotten it right if both Oklahoma and Around the World in 80 Days played here for a year on a roadshow engagement.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 22, 2021 at 10:44 am

Hello-

thanks to fellow posters for their responses to my Todd-AO question. I was unaware that the Criterion installed a slightly curved screen for South Pacific

also in terms of Ennis A.’s comment about Todd-AO. now Oklahoma and Around the World in 80 Days each played at this theater for a year on a roadshow engagement. therefore I’m assuming the projectionist never had a problem keeping the entire film in focus.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 16, 2021 at 4:10 pm

Hello-

to vindanpar and Bill H.- yes I purchased souvenir programs for The Happiest Millionaire, Tom Sawyer and 1776 at RCMH during their exclusive 1st run engagements. souvenir programs are in my blood kind of so if if I didn’t see one when I thought a film would have one I always asked.

as stated when i saw Nicholas and Alexandra there was a person standing at a table selling them. its a rather well done program and you tell they put some thought into it.

also when Coal Miner’s Daughter opened March 1980 the studios will still using 1 maybe 2 theaters for a film’s 1st run engagement. I saw it opening weekend but can’t remember where. wherever I saw it I don’t remember them selling a souvenir program. where did you see it?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 16, 2021 at 10:27 am

Hello-

a question for my fellow posters.as I understand it the whole purpose behind the Todd-AO process was to show it on a somewhat curved screen. to which the only Todd-AO roadshows shown on a somewhat curved screen were the ones that opened here. Those Magnificent Men….. at the Demille, The Agony and the Ecstasy and Doctor Dolittle at the Loews State and South Pacific at the Criterion were shown on flat screens. so what then was the point of filming them in Todd-AO?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 10, 2021 at 2:37 pm

Hello-

as I am sure you will agree our memory can play tricks on us. my point being who’s to say I’d still like if I saw it again today? but I remember rather enjoying it seeing it on this theater’s large screen.

in addition yes the film did have a souvenir program. in fact mine is still in virtually mint condition.

speaking of which I never remember a roadshow engagement film not having a souvenir program. at least every roadshow films I went to had as souvenir program.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on May 9, 2021 at 12:49 pm

Hello-

I saw Marooned at this theater during its roadshow engagement. I rather enjoyed it. also films that were released on roadshow engagements i think it had more to do with the production expense of film than how “good” or not it was.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about Midwest Theater on May 2, 2021 at 12:13 pm

Hello from NYC-

the marquee of this theater is featured prominently in a scene in the newest Best Picture winner Nomadland. it gives a clue as to where much of the film was shot. the film never really states where events are taking place.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about McVickers Theatre on Apr 22, 2021 at 4:00 pm

Hello Again-

I have a question I have yet ti find answer to so hopefully historians of this theater might be able to answer it. in the Spring of 1966 of all the Cinerama theaters in the U.S. why was the McVickers the only one to show Cinerama’s Russian Adventure in the original 3-panel process?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about McVickers Theatre on Apr 22, 2021 at 3:27 pm

Hello-

I find it interesting that in the above intro no mention
is made of the fact this was of Chicago’s leading houses
that the studios used for roadshow engagements.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about 34th Street East Theatre on Apr 12, 2021 at 4:41 pm

Hello-

see you are a endless fond of knowledge. I have question not about theaters but home video that I don’t know where to ask it but I bet you can. I bought a 4K played and tv. you can tell the vast majority of the 4K discs I bought online are brand new factory sealed never opened discs. but a few I bought online are clearly opened returned discs re-shrink wrapped and sold as new. yet when I contacted the online sites they swore they were NEW copies though a blind person could tell they weren’t. do you know of an online site where if I ordered a 4K disc I would be guaranteed to get a brand new factory sealed never opened copy?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about 34th Street East Theatre on Apr 12, 2021 at 2:36 pm

Hell0-

to Al A.- as always thanks for your reply. if by floating you mean they just put the screen right in front of the proscenium arch did they remove the first few rows of seats. if they didn’t even a 1.33.1 aspect ration screen would be right in your face if sitting in the first row. how would that possibly be enjoyable?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 commented about 34th Street East Theatre on Apr 11, 2021 at 4:17 pm

Hello-

to Al A.- you are a font of knowledge so here goes- other than the current Booth Theater which is a legit house and the 1871 theater built by Edwin Booth on 6th Ave. and 23rd St. do you know of any other theater in Manhattan ever called The Booth? the reason I ask is simple. the 1953 Oscar winning film version of Julius Caesar opened at the Booth. the theater Booth built had been razed by 1953 and the current legit house is too small for even a 1.33.1 aspect ratio screen.