Comments from Rory

Showing 1 - 25 of 112 comments

Rory
Rory commented about Waikiki 3 on Jun 10, 2011 at 8:30 pm

This is the theatre the marquee of which you can very briefly see at the end of HAWAII 5-0’s first season’s end credits, filmed in 1968. It comes into view just as the credit reads “Filmed Entirely on Location in Hawaii.” I’ve freeze-framed it on DVD and can make out that the movie playing was PLANET OF THE APES.

Rory
Rory commented about Garrick Cinema on Dec 20, 2010 at 12:42 pm

The marquee to what is, or is supposed to be, the Garrick Theatre can be seen in the 1967 film “The President’s Analyst,” about 54 minutes into the film, very briefly. I think the movie shot in New York City in June of 1967.

Rory
Rory commented about Ruby Theatre on Nov 28, 2010 at 10:08 am

I can confirm what the above post just wrote about the Bowery Boys features which have been shown on TCM, in fact, that’s why I was looking up the Ruby theatre on this site. The Bowery boys were once the “Dead End Kids,” then the “East Side Kids.” Since the Ruby Theatre was on the East Side, I guess that’s why the stock footage was used. All those movies were of course shot in LA.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Oct 26, 2010 at 9:27 am

Well, those old vintage black and white films from the ‘20s and '30s match the interior of the theatre, as I imagine, since I’ve never been there, something like “Sunset Blvd.” would too.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Commodore Theater on Oct 7, 2010 at 9:37 am

In a recent “American Masters” documentary on Elia Kazan by Martin Scorsese, Scorsese states that during his childhood he saw many films at Loew’s Commodore for the first time, including “On The Waterfront.” It was one of the Second Avenue theatres he often frequented.

Rory
Rory commented about House Theatre on Jun 19, 2010 at 9:59 am

I now live in Marion, and talking to a local I think it’s doubtful this theatre ever showed films. I’ve not been in it, as it’s now a church venue, but this was apparently a local regional theatre for plays and such. It’s in dire need of restoration, but I fear the local community has little interest, but it would be great to restore and convert to a film revival house, uhfortunately, Marion is a very small town.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on May 16, 2010 at 7:31 pm

How is it that you imbed photos in these posts? I’d like to try it myself.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Apr 28, 2009 at 7:44 am

I was thinking about it and I believe Miss Dahl’s memory might also be a little hazy as to the length of the shooting schedule. I doubt they shot in Carlsbad for three months, probably more like three weeks. I’ve watched this movie many times and very little of the interior of the earth stuff is Carlsbad, most is actually the sound stages at Fox, with many of rock sets reused in THE STORY OF RUTH and THE LOST WORLD the following year. However, the shooting at Carlsbad may have been longer as I’ve read that Alexander Scourby started shooting there as Count Saknussem, but was replaced by Thayer David. By the way, JTTCOTE was Fox’s Christmas release for December 1959 and opened at the Paramount Theatre in NYC. Go to the page for that theatre and there’s a couple comments by people who remember seeing it there back then. Pretty cool.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Apr 27, 2009 at 10:55 am

Thanks Bill for the further details of what Arlene Dahl had to say. Too bad the interviewer hadn’t done his research. I’ve often wondered how long the shoot was on JOURNEY. I know that the “underground ocean” stuff on the beach was shot at Leo Carrillo State Beach, and you can tell in the film that the cave there is extended by the use of Emil Kosa Jr. matte paintings. Other locations around southern California were used such as the Amboy Crater National Landmark and “Little Lake and Fossil Falls” near Lone Pine, but for the most only stand-ins for the principal actors were used, as was a stand-in for Mason for the shots actually taken in Edinburgh, Scotland. Anyway, both this film and I turn fifty this year. I didn’t see JTTCOTE until it was shown on WABC in New York in the late sixties.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Apr 26, 2009 at 1:52 pm

Thanks, Bill. Boy, I wish I could have been there. How did the print look? I know Fox did a restoration for the 2004 DVD, but I wonder if they’ve since done even more (such as a high definition scan of the negs and further digital clean up)? I think that if Arlene Dahl signed your copy of the DVD she would have mentioned if she’d been asked to contribute anything to a new Blu-ray release, but hopefully Fox has enough brains to be working on that. I’ve read that Dahl and James Mason didn’t get along on the set of JTTCOTE. Did she mention anything about that and what else of interest did she have to say about the production that you can remember? I’ve also read that Clifton Webb was originally going to play the professor. Anyway, thanks for posting what you have. While this was going on last night, I finally got around to hanging my original JTTCOTE half-sheet poster in my new apartment, and —by the way — that dreadful recent version (which is apparently getting a sequel) premiered on HBO last night. Blaaah! The ‘59 version is still king.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Apr 23, 2009 at 11:14 pm

Thanks, Bill. Too bad Pat Boone and especially Diane Baker can’t be there. This year is also the 50th anniversary of “The Best of Everything” with Baker. I wonder if there’s anyone who’d love to see that on a big screen again?

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Jersey Theatre on Apr 23, 2009 at 9:48 am

If anyone reading this today plans to attend the Saturday showing of “Journey To The Center Of The Earth” and meet Arlene Dahl, could you please ask her if she knows anything about Fox putting the film out on Blu-ray for its 50th anniversary this year? Wish I could be there, but I only just found out about this and I live too far away.

Rory
Rory commented about Lafayette Theatre on Mar 28, 2009 at 11:03 am

That makes me laugh that some people, in this day, were upset with “Tarzan & His Mate” and would walk out on it. I could understand not liking the violence, but the nude swimming scene?!!! Just goes to prove: people are the craaaaaaziest of animals!

Rory
Rory commented about Lafayette Theatre on Mar 24, 2009 at 11:21 am

I can’t imagine today’s “seniors” being much offended by movies made forty years ago, after all, they were young themselves forty years ago, and besides, this is not-so-Upstate New York, not Iowa. Let’s get real and give “seniors,” which is really kind of a put down, some credit for being a little sophisticated, to say the least.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Mar 4, 2009 at 12:09 pm

I'f I’m not mistaken, “King Kong,” when it played at Radio City Music Hall, only ran for two weeks. I was surprised it wasn’t there longer.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's Capitol Theatre on Feb 28, 2009 at 12:37 am

I still wonder if there’s a photo anywhere on this planet of the Capitol marquee when “Planet of the Apes” opened at the theatre on February 8, 1968?

Rory
Rory commented about Levittown Theatre on Feb 10, 2009 at 9:43 am

What you say, Jojojo77, about those days is very true. I lived down Hempstead Turnpike from Levittown, in the village of Hempstead in the late 60’s. I was 8, 9, 10 years old, white, and used to walk into downtown Hempstead to matinees at the Calderone, Rivoli, and Hempstead theatres — alone, and I don’t remember it ever crossing my mind that I’d be kidnapped or molested, maybe beaten up by slightly older kids, especially blacks, but that was it. Those really were the lates days in America when kids could enjoy that kind of freedom.

Rory
Rory commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Nov 26, 2008 at 10:33 am

I wouldn’t say that Carpenter’s version of “The Thing” was true or faithful to the original short story. His version was more “inspired by the short story,” than was the 1951 version, which was more “based upon.” What bothers me about the Carpenter version is that it goes over the top with the SFX and doesn’t have anywhere near the tension of the ‘51 version. I remember that when I first saw the '51 version — on only a 13" TV! — I was glued to it, but when I first saw the Carpenter version — rented on VHS but viewed on a bigger TV — I mostly laughed at the SFX and felt little suspense at all. Still, after many viewings, I like the Carpenter version for its mood and setting, though the dialogue in it makes the '51 version seem like “Citizen Kane.”

As for the remake of “The Day The Earth Stood Still”…. this makes about as much sense as doing the “reimagining” of “Planet of the Apes” did, and I’ll bet you that ten years from now most film buffs will still be mostly talking about the original.

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's State Theatre on Nov 12, 2008 at 10:34 am

It was a sin it got split!

Rory
Rory commented about Loew's State Theatre on Nov 12, 2008 at 9:57 am

I remember going to see “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” at the Loew’s in June 1970 when I was ten years old. I also recall it was the upstairs auditorium — I remember the climb — and that “Beneath” was at Loew’s State 2, so that means State 1 was the lower, I guess. I would have thought it was the other way around.

Rory
Rory commented about Lafayette Theatre on Nov 5, 2008 at 8:03 pm

I don’t understand why the box office success of of the 3D “Journey to the Center of the Earth” hasn’t gotten us a Special Edition Blu-ray DVD of the 1959 version. Looks like Fox has the elements to do a striking transfer (their standard DVD from four years ago is pretty good), and while Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl and Diane Baker are still alive, it’d be nice to get a commentary from them.

Rory
Rory commented about Lafayette Theatre on Oct 31, 2008 at 9:57 pm

Even though I can’t be there, I’m very interested in how good the print is and how the audience enjoys JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. So, if there’s anyone who attends, please write a little review here. Thanks.

Rory
Rory commented about Paramount Theatre on Oct 3, 2008 at 3:22 pm

“Love Me Tender” and “Snow White and The Three Stooges” would be because, I believe, the Paramount was the premiere theatre in NYC for some 20th Century-Fox movies for several years.
“The Best of Everything” and “Journey To The Center Of The Earth” both premiered there in late 1959.

Rory
Rory commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Sep 27, 2008 at 9:56 pm

Speaking of CHE…. I remember in either 1969 or 1970 seeing a double feature of CHE! (a dreadful movie, BTW) and THE SAND PEBBLES at a theatre on Long Island. I see on this page that THE SAND PEBBLES played as a reissue at the Ziegfeld on 06/17/70 for two weeks. I wonder if it was double featured with CHE! at some theatres in the NYC area, and out on the island, around that time and that was when I saw it? Anyone here have easy access to The New York Times on microfilm or maybe Newsday? That’s the only way I can think to find out.

Rory
Rory commented about Rialto Theatre on Sep 23, 2008 at 9:09 pm

Cool photo! Thanks.