Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
131 people
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Vito – got a spare cue-scriber in your parts box? :)
Congratulations Bill, you are our winner!
If you saw cue marks you were watching film. Absolutly
With so little reel-to-reel projection these days, I wonder how much longer the labs are going to be putting cues on the prints. Movie exibition pros like Peter Apruzzee may have to start added their own cues some day.
If there were cue marks, it was not a digital showing. Perhaps they had a problem with their DLP unit and were using the 35mm backup print?
Walk up to the screen during the credits – as close as you can get. If it’s digital you’ll be able to tell.
There were reel change marks in the upper right corner of the image at the end of every reel. I didn’t think digital prints used those. It looked and sounded great anyway, though.
Eric,
why do you think it wasn’t digital projection? I suppose somebody can call or visit the Ziegfeld and ask them, but I will assume that it was. I was there Saturday. Merely because there’s a ray of light from the booth doesn’t mean it isn’t digital- there still needs to be projection.
as to sound, yes, it would’ve been digital too, no matter the ad.
The last exhibited feature film I saw with an intermission was “Gods and Generals” in 2003. With a running time of 231 minutes (12 minutes shorter than “Cleopatra”), I was very glad it had one! It was a good movie, but a tremendous flop.
Thanks guys for your comments.
Trouble is, with the company I worked for, we regularly updated sound and picture format info to our bookers, they in turn would keep the studios up to date. The booking sheets/gross sheets for each screen in each location indicated seat counts, projection format (35mm/70mm/digital), as well as sound format, and still the ads were incorrect. I understand the point about moving prints from screen to screen during an engagement but the ads are often wrong from day one of an engagement.
Please, I don’t want to start a whole 10 page thread over this, and I promise this is the last time I am going to write about it, but
the communication between theatres/bookers/studios/newpapers is broken and has been for a long time, it goes back to when we ran 70mm on a regular basis and the ads did not indicate so.
I’m done, stick a fork in me.
Vito:
Those legends in the newspaper ads are supplied by the studio placing the ad. The studio, in turn, is supposed to get updated information from the theatre chain’s film booker regarding technical upgrades/changes to locations. Rarely, however, are these updates done by the studio. We have DTS at the Lafayette, and in some ads we get listed as DTS, but in others it’s Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, or nothing.
vito, It’s the booking & ad marketing departments at the chains that continue to make the news ads. See the problem started at the plexes that had those roll around digital units and they moved them from booth to booth without telling the booking departments. And when the theatre makes a last minute print move to an auditorium with a different digital system than listed. So those movie ads may not show the true format. We would move digital units a lot of times.
That is why in most major chain directory listings you only see now “Digital Sound” or “Digital Stereo”.
During it’s last reissue (9/1994) the studio struck some 70MM prints of “My Fair Lady” for theatre engagements. But with the great state of theatre projection now. That small amount of prints are no longer available because of damage. The studio has a archive print of the title. It well be a long while till you will see them restrike more prints of that title.
Eric, I feel your pain, the news ads indicating sound format has been a sore spot for me for years. Before I retired I tried several times to find out who was responsible for correcrly marking sound formats for each theatre in an ad, but without much luck. Over the years I have seen check marks, stars, and all kinds of markings meant to coincide with a legend at the bottom of the ad which explains what they mean. In more cases than I care to count they were wrong. I have seen theatres marked for Dolby Digital in theatre that does not have that format. It’s as if someone in the newspaper ads department just guesses what symbol to put in. It seems very little care is taken to ensure accuracy in these matters.
Archhives, thanks for that very informative post
I was at the Sunday 10:00 a.m. screening of “Casino Royale” at the Ziegfeld and was pleasantly surprised to see the auditorium about 30% full. And when the screening let out at around 12:40, there was a line for the 1:00 screening stretching from the theater entrance to close to Sixth Avenue.
I was also confused by the reference to “Digital Presentation” on the marquee—-the projection of “Casino Royale” did not appear to be digital. Another point of digital confusion: the ads running in the Times, which indicate that the Ziegfeld is presenting “Casino Royale” in Dolby stereo and not in a digital stereo format.
The specialty versions of these films were an attempt to present these works in the grand style of roadshow for best dramatic impact – experiments in cinematic art. The motion picture exhibition arm of the industry would not accept a two show a day policy. All being a matter of finance and profitability of the product.
My being affilated with major film production firms and archives worldwide, through Cinema Centre and IFA (International Film Archives), would attend film production locations, film editing and scoring sessions, rough cut and final product screenings, and attend the marketing and distribution meetings. So invites to special screenings were always on the agenda. There are quite a number of films that exist in fully assembled or sequenced (vault stored) editions. The CE3K, which I viewed in 1996, was a total “restructuring” of the film meant to be sent to Spielberg for review and approval. As I followed up on this product, it never was
screened by the director. I consider this would have saved him considerable time in attempting to make the best possible edition of the film. I do have copious notes of this speciality version and can tell you the film had an overture and the intermission came after Gillian runs screaming to the skies for her sons Barry. Whereas, the original version of the film cuts to the press conference and investigation sequence, the specialty version, second part begins with an entr'acte and begins with the miltary (disguised) trucks and crew preparations, next the conference which is followed by the deployment of the military trucks and crew. The end section of the the film is the ship entrance by Roy, the ship interior display, ship launch, and so forth, with a complete remix of the end music score for the sequence and roll up titles. There is recessional or exit music. I hope this helps answer some of your question of roadhsow/specialty motion picture editions and products. If you have any other questions or, when time permits, my furnishing you with additional CE3K notes, feel free to email me (address is in profile). Thanks and my best to you.
Whenever they show My Fair Lady in the NY area it is always in 35mm. Does this mean it no longer exists(again) in 70mm?
Archives… I’m intrigued by your comments on the “specialy versions” of these titles – particularly the “reconstructed” CE3K. To what purpose were these versions created and why were they withheld from public exhibition? And how, if I may ask, did you come to attend these screenings?
Last exhibited feature film with intermission Kenneth Branagh’s HAMLET (1996).
There are specialty versions with overture, intermission, entr'acte and recessional music of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, EXCALIBUR, THE RIGHT STUFF, THE LAST EMPEROR, THE ABYSS, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE, GETTYSBURG, and THE THIN RED LINE. As far as I know, these have never been released for public exhibition. Whether these are still in existence, I cannot ascertain. In the 1980s and 1990s. I saw the CE3K, LAST EMPEROR, ABYSS, T2, 1492 and RED LINE. Most of the additional footage on these have been included on video releases and music tracks on expanded CDs. CE3K was totally restructed and was the best rendition I had seen, even with the countless Spielberg revisions. Will research more on these when time permits. My best to all of you during these end of year holidays and best of health and happiness too.
By the way, the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ will be presenting LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and MY FAIR LADY at the end of December. I have no information other than these being 35mm scope presentations. I have not had the time to inquire concerning magnetic or optical or digital sound prints for the exhibition, nor
if these will be roadshow versions. These are a matinee and evening show for one day only each.
HowardBHaas: The “Dreamgirls” San Francisco roadshow will take place at the Metreon.
JSA
To answer a question above, a giant seating chart is in the Ticket Lobby, so people can select their Dreamgirls “Roadshow” seats.
1 PM Casino Royale show had at least a few hundred in the (opening weekend) audience yesterday (Saturday). That was good to see, since there haven’t been enough crowds since the megaplexes opened on 42nd Street. The movie was also playing at the AMC Empire. One ticket taker put on quite a show welcoming people to the theater. Such showmanship was appreciated. Agreed that the digital version looked great, and that Daniel Craig is an excellent James Bond.
There’s plenty of marquee single screens left in LA for Dreamgirls to run, but they’ve been vanishing in San Francisco. Where there? the Castro? (assuming “single theaters” means single screens, otherwise could be the Metreon if they put seat numbers on)
I agree Bill, it’s quite a movie! Myself and Most of the folks at the screening I attended thought it ran a bit long, but other than that enjoyed it very much, and yes, Craig is the best Bond since Connery. (although not better)I did not see the movie at the Ziegfeld but the version I saw was 35mm film, I do not know of any digital versions playing anywhere. Perhaps the sign refered to the sound which is Dolby Digital.
Just got back from “Casino Royale” at the Ziegfeld. The Daniel Craig naysayers (of which I was one, I have to admit) should all be eating their words as soon as they see the picture. He’s an excellent Bond, and I’m sure he’ll be Bond for the forseeable future. The movie itself was quite enjoyable, with a more engrossing story than a Bond movie has had for quite a while.
The marquee said it was a digital presentation, but it looked like film to me.
Top ticket price at the Ziegfeld is $11 now, by the way. Not counting “Dreamgirls”, of course.
From today’s NY Post:
November 16, 2006 — First, the $6 cup of coffee – now brace yourself for the $25 movie ticket.
That’s the record sum that will be charged to see “Dreamgirls” for the first 10 days of its theatrical run, beginning on Dec. 15.
The highly anticipated film version of the 1981 Broadway musical about a singing group resembling the Supremes stars Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy.
It will be showing exclusively at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan, as well as at single theaters in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The $25 ticket buys a reserved seat, a 50-page color souvenir program and a look at a lobby exhibition of costume and set designs.
Moviegoers will also have “the opportunity to purchase exclusive merchandise and the film’s soundtrack in the lobby,” according to the movie’s Web site.
The film will be shown without commercials or coming-attraction trailers. There will be only one showing per evening, with an added matinee on weekends.
Paramount, the film’s distributor, is reaching back into movie history to bring back the “road show” – or reserved-seat engagements at higher-than-usual prices.
The practice was standard for big-budget Hollywood pictures into the 1960s, with blockbusters like “The Ten Commandments,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The Sound of Music” running six months or more at a single theater with higher prices.
The last official road show was “Man of La Mancha,” another film based on a Broadway musical, in 1972.
“Dreamgirls” is being treated much like a live theatrical presentation – although $25 is a bargain compared with the $110 and up charged for orchestra tickets to Broadway musicals – to build buzz and the film’s Oscar chances.
“We wanted to bring it to audiences in a special way, and we think this road show does the film justice,” Jim Tharp, Paramount’s president of distribution, told Variety.
There’s one difference – road-show movies generally had an intermission. “Dreamgirls,” which runs 125 minutes, will not. The last movie with an intermission was “Gandhi,” in 1982.
Theater owners and studios have debated for years whether tickets to popular and expensive movies should carry a premium, as well as whether prices should be dropped after a movie is running for a few weeks.
Last year, the Ziegfeld, a 1,131-seat single-screen theater on West 54th Street that is often used for movie premieres, charged $12.50 – instead of the usual $10.75 – for its exclusive run of “The Producers,” a Broadway hit that flopped on the big screen.
“Dreamgirls” will be showing at regular prices – even at the Ziegfeld – when it goes into wide national release on Christmas Day.
Gone With The Wind thats a classic. It should be given a whole week of showings. Hundreds would flock every evening
Hate to bring this up again, but to me “Reserved Seat”, “Roadshow”, and “Hardticket” all mean the same thing. You could purchase your tickets ahead of time for assigned seats at a specific performance. If you went to the box office you could select your seat locations if they were not already sold. If you purchased your tickets by mail order, you bought “orchestra,loge,balcony” or whatever the various sections of that theatre were called. They would mail you tickets for specific seats in whatever location you chose. There were limited number of showings per day usually a maximum of three. Reserved performances meant it was also limited separate showings per day and you could purchase tickets in advance. However, the tickets were not for specific seats in the theatre. I think the last film to have a “national” roadshow release was “Man of La Mancha.” Which was released a year after “Fiddler” I believe.
According to the Variety article, there is no Intermission in Dreamgirls.