AMC Loews Paramus Route 4 Tenplex
260 E. Highway 4,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
260 E. Highway 4,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
24 people
favorited this theater
Showing 301 - 325 of 463 comments
John, I didn’t want you to think my post was aimed at you. It posted at the same time as yours and I’m very appreciative to hear your feelings on the history and emotion this theater has evoked from so many. It’s such a shame that AMC had to be so shady about the whole situation because if they had actually announced the closing months ago when they made their decision, the public outcry would have swayed both them and the borough. This way, they hoped it would disappear as quietly as Sportsworld on rt. 17 and The Paramus Picture Show, which many of us thought was being redone with the renovation of that mini-mall.
There will still be a Tenplex tomorrow. It just won’t be open for business. As I said in my earlier posts, as long as the building is still up, there is still a chance the Borough of Paramus, NOT the planning board, or Bergen County officials could step in to keep the property zoned for only cultural, not retail use. According to the historical trust and other state historical reps I’ve spoken to, there is still a chance this theater might be protected for its historical significance. I’m not saying it will, but please stop making it sound like tomorrow morning there will just be a big hole where the Tenplex once stood, because that’s just not the case. Ask the other 400+ people who signed the petition, a lot of us are in no way looking forward to the theater at the mall. Remember, that number might be small, but it’s purely based on word of mouth. It wasn’t listed in the article in The Record and it wasn’t advertised at the Tenplex. Thank heavens NYC is so close, as I can still go to historic theaters there and enjoy the cinematic experience associated with that, without feeling like I’m in an assembly line. To a lot of us, the Tenplex has been more than just a movie theater. It has really meant something to us, as we’ve grown up with it. Please stop dismissing it so lightly.
Circa the LCE take over of Cineplex. LCE really ran the place in to the ground, yes, they replaced the seats but beyond that and the hot foods they really didn’t make much of an improvement. I miss how great things were back in the Cineplex Oden days. I just got back from the theater myself – there were many folks snapping shots. Employees wore various uniforms ranging from AMC to Loews Cineplex to even one in a Cineplex Oden uniform. The manager’s desk still had the uniforms up, as I had discussed in my posting from Saturday and they had photos out of the main theater when it had been whole, as well as the lobby. The Record’s print additional from last Saturday also had some great photos from “back in the day” including some from its period as a Sevenplex.
I saw Pirates at 8AM, in theater one, with a sold out crowd. (They also showed an 8:01PM show interlocked in 6 and 7). An employee (in an LCE shirt) announced that “this will be the last public showing in theater one, we’d like to thank you for coming, no matter how long you’ve been coming here – one year, five years, ten years, all 42 years, thank you”. Some even were crying when the last show let out. This theater will be greatly missed, most were unaware it was even closing in the community. I see why, for 42-years its served the community through technological and social changes. This is a true cinema treasure and I’ll miss it – however, for a new generation the 16-screen theater will be their venue of choice, and despite the fact I’m not a fan of the Loews design, I hope they great moments to remember in it.
On a side note: anybody see Good Bye, Dragon Inn – it’s a really wonderful movie from Taiwan about a movie theater show its final film. I started thinking about it again for two reasons: I saw Ming-liang Tsai’s new movie I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone, and because it reminded me a bit of tonight at the Tenplex.
“The 8:00 PM showing of Pirates will be at the AMC Loews (Stanley Warner’s) Paramus Route 4 Theater tonight, the last day of the Route 4 Theater’s operation.”
What a waste of time to build that print up on the platter, show it once, then break it down.
I just drove past it a little while ago, a last look at it still in operation. The entire building’s painted the ugly shade of dark green. How long has it been like that?
Tomorrow, there will be no tenplex. May there be another use for this long-running theater, which will pass the torch tomorrow morning to the new theater near the Garden State Plaza.
The new AMC Garden State Plaza theatre will have 2 screens showing the digital version of “Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End”. This Pirates film is, with previews, running at 3 Hours.
The 8:00 PM showing of Pirates will be at the AMC Loews (Stanley Warner’s) Paramus Route 4 Theatre tonight, the last day of the Route 4 Theatre’s operation.
Remember, this page is only for the ROute 4 theater, not the Rialto; the same can be said for other Bergen County theaters.
movieguru:
Dude, you ignored my post from earlier today where I replied in regard to your questions about the films that played at ROUTE 4. Did you not see my reply? Hmmm, maybe I should’ve posted it three times like you did with your question…
And…why are you asking about the RIALTO in this discussion of the ROUTE 4? Why not do the common sense thing and just go to the RIALTO page?
Does anyone know about the history of the Rialto Theater in Ridgefield Park? That seems like another theater with a lot of history attached to it.
It’s funny you mention Xanadu. I’ve heard rumors that AMC might close the 6 and 8plex in Secaucus when Xanadu opens, due to too much competition. Most people I’ve spoken to who can’t avoid AMC altogether, due to distance and time constraints, have told me they’d probably go to one of the two Secaucus theaters instead. Both the 6 and 8 are similar in design to the Tenplex, and neither has the traffic, parking, or security problem that the Garden State Plaza theater will have. If it’s true that both the 6 and 8 will be gone when a 26 screen theater is opened at Xanadu, it will really be a shame for people in this area who don’t want jumbo assembly line theaters with tons of traffic and parking issues. It would be nice if everyone could just go to the classic theaters in NYC, but I understand that it can be impossible for people with kids and larger families. Many of my good friends live in East Rutherford, and I know, due to what they’ve heard at past public meetings, that the residents of East Rutherford were dead set against Xanadu. It’s amazing that we live in a state with the highest property taxes in the country, yet the citizens have so little say in how their communities are developed. I think part of the problem is we hear about stuff AFTER it’s already too late to do anything about it.
I agree with you…the last art house theater in Paramus was the Paramus Picture Show, which I used to go to when it was not an art house theater but a runover product for movies that played at the larger venues. And it won’t be too long before Bergen County gets another new theater this decade, the one to claim number one, the 26 screen Xanadu complex owned by Muvico which will open next year near the Meadowlands will draw huger crowds than any movie theater in New Jersey.
If Clearview or another chain renovated this place, it might get “B” grade first run product – there are many films currently out that will not be showing at the AMC Garden State 16. I point you to Danvers, MA – where Loews constructed a 20-screen theater, closing a 7 screen theater. The 7-screen is run by another opperator and shows (currently) first run art house films with some first run studio product (Georgia Rule is playing), while the AMC Loews Liberty Tree shows Spider-Man, Pirates, and the like. 26 screens in one booking terratory is not unheard of, it is however uncommon. Paramus should have a first run art house, Montclair’s offerings lately have tended to be “too safe” – perhaps if this is slated to be intergrated in to Bergen Mall’s renovation part of this theater can be saved (say the old RKO house, especially screen one) and transformed in to an 5 screen upscale art house. I think Paramus/Bergen County could support another theater geered towards a high end crowd.
Christopher -
A second run operator would not be able to get Pirates in 3-4 weeks at the Tenplex. They would not be able to get it until the AMC Garden State dropped all of their prints of it, which is probably 10 weeks minimum. Disney and the other studios make it very difficult for second run theatres in this area, because bookings in the county are on a distance basis by location. That’s why the Route 17 Triplex and the Route 4 Tenplex could never show the same film at the same time. That’s why the Cedar Lane Cinemas could not get a second run film until it left the Tenplex completely.
Yes, it would be tedious to go through the newspapers on microfilm, but that’s the most likely way in which you’re going to obtain the information you are seeking. By coincidence, just recently I conducted a week-by-week search covering a 37-year span in an effort to reconstruct the exhibition history of the NATIONAL in Los Angeles. A tedious and slow process…but also rewarding. Granted, the NATIONAL has been a single screener its entire existence, so I imagine it was “easier” than a similar search would be for the ROUTE 4.
There might be someone out there who has kept track of the ROUTE 4’s playdates, but I suspect the likely answer to your question would be for you to conduct the research yourself, as tedious as it may be. The owner of the theatre would have records of the bookings, but…(1) I’d be surprised if they would allow you to access them, (2) they would almost certainly not exist in a single document, and (3) the theatre has changed ownership many times which would complicate one’s ability to obtain access to a full set of bookings…which brings us right back to looking this info up yourself in the newspaper.
As for the ROUTE 4’s 70mm bookings, Bill Kallay and I attempted to account for these, and they can be searched year by year in the article 70mm In New York. Interesting stuff, for sure, but the 70mm bookings represented only a fraction of the total bookings over the years at the ROUTE 4.
Peter, you understood what I was saying exactly. It’s closing this week, not being demolished. I’ve gotten mixed messages from the legislators I’ve spoken to, in regards to what’s actually going to be happening to the Tenplex. Most were taken completely unaware that anything would be happening to it at all. AMC has really kept the closing very quiet. In fact, most people I spoke to, including the legislators, told me they wouldn’t have known if they hadn’t read the article in The Record or gotten a call from me. I think the main misunderstanding/disagreement is between the Borough of Paramus itself and its own planning board. I’m still disheartened to know that the courts found in favor of the Planning Board versus what the borough itself and its citizens wanted in regards to the theater at the mall. I actually got a call from an individual who runs independent theaters in the tri-state area who said he would be very interested in leasing the property to make it a second run theater. If the mall got Pirates this weekend, the Tenplex would get it 3 or 4 weeks later and charge $5 or $6 versus $10 at the mall. That way, neither theater would actually cause problems for the other. This would only work if AMC would lease or if Paramus actually took over for the good of the community.
Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies that the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then, so hopefully there’s an easier way. Any ideas?
Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then. Any ideas?
Does anyone know where I can find a list of all the movies the Route 4 Tenplex has played since its inception in 1965? It would be tedious to go through the newspapers since then. Any ideas?
I think Christopher is objecting to Justin’s use of “demolished this weekend”, whereas the place is simply closing instead. Who knows how long it will be until it’s actually demolished.
What films could play there if it re-opened in the future? All Hollywood first-run product will go to AMC Garden State (and can’t play both locations) and art house fare (which has very limited print availabilty) will continue to go to Tenafly and the Cedar Lane in Teaneck.
Christopher, didn’t Pete Apruzzese just say a few messages up that “The Tenplex has to close, it was part of the deal with the town to get the new location constructed.”
I know Pete and tend to trust his facts. What’s the story?
Justin, where do you get your information? I spearheaded the campaign to save this historic theater, and have been in constant contact with the employees and Eric, the general manager, of the Tenplex. While the theater is scheduled to close after Thursday night’s shows, there are NO imminent plans to demolish it. There is a supposed deal to knock it down when the Bergen Mall gets enlarged into that property, but this isn’t going to be for a while. I have been speaking with all the local legislators, Assemblyman/woman, State Senators, and anyone else who represents this voting district. They, along with the mayor of Paramus, are looking into the historic significance of the theater, along with the zoning laws which could prevent it from being turned into more retail space. The NJ Historic Trust and the League of Historic American Theaters are also looking into what can be done. Please do not give people the impression this is a done deal. There are a lot of us, including most on the petition, who are working hard to save this theater. Read some of the comments on the petition and you’ll see how much it means to many people. I know the chances of saving it are slim, but I feel the need to try as hard as I can to save this theater. I will only go to Clearview or Landmark theaters now.
Just went to the new theater’s showtimes listing and they’re showing pirates on only one digital screen out of 16. Two screens will have rear window captioning. The rest will be normal screens. Tomorrow night Pirates debuts as the last new film at the Route 4 location before heading off to the AMC Garden State 16, which will carry over most of the ROute 4 stuff as the old theater will be demolished this weekend.
Other movies that I saw at the tenplex were “Congo” in the summer of 1995 as well as “Vampires” in the fall of 1998. So far, nearly 400 petitions to keep the tenplex open!
My favorite memory of going to the tenplex was going to see the first ever X-Men movie; I was waiting in line to see it, and my late nana said the name of the movie wrong, like G-Men (as in the old serials from the 1930’s), then I corrected her since I had better knowledge of that stuff. I went with her as well as my cousin michael. The theater was packed at the time, and it was worth seeing it on the very big screen. It was at this time that the theater showed its age, but I can’t believe that it still survived for more than seven years. Now it’s come to this. The new theater will still show great movies, as evidenced by the new Pirates movie, but it will recruit new people who never worked at the old location before. Since the 1990’s, there were more ads than trailers before the movies (along with the slideshows), but that didn’t stop me to check out a movie with my aunt, who lives in the same town where the tenplex lives. Oh, if I could go back in time to see the old “Star Wars” movie in that huge auditorium.
One of my favorite memories of this theater was waiting in line for hours in the light rain with my younger brother for RETURN OF THE JEDI in 1983 on opening weekend, as the line went around the building. Seeing the poster as we went in and then watching the film – it was pure joy.