All the screens have the correct aspect ratio. They also all have movable maskings. Someone must have forgotten to move the maskings to the right position. Since Clearview quaded it, they have kept the theater very clean.
Greg,
When you say “go through the passageway from the mezzanine”, as I remember, the passageway was about 6 or 7 steps up. When you got to the top, you had your choice to go up to the balcony seats or down a couple steps to the loge seats. Does that sound about right? Also, the Floral closed when I was 12. I didnt become a projectionist until about 6 years later. But you are right. We do have our own private little potty.
Greg,
If you mean the upper lobby area, as I always called it, then no. That was open. When you went up there into the upper lobby, there were chains on the stairs leading up to the balcony.
I,m not sure why it closed but first they cut the DMV space in half. Then a while later they kicked them out completely. Hopefully they saved the dome.
The dome was still intact well into the 90’s. Then when DMV closed in the late 90’s I think a church bought it. What a suprise, a church bying an old theater.
It was always a problem with this theater location as far as the projection union was concerned. Even though it may technically be Nassau county, the city union covered it. I grew up and still live in Floral Park. We have the same problem. Floral Park is split between Queens and Nassau. Luckily, the Floral was definitely in Nassau (er, or was it)…… Just kidding
When the Quad first opened, they used overseas projectors. They were not very good. In 1989, they did a massive overhaul. All new american made equipment. Today, there are no problem with presentation. The last time they lost a show was over 2 years ago.
micohen. I was always in the booth so I dont remember seeing people on the bleachers but that is what they were for. A Drive-in in New Hampshire has the same thing. I do remember seeing people there on them. Sometimes they just want to sit out in the open.
Point#1 correct. Point#2 A lot of people still did visit the cocession stand believe it or not. Point#3 Many times I saw the place packed. There were a lot of sneak ins though. But how many people can you really hide. Point#4 You really only need 1 of age person to drive. Point#5 Bingo. Big killer. By the way, all the equipment from Westbury went upstate to another Drive in under renovation.
Most people wonder about that all the time. In most theaters, especially the ones with a lot of screens, you really dont have time to watch the movies. All projectionist today have more than one job. At most theaters, the pay is not bad but you share the booth with 2 or 3 other people so you only get around 20-30 hours a week. The one hour changeovers are that way only because you put 3 small reels together on a larger reel. It cuts down on the changeovers. You usually do it that way if you know the movie is going to stay for a while. Also, finding the cue marks is not always so easy. I worked a screening room one time and did a screening of little mermaid I think. At the end of one of the reels, it was an underwater scene. There were bubbles everywhere. I could not see either set of cue marks. They blended in with the bubbles. So the next show, I marked the frames with stripes so I would not miss it again.
A lot of theaters did have the bells but some did not. You could tell by watching the reel, when you were getting near the end. Each machine had 2 portholes. One for the projector, and one for the projectionist. The pedastals were never really bolted down. The four bolts at the bottom of the pedastal are used to level the equipment. They are so heavy that there really is no chance for it to move. The pedastal holds the lamphouse, projector head, and soundhead. Together they weigh about 450 pound. The platers started being used sometime in the 70’s I think. There are never any idiotic questions about this subject. Most people never now how the old booths work.
OConnolly, Before platters, 2 machines were used. There are 2 sets of cue marks at the end of each reel. The projectionist would watch near the end of the reel for them. When the first set would pass, he or she would turn on the motor for the next machine. When the second set would pass (about 8 seconds later) they would press a button that would changeover the picture and sound at the same exact time. You would never notice the change. Some houses still use changeovers.
Rhett, If you know someone who works there, you should ask them to show you the original ceiling. If you do, you will fall off the latter. It’s amazing. When you go up, the first things you see are the original projection booth portholes. I pulled out some newspaper surrounding the ports. Roosevelt was giving a speech somewhere. Other than a few missing (extremely expensive and huge) light fixtures, everything else is there and basically untouched. It’s disgusting to see it hidden like that.
Greenport has begun major renovations in January. They will also do major renovations after next summer.
All the screens have the correct aspect ratio. They also all have movable maskings. Someone must have forgotten to move the maskings to the right position. Since Clearview quaded it, they have kept the theater very clean.
It would do much better if they upgrade the equipment.
Greg,
When you say “go through the passageway from the mezzanine”, as I remember, the passageway was about 6 or 7 steps up. When you got to the top, you had your choice to go up to the balcony seats or down a couple steps to the loge seats. Does that sound about right? Also, the Floral closed when I was 12. I didnt become a projectionist until about 6 years later. But you are right. We do have our own private little potty.
The restrooms were up there. I think I remember them being downstairs to the right when you walked in also.
Greg,
If you mean the upper lobby area, as I always called it, then no. That was open. When you went up there into the upper lobby, there were chains on the stairs leading up to the balcony.
Growing up in the late 70’s until it closed in the early 80’s, the balcony was closed most of the time. We always used to try to sneak up there.
You are right. Some houses on 262nd street near 86th avenue have 2 addresses. One for queens and one for nassau.
I,m not sure why it closed but first they cut the DMV space in half. Then a while later they kicked them out completely. Hopefully they saved the dome.
The dome was still intact well into the 90’s. Then when DMV closed in the late 90’s I think a church bought it. What a suprise, a church bying an old theater.
It’s all about the money today.
I know they did renovate the theater and the booth but I never heard about a lightning strike.
It was always a problem with this theater location as far as the projection union was concerned. Even though it may technically be Nassau county, the city union covered it. I grew up and still live in Floral Park. We have the same problem. Floral Park is split between Queens and Nassau. Luckily, the Floral was definitely in Nassau (er, or was it)…… Just kidding
Vito, some of us still take pride in being a projectionist.
The Quad cinema has been an art house since it opened and continues to do very well.
When the Quad first opened, they used overseas projectors. They were not very good. In 1989, they did a massive overhaul. All new american made equipment. Today, there are no problem with presentation. The last time they lost a show was over 2 years ago.
Still going strong today.
micohen. I was always in the booth so I dont remember seeing people on the bleachers but that is what they were for. A Drive-in in New Hampshire has the same thing. I do remember seeing people there on them. Sometimes they just want to sit out in the open.
Point#1 correct. Point#2 A lot of people still did visit the cocession stand believe it or not. Point#3 Many times I saw the place packed. There were a lot of sneak ins though. But how many people can you really hide. Point#4 You really only need 1 of age person to drive. Point#5 Bingo. Big killer. By the way, all the equipment from Westbury went upstate to another Drive in under renovation.
Yes, the theater sign is still up. Just covered with a church sign. The entrance is all overgrown.
Most people wonder about that all the time. In most theaters, especially the ones with a lot of screens, you really dont have time to watch the movies. All projectionist today have more than one job. At most theaters, the pay is not bad but you share the booth with 2 or 3 other people so you only get around 20-30 hours a week. The one hour changeovers are that way only because you put 3 small reels together on a larger reel. It cuts down on the changeovers. You usually do it that way if you know the movie is going to stay for a while. Also, finding the cue marks is not always so easy. I worked a screening room one time and did a screening of little mermaid I think. At the end of one of the reels, it was an underwater scene. There were bubbles everywhere. I could not see either set of cue marks. They blended in with the bubbles. So the next show, I marked the frames with stripes so I would not miss it again.
A lot of theaters did have the bells but some did not. You could tell by watching the reel, when you were getting near the end. Each machine had 2 portholes. One for the projector, and one for the projectionist. The pedastals were never really bolted down. The four bolts at the bottom of the pedastal are used to level the equipment. They are so heavy that there really is no chance for it to move. The pedastal holds the lamphouse, projector head, and soundhead. Together they weigh about 450 pound. The platers started being used sometime in the 70’s I think. There are never any idiotic questions about this subject. Most people never now how the old booths work.
OConnolly, Before platters, 2 machines were used. There are 2 sets of cue marks at the end of each reel. The projectionist would watch near the end of the reel for them. When the first set would pass, he or she would turn on the motor for the next machine. When the second set would pass (about 8 seconds later) they would press a button that would changeover the picture and sound at the same exact time. You would never notice the change. Some houses still use changeovers.
Rhett, If you know someone who works there, you should ask them to show you the original ceiling. If you do, you will fall off the latter. It’s amazing. When you go up, the first things you see are the original projection booth portholes. I pulled out some newspaper surrounding the ports. Roosevelt was giving a speech somewhere. Other than a few missing (extremely expensive and huge) light fixtures, everything else is there and basically untouched. It’s disgusting to see it hidden like that.
Thats right. Santa appeared at the floral too. Man, he is everywhere.