Ziegfeld Theatre

141 W. 54th Street,
New York, NY 10019

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Showing 401 - 425 of 4,511 comments

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on November 2, 2015 at 2:12 pm

Maybe Reade is the original leaseholder and all subsequent operators were sub-lessees.

According to Wikipedia (I know, I know…!) “The Walter Reade Organization] filed for bankruptcy in 1977, emerging four years later. Columbia Pictures purchased 81% of the organization in 1981, buying the company completely in 1985, but later sold it to the Cineplex Odeon Corporation on June 26, 1987.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 2, 2015 at 2:05 pm

I thought Bow Tie was operating it for Cablevision. Does anyone know why the marquee suddenly mysteriously reads A Walter Reade Theater?

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on November 2, 2015 at 2:01 pm

It is stuck in limbo with no operating company behind it … ( like a bow tie ) I know that they are looking for a way out of the lease .

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on November 2, 2015 at 1:49 pm

Death knell? (spelled with a k) Maybe, maybe not.

But if the Ziegfeld could talk, I’d hope it would quote Mark Twain: “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on November 2, 2015 at 1:26 pm

Hello-

to longislandmovies I never said that you said this theater’s days are numbered. I should have said
its been said by countless other people in the past year or two. to which since you’re so convinced that it would be a miracle if this theater made it to 2017 what hot inside info do you have that foreshadows the theater’s demise?

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on November 2, 2015 at 1:08 pm

I have been on this site since day one and never said before the days are numbered . I hope but would be shocked if it makes it to 2017.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on November 2, 2015 at 12:56 pm

Hello-

according to longislandmovies this theater is
living on borrowed time and from what he/she knows
however they it know it the theater will close
sometime in 2016. the death nell for the Ziegfeld
has been announced many times some rather recently.
so I wonder what hot inside info longislandmovies
has. remember the air rights were sold to the
nearby luxury London hotelso if God forbid the
Ziegfeld were razed they wouldn’t be able to
build any building larger than the theater
itself.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 1, 2015 at 5:34 pm

Thanks Peter Apruzzese. I thought it was. I know there is no theater that has 70mm capacity in Asheville NC. I would travel within the state or SC if I can find a theater that still had 70mm projectors

PeterApruzzese
PeterApruzzese on November 1, 2015 at 3:46 pm

“The 50th anniversary print of My fair Lady may have been. The scope on the screen seemed different from the scope previwes. The masking which lowers top and bottom rather then side to side was opened when the film started and the aspect ratio seemed different then 2.35”

Yes, the aspect ratio of My Fair Lady is 2.20.

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on November 1, 2015 at 3:30 pm

From what I can tell now the theatre is on borrowed time . My guess 2016 is the end .

markp
markp on November 1, 2015 at 3:23 pm

Hard to disagree with you alps. Im just happy that in my 38 years of full time projectionist I was able to run 35, 70, and 15/70 IMAX. The last 2 years have been hard for me, now being a stagehand, but as Ive been told, time marches on.

alps
alps on November 1, 2015 at 1:06 pm

Marc Lawrence, the tough guy actor from the early days of film noir to “Four Rooms” said of Quentin Tarantino, called him “a headline”, because he got so much attention for doing things that have been done better years ago. The Ziegfeld Theater, I would be surprised it they got “Hateful Eight” over “Star Wars the force awakens”. With box office being what it is, that would be a silly risk. I like Quentin Tarantino’s work very much; a he is a student of film because it’s a game to find what he is using from other movies. But why does he need to release this in a 70mm road show, ego? From the trailer I saw, the film looks a talky Claus phobic mood piece, set during a blizzard. With ticket prices being as they are, the general public isn’t clamoring for this. And now he has law enforcement who will protest the film when it comes out. Maybe it’s me, but this film vs. digital is a non argument, personally I love digital, and I believe Tarantino was taking about shooting on digital, on that I agree with him, because it preserves film, but what passes for cinema today, very little of it needs to preserved. I liked Django Unchained, but they made movies like this over 40 years ago. Why is TV breaking new ground and motion pictures are failing? He through out a digital projector, eh, I don’t believe it, the prints must be awful then. I went to see “The Master” in 70mm; it looked beautiful, like a 4k blu ray. For all of Ta(rant)ino’s pontificating, it’s still called show business, and not too many exhibitors are going for the expense of putting in this old equipment just for his movie.

markp
markp on November 1, 2015 at 11:55 am

Trust me Mikeoaklandpark, Tarantino will want any theatre that can show it on 70mm to show it in 70mm. He hates digital. At his New Beverly Cinema out in California, the first thing he did when got full ownership was trash the digital projector.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 1, 2015 at 11:50 am

The 50th anniversary print of My fair Lady may have been. The scope on the screen seemed different from the scope previwes. The masking which lowers top and bottom rather then side to side was opened when the film started and the aspect ratio seemed different then 2.35

ERD
ERD on November 1, 2015 at 11:33 am

One of the last of the big movie theatres in the Broadway area. I hope it can continue to survive; the upkeep must be expensive. I remember going to the opening of the theatre and the reception that followed. I got to meeting some of the original Ziegfeld follies girls.

PeterApruzzese
PeterApruzzese on November 1, 2015 at 7:02 am

As far as I know, the “70mm version” of Hateful 8 is exclusively presented via 70mm film. Yes, films shot on 65mm are presented via DCP all the time: Lawrence of Arabia, 2001, Ben Hur, etc.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on October 31, 2015 at 2:44 pm

Will the 70MM version of The Hateful 8 be on film, or is it possible to do 70MM in digital?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on October 31, 2015 at 1:45 pm

Hello-

I have a question and I would like my fellow Ziegfeld devotes take on it. lets say for the sake of argument this theater does get SWVII. even with all the anticipation and even if it gets acclaimed as the best Stars Wars film yet would that really sell out the Ziegfeld even for a 2 week period? I ask this because no big film that’s played this theater in the last few years has ever even come close to selling out. plus SWVII will also be playing in God knows how many other theaters in Manhattan. this bring the main reason for the Ziegfeld’s low attendance. I look forward to your replies.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on October 30, 2015 at 8:04 pm

I notice in the photos that the marquee has recently said “Bow Tie Cinemas” but now says “A Walter Reade Theater.” What gives?

markp
markp on October 30, 2015 at 7:04 pm

walterk, I hope we can visit that place. I have not heard from them at all. I wonder if the stuff in the attic got saved. I would go see the hateful 8 with my wife after she gets out of Radio City, if they get it.

movieguy
movieguy on October 30, 2015 at 4:13 pm

I would definitely like to see the hateful eight roadshow edition 70 mm at the ZIG for sure. I would buy tickets on the 25th or 26th and head off into the city

movieguy
movieguy on October 30, 2015 at 4:13 pm

I would definitely like to see the hateful eight roadshow edition 70 mm at the ZIG for sure. I would buy tickets on the 25th or 26th and head off into the city

walterk
walterk on October 30, 2015 at 4:09 pm

markp, so would I, if it opens there Christmas I’ll be in the area for the holidays and will attend a showing. Regardless, I hope we have an opportunity to get together. Perhaps we can visit that place your Dad used to work again.

markp
markp on October 30, 2015 at 3:55 pm

Star Wars is going to be on every screen on every block in every neighborhood if possible. It will be out of gas within a month. I would rather see the roadshow exclusive Hateful 8 play here.

mhvbear
mhvbear on October 30, 2015 at 8:12 am

Good bet. Especially with 70mm Road Show like release early for The Hateful Eight. Limited roadshow engagement will be released two weeks earlier on December 25th. It will be a slightly different — and longer — film overall. The roadshow version has an overture and an intermission, and it will be three hours, two minutes. The digital version is about six minutes shorter not including the intermission.