Vito, the “Looking for Trouble” number was not filmed all in long shots. They had two cameras filming a medium and a close-up, and those are the angles which were used in the 3-D release of the film.
The long shot was only used in the re-cut which RKO did to get censor approval for the flat release of the film.
Thanks Vincent, I’m glad you enjoyed the Martin and Lewis event. That was my show.
Jerry is recovering from Pulmonary Fibrosis, and has been working to lose all the weight he gained from the steroids which saved his life. He’s been through a lot in the past ten years, but is still plugging along.
The Central was located on the same piece of land as the McDonalds. A portion of that south wall is still there today, although it’s only a few feet high. They had to demo that entire south wall by hand, as the diner was still open for business below it. The process took months!
I’ve changed the huge marquee at the Loew’s Jersey on a number of occasions, utilizing the same ancient lift that was used in the old days. I can tell you – it’s most certainly NOT an easy task. You can only do a few letters at a time, then have to climb down this rickety lift, move it a few feet, and repeat the process. The front marquee on that theater is a good 20+ feet long.
I also remember those mid-week matinee shows during that time. There were never more than a few hundred people in the audience, and you could tell the end was near. It was very sad.
Both Jerry Lewis and the 3 Stooges made appearances at the Capitol in the early sixties when they were promoting new films. My brother saw the Stooges for HAVE ROCKET, WILL TRAVEL and a friend saw Lewis for THE NUTTY PROFESSOR.
You could put ten years of your life into a project, doing just what Theaterat says, plus a whole lot more. You can create goodwill for the theater; promote professional contacts within the entertainment industry; produce the venues most successful events; coordinate a huge amount of press in the local news media; bring in people to restore the theaters technical capabilities; get burnt, cut, bruised and sore working on all different types of projects in and around the building, and then get pushed out by individuals who feel they are more qualified to program the very events which you created and which brought the most notoriety to the project. This CAN happen, and it happened to me. By all means, do what you feel is best to help save this magnificent building. Just be careful on how much of your free time you commit to such a venture.
As I said in my earlier post – based on the Fabian’s condition of a few years ago, the interior is too far gone. It’s been butchered by scavengers, and would require a LOT of money to restore.
With the various portions of the fake auditorium ceiling loose from the water damage, you can easily see the intact proscenium and it’s absolutely beautiful. This could have been a grand venue for this once great city.
And there was the Palace on Market Street, which is still standing.
The Montauk is the least of downtown Passaic’s problems. I used to go there all the time in the late sixties/early seventies, and it was just starting to go downhill. The Central was the theater I often visited, and they had a mix of black exploitation, kung fu and horror movies. McDonalds now occupies that site.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY was certainly released in 3-channel stereophonic sound. The 35mm magnetic tracks were on a dubber which was interlocked with the picture.
There were a great many films released in stereo during that period, and most of those tracks are lost today.
BoxOfficeBill, Jerry Lewis played the Capitol theater in the late 1940’s with Dean Martin. One engagement was with “Naked City” as the feature attraction. Lewis has color home movies of this engagement, including some spectacular night-time views of the Capitol’s brilliant color marquee.
Wasn’t the “Farewell to the Capitol” program a stage show with many old stars who had played the theater? I seem to recall hearing that Jerry Lewis was part of the program. (He had played the Capitol in the late 40’s with Dean Martin.)
Contrary to urban legend, KISS ME KATE had a very wide 3-D release. Despite the Music Hall’s flat presentation, the film opened wide on the Loew’s circuit in 3-D just in time for Christmas, 1953. It even played sub-run engagements in its depth version.
In fact, MGM had to strike additional left/right 3-D pairs to meet exhibitors demand for prints.
Vito, the Paramount Theater also played “Charge at Feather River” in 4-channel Warnerphonic Sound, and 3-D. The 3 stage speakers were played from a 35mm magnetic full-coat print on an interlocked dubber, and the 4th mono surround channel was played off the right projector 3-D print. The left 3-D print contained a mono optical mix of the 4 channels. The theater could switch to this track in case the magnetic interlock went out-of-sync with the picture.
Many films were released in 35mm magnetic 3 channel interlocked stereo sound during 1953, and most Times Square movie palaces presented them in that format. Sadly, through studio neglect, most of those stereo tracks do not survive today.
Even into the mid-late 1970’s, you’d find the strangest double-bills on that street. I cut school one day and went to 42nd street. I was shocked to see a marquee with Horror of Dracula/Curse of Frankenstein. These were two Hammer horror films from the late 50’s! I couldn’t wait to buy a ticket. The Dracula print was an original dye-transfer Technicolor print with fantastic color, but the Frankenstein was on Eastman stock and was totally faded.
It just knocked me out to find this double-bill mixed in with all the porn, kung fu and black exploitation. Man, I wish I had seen 42nd street in the 40’s and 50’s!
When I went to the Christmas show a few years ago, there were quite a few people that left when the Nativity segment began. I had a family of 7 or 8 right in front of me (with small children) get up and leave. It took them several minutes to gather their things, and they weren’t trying to be too quiet about it either.
Needless to say, it was VERY distracting for those that wanted to stay!
If you want to see a really prime cartoon with lots of great theater gags, check out the 1949 Warner Bros. cartoon “Hare Do.” Elmer Fudd chases Bugs Bunny around a movie palace!
Vito, the “Looking for Trouble” number was not filmed all in long shots. They had two cameras filming a medium and a close-up, and those are the angles which were used in the 3-D release of the film.
The long shot was only used in the re-cut which RKO did to get censor approval for the flat release of the film.
Thanks Vincent, I’m glad you enjoyed the Martin and Lewis event. That was my show.
Jerry is recovering from Pulmonary Fibrosis, and has been working to lose all the weight he gained from the steroids which saved his life. He’s been through a lot in the past ten years, but is still plugging along.
Jerry has photos of that publicity stunt in front of the theater. He was wearing the full doorman’s outfit, hat and all!
He had been an usher there in the early 1940’s.
The Central was located on the same piece of land as the McDonalds. A portion of that south wall is still there today, although it’s only a few feet high. They had to demo that entire south wall by hand, as the diner was still open for business below it. The process took months!
I’ve changed the huge marquee at the Loew’s Jersey on a number of occasions, utilizing the same ancient lift that was used in the old days. I can tell you – it’s most certainly NOT an easy task. You can only do a few letters at a time, then have to climb down this rickety lift, move it a few feet, and repeat the process. The front marquee on that theater is a good 20+ feet long.
And I’m afraid of heights!
Kindly elaborate. What was done?
Does anyone remember how badly the theater was altered for this engagement?
I also remember those mid-week matinee shows during that time. There were never more than a few hundred people in the audience, and you could tell the end was near. It was very sad.
Both Jerry Lewis and the 3 Stooges made appearances at the Capitol in the early sixties when they were promoting new films. My brother saw the Stooges for HAVE ROCKET, WILL TRAVEL and a friend saw Lewis for THE NUTTY PROFESSOR.
You could put ten years of your life into a project, doing just what Theaterat says, plus a whole lot more. You can create goodwill for the theater; promote professional contacts within the entertainment industry; produce the venues most successful events; coordinate a huge amount of press in the local news media; bring in people to restore the theaters technical capabilities; get burnt, cut, bruised and sore working on all different types of projects in and around the building, and then get pushed out by individuals who feel they are more qualified to program the very events which you created and which brought the most notoriety to the project. This CAN happen, and it happened to me. By all means, do what you feel is best to help save this magnificent building. Just be careful on how much of your free time you commit to such a venture.
As I said in my earlier post – based on the Fabian’s condition of a few years ago, the interior is too far gone. It’s been butchered by scavengers, and would require a LOT of money to restore.
With the various portions of the fake auditorium ceiling loose from the water damage, you can easily see the intact proscenium and it’s absolutely beautiful. This could have been a grand venue for this once great city.
And there was the Palace on Market Street, which is still standing.
The Montauk is the least of downtown Passaic’s problems. I used to go there all the time in the late sixties/early seventies, and it was just starting to go downhill. The Central was the theater I often visited, and they had a mix of black exploitation, kung fu and horror movies. McDonalds now occupies that site.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY was certainly released in 3-channel stereophonic sound. The 35mm magnetic tracks were on a dubber which was interlocked with the picture.
There were a great many films released in stereo during that period, and most of those tracks are lost today.
BoxOfficeBill, Jerry Lewis played the Capitol theater in the late 1940’s with Dean Martin. One engagement was with “Naked City” as the feature attraction. Lewis has color home movies of this engagement, including some spectacular night-time views of the Capitol’s brilliant color marquee.
For anybody who thinks film can make money at the Music Hall, didn’t you read Pete Apruzzese’s post from Feb. 14?
With those outrageous fees, it’s simply not going to happen.
Wasn’t the “Farewell to the Capitol” program a stage show with many old stars who had played the theater? I seem to recall hearing that Jerry Lewis was part of the program. (He had played the Capitol in the late 40’s with Dean Martin.)
And with it’s recently collapsed roof in the auditorium, Loew’s Pitkin is the first true atmospheric!
GREAT recollection, thanks Robbie.
I feel as if I were there!
Judging by the demand for extra 3-D prints, I would say it was more successful than anticipated.
Contrary to urban legend, KISS ME KATE had a very wide 3-D release. Despite the Music Hall’s flat presentation, the film opened wide on the Loew’s circuit in 3-D just in time for Christmas, 1953. It even played sub-run engagements in its depth version.
In fact, MGM had to strike additional left/right 3-D pairs to meet exhibitors demand for prints.
Bob
Vito, the Paramount Theater also played “Charge at Feather River” in 4-channel Warnerphonic Sound, and 3-D. The 3 stage speakers were played from a 35mm magnetic full-coat print on an interlocked dubber, and the 4th mono surround channel was played off the right projector 3-D print. The left 3-D print contained a mono optical mix of the 4 channels. The theater could switch to this track in case the magnetic interlock went out-of-sync with the picture.
Many films were released in 35mm magnetic 3 channel interlocked stereo sound during 1953, and most Times Square movie palaces presented them in that format. Sadly, through studio neglect, most of those stereo tracks do not survive today.
Even into the mid-late 1970’s, you’d find the strangest double-bills on that street. I cut school one day and went to 42nd street. I was shocked to see a marquee with Horror of Dracula/Curse of Frankenstein. These were two Hammer horror films from the late 50’s! I couldn’t wait to buy a ticket. The Dracula print was an original dye-transfer Technicolor print with fantastic color, but the Frankenstein was on Eastman stock and was totally faded.
It just knocked me out to find this double-bill mixed in with all the porn, kung fu and black exploitation. Man, I wish I had seen 42nd street in the 40’s and 50’s!
Vincent, perhaps they did me a favor. But at $100 a ticket, I want to see everything – good OR bad!
When I went to the Christmas show a few years ago, there were quite a few people that left when the Nativity segment began. I had a family of 7 or 8 right in front of me (with small children) get up and leave. It took them several minutes to gather their things, and they weren’t trying to be too quiet about it either.
Needless to say, it was VERY distracting for those that wanted to stay!
That’s a funny joke Ziggy, thanks for posting it.
If you want to see a really prime cartoon with lots of great theater gags, check out the 1949 Warner Bros. cartoon “Hare Do.” Elmer Fudd chases Bugs Bunny around a movie palace!