Lafayette Theatre
97 Lafayette Avenue,
Suffern,
NY
10901
97 Lafayette Avenue,
Suffern,
NY
10901
37 people
favorited this theater
Showing 626 - 650 of 915 comments
Deckard, the situation as I understand it is Nelson Page and company planned and booked the films well in advance, dealt with all the film companies to get the best vault prints, did advance pr for the series, had small window card posters made up for each film, and most importantly, kept a huge email list up to date. But since Nelson is no longer associated with the theatre, all this has fallen by the wayside. Neither the town, or the company currently running the theatre, have any interest or any time to build a website for the classics. The town would love the seniors to come out, but as I said before, most have no interest in newer films like this. I did see a small black and white flyer with the whole line up taped to the front door several weeks ago. Perhaps it was taken down so the window could be washed; I don’t know. I think with this dismal turn out, the future of any more classics here is seriously in doubt. Barring a major miracle, that is.
In respone to Deckard and many others…………
I really think now is the time to start thinking of the future of BSC at the Lafayette.
Perhaps one way to do this is to have more involvement from the community at large and the patrons of the Lafayette themselves. (beyond just complaining about a situation when something seems to go wrong.)
The involvement of film programs at various colleges is a great idea. From personal experience with my son who is graduating FDU in Madison, college programs often use local theaters as an “extension” of the classroom. I recently attended his “thesis night” in conjuction with FDU’s Film and Animation Department at one of the local Clearview Cinemas in Morristown and the experience was a wonderful “boost” for both students and the venue itself.
I’m also wondering….. might BSC send out some sort of mail and internet questionaire to folks on their mailing list (and to the surrounding community as a whole) to enquire as to what classic films are of interest to all of us, and base their future selections on these responses?
I know that one of the other classic film theaters that I attend regularly, the Loews Jersey does exactly that every so often and it really works. Many of the films that are shown at that theater are the result of patron input.
I find it ironic, to say the least that those who (seemingly) did the most complaining about the possibility of no BSC at the Lafayette decided not to show up when a program was graciously put together (seemingly) in response to those complaints. I guess you just can’t please some people.
I hope the powers that be at the Lafayette can find some way to bring more of us paying customers back to the Big Screen Classics. I know I’ll always be there !
Understood hotwaterbottle but my take is that if you want a viable classics program, the program has to be able to make money and obviously getting more seniors to come will not generate revenue since they don’t pay.
When I went to see Phantom and Wizard of Oz, both shows were sold out (dozens of people were actually turned away for Oz) and the audience was filled with people of all ages. People knew well in advance that those shows were coming and planned to be there.
I know that this spring schedule was cobbled together last-minute and couldn’t benefit from advance PR, but they still could have at least printed one lousy sign and put it on the door!
Deckard, check the above posts from Feb. 13 onward for more info about the current situation.
As far as attendance: I’ve only been in this area for a short time, but in at least one of the previous two years, I received a mailing with the complete classics schedule. I have not seen any such mailings in a while, so it may just be a case where people aren’t showing up because they are not aware of the schedule. I haven’t passed by recently, but at one point a few weeks back there was not even a schedule posted on the front of the Lafayette—I would definitely have gone to see West Side Story if I only knew it was playing!!!
More generally, and beyond the seniors not fillings the seats, if the classics program is going to survive they will need to advertise more than they do now—in addition to a mailing to locals, an ad in the local papers would help.
Also, if any of the local colleges have films studies programs, would there be an opportunity there to tie in required viewing for film studies classes with the classics schedule? That would potentially fill the seats with students and generate interest.
The seniors did come out for “Marty”, the one show I’ve attended in this series. That was a 1955 release, so I guess the older the film, the better the attendance.
What a bummer! Why did attendance at the Lafayette sink that low, and why are people avoiding it, do you think? Just curious, because it looks such a beautiful theatre.
Where’s Pete when you need him? Time to shine the bat signal over downtown Suffern!
Jimmy; well, Network, Annie Hall, and especially Raging Bull is'nt really the kind of films that would pack'em in at 11:30 in the morning, now is it? The seniors don’t want to see this stuff! They want the films and the stars THEY remember when THEY were young, not this “new junk” as one person put it recently. The line up is all well and good for us young turks, but not for the seniors who are the core audience; the seniors are the only reason there are “classics” here this spring. And as you saw on Saturday, the seniors have spoken and are staying away in droves. I’m sorry for being so negative but someone seriously dropped the ball this season!
While it was nice to finally make it to a show this season, it was sad to see so few people in attendance for Midnight Cowboy – it did look & sound nice, though. I asked some employees afterwards and they said it had only sold something like 25 tickets. Didn’t look like there were a lot of senior citizens there either. From what I could tell talking to the workers, attendence has been down all season. Also sad to see the decorations in the lobby and the other touches that used to be there all gone. Not sure I’ll be able to get there again until the Butch Cassidy show, looking forward to that one!
Midnight Cowboy, excellent stereo sound print. Clean and sharp. So far so good. The Lafayette series has been a winner. I hope this series takes off and is the start of many to come. Network and Rocky are next. I think Rocky will go over big as well.
Great job Lafayette!!!
Nevermind: I saw that the link above to the BCG site for the Lafayette posts tonight’s showtime as 7pm.
BTW I just moved up to these parts a few years ago and got out to see Phantom (with Jeff Barker) and The Wizard of Oz. My first experience with the Lafayette was not a first-run feature film but the presentation of the Lon Chaney Phantom with Jeff Barker at the Wurlitzer—I’ll never forget that night. For Oz last year, I brought five family members (including two teenagers) with me and everyone had such a great time—I don’t think anyone will ever forget how special that day was.
sigh
Peter, what time is the Star Trek screening tonight?
Tonight THURSDAY Star Trek WILL have a SPECIAL ADVANCED screening! Catch this film tonight at THE ONLY MOVIE PALACE in the ENTIRE TRI-STATE AREA!
How was the show of Thomas Crown Affair last weekend? I haven’t been able to make any of the spring shows so far and am really bummed I missed that one.
This weekend Star Trek will light up the SILVER SCREEN at the Lafayette!!
It is supposed to be rainy on Saturday so it would be a GREAT day to go and see Midngit Cowboy in the morning.Then return for the 7:00pm screening with Jeff Barker at 6:30 for a pre-show concert at the mighty Ben Hall Memorial Mighty Wurlitzer!
It was a STUNNING PRINT! I have NEVER seen Westside Story in the theatr. It was AMAZING!
I sat in the balcony so I did not experience the talking or cell phones ringing.
No it wasn’t me , it was a guy sitting down front a few rows ahead. People were gabbing through the whole movie and there was alot of ssshhhing going on, along with alot of cell-phones going off.
“telling the elderly to not talk all through the picture…there was alot of that..”
Was that you that said “STOP TALKING”?
Great presentation of West Side Story….fine print…even though it was mono sound…so what..it’s how it was when it went to local theaters when it came out….I just wish there would be announcement before the movie telling the elderly to not talk all through the picture…there was alot of that..
I look forward to the rest of the series…Thomas Crown next week, Network , Rocky, Midnight Cowboy,,,,yes, with the warm weather people opted to stay home but that’s with all movies…
Great job Lafayette…hey, how bout some flyers at the front door so we know what’s coming up???
Peter:
The Some Like It Hot print from 4/18 was a very nice print. A newly struck B&W print with excellent contrast and density. The film was great! Turnout wasn’t too bad from what I remember (it was less today for WSS). Jeff did play last week, that was the first show he played at. He was there today for WSS, and will be the for the rest of the series.
West Side Story – Lafayette Theater. Was there ever a better combination? What a wonderful presentation of WSS today! The print was absolutely mint, and the color was beautiful, just like an original IB Technicolor print, which I’ve also seen for this title.
A Big Thank You goes out to Mike for presentation. Flawless focus, sound, and changeovers. Thanks Mike.
And let’s not forget Jeff Barker on the organ too!
The crowd was a little light, but it was an unexpectedly sunny and warm Spring day! Hey, their loss.
This is the last of the Spring films I will be seeing at the Lafayette for this series. The remainder of the titles don’t really interest me, but good job to the Town of Ramapo and to Phil Tisi for presenting these films at the Lafayette and keeping the theater in “the public eye” during this time of Nelson and Pete’s absence. It is appreciated!
Let’s all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat!
I was not able to make it for Some Like It Hot. How was the print? Did Jeff play the organ? It was like a summer day so that may have affected turnout.
Some Like it Hot screens tomorrow morning! Looking forward to Jeff Barker for a pre-show concert!
State Of Play begins tonight it has received many good reviews!
Thanks, Lost Memory. Too bad they spelled the name of the star of the movie wrong in 1979. I know some people who still refer to her as Sally “Fields”.