Loew's Jersey Theatre
54 Journal Square,
Jersey City,
NJ
07306
54 Journal Square,
Jersey City,
NJ
07306
98 people
favorited this theater
Showing 701 - 725 of 1,509 comments
Rory,during the roadshow reel-to-reel days, We did clean the audio heads every day. In platter runs, running continuous shows, we cleaned them after evety performancea.
In addition, for roadshow engagements,they were often replaced at the start of a new movie’s run.
If Rendres reads this I would be interested in knowing what the policy was regarding mag heads at Radio City.
Well I said above DTS format. A good majority of the current theatres that still have 70MM installed are Magnetic systems. It’s not all Digital in 70MM 5 perf format. There is still a number of 70MM prints that are mag striped in depots around the world.
I wouldn’t think the studios would go to all the trouble to restore the sound of 70mm or even 35mm stereophonic films, then strike new prints with magnetic tracks! That would be truly retro. Those megnetic tracks weren’t that great even in the day, with lots of tape hiss. I wonder how many theatres back then even regularly cleaned the projector’s audio heads after every showing? No, for better or worse, it’s all converted to digital now.
Fox may restore “Doctor Dolittle” since they did restore “Star!” – Julie Andrews and Robert Wise together again after “The Sound of Music” and it was still a financial bomb, probably a bigger one than “Dolittle”.
Fox has restored many of their 70MM Todd-AO / D-150 films in recent years. They have been shown at the Egyptian & Aero and the Academy Theatres in Los Angeles. These prints are DTS sounded and no magnetic tracks and for change-over houses only. And you have tobe a Special Venue with a Great track record on prints.
I know that a restored 70mm print was shown of “Doctor Dolittle” in CA a year or two ago, but I don’t know if Fox has restored it to the roadshow version. They should. They cut out one of the best songs. I think this month is the movie’s 40th anniversary, but I doubt there are many at Fox that want to celebrate one of the biggest bombs the studio ever had, so who knows what’s going on with it.
Has 20th Century restored “Doctor Dolittle” to roadshow length? The DVD and cable versions have all been of the shorter general release version. I’d enjoy seeing that one (a childhood favorite) on the big screen.
If the 70mm equipment ever gets installed I’d like to suggest “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” and “Ice Station Zebra,” even “Doctor Dolittle.” This would be a break from the usual “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Spartacus.”
At the risk of betraying my lack of proper education in these matters, I’d like to ask a question pertaining to presentation of various aspect ratios at the Jersey. Do both the scope and flat presentations here utilize the full height of the Jersey’s screen – with masking only necessary to bring in the legs at either side? Or are 2.35:1 films masked at top and bottom as well?
Bill,
Accurate dimensions and aspect ratio is available on the Loew’s Jersey Wikipedia entry:
View link
(Robert, a member of the Projection crew, reviewed the entry.)
To answer above, 70mm projectors a gift from another theater Loews operated,
/theaters/406/
ex KB Cinema in Washington, D.C. where I enjoyed 70 mm fillms including Glory and Godfather Part III. The last comment raves about 70mm films there.
It was a fun night at the Loews friday although I wish TCF could have furnished a better print of “Miracle On 34th St.” It seemed like every time there was a skip in a scene there was sigh from the audience. But everything else was first rate including hearing the Organ played for over 30 minutes before the film.
70mm projectors and rectifiers were hauled up from the lobby to the booth this summer (2007). Thank you to all who came out on those hot days and helped move those monsters!
I do not know the timetable for their installation.
I believe the screen is 50 feet wide. Just to give good examples for each ratio, I’ve seen “The Haunting” and “2001” (Panavision 2.35) and “King Kong” and “The Wizard of Oz” (Aacademy 1.33) presented properly there. As for 70mm, the theater inherited 70mm projectors from another Loew’s theater that closed (the details should be somewhere up above in this post), but I don’t think they’ve been installed in the projection booth. Just getting them up there would be a major undertaking!
“Why bother?” Well, I guess I’ve become spoiled, but bad prints really bother me. Any print that’s faded to pink is a very old print indeed (though it can happen pretty fast if the thing isn’t stored right), but really… no one should have the balls to be renting out prints that are old and faded. There’s an expression for that, it’s ‘Bullshit!’ I’ve read of newly struck prints of both “Planet of the Apes” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth” being shown in LA’s Egyptian Theatre and other places. I guess it really all depends on how much those in charge want to spend on a good print. By the way, what size is the screen at the Jersey? Is it showing Cinemascope and Panavision films properly? And by the same turn is it showing old Academy ratio films properly? 2001 (since I know who I’m talking to here) has its 40th Anniversery next year. Would the Jersey be able to show a 70mm print of it — properly?
That is still the best place to eat when you’re in a hurry to catch a show at the Loew’s Jersey.
I haven’t been in Jersey City in years, How are my guys at the Boulevard Drinks hot dog stand at 48 Journal Square doing?
“Journey” at the Loew’s – wow. I really hope that comes to pass. The last time I saw the movie in 35mm it had faded to pink, but even that way it’ll still be worth seeing at the Loew’s.
Rory, “Why Bother”?
No media can beat the excitement of seeeing a movie on the big screen in a movie palace.
I’ll take watching a slightly worn print with an occasional scratch in a movie palace over a DVD or plasma screen everytime.
Shame on you! :)
I would agree “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in four track mag sound at Loews' would be magnificent.
I just watched “Miracle on 34th Street” on cable and the print was fine. It looks even better on DVD. I think theatres such as this should shame the studios into providing the best prints possible. Of course, striking a decent print costs money and I guess it’s not practical in most cases. I’m hoping that Loew’s Jersey will have a 40th Anniversary “Planet of the Apes” showing (another 20th Century-Fox film), but I also hope with a very good print! Otherwise, why bother? You’re better off just watching a DVD on a big plasma display. Another 20th Century-Fox movie the Jersey should think about booking is “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” 2009 is that movie’s 50th Anniversary!
For all classic film series fans: some “insider information" regarding upcoming movies for January…
Although never publicly announced or discussed at this past weekend’s movie shows (because NOTHING has been finalized), the Friends are contemplating an Orson Welles film program for the last weekend of January.
The following two titles were mentioned as prime candidates: “Citizen Kane†(1941) and “Touch of Evil†(1958, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of its release).
For a third title, it would be a toss-up â€" if my spotty memory is correct, among those mentioned as possiblities are: “The Lady from Shanghai†(1947), “Journey Into Fear†(1943), “The Third Man†(1949).
Once again, the theme, titles and dates for January are all TENTATIVE – there are NO definite plans! Availability of prints is still UNKNOWN. Please check the theatre’s website regularly for updates – an “official†announcement could come at any time.
Print quality for both films, while not terrible, was indeed spotty, with dropouts, pops, scratches and blemishes, especially for “Miracle on 34th Street. I was told that 20th Century-Fox prints tend to be that way due to poor preservation and care (whereas Warner Bros. prints, for example, tend to be among the best). The technical crew worked well with what they had and the presentations went smoothly, with a bright pictures and super-clear sound.
In a surprising twist, audience size on Friday was actually higher than on Saturday (whose evening shows usually have the highest turnout). Box office tallies indicated that attendance on Friday was close to 300 (with the organ concert no doubt being a major draw) and low 200s on Saturday (perhaps due to the windy chill outside and looming threat of a winter storm later that night). There were many children in attendance (especially for “Mary Poppinsâ€). Strangely, to my eyes, the auditorium on Saturday looked fuller. Regardless, it was two nights of great family entertainment, enjoyed by all who were there!
As a volunteer staffer, I also want to personally express gratitude to those loyal and generous patrons who really got into the “holiday spirit†of giving â€" several made an extra “donation†to the Friends by purchasing tickets and telling us to “keep the changeâ€â€¦one group even remarked that they “love this place.†Thank you!
Had a great time at the sing a long last night before the movie. We even had a full soprano section in the orchestra. Apparetly recalling all the harmonies from the high school choir. It was fabu seeing so many generations of people together enjoying the same thing. Despite the choppy print of “Miracle on 34th Street” the evening was a blast.
Now that I’ve heard the Wonder Organ here I can go back home to San Diego to listen to the one they’re installing at the Balboa Theater. Cheers.
So there are plans to screen silent films at the Loews once the organ is fully operational? That’s great news! Would be great to see an epic silent film like Wings, Ben Hur or The Iron Horse on the large screen at the Loews.
The projector motor regulators are already in place to adjust the speed for silent films.