Drove by here today. Really strange closing. All poster cases still have posters of all recent movies. A box was on the boxoffice counter that said RealD 3D glasses. And not one sign or mention that its closed or a new owner coming in. Also the old marquee on Rte 35 still says Clearview Cinemas on it. I guess Bowtie wasnt putting any money into this place.
KGordonMurray, I guess you probably know a projectionist I worked with for 9 years at the Middlebrook Galleria Cinemas in Ocean Twp. Jerry Cunningham. He was a great guy to work with.
Wow, thats a shame. I really loved this place when I was projectionist there from 1995 to 2004. The AMC up the road has always been a drag on this theatre. And another problem was each time someone new took over they kept changing the policy, prices, showtimes, etc.
Just curious, it was an old UA indoor/outdoor. If the indoor was 2, which it was after twinningt, and the drive in was a single screen, shouldnt it be listed as 3 screens? And then there would still be the seat count for the indoor.
This week marks 16 years since this theatre closed. A question: If the original theatre was 1250 seats, shouldn’t the seat count be higher since they added an addition to the building in the early 70’s ? I think that was a 500 seat addition? Maybe rrettino would know.
I’ll see what I can do walterk. Im at the arena 8 am to load in a show. Its at least 8 hrs if not more. And if I get showcall I dont leave at all. We shall see. I drove by last week. The big demo dumpster was gone and nothing happening. All doors were locked. Gonna check again next week.
Yes Jack I agree with you about the twinning. I was the screen cleaner for Clearview at the time. Cinema 6 is a crackerbox. The 304 was a nice size decent theatre.
My wife is once again a dresser on the Christmas show. I will probably be there the day of the last dress rehersals, as always. Lets hope the 70mm stays forever. I miss being a projectionist. Damn digital.
The mall this theatre is in was actually planned back in the 90’s. General Cinema originally was going to build there. Years of back and forth between state and local leaders caused the project to not start years later after GCC was long gone.
To answer your question thebrat, todays projectionists arent projectionists. All these chains got rid of us professionals years ago. I managed to hang on for a total of 37 years by working my last 10 for an independant after the union got thrown out by clearview. And joemasher, will 70mm be at the Zieg for the entire run?? Im planning on going in the 2nd week, as I cannot make it the first 9 days its there.
I use to clean the screens for Cablevision when they had the theatre and until they felt that was a waste of money. This is a very beautiful theatre. The triplexing was done very nicely. I hope you can still do 35mm stuff. I, as a now former projectionist, after 38 years, love to see folks who still embrace film over digital.
So open for a while longer. Still only 20 or so years not long for a multiplex before biting the dust.
20 years for a theatre. The life spans are getting shorter and shorter.
I havent been in there since I left in March 2004 as the last union projectionist. It wasnt bad then. How dirty and in disrepair is it??
Drove by here today. Really strange closing. All poster cases still have posters of all recent movies. A box was on the boxoffice counter that said RealD 3D glasses. And not one sign or mention that its closed or a new owner coming in. Also the old marquee on Rte 35 still says Clearview Cinemas on it. I guess Bowtie wasnt putting any money into this place.
KGordonMurray, I guess you probably know a projectionist I worked with for 9 years at the Middlebrook Galleria Cinemas in Ocean Twp. Jerry Cunningham. He was a great guy to work with.
Wow, thats a shame. I really loved this place when I was projectionist there from 1995 to 2004. The AMC up the road has always been a drag on this theatre. And another problem was each time someone new took over they kept changing the policy, prices, showtimes, etc.
This theatre is no longer listed on the Bow Tie website. Is it closed? Or was it taken over by a different chain.
Not only that Peter, but even in the days of 20 min reels, the trailers would have been spliced together.
Beautiful Theatre. AS a former projectionist, I loved the shots of the projection room.
Is this the theatre featured in the Capitol Cities video Safe and Sound?? If it is there is a great shot of the projection room at 1:11 of the video.
Just curious, it was an old UA indoor/outdoor. If the indoor was 2, which it was after twinningt, and the drive in was a single screen, shouldnt it be listed as 3 screens? And then there would still be the seat count for the indoor.
My father was a projectionist here from 1967 till early 1972. I was the last projectionist to work here in 1988.
This week marks 16 years since this theatre closed. A question: If the original theatre was 1250 seats, shouldn’t the seat count be higher since they added an addition to the building in the early 70’s ? I think that was a 500 seat addition? Maybe rrettino would know.
They started with the ending 9 prices about a month ago here in New Jersey.
I’ll see what I can do walterk. Im at the arena 8 am to load in a show. Its at least 8 hrs if not more. And if I get showcall I dont leave at all. We shall see. I drove by last week. The big demo dumpster was gone and nothing happening. All doors were locked. Gonna check again next week.
I hope your right Vito. I wish one day I could see the booth at RCMH, but I know its a pipe dream.
And you know walterk, that Joe was my father.
Yes Jack I agree with you about the twinning. I was the screen cleaner for Clearview at the time. Cinema 6 is a crackerbox. The 304 was a nice size decent theatre.
My wife is once again a dresser on the Christmas show. I will probably be there the day of the last dress rehersals, as always. Lets hope the 70mm stays forever. I miss being a projectionist. Damn digital.
The mall this theatre is in was actually planned back in the 90’s. General Cinema originally was going to build there. Years of back and forth between state and local leaders caused the project to not start years later after GCC was long gone.
To answer your question thebrat, todays projectionists arent projectionists. All these chains got rid of us professionals years ago. I managed to hang on for a total of 37 years by working my last 10 for an independant after the union got thrown out by clearview. And joemasher, will 70mm be at the Zieg for the entire run?? Im planning on going in the 2nd week, as I cannot make it the first 9 days its there.
I use to clean the screens for Cablevision when they had the theatre and until they felt that was a waste of money. This is a very beautiful theatre. The triplexing was done very nicely. I hope you can still do 35mm stuff. I, as a now former projectionist, after 38 years, love to see folks who still embrace film over digital.
Your Welcome.
moviebuff, the only theatre I saw in NJ gonna play it in 35 mm is the Lincoln Cinemas in Kearney
This is the theatre your thinking about. Also the Amboys Multiplex opened in 1979 and closed in 2005.