Ridgewood Theatre
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
31 people
favorited this theater
Showing 926 - 950 of 2,835 comments
Thanks for relating the info and your experience, East Coast Rocker. I’ve never purchased nor seen those bootleg DVD’s, only heard or read about them.
What some people have done to pirate the movies was to get a hold of what they call “Screening” copies of the movie that are sent out to movie reveiwers so they don’t have to leave their house.The kicker is that they are sent out via a system where all the copies are coded and signed for and tracked.
You can rest assured that the DVD version of the movies that are released are already in the box ready to hit the stores once they determine that enough time has gone by when the movie has been pulled from the theatres. The “Bombs” are usually out there within 2 months after it is done showing where as the bigger money makers may be 6 months to a year. Also the same day the DVD is released it is available on On Demand for some outragous price.
I know what you mean Peter about the bootlegs. I saw a bootleg video tape of a movie where i saw the screen at an angle heads bobbing up and down and peole talking through the movie.
So, the transfer of movies showing in cinemas, to DVD, is now so rapid, that it doesn’t even allow time for pirated DVD’s to be sold on the streets ?
I mean those DVD’s resulting from someone going into a theatre, illegally camcording a movie, then illegally transferring it to DVD, burning copies, then selling them on the street, even though the sound is often not that great, is full of echoes, and the screen image may be blocked by someone’s head in front of the camcorded.
You got that right MPol.
El Train, I wholeheartedly agree with you and East Coast Rocker about the average duration of in-theatre movies that’re released today. They don’t stay in the theatres, at least not for very long, and they get transferred to DVD in no time. It’s quite sad. When I was a kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, blockbuster films would run for months, or even years in many places. Yep…those days are gone forever.
East Coast Rocker makes a good point about the average in-theater duration of movies released today. Even very popular movies usually go to DVD within a matter of weeks. On the other hand, when I was growing up in the 1970s, a blockbuster movie would run for months in the theaters.
One needs to convert dollars of two different years to dollars of the same year to make a meaningful comparison.
I do not know about the Ridgewood’s projection system as a multiplex of 3 to 5 screens.
Peter
Even a 1977 dollar maybe wotrh more due to inflation how many seats did it fill compared to a 2008 dollars. It’s comparing apples to oranges. Back then most of the theatres were still single screen. The multiplexs back then did did not have the same type of equipment that they have today to where they could show the same print in more then one room. Now all they do is splice the reels together and add enough leeder time that they can show the same movie in any or all the rooms they have.
I don’t know if they installed that system in the Ridgewood. When i went there was only 1 screen and 3 carbon arc projectors. I am sure they had to upgrade to operate as a multiplex.
mrbillyc, yes, I am one in the same. I was hit by a car on Veterans Day 1966, and I never returned to St. Brigids. I attended St. Aloysius for the rest of grammar school. I moved to Miami when I was 19, so its been a long time since I saw Ridgewood. I now reside in Rhode Island, and I will take a drive very soon, all of the comments have made me homesick. I hope I recognize some of my old hangouts. I cant wait to walk Myrtle Ave., it used to be one of my favorite places to people watch.
Right on, Bway. Thanks !
While the old single screen theaters, and even the older multiplexes (or cut up theaters) may be hurting, the “movie industry” doesn’t seem to be dying. At my local multiplex, which is new, has like 20-something screens, state of the art auditoriums, stadium seating, etc, etc, etc, the place is MOBBED on any given night. People didn’t stop going to or watching movies, the way they do it though has….
Points taken, East Coast Rocker. However, one has to compare 1977 dollars to 2008 dollars and adjust for inflation, using the consumer price index. A 1977 dollar is probably equal to 2 or more 2008 dollars.
Movie theaters stay in business selling popcorn and soda, not movie tickets ? That doesn’t make sense.
I know what you mean, mrbillyc.
Cindy Vail, were you Cynthia Vail in Mrs. Santoro’s 3rd grade in St. Brigid’s 1965-1966? We may be former classmates-William (Bill) Conte.
Gang, the Ridgewood & the RKO Madison will always be alive in my memories!
Yes Peter if you look at it from our side of the camera. Hollywood is pumping out movies at blinding speeds.
Movies today unlike movies of when I was growing up only stay playing for no more then a month. Sometimes even less. The only constant todays Stadium Seat multiplexs have in common with the single screen theatres are the consession stands. Popcorn and soda has always been the least cost of anything they sell but the highest mark up. Why do you think that most places offer you free refills on popcorn and soda? Costs them less then 25 cents for a large cup of soda or popcorn. Thats what pays the rent not the movies.
When they talk about record breaking blockbuster movies what most people forget is when Star Wars came out in 1977 it only cost $5 to see it as compared to $10 or more to see a movie.
BTW I saw Star Wars at the Lowes Astor Plaza when it first cam eout.
Indeed Peter,
I understand that some Mets games are simulcasted at the Ziegfeld,complete with roving vendors and “Mr. Met.”
Is the movie industry dying because of VCRs, Cable DVR and DVD’s ? The stadium-seat multiplex cinemas still seem to be doing quite well, financially.
For me, the old movie houses are very much a reality in my mind, and in actuality, such as the Ziegfeld in midtown Manhattan.
Sometimes I hate this site. I spent some time on here talking about the Ridgewood and some how it logged me out.
I was in there area from Mid 77-78. Iknew the district manager for the UA theatre group that owned the Ridgewood and got to see movies for free with a guest if i had one. One thing I was able to do was watch the movies from the closed to the public balcony which they only opened when the main floor filled up. I had some great times there.
To bad the movie industry as far as theatres go are dying because of the advent of first the VCR, Cable DVR and DVD’s.
I guess for some of us the old movie houses are still a reality in our minds.
Cindy Vail, my cousin Fran is now, unfortunately, almost totally incapacitated by multiple sclerosis, and has been, for a number of years.
You’re welcome to all the fond memories. It must have been awesome seeing “The Birds” at the Ridgewood Theatre at age 7.
Cindy, you may want to check out the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill, which is totally intact, now serving as a flea market on Sunday’s.
I CAME ACROSS THIS SITE AND AFTER READING FOR A LITTLE WHILE I REALIZED HOW MUCH I MISSED RIDGEWOOD, I HAVENT BEEN BACK FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS. I ALSO REALIZED HOW MANY NAMES I RECOGNIZED (ESPECIALLY PETER KOCH) WE SPENT ALOT OF TIME TOGETHER AS CHILDREN, AT YOUR COUSIN FRAN’S APARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FOND MEMORIES, I PLAN ON TAKING MY YOUNGEST SON TO NY SO I CAN SHOW HIM WHERE I GREW UP. I HAD FORGOTTEN WHAT A SPECIAL PLACE RIDGEWOOD WAS, I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF THE RIDGEWOOD THEATER, MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING THE BIRDS WHEN I WAS ABOUT 7 STILL SENDS CHILLS UP MY SPINE. IT WAS A GRAND THEATER IN ITS TIME. PETER IF YOU READ THIS CAN YOU LET NE KNOW HOW FRAN IS DOING, WE LOST TOUCH MANY YEARS AGO. THANKS
Thank you all for your comments. Mike, I’ll do what I can with the petition link as you’ve suggested.
Thank you very much, John! If the UA Brandon Cinemas/Continental Theatre shutters shortly (which I hope it does not), it will likely boost business for the Cinemart. There will be less competition.
Michael, your upbeat response to my rather cynical comment shamed me into entering a piece on the Ridgewood petition in the www.BushwickBk.com blog. It appears that this has generated at least a few additional signatures. Hopefully, more people will read the piece and sign the petition in the future.
Turning to living theaters, has anyone heard how the Cinemart is doing these days? I know that when the Atlas mall opened, a real fear was expressed on the Cinemart’s page that the end might very well be near. But its demise has, to date, not come about. So, does anyone have any news to share?
Thanks for all you are doing to try and save the Ridgewood Theater Mike….
If I lived in the Ridgewood area, I’d have supported the efforts to save the Ridgewood Theatre. Again, it looks like a cool place. Are there any nighttime photos of the Ridgewood Theatre to be had? Just curious.