On this date, Sept 3rd, 1977, this theatre would once again close after being open for 3 months, to be split in half by General Cinema. All of its beauty would forever be lost by the senseless twinning of this theatre. Of course today, one couldn’t even tell it ever was a theatre, with the Irish Pub and other small retail spaces that are now there. 1977 was a rough year for this building. First Walter Reade closed it, forgot to have the water shut off, it flooded, General Cinema opened it, closed it, twinned it, and re-opened it in Nov of that year.
Here in New Jersey, you NEVER see ads from individual theatre companies or indy’s anymore. All we get is a block studio ad that says type your zip code in on the web for theatres and showtimes. I remember back in the 70’s making up the weekly ads for GCC where we had 4 0r 5 of the area theatres in one ad with showtimes and price info. At the place I work, they wish more people would come, I say advertize, but they say its too expensive. Catch-22 all the way around.
I actually had the pleasure of running it at the split GCC Menlo Park Twin. 800 seats sold out every show day after day. The 70MM rocked. 10 years later, I had the pleasure to run the last 70MM film there in 1989, “The Abyss.”
Really awesome pictures. She needs to rescued soon or it may be too late. Looks to be heading down the same road as Loews Kings in Brooklyn N.Y. Hopefully someday she can see a rebirth.
I said years ago that TCM should try something like this at indoor venues. Not just any indoor venue, but real treasures, such as the Ziegfeld in New York, the Lafayette in Suffern N.Y., the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J. Big theatres, with big screens, the way movies should be shown. Perhaps someday this can become reality.
And those 18 shoeboxes are exactly the reason intermissions will never come back as Howard suggested. As my owner said, where do you put the people? Multiplexes have ruined everything, in this persons opinion.
That’s a cablevision thing Howard, and thats the only reason those 2 theatres are still Clearview. If cablevision ever loses the franchise rights down there, those theatres will be sold quicker than you can say boo.
Just back from a visit to family out this way. The theatre is most definitly closed, as is the entire mall. Only J.C. Penney and Sears remain, only because they own the stores. A May auction of the mall got no bidders at all. A shame too, since photos show it being a rather nice mall, but my relatives said crime in the area killed it years ago.
I am very surprised that Clearview has the theatres Justin speaks of still in their fold. 5 years ago when they got rid of all us union projectionists, they said they only wanted theatres in a cablevision area, meaning it had to be IN a cablevision supplied area, not comcast or patriot or any other company. I guess over the past 5 years they changed their way of thinking, because in 2004, I remember they got rid of Edison and Woodbridge because Comcast was the cable supplier.
I remember when the theatres I was working at as a projectionist was going to get any of his movies, the manager would order extra stock and have on extra staff. His movies were in those days boxoffice gold, at least where I worked.
I agree with ALL of the above.
Nice unique idea.
On this date, Sept 3rd, 1977, this theatre would once again close after being open for 3 months, to be split in half by General Cinema. All of its beauty would forever be lost by the senseless twinning of this theatre. Of course today, one couldn’t even tell it ever was a theatre, with the Irish Pub and other small retail spaces that are now there. 1977 was a rough year for this building. First Walter Reade closed it, forgot to have the water shut off, it flooded, General Cinema opened it, closed it, twinned it, and re-opened it in Nov of that year.
A ‘Casa-de-Fruitas’ farmers market occupies what was the lobby of this former theatre.
I agree with Love movies. Although I was never a big fan of his, Its gotten to the point where can we please just let the man rest in peace already.
Here in New Jersey, you NEVER see ads from individual theatre companies or indy’s anymore. All we get is a block studio ad that says type your zip code in on the web for theatres and showtimes. I remember back in the 70’s making up the weekly ads for GCC where we had 4 0r 5 of the area theatres in one ad with showtimes and price info. At the place I work, they wish more people would come, I say advertize, but they say its too expensive. Catch-22 all the way around.
I actually had the pleasure of running it at the split GCC Menlo Park Twin. 800 seats sold out every show day after day. The 70MM rocked. 10 years later, I had the pleasure to run the last 70MM film there in 1989, “The Abyss.”
9 months for renovation of a 4 screen theatre seems a little long. They can build a whole new complex from the ground up in less time.
I dont want to be a pessimist, but its awful hard to make money with anything that seats 200.
Beautiful story and photos.
Watch these 2 bite the dust soon.
Really awesome pictures. She needs to rescued soon or it may be too late. Looks to be heading down the same road as Loews Kings in Brooklyn N.Y. Hopefully someday she can see a rebirth.
I miss this theatre, as well as the Shore Twins a few blocks away. It just doesn’t seem the same in Wildwood anymore without them.
Yet another one bites the dust.
I said years ago that TCM should try something like this at indoor venues. Not just any indoor venue, but real treasures, such as the Ziegfeld in New York, the Lafayette in Suffern N.Y., the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J. Big theatres, with big screens, the way movies should be shown. Perhaps someday this can become reality.
And those 18 shoeboxes are exactly the reason intermissions will never come back as Howard suggested. As my owner said, where do you put the people? Multiplexes have ruined everything, in this persons opinion.
That’s a cablevision thing Howard, and thats the only reason those 2 theatres are still Clearview. If cablevision ever loses the franchise rights down there, those theatres will be sold quicker than you can say boo.
Just another sorry sign of the times.
Just back from a visit to family out this way. The theatre is most definitly closed, as is the entire mall. Only J.C. Penney and Sears remain, only because they own the stores. A May auction of the mall got no bidders at all. A shame too, since photos show it being a rather nice mall, but my relatives said crime in the area killed it years ago.
The once mighty Redstone empire will soon be history.
I am very surprised that Clearview has the theatres Justin speaks of still in their fold. 5 years ago when they got rid of all us union projectionists, they said they only wanted theatres in a cablevision area, meaning it had to be IN a cablevision supplied area, not comcast or patriot or any other company. I guess over the past 5 years they changed their way of thinking, because in 2004, I remember they got rid of Edison and Woodbridge because Comcast was the cable supplier.
AND…most important, his movies were fun AND entertaining without all the bells and whistles we have today.
I remember when the theatres I was working at as a projectionist was going to get any of his movies, the manager would order extra stock and have on extra staff. His movies were in those days boxoffice gold, at least where I worked.
We need MORE around the country, espescially here in New Jersey !!!
Last saw this theatre about 10 years ago. I often said what a gem it would be be again if it were to reopen as a multi-purpose venue.