Loew's Jersey Theatre

I know that there are some people on this page who know what I am doing with the Loew’s Kings, another wonder theater like the Jersey. I just figured some of you may want to join us.

“Great Escape” was my first visit to the Loews..WOW…..my jaw dropped…what a theater…..I’ve never visited before because Jersey City isn’t the best of neighborhoods and the showtimes are usually too late…but this one i made work (Would the Loews consider an early start time for matinees…The Lafayette starts at 11:30am on Saturday and they get huge crowds…sometimes it’s just too late a start that takes up the day….for me at least…anyway) The print was awesome..although the projectionist at times seemed to be asleep at the wheel (sound loss, framing ) but an overall good experience….I really wanted to stay for Patton but it was too long to wait between shows and a 8:15 start time meant a late departure and driving through Jersey City back to route 3 would have been a nightmare so I reluctantly skipped it…I came back the next day for “Great Dictator”…it was great…I’m sorry there wasn’t more of a crowd…it deserved better….the theater did…My hat’s off to ALL the volunteers who give their time to keep classic movies, theaters and moviegoing alive…I hope the Loews Jersey goes to bigger and better and gets sell-out crowds…

If you take the Stanley tour on the same day as a Loew’s Jersey show, you’ll feel like you died and went to movie palace heaven.

Hardbop-

I noticed that other theater as well. It’s called The Stanley. The Jehovah Witnesses bought it and have restored it. I don’t think they show movies there but I read somewhere that they give tours.

Damn. I know that feeling. I thought all the obnoxious people sit next to me! I usually find that the loud ones are when two-middle aged women sit next to each other. They usually gab their way through the films. I got into it with this idiot — a man — at a recent screening of “The King & I” at an AMPAS screening in Manhattan. I don’t mind the popcorn eating when they sell it at the theatre, but this jerk brought his popcorn with him in Tupperware into the AMPAS theatre where eating is forbidden. He was right behind me too.

I also was at the Loews J.C. on Saturday for both THE GREAT ESCAPE and PATTON and it was nice to see both (for the first time) on the big screen. Maltin gives both films “4-star” ratings, though I don’t think the clunky GREAT ESCAPE deserves that high a rating. PATTON was flat out terrific and George C. Scott gave the performance of his life. The GREAT ESCAPE PRINT, despite the faux pas with the sound, was the better of the two prints. PATTON, IMHO, was the better of the two films. I actually found Elmer Bernstein’s score in TGE to be cloying, annoying and it called attention to itself.

More on sci fi, the guy who gives the spiels before the flicks mentioned that two potential titles are the original INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and THE WRATH OF KHAN.

I was only there yesterday for ‘The Great Escape’ which was excellent. And yes it was funny when the sound went out at the beginning of one of the reels. Great film. Can’t wait for the Sci-Fi films in June. Any chance Loews Jersey could run films more often. Every other week perhaps? I’ll help..I promise. That place is so amazing, I hate waiting a month before I can go there again.

And if you’ll indulge me while I bitch and moan for a second: I’m a little amazed at the rudeness of a few of the people that go to some of these revival screenings. Yesterday at ‘The Great Escape’, and last week at ‘Suspicion’ at The Lafayette in Suffern I had the slight misfortune of sitting in front of a pair of obnoxious, chatty, loud, middle aged men. Maybe yesterday’s pair were the evil twins of the guys the week before. Generally speaking people that go to these screenings are more considerate than your average film going audience since the whole experience is being appreciated on a different level. But in both these scenarios, the men in both theaters insisted on chatting with each other and doing their best Ebert & Roeper impersonations during the film, and just to make it that much more interesting the guys yesterday were belching out loud and really letting people know that they could chomp on their popcorn. I’m not being overly sensitive about this, it was REALLY loud (the guys yesterday were not one, but two rows behind us and I could still hear it). This usually never happens. I know…I should actually be saying something at that moment, but it’s just going to turn into a scene, believe me. So if any of you chatty, belching, middle-aged dudes are reading this right now, please have a little decorum and don’t ruin it for others (alhtough I know some of you make a hobby out of bugging people and love doing it)…when the movie’s playing shut the f' up!!!!!! Eructate in your own space or in the bathroom. Thank you!

OK K OK…I am just expressing my opinion on this film. I never said it was demeaning, it is just the way I see it. Maybe it is satire, but good satire does have some basis in fact. I also am NOT against it being shown. If something offends you, do not read it, see it listen to it, or buy it..

Theaterat….as an Italian, I don’t find the Great Dictator to be demeaning to Italians but a slap in the face of Naziism and Facism (did I spell it right) at the time yes, Italy was teaming with Nazi Germany, so they were enemies. Plus, it’s a comedy movie and it hit at the right time…I also don’t find The Godfather or The Sopranos to be an insult to Italians….I mean, who is the Mafia??….but I do find them to be great entertainment classics….you need to lighten up paisan!!!

Amazing. As a proud Italian I never found this movie demeaning only very funny. I think it is one of Chaplin’s best.
You could call Chaplin a lot of things egotistical, self righteous, overly sentimental (just like self-important movie stars today) but I don’t think a bigot is one of them.

Patton will indeed be a standard Panavision 35mm print. It is my understanding that the print has some issues with scratches and some occasional minor jump splices, but the color is good.

Great Escape in a newly struck restored print.

/Mitchell
Loews Jersey Projection Staff

Rhett: If you turn right after leaving the Loew’s and keep walking down Kennedy Boulevard a few blocks, you’ll come to a nice park called Lincoln Park. As for parking, use the parking facility described below and you can get a half-price-off voucher inside the theater:

Paid parking is available at “Square Ramp Parking Garage”, located directly behind the Loew’s on Magnolia Avenue. Traveling south on Kennedy Boulevard, continue past the Loew’s to the third traffic light. This is the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Tonnelle Avenue. (It is the first opportunity past the Loew’s to make a right turn.) Turn right onto Tonnelle Avenue from Kennedy Boulevard. Less than a quarter of a block down Tonnelle, make the first right turn you can onto Magnolia Avenue. This is a somewhat narrow, two-way street that appears to be a dead end. In fact, you will be looking at the side wall of the Loew’s at the end of the street. Travel down Magnolia until you reach the Theatre; turn left into Square Ramp Parking Garage. After parking, follow the red pavement and “Walkway” markings alongside the Theatre; continue on the walkway as it narrows to Kennedy Boulevard. Turn left onto Kennedy and the Loew’s entrance is a few paces away, next to the “J.C. Police” station.

“The Great Dictator” would have made a nice double bill with “To Be Or Not To Be” which starred Carole Lombard and Jack Benny.brucec