Ziegfeld Theatre

Thanks Gary, perhaps the curtain issue has become a sore spot for them and wanted to assure you they would be used.
While we are clearing things up I would not want anyone here to think we choose to disrespect instructions with respect to the opening of the curtains during the sounding of the whistles. Those instructions were requests from the film makers and were not demands. The only time I can recall a situation which was in the form of a demand was from Warren Beatty regarding the proper masking and lens selection for “REDS” which was part of the contractual agreement between the theatre owners (first run) and Paramount pictures. There may have been a similar situation with Woody Allen with respect to the showings of “Manhattan” due to the proper presentation of the anamorphic image.
We always tried to respect the film makers wishes but I honestly do not recall the Robert Wise instructions asking for the curtains to be opened displaying a white sheet during the whistles. In any event we would never have agreed to that at the Syosset or Rivoli.

Gary, it was instructions like those that we received on most road show presentations. However I Am a bit confused about the opening with regard to the whistles. We did not open the curtains at the Syosset until all three whistles had sounded and I am quite sure it was the same for the Rivoli. Neither the Syosset or the Rivoli would have opened the curtains to a blank sheet (screen). Although it was close to 50 years ago I am sure the rest of the instructions were meet, they sound familiar and correct. Perhaps there were changes or a seperate directive from UA theatres.
Bill, I was very happy to hear that the instructuions were “enthusiastically accepted” and that you experiened “goose bumps”.
I was troubled, almost amused by what Gary wrote about the conversation with a manager who said the “curtains would be used” as if that were an option. My goodness I can only imagine when I ran WSS at the Syosset going to the manager at the beginning of my shift and asking “do you want curtains today” He would have thought I had gone mad.
As to the print, based on what Bill said are we to believe they are showing a 35mm mono print?
Good GOD, it’s the Apocalypse.

The good far outweighed the bad at tonight’s showing of “West Side Story”. First the bad: it sounded like a mono print, and one reel (the one featuring the song “Quintet” and the start of the rumble) was very slightly out of sync. And that’s it for the bad. The 35mm print was in quite good condition and the sound was impressively loud. The only missing footage was part of one shot during Bernardo’s first appearance – the rest of the film was intact, even at the reel changes.

The movie had the same effect on me that it always has: I got goosebumps around 7 or 8 times. This was “West Side Story” at the Ziegfeld, after all, and a show which started with the lights being dimmed according to Robert Wise’s specifications. The manager, William, was a very nice guy and enthusiastically accepted the instruction sheet, saying he’d give it right to the projectionist. When I saw the lights go slightly down for the overture and start going all the way down when the long shot of Manhattan appeared, I felt Robert Wise would have approved.

The show had a host, radio personality Dr. Joy Browne, who spoke before and after. She admitted she was not an expert on “West Side Story”, but she was an enthusiastic fan and said a lot of funny things. One other good thing about her appearance: she stood in front of the closed gold curtains so I got a good long look at them. We talk about them all the time here, but I hadn’t seen them in a while and they’re really quite beautiful.

Only about 100 people attended, if that many. As Dr. Browne said, a lot was going on this weekend (Valentine’s Day, Fashion Week, the Olympics) which may have contributed to the low turnout. I hope Gary’s show tomorrow afternoon has a bigger audience.

I just printed them out. The worst they can do to me is slam the door in my face or tell me to get lost. Besides, Robert Wise (who I met once at a revival screening of “Star!”) would want me to do it.

Bill:

The manager’s name is William. Print out the instructions and talk to him, just don’t mention my name.

Best,

Gary

Let me in the booth tonight, show me where the dimmer and curtain control switches are, and I’ll do it! :)

Vito: I’m definitely interested!

Gary: Thanks! I’ll see for myself tonight at 8 PM. Good luck tomorrow, and please post a transcript of your presentation if you can.

Gary you are a good man, it it all fails and they screw it up, as they often do, it will be through no fault of yours and those of us who tried to have the presentation done right.
Should you folks be interested I would be happy to share some of the
preparations we did before and during those wonderful Roadshow runs of days gone by.

Go to the webpage cited by Bill Huelbig (above) on January 27.

Craig: Please put what Vito and Gary say into practice. It’s not that hard – I’d do it myself if you’d let me!

I’m going on Friday night and can’t attend Gary’s show, but I hope I get to experience that little touch of showmanship that ultimately means so much.

Thanks Gary, that’s all we can ask. As I am sure you are aware by reading many of the posts here that the presentation of pictures like WSS is a major part of the movie going experience for a vast majority of the people coming to the Ziegfeld. When you do things like dim the lights during the opening whistles of WSS and then part the curtains and lower the stage lights as the first beat of the overture begins you get the blood pumping, people will notice and for many who may not have experienced how movies were presented in the Road show days will think to themselves what an exciting way to present a motion picture. It’s all about putting on a show and making the experience so much more and so marvelously different from what they accustomed to at the local Plex. It’s theatres like the Ziegfeld that we can retain some of the showmanship that has been lost over the years. The Ziegfeld must go that extra mile and present the movies in a way that has been sadly forgotten. We expect that, and the movie going public deserves that. In many ways I feel you almost have an obligation to do what ever you can to keep showmanship in the theatres alive, it is after all the Ziegfeld. So Thanks, I am sure you do all you can to separate your theatre from the rest and I wish a butt in every seat for the run of WSS.

Bill we received instructions on many pictures with regard to the roadshow presention. In the case of “WSS” and “My Fair lady” specific requests were made due to the unusual overtures which included images. Most if not all requests were granted with the execption of “Hello Dolly”,Fox had asked that the curtains be fully opened as the Fox logo came up after ther overture.
That request, at least in my theatre, was denied.

Gary please see to it that they present the picture properly
At the sound of the first whistle the house lights should begin to dim and then the curtain opens with the first beat of the music over the imaged overture.
Some prefer to open the curtain(s) at the first whistle to a blank screen but I ran the picture several times, once as a roadshow for just over six months, and can tell you the effect is far better with closed curtain.
Try it I think you will like it.