MGM Classics at the Loew's Jersey (1 Viewer)

[Bill Huelbig]

Now that summer's over at last, The Loew's Jersey in Jersey City, NJ will once again be open for business:
Friday September 27th at 7 PM: THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
Saturday September 28th at 7 PM: Alfred Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
Between these amazing shows and the great lineup every Thursday night this fall at the Galaxy in Guttenberg, NJ, it seems like Hudson County, NJ is the big screen classic movie capital of the tri-state area! (Sorry, New York - at least you still have LAWRENCE OF ARABIA at the Ziegfeld.)
Loew's Jersey: http://www.loewsjersey.org/
Galaxy: http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/newschedule.htm

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Hi, Bill!

Have you made it to any of the Galaxy shows? Unfortunately, due to my wife's schedule, I can't make many of the Thursday shows (though NOTHING will keep me away from The Haunting on October 17th). I can tell you that the print for 42nd STREET - tomorrow night's show - is gorgeous!

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Hi Peter:
The first Galaxy show I'll be going to will be WEST SIDE STORY and, like you, I wouldn't miss seeing THE HAUNTING for anything. I know it sounds greedy, but I'm hoping THE HAUNTING finds its way into the Loew's Jersey Halloween show as well. Nothing wrong with seeing it twice in one month
--Bill

 

[Holadem]

We have a theater here in Hartford that shows classics every other Tuesday... at 1PM
It's for nursing home residents...
--
Holadem

 

[Tino]

Pete
Any idea what the Halloween lineup will be at the Loews? I am hoping for Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein which I missed last year. Oh to see that on the big screen! I would love to catch The Haunting but Thursday nights are tough for me.:frowning:
I plan on catching as many Loews shows as I can. Did I ever say I love that place?

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

No, Tino, I haven't heard from Bob yet what they're trying to book for Halloween. I'll post as soon as I find out.

Too bad about Thursdays for you - if there's ever a way I can schedule an "advance" showing of any of the Galaxy features, I'll let you know off-line.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

The first Galaxy show I'll be going to will be WEST SIDE STORY

Bill,

I just finished assembling the print of West Side Story and the presentation tonight should be wonderful! The print is in Dolby Stereo and looks wonderful - could very well be the best print we've had yet. Color is perfect, very little wear, complete overture and end title. Maybe one or two mid-reel splices, but they are mostly lab splices and are complete. 11 reels - 152 minutes - no intermission. I think you'll be happy with the showing - please let me know how it is (I can't be there).

Pete

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Pete:

Thanks for the advance information and thanks for putting the print together - now I'm really excited! I was never sure, but it looks like WEST SIDE STORY never had an intermission, even in the roadshow version. When I saw it at a drive-in theater in Rutherford, NJ in 1963 (age 8) they put their own intermission in, between "One Hand One Heart" and "Quintet". A good way to sell more of those hot dogs and burgers, I guess.

--Bill

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Pete:

The print of WEST SIDE STORY was everything you said it would be. That film is powerful even on a small TV, but seeing it on the 45-foot Galaxy screen from the third row was nothing less than overwhelming. The audience was really into it, too. There was applause at the end of some individual songs ("America", "Tonight", even the overture!)

Now I really can't wait to see THE HAUNTING there. Thanks again to you for all you've done in this series, and thanks to Robert Wise for being a master of the wide screen.

--Bill

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Bill,
Thanks so much for the feedback and I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the show. Sorry that Jeff wasn't there to play the organ for the pre-show, but he's on vacation and our usual substitute for him was stuck working his regular job and couldn't fill-in.
We had about 35 paid tickets last night, which is our best yet. If only we could manage to get 60-75 people per show, we'd start to break even.

The audience was really into it, too. There was applause at the end of some individual songs ("America", "Tonight", even the overture!)

:b Wish I could have heard that!
Speaking of Robert Wise, don't forget the Wise and Val Lewton classic, The Body Snatcher, on October 10!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Update:
Just finished assembling the print for tomorrow nights's showing of William Castle's 13 GHOSTS (Thursday, October 3 at 8pm) at the Galaxy Theatre. It is a near-mint 35mm print in the ILLUSION-O process - free ghost viewers are provided! Virtually no scratches or mid-reel splices, either. Should be a hoot-and-a-half - hope to see some of you there! Further info: Big Screen Classics website
Pete

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Hey Peter:

Sure wish I could've been there last night. I love William Castle films and they really come to life in a theater. How big was the audience? I hope it was a large crowd of happy people USING and REMOVING their viewers.

Can't wait for THE HAUNTING - nothing will keep me away from that one!

--Bill

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Hi, Bill.
We had around 35 paid tickets last night. But, and this is a good thing, a lot of the customers had not been to any of the previous shows (the musicals) and were very interested in the remaining films on the schedule. So, I have a feeling that we may end up doing well with the October Halloween shows and beyond. If we can get up to that 75 ticket break-even mark, things will look good for continuing this project into next year. Yes, everybody used their viewers correctly!
Upcoming shows at the Galaxy:
"The Body Snatcher" (Karloff & Lugosi), October 10
"The Haunting" (Robert Wise version), October 17
John Carpenter's "Halloween", October 24
"Phantom of the Opera" (Lon Chaney), October 31, with live Pipe Organ Accompaniment
More info and schedule here: Big Screen Classics
Extra: A little birdie told me a rumor about some potential late-October shows at the Loew's Jersey. Might be three films playing: one with a big ape, one featuring a battle between two of Universal's most popular monsters, and one Technicolor vampiric extravaganza from the late 1950s. (Titles to follow, when confirmed, for those of you who can't figure them out... )

 

[Bill Huelbig]

My guesses for the Loew's Jersey Halloween shows:

KING KONG (which I've never seen in a theater and it's about time I did)

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN

HORROR OF DRACULA

Thanks, Peter. I hope I scored well.

I'm working on getting at least 4 other people to come see THE HAUNTING with me on 10/17. That should be a break-even show for sure!

--Bill

 

[Tino]

King Kong at the Loews Jersey?
Oh...My....God! I'm getting on line now!
:b

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Just remember, those are *unconfirmed* for the Loew's. I'll update when I know anything.

See you at the movies!

 

[MitchellD]

October Loews Jersey shows are as follows:

King Kong is confirmed for Friday Evening October 25th. The Saturday October 26th shows are Ghostbusters in the afternoon, and an evening double feature of Horror Of Dracula (not yet confirmed) and Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman. We should have confimration on HOD by the end of this week, and i'm sure either Pete or Bob will post something at that time.

/Mitchell