I got some bad news around the turn of the year—that the gorgeous Lafayette Theater in Suffern, N.Y., a vintage movie palace complete with full-tilt Wurlitzer (I wrote about the house in the latter section of this post), would no longer be hosting the Big Screen Classics program so lovingly overseen by Nelson Page and Pete Apruzzese. The good news is that the fellas have moved their operation to the Cedar Lane Cinemas in Teaneck, N.J. It ain’t exactly the same house, but there’s still magic conjured there. My pal Joseph Failla went to a recent screening of On The Waterfront there, and e‑mailed me his impressions:
I have to say, watching the film projected as large as it was brought home again just how powerful WATERFRONT still is. Not since my first viewing, watching it as a kid on CH. 9 with my dad oh so long ago, has it hit me quite so hard. First off, it looked different than any DVD or video version I can recall. While the print admittedly had some wear to it, when you talk about grain and texture being part of the picture, it was all here to witness and discuss. They also ran it at 1.85, which differs greatly from the DVD but approximates what was shown on TCM recently. I wish I had screen shots to demonstrate the dissimilarities, but I can now describe the scene with the four thugs waiting outside a saloon for word on Joey Doyle as looking more like a line up rather than some hoods gathering on a street corner.
Perhaps the audience had not seen the film in years, but there was an audible gasp when Dugan is killed by the falling crates dropped on him from above. More evidence that the size of the screen makes all the difference in the world. I myself noticed for the first time—even though I knew he was in the film—Fred Gwynne as one of the mugs who throws a tomato at Karl Malden later during the same scene. The images that grabbed me the most were in the sequence where Brando tells Eva Marie Saint the truth about his involvement in her brother’s fate. These close ups had long ago burned themselves into my memory, but here they packed the original emotional wallop that can’t really be appreciated on television. Speaking of which, the whole shadowy look of the film could place it squarely in noir territory, if not for the inspirational ending. Other standouts were the alley way chase, the discovery of Charlie’s body, and Terry Malloy’s beating. These scenes as seen on this screen were never more exciting, touching or vivid, in that order.
Of course we were all waiting for the “contender” speech; you could feel the anticipation there in the house as soon as Steiger and Brando sat down in the back of the cab. All the praise that gets heaped on this moment is as well deserved today as it ever was. It’s an intimate scene which allows the actors to do what they do best with no distractions (Kazan was right about those blinds which block the rear window). No wonder this film is all over RAGING BULL.
And as for the “Let’s go to work!” ending? When that metal door comes down, it’s like a final curtain lowering on a magnificent modern opera. There was a round of applause that lasted well after the film itself finished. All in all I’d say the only sore spot for me is Karl Malden’s overdoing it as the concerned Father Barry (“I’m just a potato eater myself.”). He just doesn’t come off nearly as natural (in the Kazan way) as everyone else does. (He is a hoot in BABY DOLL though.) Now if I can just get the Big Screen Classics guys to run EAST OF EDEN or A FACE IN THE CROWD…
Next Wednesday’s show is of Stanley Kramer’s gargantuan oddity It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, another picture whose full, um, magnitude, is best appreciated big. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, but if you can, you should.
Somewhat off topic, but I had the privilege of catching Diary of a Country Priest on the big screen for the first time at BAM. I had seen the film maybe as many as 7 or 8 times on television, had read the novel, etc., but nothing could have prepared me for how significant the closeups felt at that size. Bresson’s ineffable pacing, use of camera movement, all of it was practically overwhelming at times. The final image had a level of abstraction when projected at that size that television cannot approximate. The sheer size of the final image overwhelmed me, and I let my eyes go out of focus as I let the voice over (delivered, very oddly but somehow successfully, in English) hit me.
Ah, the fabulous Teaneck Theater. A huge factor in my mispent youth over the years. I have vivid memories of seeing “Wild Wild Planet” there in the late 60s. Also “A Study in Terror,” still the bast Sherlock Holmes pastiche ever made.
It’s an old vaudeville house. I was depressed to discover last year that they’ve converted it into a Hell Quadraplex, but the good news is they kept the vintage décor for the whole place intact.
I too was devestated when I found out that Big Screen Classics wouldn’t be hosted at the Lafayette anymore… until I found out they were moving to Teaneck! (I’ve mentioned this here before but I’m in your old stomping ground, Fort Lee) The problem is that I work literally every Wednesday evening and haven’t been able to attend. I’m hoping next season they mix it up a bit (i.e., fashion it to my exact convenience).
I’d actually lived here my whole life and always thought of Cedar Lane as well… bad. It’s been a second-run house my entire life, though I knew it used to be a gorgeous single screen back-in-the-day. But I hear the theater they play the movies in is of more than adequate size and easily compares to the Lafayette. Cedar Lane is definitely as old as the Lafayette, but they never caved over in Suffern and kept it as a single screen (Cedar Lane has 5 screens I think).
Can we expect a guest appearance from Sr. Kenny in Teaneck some day?
Glenn & Joe:
Thanks for the kind words regarding our programs. Joe’s reaction to “On the Waterfront” is *why* we do them. As nice as some of our home setups are, it’s still not a 15′-high screen. Close-ups such as Joe describes of Brando have a much greater impact and, with a good audience, the film can only be enhanced by seeing as intended.
Regarding “A Face in the Crowd” – the current distributor (Castle Hill) maintains no 35mm prints and I have never come across one on the collector/archive circuit. “East of Eden” is already on my short list for the future 🙂
Ryan – don’t know what next season’s plans are yet regarding the scheduling.
Hey Pete, thanks for the acknowledgment. My sadness at not being able to attend isn’t completely selfish, though (just mostly), as I’m most disheartened that I can’t support the only local revival film program! Fort Lee was the world’s first movie capital, and it’s a travesty that we don’t have any movie houses in the area acknowledging this rich history. Would you accept donations? I e‑mailed the program back at the beginning of the season, but no one ever got back to me on this matter.
My e‑mail is CitizenKelly@msn.com, please be in touch if you find the time. Thanks.
And, also with respect to “A Face in the Crowd” (though this may not make your job any easier), I know Film Forum played it a few years back, and they have the studios strike new 35mm prints when they exhibit them.
Thanks, Ryan. No, we don’t accept donations as it’s a private business and we really, truly, do not run these shows as profit makers. Not that we want to lose money, but as long as we cover expenses (the first season of Cedar Lane shows were a nice little hit) and can publicize the theatre, all is good.
Re: Face in the Crowd – Kazan (or Schulberg) used to have their own 35mm print they would bicycle around but the current distributor does not have access to it if it still exists. The FF may have also have gotten it from MoMA, I’ll have to check (though MoMA is not the easiest to deal with).
Glad to hear have your success, Pete. I’m thrilled you’re not in the position to need them. I wish you many successful programs at Cedar Lane, I hope to attend next season. Best of luck to you all— you’re truly fighting the good fight and you deserve all the success you can get. Even though I haven’t been able to attend due to scheduling conflicts, I won’t deny that it warms my heart that you guys are in town.