Some great responses to my recent post about the future of movie theaters.
Just wanted to share my thoughts about some.
At about 6 years old I was allowed to go to our local theater. A fairly
common, no so clean theater. My cousin started as a projectionist at 13
(old carbon arc projectors), so I was allowed to go in the balcony when he
was working. I had so many fond memories of going and seeing the process,
etc. It closed down in 1974, and no theater has been in my town (5,000
population) since that time. There are several screens about 15 minutes
from here.
A few years ago I found a theater about 30 miles from home in a town of
about 2,000 population. It is off the beaten path and has been in operation
since 1926. It is fairly nice, one regular screen, and a smaller one
upstairs with probably 100 seats. It is fascinating as they run first run
movies and the price is always $1.50. Snack bar you can get a decent size
drink and a decent size popcorn for $5. I have been to a few movies, seems
to always be busy, a well behaved crowd, etc. I think the people that go
are proud of their theater.
I was recently contacted to look at some paper and 35mm film in a theater
in Georgia. I took the 12 hour drive and was pleasantly surprised to find
a theater that was built in 1927. It is 1 screen with a capacity of 400,
this includes a recently remodeled balcony. It had closed due to the
virus, but it seemed very clean and nicely historic (not a palace, just a
nice small town theater). The owner is probably close to 70 and is going
to sell it, but it will stay in operation during the process. It is on a
town square and a city of about 9,000, the only screen in town. The
closest other screens are about 30 minutes away. Just a side note, the
material is from the late 90s to current, no Frankenstein's or Dracula's.
Just some positive thoughts about a couple of theaters, there are still a
few out there like this.
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