Remember the Alamo, avoid the slump
Filed under: Exhibition
As part of the extended section on moviegoing experiences in the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, the magazine lists "10 Theaters Doing It Right." Austin filmgoers are abuzz because the top theater on the list is Alamo Drafthouse. (The magazine doesn't mention which Alamo -- it's an Austin-based chain, so I assume the honor encompasses all four Austin locations.) The article includes a marvelous panoramic photo taken at the Alamo premiere of The Life Aquatic, at which the audience members all wore red Zissou hats. The theaters on this list offer some wonderful amenities: inventive programming, beer, restricted admission for children, reserved seats, and even on-site child care. These are not theaters that treat audiences like captive cattle. When big-chain theaters complain about shrinking audience numbers, they should examine these theaters.
EW cites Alamo's Rolling Roadshow and special events such as the Lord of the Rings screening with accompanying Hobbit feast as reasons why the theater is so amazing. Personally, I love the fact that I can talk with friends before the movie starts without having to shout over advertisements, and that it's easy to alert the theater staff discreetly if other audience members are acting obnoxious. Oh, and I really like the root-beer floats.
EW's list is after the jump. The article isn't currently available online. I wish I could take a road trip to visit the other nine theaters on the list. If you live near these theaters and haven't been to them recently, who knows? Maybe they'll lure you away from the DVD rental store and back into a theater.
- Alamo Drafthouse: Austin, TX
- Kennedy School: Portland, OR
- The Castro: San Francisco
- The Senator: Baltimore, MD
- Film Forum: NYC
- Cable Car Cinema: Providence, RI
- The Arclight: Hollywood
- Grauman's Chinese Theatre: Hollywood
- The Oriental: Milwaukee, WI
- Muvico Paradise 24: Davie, FL
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-15-2005 @ 10:30AM
Film Cynic said...
The list of theatres is a bit touristy and while I'd like to visit each one, I'd rather go on a regular basis to a normal, simple theatre that does takes care of the customers rather than offering them additional incentives. I love beer; I love movies; I enjoy watching a movie at home with a beer. But the ability to drink a beer at a theatre is not always that appealing. I promote the moviegoing experience not for having a fun time, but an entertaining or mentally stimulating time with the magic of light and film rather than digital code on your television. The one theater on the list that I have been to is Film Forum, which isn't all that comfortable or accomodating or exciting, except for the fact that it shows amazing prints of wonderful films.
Reply
8-15-2005 @ 12:24PM
logan said...
the other thing not mentioned in the article is that Portland's Kennedy School (along with a number of other theaters in town) not only offer beer and pizza in the theater, but the movies are only three bucks! there's even a first-run theater in Portland, the St. John's Theater, that offers first-run movies with a three-dollar matinee. it totally makes going to the movies worth it, and no commercials!
Reply
8-15-2005 @ 12:44PM
mick du russel said...
Let's hope this trend spreads to more areas in the country. This is a refreshing change from the very commercial, systematic cinemas more people are accustomed to and avoiding. Changes like this will be noticed and appreciated.
Reply
8-16-2005 @ 1:21PM
Tim Bratcher said...
Of course I love the Alamo theatres very much. I went to a showing of Wigstock at the Castro Theatre a few years ago, and had a BLAST.
Reply