Getting back to the roots of mergemovies tomorrow with Part I of a five-part series featuring movie theaters in the Cincinnati, Ohio area (a fellow blogger over at Our Medium was kind enough to indulge my movie theater exploration habit while I was in town).  Before I launch into a look at some truly amazing vintage Ohio movie theaters, I wanted to quickly touch on something that had laid dormant in the back of my mind until a recent Slashfilm and JoBlo posting made me ponder the issue once more.

The conundrum at hand: What is the future of movie theaters, especially those in the Midwest? Part of the purpose of this blog is to attempt to answer that question and today’s post is just a scratch on the surface of the issue.

Russ Fisher’s Slashfilm post examines The New Beverly Cinema, a movie theater in Los Angeles that would have closed in 2007, had it not been for the financial support of Quentin Tarantino.  Fisher notes a handful of other repertory/revival  theaters–including the Brattle in Camridge, Massachusetts–that have undergone financial struggles over the past few years.  The Midwest has a great cinema culture–a unique mix of everything from backyard screenings, festivals and vintage neighborhood theaters to college lecture halls, multiplexes and IMAX theaters,  but the reality is (especially in the Midwest where the cinema culture is not as ingrained into society as, say, California), there are just not enough Quentin Tarantinos to go around.

There is no question the rise of television, followed by the rise of VHS, DVD and now Netflix has taken much out importance and necessity of actually going to the theater.  But the “crisis” facing movie theaters (not to mention video stores, opera houses and symphony orchestras) is also a generational issue.  I try to watch movies at a theater whenever possible.  I am lucky to live in the Detroit area where (surprisingly to some) there are so many quality cinema venues.  The Redford Theatre shows the classics.  The Detroit Film Theatre is known worldwide for its top-notch foreign films.  Even the new kid on the street, The Burton Theatre, has attracted local and national buzz (see The New York Times – Detroit Entrepreneurs Opt to Look Up) with its mix of forgotten, foreign, cult and independent film.  The problem–and the exception here is the Burton Theatre–is the demographics, specifically the age, of people actually watching the movies.  There is nothing wrong with an “older” crowd attending these films, but as I sit in theaters that have been screening motion pictures since the 1920s, I sometimes catch myself wondering if these places will be open when I reach the golden years.  As generations of kids grow up streaming Netflix from their X-Boxes or watching television on Hulu, how many will venture beyond the confines of their room to even walk down the street to the local neighborhood movie theater?

Multiplexes are banking on 3-D to bring in the masses, but what about the theater that seeks to educate people about the huge variety of film that exists or simply show an old flick?  Children’s shows and family-oriented movies are a couple ways that theaters try to attract kids (example: the My Fair Lady Sing-A-Long at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor on February 28).  A new program by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra also provides a possible model that cinematheques could use to attract the younger generation.  The DSO 37/11 program allows anyone under the age of 37 to purchase tickets a week in advance to select shows for only $11.  People that enroll in the program can purchase up to two tickets for the special price and are given best available seating.  I know the profit margin for movie theaters can sometimes be tight, but a discounted ticket program or some special treatment to the younger folk might keep them coming back, even after the discount ends.  In other words, if you start someone on a movie-watching tradition at a theater every Friday night, they will keep coming back–even after their discount is up.

The next five posts, each one examining a different theater in the Cincinnati area, will provide a good look at what has been happening to theaters over the past few years in the Midwest and what they are doing to keep their doors open to the public (even if it means not showing films).  Check back tomorrow for Part I.

Oh, and if you are interested in movie theaters and have the cash of Quentin Tarantino, I have a nice fixer-upper for you on Michigan Avenue in Detroit: The Senate Theater.

At long last…the mergemovies Favorite Films of 2009!  Enjoy this list of some great films I was able to catch on my cinema travels over the past year:

12 – Theater: Detroit Film Theatre (Detroit, Michigan)

The first movie I ever watched at the Detroit Film Theatre (DFT) and the reason I came back for a second visit (aside from the DFT being an amazing venue).  12 is a Russian remake of the classic American film 12 Angry Men.  Just as in the original, the film features a lone juror standing up against a majority, only this time the legal implications are tied in with some rather sticky moral dilemmas as well.  The film manages not only to make each and every character interesting, but also highlights the cultural anxieties and prejudices that run through Russian society.  Although the original 12 Angry Men is an undisputed classic, in this instance, director Nikita Mikhalkov took the themes from the original and improved upon them by adding additional layers of depth and complexity to the source material.

Avatar – Theater: AMC Livonia 20 (Livonia, Michigan)

I plan on expanding a little bit on Avatar in a future post, but for now I will briefly sum it up like this: regardless of your take on the film’s themes, (take your pick of the myriad that are presented) it is a cinema event unlike anything the world has ever seen.  James Cameron has managed to integrate 3-D into a movie so seamlessly that for the first time ever, it feels natural to watch movies this way.  And regardless of the claims made by naysayers that the plot is simply a combination of other films (Star Wars and Dances with Wolves are the two that I have heard most frequently), the story actually feels like a classic (albeit familiar) tale as opposed to rehashed concept.  This movie has possibly (for better or for worse) changed the future of moviegoing, both at the cineplex and in the home.  Evidence of this can be found in announcements made this past week by television manufactures and the Blu-ray Disc Association detailing the push to incorporate 3-D technology into new TVs (Television Begins a Push Into the 3^rd Dimension, New York Times, 1/5/2010).  So in a few years when you are lounging in your recliner enjoying a 3-D image in your living room, remember, Avatar had a hand in making it possible.

Bright Star – Theater: Emagine Novi (Novi, Michigan)

This film is probably the biggest surprise on my list.  I was absolutely blown away by the acting, particularly that of Abby Cornish as Frances “Fanny” Brawne.  To create a story about the love between two people, something that just oozes passion without so much as a kiss for the majority of the film, is a testament to the performances of the actors and the excellent direction from Jane Campion (The Piano).  When I say this film centers on a love story, I mean that as a complete understatement.  Bright Star is a love story so pure that it makes run-of-the-mill $3.99 rom-coms (yes I mean you The Ugly Truth) blush with embarrassment and even makes something like Titanic seem tame.  Focusing on the short three-year romance between poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw) and Fanny Brawne (Cornish), the film can’t be said to be about anything but love.  The passion that is so evident between Keats and Brawne was best desribed by New York Times film critic A.O. Scott in his At the Movies review: “Wishsaw and Cornish barely touch and never disrobe, but the sexual charge between them is palpable and feverish.”  The film is also visually stunning with excellent period costumes, lush greenery and vibrant flowers, all which seem to enhance the poetry read by Keats.  Aside from being one of my favorite films this year, it is also my vote for “most likely to get the shaft” during award season.

The Hangover – Theater: Emagine Novi (Novi, Michigan)

Bachelor Party.  Vegas.  Missing Friend.  Missing Teeth.  Tiger.  Chicken.  Baby.  Stripper.  Police Cruiser.  Hospital.  Mike Tyson.  Naked guy jumping out of car.

The list above contains just a few of the ingredients for a pure, unadulterated and unabashed comedy, and as it happens, one of the funniest movies to be released in 2009.  Part bro-bonding adventure (think Superbad) and part reverse mystery (think How I Met Your Mother, the “Pineapple Incident” episode), The Hangover lives up to every part of its R-rating and has fun doing it.

The International – Theater: Emagine Novi (Novi, Michigan)

The International knows its strengths and sticks to them, as evident in the film’s teaser poster that features the Guggenheim Museum in the background.  Serving as the site for one of the most blazingly intense gun battles found in any movie this year, the museum for all practical purposes should probably be listed as a character in the credits alongside Clive Owen and Naomi Watts.  Aside from building up to and crafting an excellent action scene, director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) and writer Eric Singer have created a surprisingly timely tale about corruption in the international banking world (what is more astonishing is the bank in The International is based loosely on a real-life bank).  Clive Owen plays Interpol Agent Louis Salinger and Naomi Watts plays Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman as they go deep down the investigative rabbit hole into a world of money laundering, arms trading and destabilization of governments.  It was one of the first movies I saw in 2009 and was one that stuck with me the rest of the year.

It’s Not Me, I Swear! – Theater: Detroit Film Theatre (Detroit, Michigan)

Part Les quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows) and part Home Alone, It’s Not Me, I Swear! provides a simultaneously heart wrenching and comic look into the life of 10-year-old Léon Doré, a boy growing up in a troubled 1960s  Montreal suburb.  Thievery, vandalism and general mayhem are all part of Leon’s repertoire, but even at his worst, Léon is someone the audience can almost always sympathize with and, at times, even root for.  This film, hands down, packed the biggest emotional punch of anything I watched this year and judging from the audience (people were literally in tears) had the same effect on almost everyone that had the opportunity to view it.  When I watched the film at the Detroit Film Theatre as part of the Windsor International Film Festival’s outreach to American audiences, I was fortunate enough to hear an introduction to the film from Bruno Hebert, the author of the book upon which the film is based.  In his intro, Hebert explained there is a very fine line between the juvenile and the delinquent (referring to the nature of Léon’s character), something the author felt the film conveyed correctly to the audience.  The film deals with a variety of heavy issues including suicide, family dynamics, adolescence and the fragile psychological state that children can find themselves in.  However the real stars of the film and the reason it shines is the performance of Antoine L’Ecuyer as Léon and Catherine Faucher as Léa.  How an actor and actress so young can convey such complex emotions so naturally is beyond me.  In fact, the performances were so engrossing and the adventures (and tragedies) of Léon so gripping that by the end, I had forgotten the movie was entirely in subtitles.

Moon – Theater: Main Art (Royal Oak, Michigan)

To give a point of reference, the closest thing I can compare Moon to is Danny Boyle’s foray into sci-fi, Sunshine.  I say this more to convey the fact that Moon is an original sci-fi story rather than point out any plot similarities (which there are few, if any).  Duncan Jones directs and Sam Rockwell stars in the film, which features astronaut Sam Bell (Rockwell) as the lone astronaut on a moon base, placed on our celestial neighbor for the sole purpose of extracting some much needed helium-3 (a key element in the continued effort for clean energy we are told).  There are a couple of impressive things about this film.  The first is that it marks the feature length directorial debut of Jones.  The second is the fact that it was filmed entirely on a bare-bone, 5 million dollar budget (1/60^th of what it cost to make Avatar).  While I loved Avatar, Moon is a throwback to the sci-fi films of old (2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, Alien) when the story blew moviegoers minds just as much as the special effects did.  The voice of Kevin Spacy is perfect for the helpful (and ultimately less malevolent than other sci-fi computers audiences have come to know) GERTY and Sam Rockwell gives one of the better acting performances of the year.

O’ Horton – Theater: Detroit Film Theatre (Detroit, Michigan)

From the moment the train sped across the wintry Norwegian landscape in the opening sequence of O’Horten, I knew the film was going to be something special.  Director Bent Hamer crafts a quiet and subtle tale about Odd Horten, a train engineer on the eve of his retirement after 40 years of service.  As we follow Odd through a series of post-retirement adventures (perhaps mishaps is a more appropriate word), the film shows us just how quirky and interesting this thing called life can be.  The film may not seem like much at first, but its imagery, themes, music (composed by the Norwegian group Kaada) and characters will stay with you long after the theater screen or television has gone dark.

Still Walking – Theater: Detroit Film Theatre (Detroit, MI)

A conversation about food.  Recalling stories of loved ones past.  Children innocently playing outdoors.  Worries about the future.  These routine activities may seem trivial and prosaic for a film, but it is with these mundane and ordinary details that Still Walking draws viewers into its world, a 24-hour snapshot in the life of the Yokoyama family.  I dare someone to watch this movie and not remember moments from their own family get-togethers.  Although the film is set in Japan and the characters follow traditions that may not be familiar with American viewers, the movie captures the joys, annoyances and idiosyncrasies that can arise in families so well that it transcends any cultural barriers.

Tulpan – Theater: Detroit Film Theatre (Detroit, Michigan)

As Roger Ebert put it in his review of Tulpan, “there has to come a time in everyone’s life when they see a deadpan comedy about the yurt dwellers of Kazakhstan.”  When I first watched Detroit Film Theatre curator Elliot Wilhelm give this introduction to the film, he billed it as part love story, something I used to convince my fiancée to accompany me.  Hindsight is 20-20 and, while I might owe her countless romantic comedies and chick flicks for making her watch a subtitled film where the closest thing to action is chasing down sheep, I left the theater amazed at what I had witnessed.  Like Still Walking, Tulpan is able to transcend culture and demonstrate that families have some of the same concerns, hopes and dreams as everyone else, regardless of their place in the world.  Whether you’re a struggling college student trying to figure out what to do with your life or a young man like Asa (the main character of Tulpan), who struggles with the decision to abandon the life he had dreamed about for so long, everyone is united by a common humanity.  This theme—a common humanity—is what makes the film so memorable and why it is one of my favorite films of 2009.

Whatever Works - Theater: Penn Theater (Plymouth, Michigan)

Disclaimer: This movie will mentally exhaust you.  After years of watching action films and special effect extravaganzas, something like Whatever Works is almost like boot camp for the moviegoer brain.  In the very first scene, director Woody Allen sets the stage for what to come when Boris Yelnikoff (Larry David) breaks the fourth wall and launches into a rant aimed specifically at the audience.  Be prepared for a lot of dialogue, material that is preachy, funny and a little crazy—what else would you expect from Woody Allen?  When pissed-at-the-world Boris finds the runaway (and forever optimistic) Melodie St. Ann Celestine (Even Rachel Wood) at his doorstep, he reluctantly agrees to take her in.  The innocent charm of Melodie grows on Boris and despite their vast intellectual (and age) differences, get married.  What this extremely short and vague description lacks is the hilarity that ensues almost from the get-go and the message the film provides for its audience: we may live in a crazy, chaotic and random world, so sometimes you just have to accept things the way they are and keep on living with whatever works!

Discovering the Redford

Last fall, I found myself crammed into Emagine Novi with 200 high school football players waiting for Dennis Quaid to introduce his latest film, The Express.  The cologne-induced daze I had slipped into was interrupted by the faint voice of an elderly gentleman sitting next to me.  “So you like going to the movies eh?” he said, reading me like a book.  We sat there and talked movies, which inevitably led to movie theaters.  “What’s your favorite theater around here,” I said, probing for any hidden knowledge his years could bestow upon me.  “Hands down, without a doubt, the Redford” he said matter-of-factly.  Since the day of this elderly stranger’s recommendation, I have been to the historic Redford Theatre a handful of times—once to see the superb 1944 film noir Laura, another time for a behind-the-scenes look during its open house and, more recently, an evening this past August.

That evening was like stepping back in time.

No longer was I in Detroit on a rainy summer evening, but New York on a cold winter night.  Gone was the humidity, replaced instead by a faint smattering of snow.  My ears were met by excited chatter and a piano tune I couldn’t quite place.  I entered the lobby, ticket in hand, and watched people mill about, running into old friends or simply taking in the sights and smells.  Talk about past films, actors, actresses and directors.  No talk of coming soon.  Tonight was the coming soon.  Anticipation hung thick in the air.  Cinema like this only comes along once in a great while and the people knew it.

On December 16, 1962, Lawrence of Arabia premiered in New York City on a cold December night.  On Friday, August 8, 2009, the film ran once again in all of its 70mm glory at the Redford Theatre in Detroit.  Although the places and seasons were different, the excitement and anticipation for the film was not.  For a brief second, 2009 Detroiters were connected to 1962 New Yorkers through a movie experience like no other.  The same chills that ran down the spines of those in the audience almost 50 years ago ran once more through the crowd sitting in the Redford.

The Redford

Every once and a while, you come across a movie theater that makes you say: this is what watching movies is all about. The look, the feel and even the people in the theater blend together with the film to create a vivid, unforgettable experience.  The Redford is one of these places—a place that that gives off an aura of nostalgia and character without even trying.

Built by Detroit theater baron John Kunsky (later known as John King) and designed by famed architect C. Howard Crane (known for the Fox Theatre and the Capitol Theater—now the Detroit Opera House), the Redford Theatre was a 2051-seat entertainment palace when it opened in January 1928.  With shows ranging from vaudeville to silent films, the Redford was a place for the young and old to come for first rate entertainment.  In those days, adult admission was 30 cents and children were admitted for 15 cents.  I could devote a whole week of posts to the long and storied history of The Redford, but instead I will let readers check out the detailed timeline put together by more knowledgeable folk than I (http://redfordtheatre.com/timeline).

There are two things that really set the Redford apart from other movie venues in the area and (I would argue) the Midwest.  The first is the décor.  Immediately visible upon entering the concession lobby and as you progress farther into the theater itself are the Japanese motifs and characters that adorn the walls.  An impressively painted sky also stretches the length of the Redford’s ceiling and, as of 2008, includes 10,000 feet of fiber optic strands, giving the appearance of twinkling stars.  The Japanese-style décor became a sensitive issue in the 1940s during World War II and much of it was either removed or painted over.  The non-profit Motor City Theatre Organ Society (MCTOS)—who now owns and operates the Redford—has worked tirelessly since then to restore the theater to its original grandeur.

The second thing that sets the theater apart and the main reason (aside from countless hours that MCTOS volunteers put in) it still exists today is its organ.  Just off center and to the left of the stage, the Redford’s original Barton theatre organ still sits gleaming, a star in its own right.  Without its organ, it is doubtful that the theater would be in the cleaned up, restored condition it is now.  The Redford and the Fox Theatre are the only two performance venues in the metro Detroit area that still have their original organs and it is the main reason the MCTOS agreed to purchase the building in the 1970s.  Film and music have always been excellent bedfellows, so it is fitting that the MCTOS started the movie series that still runs today to help pay the cost of their newly owned theater.

The Redford Experience

Located near the corner of Grand River and Lahser, a drive to the Redford is a powerful reminder of the economic realities in the Detroit area.  Driving west on Grand River from Detroit, many buildings sit abandoned where thriving car dealerships and repair shops once stood.  Tall wired fences or barred doors are an all too common scene on this stretch of road.  I mention this not to turn people off to the Redford, but rather to point out how important this theater really is.  Not only has the Redford been around for over 80 years, but it has weathered recessions, depressions and just about anything else thrown its way.  Film has always been a medium that brings people together and the Redford provides a place for the community and people around metro Detroit to do just that—regardless of their economic situation.

Simply put, the Redford Theatre is THE complete package when it comes to seeing a classic film in the metro Detroit area.  Don’t expect lame deodorant commercials or E! News updates about Megan Fox’s latest ramblings before any of these films.  Instead early moviegoers are treated to a concert on the Barton theatre organ by one of the many gifted organists that cycle through the Redford each weekend—a treat worth the $4.00 admission by itself.  During the few performances I have caught thus far, I have heard music ranging from the soundtrack of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”  You won’t find any trailers here either—expect classic Looney Tunes cartoons or the occasional 1930s sing-along to precede most films.

The concession stand, which has long been recognized by patrons and the media alike, provides a shining example of how the Redford gets all the little things right.  Apart from ridiculously cheap prices on candy, the Redford also has one particularly unique item on its menu—sweet potato cookies.  I am glad to report that these cookies, made by a local bakery on the same block as the Redford, are delicious in both flavors (regular and chocolate chip).  Aside from the performances and the excellent concessions, the other notable aspect of the theater is the people.  Run entirely by MCTOS volunteers, you can tell that the people working each show truly love the building, the music and the films.

The bi-weekly film series, which is usually divided into a fall/winter season and a spring/summer season, features a gamut of genres and styles.  This past year saw everything from Mutiny on the Bounty to Terminator, while the current season’s films include Dial M for Murder, The Great Dictator, The Blob, Kronos, Werewolf of London, House of Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, My Fair Lady, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story and The Wizard of Oz.  Special events are also mixed in throughout the year—like a Three Stooges film festival during Halloween or a holiday-themed Barton organ performance featuring noted organists John Lauter and Tony O’Brien in December.

As I slowly make my way through my list of classic films to watch (see The Ultimate List), the Redford has become sort of a home base for me.  Not only can I view classic films as they were meant to be seen on the big screen, but with an admission price of only $4.00, cheap concessions and an organ concert before every film, the Redford is the very definition of a film experience.  Watching a film at the Redford Theatre is more than simply “going to the movies”—it is a trip back in time and a way to connect, if even for a brief second, to past generations of moviegoers.

Learn more about the Redford or check out its current schedule by visiting their website: http://redfordtheatre.com

The back hallway on the upper level.

People gathering by the concession counter.

The pipes of the Barton theatre organ!