Comments on: Brainstorm: Movie theater as neighborhood hub

By: Paul Santos

Paul Santos — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 01:17:42 +0000

The Popcorn Palace Economy: http://www.slate.com/id/2133612/

By: brad

brad — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 05:53:51 +0000

*Couches. Sofas. Waterbeds.
*Exclusives with directors showing up with question and answers.
*Combo’s: go see the film and take home the movie on DVD, only available to those who go to the theater.
*Japanese animae club night, TCM night.
*Bring back the serials. Show an episode each week with tie ins to the web-site and secret decoder rings to the viewers. Make the participants feel like they are in on the greatest thing that no one else knows about. They are special because they belong to the club.
*Rent out video equipment and a mini post studio with Final Cut and Soundtrack.
*Start classes, connect with other mini movie clubs across the US and compete for the greatest cool home-made movies between clubs.
*Rent the space out for “aunt millies birthday with home movies, pretzels and birthday cake.”
*Dance Club Video night, “scratch” some pieces of movies , alpha channeled with dancers and lighting effects and a local band, all on the fly Live and broadcast it over the internet.
*Give people a sanctuary to tell stories and to hear the voices of their communities.
*Bring seniors in from group homes to testify about their lives, document it, share it, sprout it, spout it.

By: Constance Reader

Constance Reader — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:50:00 +0000

Well, they’re aren’t within walking distance for most of us, but the Alamo Drafthouse theaters in Austin and elsewhere fulfill most of your criteria and more.

Although, I admit, it’s much MUCH easier to drop cash on bad movies if there is beer and good food to go with it. Why the hell else would I pay to see “Troy” (with a bucket of booze to keep me adequately sedated that I didn’t start throwing things at the screen)?

By: Phil Leif

Phil Leif — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 23:10:58 +0000

Visions (http://visionsdc.com/) did most of this for a few years before they went out of business. Full cafe, bar, two small screening rooms and, yes, beer allowed in the theater.

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 22:30:22 +0000

Yes.
Yes.
and, Yes.
Let’s have a dress up night…suits and fun dresses hats (optional gloves) and glasses of wine for sale (revenue) at the alternative snack bar and watch Citizen Kane- we never dress for town anymore…we never dress for anything any more. Coat racks in the back for a little class and less “um, your cute, but you’re sitting on my scarf” conversation.