One of the albums that defined my tween-hood was Styx Paradise Theater. For those not familiar with it, it was a “concept album,” that is the songs collectively told a story. (If you aren’t familiar with the concept of an album, get off my lawn.) The story of Paradise Theater is one that has played out countless times in recent years: a once-great theatre falls on hard times and into decay. I spent hours listening to Paradise Theater and looking at its cover: resplendent on one side, ruins on the other. Paradise Theater was a music-hall style theater but now the same thing is happening to cinemas.
Locally, I’ve watched single-screen movie houses fall one by one as multiplexes moved in to the city. With the closure of the Vic Theatre in 2008, we were left with just two single-screen theatres in the city: The Roxy Classic (running mostly second-run features) and Cinecenta (running an eclectic mix of almost anything imaginable). Single-screen theatres are integral to film festivals and distribution of small films although, locally, the Capitol 6 (part of the Empire Theatres chain) has picked up some of the slack, frequently dedicating one or two screens to smaller films. I’ve also noticed the Odeon picking up more independent films recently.
There’s something about the shared experience of a single screen, it’s more like going to a restaurant than a food court. At a single-screen theatre, you’re less likely to accidentally overhear the plot details of another movie currently airing while in the line for the washroom or the concession. Single-screens are great for gala premieres — Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was no multiplex.1
However, both the Roxy and Cinecenta are suffering from a lack of upgrades — while the multiplexes pipe in central air temperature control and regularly replace their seats, we started calling Cinecenta Saunacenta last summer because it was so hot and the Roxy the other night was barely two degrees warmer than the ambient temperature outside. Cinecenta, I understand. As a division of a non-profit (the UVSS) it doesn’t have a huge budget to work with and, aside from needing some better air flow and maybe some new seats, it operates well on minimal staff of four (tickets, door, concession and projection).
Now imagine running a theatre with one staffer. I’m pretty sure that’s what was going on at the Roxy on Saturday afternoon. Pink Ribbons Inc.2 was advertised with a starting time of 4:45. We arrived at about 4:25 to find a sign on the ticket window reading, “purchase tickets at concession.” We tried to find a line up (there was a cluster of people milling about) and finally just made one by standing behind the person at the counter on the right. As we were waiting, smoke was billowing from the popcorn machine, to the extent that we started making a mental note of the exits. In hindsight I was a little concerned that no smoke alarm sounded.
Eventually, we got to the counter and asked to buy tickets. To complete the transaction, he had to leave the concession area, walk through a cluster of people, to the ticket booth (which was unlocked) and get our ticket and change. We had a free double pass (and only needed to buy one ticket for Kiddo) but he neither took the pass, nor tore it in half (both common practice), instead he left it on the concession counter where someone else tried to claim it (Mike yoinked it from the other person’s grip). The staffer returned to the concession counter where we then ordered snacks. During the time we completed these two transactions we watched numerous people coming in the front door, looking around, and bypassing the ticket purchase altogether (I am sure they couldn’t all have bought tickets earlier); a few even walked right in to the ticket booth — I sure hope that cash drawer was locked because there’s no way the staffer had a clear view.
The theatre itself was maybe a third full — not bad for a late afternoon showing of a documentary — but it was clear no one had attempted to clean after the two matinee showings of family films. The floor was coated in popcorn, bags, candy, and other assorted detritus and almost every cup-holder held cups, napkins, and garbage.
We barely got settled in our seats when the film started. Ten minutes early and barely audible. They also failed to open the screens so the film was projecting fullscreen instead of widescreen. Ten minutes later, the audio was boosted and the image started being jostled like someone was looking for the right button to push. About the point I started getting motion sick, the digital [WIDESCREEN] indicator showed up on the top left of the screen — except they had only stretched the image so the aspect ratio was incorrect and the captions were still cut off at the edges of the film.
The Roxy has changed hands in recent years and after a burst of initial exterior changes, it’s pretty clear the owners no longer care. There were rumours that an application was being floated for a renovation that would level the existing structure and replace it with a two-screen theatre with condos above. For Sale signs have come and gone from the exterior. More recently, the Roxy was in the news supporting the Rio Theatre in Vancouver who lost their rights to show movies when they were granted a liquor license (thank you very much, antiquated BC liquor laws).
So is this the end of the road for the Roxy? If so, I’m turning off here.
1As Grauman’s Chinese Theater, it was a single screen home to many, many premieres. In 1973, it became Mann’s Chinese Theater and continued to host galas, including the premiere of Star Wars in 1977. In 2000, the Mann’s Theater name was sold to Warner Bros. and Paramount as part of a bankruptcy settlement. There are now 6 other theater screens in an attached mall.
2You can read my full review of the movie, Pink Ribbons Inc., over at the MediaNook blog.
It certainly is sad to see the theaters fall away. I am pleased however that as a youth you would study the Styx Paradise Theater Album cover. I am the artist that painted that art so many years ago. I was 26 years old at the time.
Cheers,
Chris Hopkins
Wow! Thanks for stopping by my little corner. I’m happy to see you’ve expanded your portfolio and continue to do commercial work alongside your fine art; it seems rare to find artists willing to work in both areas. The Paradise Theater illustrations were, as I say, a focus for me and the idea of the before-and-after has always stuck with me. I am now part of a group locally photographing our city, in part to capture those changes in place we don’t always notice until we are reminded of what was once there.
That is just sad about the theater – trying to run the whole show with ONE person is just mad! I worked in at a pair of single screens when I was a senior in high school and my first year in college. We played first run movies and often got some pretty big crowds. The smaller of the two became a music venue and is now a Mennonite church. Heh.
Great art Chris! Nice to see you’re a local – I just drove through part of Everett yesterday. It was looking a bit rough! I don’t know how long you’ve been in the area, but you might remember the Northgate and Lake City theaters. Good times working there!