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PRESSURE TACTICS weekly with the brothers to keep the Narrow Gauge Cinema
Here are two examples of less-than- momentum going. This theatre was built on land
subtle moves to extract promised The theatre re-opened to great belonging to the old Sandy River
restorations from an owner or rejoicing in December 2006. Rangley Lakes Railroad, in the form of
developer. a train depot.
SINGLE SCREEN SURVIVORS
Carrot And Stick Every success story here is pushing When he purchased it in 2002, John
Moore’s intention was to add screens to
The former Park Cinema Cranston, against the multiplex tide. There are
the original building, but retain the
Rhode Island, built in the 1920s, sits about 1,680 single screens operating in
vintage architecture.
shuttered across the street from city the United States, down from 2,280 in
hall. A plan to restore the theatre and 2001. At one time the nation had about While each of three screens is
surround it with a gourmet coffee shop 15,000 single-screen theatres. serviced by Dolby digital sound,
and upscale restaurant was welcomed In both Australasia and the U.S. Klipsch speakers and seats with 122cm
by city officials when announced more often the best hope for survival of a of legroom, the charm factor comes
than three years ago. Since then the small cinema is one in a holiday from the original motif landscape
authorities have grown weary of the destination. murals recreated on acoustical canvas,
lack of progress. They now use the MAINE ATTRACTIONS mosaic tile floors, several gorgeous
developer’s claim that the license is the chandeliers; pressed-metal ceilings and
Here are three examples of how old, lots of brass and wood. Each screen is
key to the project, by only renewing it
single screen cinemas can be twinned covered by a full set of curtains.
one month at a time.
or tripled and be rated by locals as the
According to the city director of Louisiana
best of the new; all in Maine.
economic development, “If this The Prytania, New Orleans
approach works, it’s going to become a The Strand, Rockland. New Orleans and its suburbs once
jewel of the state”. had 100 cinemas. Now the last single
Citizen Action screen in the State is owned and run by
87-year old Renet Brunet. He took over
Brian and Ben Hall Jnr. who own
the Prytania in 1997, one step ahead of
and operated the Capawok (1912) until
the wrecking ball. “This theater is
friendly,” Brunet said. “We know our
customers and they know us. We still
have people that walk from their houses
to here. What other theater can say that
now?”
Brunet faces challenges in securing
first-run movies. To get Star Wars
Episode III, Revenge of the Sith he had
As summer visitors to Rockland, to pay $25,000 in advance and install a
two years ago, were on the receiving Matt and Ellen Simmonds were new sound system.
end of none-to-subtle pressure from saddened to see the boarded-up façade, Hurricane Katrina gouged a hole in
locals to re-open it. As one said, “It's a smudge on the otherwise the roof and started mould growth on
like our clubhouse. All we wanted to do transformation of Rockland from a the walls, but Brunet reopened when
was go to the movies.” A citizens blue-collar fishing town to a mid-coast the electricity was restored. It didn't
committee even discussed exercising town of art and culture. take long for business to pick up. “It
the legal manoeuvre of eminent They bought the Strand and was about the only thing to do for a
domain, which can dispossess an renovations began in 2004. As well as long time,” he remembers.
owner. wanting it to look the way it did in Toronto
The brothers closed the doors of the 1923, the Simmons also wanted a The Royal and The Regent
Capawok for renovation in late 2004. A state-of-the-art, multi-functional The Royal (1939) has been sold to
screen for silent movies is painted on theatre. The 349-seat venue has been a post-production film company
the back wall with black masking and enthusiastically received since Theater D. It will be a state-of-the-art
gold borders, behind the modern screen. reopening in 2005. production studio by day and movie
As soon as they started on repairs, it The Strand, Skowhegan theatre by night.
became obvious the theatre was a According to architect Bill The purchase gives hope to fans of
renovator’s nightmare. Hamilton who worked on the this independent movie house after a
The brothers respected local opinion restoration of this Strand, “Back in series of announcements indicated the
and wanted to re-open. “The only 1929 when fish smelled and wood was number of repertory cinemas in Toronto
reason we keep it going is because we king, Skowhegan was the place to be”. would soon be reduced by almost half.
love it. However, no business that is not That early wealth shows up in the Theater D company appears to have
making a profit can last very long.” elaborate design elements of the found a way to make the theatres work.
In what sounds like emotional original theatre, both inside and out, In 2002, the company began operating
blackmail, two members of the which made it a pleasure to bring back another independent, the Regent
committee were planning to meet to life for appreciation by a new (1927).
generation.

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