|
|
|
| 
|
|
Vol. I
No. 10 The Minor as a Major Player What's the Buzz?
In sharp contrast to the Broadway complex, the Minor screening rooms are far more traditional. It brings us back to the days of yesteryear, when going to the movies was a grand experience. The Minor has the reputation of being one of the oldest working movie theaters in the nation, and may well be the oldest as some experts have stated. With many facelifts over the years, today’s 'Minor' sports four major screening rooms, having added an area over the years which doubled the original structure. The original theater seems to have endured the modern age and has been kept close to the original look and feel. Gone are the days when attending a film was a major event. Everyone looked
forward to their weekly trek to the movie houses to escape the harshness
of everyday life. Gone are the great studios of Hollywood that developed
talent and raised it to a level that amazed its audiences. Also absent
is the protocol that was established in presenting films in these lush
dark palaces. In the old days the movie studios also owned the theater
chains that presented films and the Hollywood tradition was part of the
films’ experience. Lights were dimmed, curtains pulled and closed
with precise precision. Also gone are the Movietone news and shorts that
kept you abreast of the industry. The Sunday I attended I had to choose between four films. I decided on Brokeback Mountain because of the huge hype the media had bestowed upon it and because of the subject matter. I was extremely curious as to how Ang Lee would approach it and reveal it to the audience. Well it was amazing how well it was treated. Lee got you there and over it with such finesse and grace you almost forgot it and instead was immersed in the gut-crunching drama that unfolded . I won’t review the film here as my intention is to review the venue and reveal how well it was presented -- Hopefully you read David Giarrizzo's excellent review last issue. As I’ve stated before, Dave's reviews put you in the front row as he relives his experience to you in print. I could add very little to it, except to say that the films’ subject matter became minor to me and was dwarfed its real meaning. Anyone can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and severely suffer for it. As to the presentation it was quite a surprise. The picture looked bright and vivid, colors were strong and honest. This is usually a sign that the theater has not dimmed the projector bulb to extend its life (projection lamps are extremely expensive to purchase), as some theaters make it a practice to do. The sound was rich and had a natural field. This is extremely important to today’s films that make sound a big part of the drama. During the first quarter of the film, which followed the sheep herders, the bray of sheep seemed to be alive in the theater. I assumed I was hearing an amazing soundfield, until the sheep vanished and I realized it was a baby crying. This tyke seemed to mimic the sheep and answer their calls. Which brings up a point. Why would anyone be so selfish as to bring a infant to a theater and make the audience deal with its cries? One can only wonder where courtesy went over the years. All and all this visit to the Minor, in spite of the distraction, was thoroughly enjoyable. Soon after I was informed Brokeback Mountain would be moved to the Broadway Theaters to extend the run, so I decided to make a comparison between the two venues. I wondered how this (original) design of theater compares to our modern complexes. What luck to have the same film as a reference, just try and guess which theater came out the winner… I’ll follow this up in a later article as I also want to reveal the complex reasons as to why the winner did so well. In summing it all up though, this area has the facilities to make your film going experience a memorable one. We all can only hope the industry furnishes us with product worthy of our time and money! Michael the K, in addition to his position as Associate Editor for Classifieds, is a long-time music producer and videographer living in Eureka. He can be reached at 445-4172 ex. 33, or at classifieds@humboldtsentinel.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2005-06, Humboldt Sentinel. All rights reserved. |
Last
time we explored the screening rooms of the majestic Broadway Theaters.
Now we turn our attention to the quaint Minor Theater in Arcata.