So, when you think of a movie in a movie theater you think “blockbuster” “must see” “pile of crap”. The current day movie is what comes to mind. Tickets are $8 and rising and snacks require a signature in blood. Now take a step back. Think of a simpler time when movies where not just something you went to when you were bored or brainwashed but a true event. That’s what the CAPA summer movie series is all about.
The lovely wife and I received two free tickets to the CAPA movie series from Time Warner because they felt bad about their customer service sucking. Not being one to turn down free I wandered over to CAPA’s site and saw that they were playing “Roman Holiday”. While in no means a current hit it’s a great movie from an era of Hollywood that had original ideas. Toss in the fact that the movie is shown in the Ohio Theater (and the tickets are free) makes it an ideal Sunday afternoon outing.
Driving on down to the Ohio Theater we parked at City Center Mall for a dollar and walked through the mall to arrive 15 minutes early. As we turned the corner we saw on the marquee the title and stars of our chosen movie surrounded by the mass of light bulbs that only a theater built 1920′s can handle. Out front was the old fashioned ticket booth with only one window (gasp). Inside were ushers on every door handing out a program. A program for a movie?!?!? Inside the theater proper were the sounds of the theater organ. I don’t think you can ever fully appreciate what movie going used to be unless you have heard a theater organ. After a very enjoyable 15 minutes of “mood music” the movie promptly started at 2:00 without any ads or previews. An hour into our film came the intermission.
Now intermission is a thing that has passed into urban legend and myth. Everyone knows there used to be such a thing but you’ve never seen one. This, my friends was a proper intermission complete with another round of organ music. In the lounge area were your standard concessions (minus actual freshly popped popcorn. Theirs was the fancy kind in the single serving bag) plus the addition of wines and other such adult beverages. Exactly 15 minutes later everyone was back in their seats for the conclusion.
Exactly 45 minutes later the film was done and we were treated to another rousing selection on the theater organ. All I can say is this is a movie done right. If you have never been to the CAPA Summer movie series you don’t know what you’re missing. With tickets normally $3.50 and snacks at reasonable theater prices you can’t beat the total movie package. Toss in the organ and the feel of a movie done right and you’ll be back for more.
-Lorkin-
The CAPA summer movies kick ass. For whatever reason we never made to a movie this season…and Animal House was playing too! But years past their selection has been pretty awesome.
They do movies right from beginning to end. The copy of the film isn’t always the best. When we saw Blue Hawaii a few years ago it was the *worst* print in the world.
Nonetheless, the organ, the intermission, the price – it’s all done right. Plus the theatre is awesome! Old and all bijou-like…doesn’t get any better than that.
If you haven’t gone to the CAPA series, you must go. You’ll hate going back to today’s theatres.