Today, the Fox Theatre in downtown Montrose celebrates 80 years of entertaining moviegoers. Eighty years! Think of it. When it opened, Herbert Hoover was president. The stock market had just crashed five days earlier. The Philadelphia A’s had won the World Series. And 11,742 people lived in Montrose County.
The Montrose Daily Press in that day’s editions devoted its entire front page to its opening. The headline: ‘Our Fondest Dreams Come True.’ (Reminds the Notebook of the line from ‘Napoleon Dynamite’: ‘Vote for Pedro, and your wildest dreams will come true.’” Digressing, alas.)
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Advertising for the opening night welcomed patrons “to sit in a half acre of comfortable seating.” And that “talking pictures” were going to be the norm.
The first film shown: ‘They Had to See Paris’ starring Will Rogers. Ticket prices: 75 cents.
The theatre was founded by Stanley Dewsnup. Much of the tilework you see these days inside the lobby is his from that opening and from his years of steady leadership. His daughter, Meredine Hunter, who grew up in the family business, took over the theatres in 1985 with husband Mike Hunter. Their daughter, Misty Hunter, is also involved in the operation as well as longtime manager Clay Campbell and a coterie of hospitable employees who are friendly and accommodating. The Hunters recently sold their theatres in Idaho. Eleven years ago, they opened the San Juan Cinema on E. Main.
In communities like ours, independent ownership of local theatres is rare. The big movie house chains have gobbled them up and built these “multi-plex, multi-screen” behemoths that have all the charm of an empty Milk Duds box. When we decided on our cover story last spring for our twice-annual magazine, Destination Montrose, and the cover story, ‘Return of the Natives,’ it was a no-brainer to decide where to do the shoot “ the Fox Theatre. Likely over the years, there have many first dates, lots of hand-holding and awkward first kisses in its darkened recesses. Romances have sparked and were nurtured; couples and singles have enjoyed a night out and a partial escape from the daily pressures. Affecting fantasy, excitement, drama, comedy, science fiction, the illustration of the national ethos ” all on the big screen.
The three screens downtown all have their quirks and charm, sort of like old baseball parks. The Little Theatre, is, well little. The Fox, in the middle, has bathroom doors that don’t quite close and give the back row folks an earful of what’s going on inside. The Penthouse, the star of the three, has its own snack bar, curtains, mood lights that inexplicably flicker throughout a movie. The Penthouse also has a long walk to the bathrooms upstairs, and tile portrait of a young, nude, topless woman greeting patrons as they return to their seats. No such thing (charm), I would imagine, in those movie houses over in Grand Junction or Denver. The seats have been well sat in and are comfortable.
What’s also unique is how the Hunter Family and Campbell have allowed a group of independent film lovers “ “Indie” films or “art films,” if you’re a certain age “ to be shown. It’s called Second Sunday Cinema and this program is in its 11th season. During the Second Sunday Cinema, a similar crowd turns out faithfully and typically sit in “their” seats. It’s also worth noting the Hunters have a degree of courage when showing some films. Like Michael Moore’s. His movies have put an uncomfortable focus on gun control, 9/11, health care and other controversial subjects. Would believe the Hunters and Campbell have gotten some what-the-hell input from patrons.
So go ahead, go to a movie this weekend and celebrate 80 years of local movies here.
Free matinees Saturday starting at 11 a.m. Free popcorn and cotton candy.
Congratulations!
Alan Bowers wrote on Oct 29, 2009 11:17 AM: