Even in this age of DVDs, home theater systems and microwave popcorn, for me there’s still nothing like the experience of watching a film in the inky darkness of a movie theater.
It’s a ritual that began for me as a very young child in the early 1970’s when I saw a re-release of Disney’s “Fantasia” in a Seattle theater. Since then I’ve probably seen several hundred films on several dozen screens up and down the west coast, from the faded elegance of silent-film era movie houses to the technologically enhanced modern multiplex. Most of my favorites are right here close to home. Here are a few that I think stand above the rest.
The true landmark movie house in our area is The Edmonds Theater, located in the city’s picturesque downtown. Built in 1923, the theater celebrates its 80th birthday this year. It’s one of the last independently owned, single screen movie houses in the state. The Edmonds evokes an era when going to the movies was a special occasion. Today, the 252-seat theater still retains the original balcony, and new seats and flooring added in 1999 preserve the theater’s historical ambience. The updated sound system and screen easily compete with the modern conveniences of the local multiplex, but The Edmonds is a hands-down winner when it comes to charm and character. Tickets are reasonable too: $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children (kids also get a free bag of popcorn with admission). All seats just $5 on Tuesdays, and Wednesdays offer all you can eat popcorn for just $1.50.
Shoreline’s Crest Cinema Center is in a league of its own as the closest theater in the area to see independent and foreign language films — and at the bargain price of $3. Now part of Landmark Theaters, the country’s largest art-house chain, the Crest was built in 1949 as a single screen theater. Today the theater features four screens and is a terrific place to catch second run films (movies that have already run for two to four weeks in the multiplex). Don’t be deterred by the Crest’s well-worn demeanor — it’s a friendly neighborhood theater, the only one locally where you you can catch a foreign film like “Bend it Like Beckham,” or view an Oscar winning Hollywood blockbuster like “Chicago.”
My sentimental favorite is the Puget Park Drive-In, located just off Interstate 5 and 128th Street on the western border of Mill Creek. Puget Park is one of the last 500 or so drive-in theaters still operating in the U.S., of what was once more than 5,000 during their peak in the 1950’s (anyone remember Lynnwood’s Sno King Drive-In, or the Aurora Drive-in just south of the Shoreline city limits?). Open seasonally, April through October, Puget is also one of the largest drive-ins left in the state, with capacity for 700 cars. The theater upgraded its audio system some years ago from the original mono sound to broadcast on an FM radio frequency. There’s just something about watching the screen flicker to life on a warm summer’s night, while twilight descends around you — all from the seat of your car.
Another favorite of mine is the 102 year old Historic Everett Theatre. This theater is in the process of being restored by the dedicated members of the Everett Theatre Society to the grandeur of its 1920s era architecture (after a fire in 1923 the interior and part of the exterior of the building were rebuilt at the cost of nearly a quarter of a million dollars). The theater now primarily hosts live stage theater, but has recently instituted a silent film series that has featured live organ accompaniment using the compositions originally performed with the film.
I like the multiplexes, too, don’t get me wrong. The Alderwood 7 in Lynnwood and the Mountlake 9 in Mountlake Terrace are my preferred choices when I’m checking on where a new movie is playing locally. They have impressive glass and steel entries, vast concession stands and bone-jarring digital sound systems that enhance the sensory onslaught of films like “Terminator 3” or “Matrix Reloaded.”
Whether you’re a classic movie fan or a connoisseur of the modern advances of film, big screen viewing is still an essential part of the cinematic experience. I’ve given you my choices for local movie houses, but now it’s time to talk back. So what’s your favorite movie theater?
Andrea Miller is features editor for The Enterprise and writes the film review column “At the Movies.”
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