Nov 12, 2009
Citizen Theater "Coming Soon"
By: Kevin Buchanan
Amy McNutt and James Johnston, who gave us Spiral Diner, have been kicking about some plans for an independent arthouse movie theater for some time (we first reported on it back in mid-2008). Now, they’re taking their efforts to the next level, launching a teaser web site for the theater and actively searching for investors.
At the site, thecitizentheater.com, there are contact links as well as a look at a cool logo and a bit of info about the Citizen’s goals. Here’s an excerpt:
Your days of driving all the way to Dallas to see good movies are numbered, friends. In a city known for its love of art and world class museums The Citizen will be Fort Worth’s first twin screen art-house theater. In addition to showing amazing new and repertory films we will also serve fresh gourmet concessions from Spiral Diner’s treasure trove of dessert recipes along with a top notch beer and wine selection. At The Citizen we take the film going experience to heart and will show all films with state-of-the-art sound and projection. The theater itself will be designed in an art deco fashion just like the most beautiful classic movie palaces.
We’ve been excited over the prospects of the Citizen for a long time now, and can’t wait to see things moving forward. The creation of the Citizen would be a huge boon for Fort Worth’s art and film scene, as well as further cementing the Near Southside as the home of the city’s independent creative class. Keep an eye on thecitizentheater.com and of course, contact Amy if you’re interested in investing.
This should be a fantastic, much-needed addition to the Fort Worth landscape.
Now this I LIKE!!!!!
Very nice. I don’t know how obtaining prints work but I’ve always felt that movies that haven’t been seen on the big screen in awhile would always create some foot traffic. For instance: Interview with the Vampire. I would pay to see a clean print of that on the big screen again. Or maybe the Matrix Trilogy with and hour intermission. Anyway, great idea and good luck.
this is great news .looking forward to this great project
Best of luck finding investors! I’m really excited to see this project get off the ground…what a great addition to Fort Worth!
Here’s hoping – beats driving to Dallas/Plano, and heck, a nice complement to The Modern, which seems to be the only “arty” theater in town.
Film or 2K digital? Or dual setups? Anyone know?
Thanks for posting this Kevin! And thanks for the kind words everybody.
Emma, we’ll be doing 2K digital 35mm (reel to reel the old school way.)
Paul, in addition to new releases we will be playing retrospectives of every ilk from classics to contemporary. Basically, anything that Amy and I think is awesome and we want to show people.
Guess what the first film is we’ll be playing.
1st film: citizen kane?
How about selling seats ? Get lots of small investors that way. Just a thought. I’m full of them, you know. Good luck !!!
An arthouse theater that shows awesome films and serves Spiral desserts? Is it Christmas already?! That’s awesome!!
My first thought would be to say Interview or Matrix but let’s go out on a limb and say…Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Pulp Fiction…or a multitude, really, of great movies just waiting to be seen again on the big screen; the way they were meant to be seen.
Cinema Paradiso of course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_Paradiso
Jesus got it!