HOUSTON LIFE |26 | MAY

E-LIFE

The Land Before Cinemark Bigger ain’t always better WORDS ALMA VERDEJO

BUFF | Contrary to popular belief, historic and independent films houses aren’t much of a hard find. And after hit indie films, like The Kite Runner and Little Miss Sunshine, the masses that once flocked megaplex movie theaters in search of over commercialized moviebusters are now eagerly on the hunt for obscure and unheard of films. Here are some of Texas’ predominant movie houses that remain untouched by a demolition ball.

Starting in northern Texas brings us to Dallas and the infamous Texas Theater, the location of Lee Harvey Oswald’s arrest after assassinating President John F. Kennedy that fateful November morning in ’63. Now a repertory theater, tourists still visit the historical attraction along with a display of activities surrounding the capture of Oswald. There are even limited run movies featured in the theater, so as to add a little panache to your “Assassinations” tour of the South.

1 Alamo Drafthouse 320 East 6th 512.476.1320 Austin, Texas *more locations originalalamo.com

2 Aurora Picture Show 800 Aurora 713.868.2101 Houston, Texas aurorapictureshow.org

Lakewood Theater 1825 Abrams Pkwy 214.821.7469 Dallas, Texas lakewoodtheater.com

River Oaks Theater 2009 West Gray 713.866.8881 Houston, Texas landmarktheaters.com

3 Stagecoach Theater 2254 South US Hwy 87 830.997.1777 Fredericksburg, Texas stagecoachtheater.com

Texas Theater 231 West Jefferson 214.943.4567 Dallas, Texas oakclifffoundation.org

Also in D-town is the intriguing, art-friendly Lakewood Theater. It’s impressive 100-foot red, green and blue Art Deco tower heralds its 1938 creation. Since then, Lakewood has updated its look slightly, expanding to private parties, concerts and movies.

The River Oaks Theater is one of the oldest still standing movie theaters in the upscale Houston neighborhood. Built in 1939, the movie theater is a beautifully preserved Art Deco building equipped with a small café and organic movie fare. Its three theaters showcase a variety of foreign, independent and

“art house” films. And every Friday and Saturday at midnight, an eclectic combination of crowd-pleasing movies like Rocky Horror Picture Show and Ghostbusters are shown. Crowd participation is highly encouraged.

Venturing into the Houston Heights neighborhood is the Aurora Picture Show. Housed in an old church, there are many distinctive features to the quaint movie house. The theater delves into art flicks, indie shorts and full-fledged movies. Of course, it is a challenge to get comfortable in the pew-like seating, but once the movie starts, you won’t know the difference. There are even discounts for green-friendly patrons.

Heading off to the Hill Country where Oktoberfest is religiously celebrated,

there is the small, out of the way Stagecoach Theater in Fredericksburg. Featuring only three movies at a time, a Western theme pervades through the halls of the theater, equipped with a coffee bar, rustic wood paneling and thought-provoking stagecoach murals of Texas’ infancy. There is also a tourist shop where you can buy Western movie memorabilia to add a touch of “cowboy cool” to your home.

Another Hill country favorite is encased within indie-loving Austin. Alamo Drafthouse is anything but ordinary. Any movie theater that has a “no children under six” policy (why not just

“no children,” we’ll never know) is your best bet to offering liquor on the menu. The wine and dine madness doesn’t stop there. They have rows of seating alternated with bench-style tables, and customers/audience members can request anything on the menu, such as hamburgers, fresh salads and pizza. Austin is the birthplace of Drafthouse, but other locations reside in Houston, Katy, San Antonio and Rio Grande Valley.

Those are just a few popcorn tastings of the variety of movie theaters in Texas that offer cool alternatives to the forays of large megaplex movie theaters. Whether you’d like to feed your soul with great films or your tummy with tasty fare, these are theaters that will fulfill both wishes.

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