Five years ago, I fought my co-owners to stop the closing of the Bijou and to prevent further mismanagement and exploitation of the theater’s assets. I found that in Eugene and within it, a warm, welcoming and vibrant circle of like-minded folks that appreciated and supported independent film. I left New York to find a small, progressive community that wasn’t ruled by the greed of Wall Street. Instead, the landlord precipitously and likely illegally locked us out of our premises, is trying to take possession of all of our equipment and assets, and appears to be claiming ownership of our name. Despite our efforts to pay a reduce rate to reflect the realities of the pandemic and the inability of the theater to function, the strident position of the landlord made it impossible to reach a reasonable and rational solution to a problem facing businesses all over the state, the country and the world. I am disappointed, saddened and heartbroken that after working so hard to put the theater on strong financial footing, the disruption due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the demands of the building’s owner, leave us no choice other than closing. I feel privileged to have been a steward for this beloved Eugene institution for the past eight years, but the current circumstances make continuing our operations impossible. It is with great sadness that I must announce the closing of the Bijou Art Cinemas. The theater's website and Facebook page are displaying the following announcement: “We couldn’t have a big neon marquee,” Kaza says, though he can operate five screens that show blockbusters, indies, docs and “any movie with a horse in it.” It’s safe to say it’s the only theater in Oregon with ax handles for door knobs.The Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene, Oregon has closed permanently. But owner Drew Kaza says Sisters Movie House fits so seamlessly with the Central Oregon town’s “faux-Western” vibe that many passersby never realize it’s a theater. Unlikely Exterior: Sisters Movie House (Sisters)Īrt deco, pillbox brick and ‘80s mall-core are all standard theater aesthetics. Built in 1948, the theater is currently owned by “Tiny” Pederson, who told NW News Network in 2016 he hardly turns a profit and keeps the theater open mostly for local kids. From Eastern Oregon’s Burns, it’s over 100 miles in any direction to the next silver screen, which only amplifies the significance of the Desert Historic Theater and its bubble gum-pink exterior. The only way to defeat a movie desert…is to screen movies in the desert. “The moniker Bijou is and always will be part of history.”Ĭinema Oasis: Desert Historic Theater (Burns) “We believe in the philosophy that the ‘show starts on the sidewalk’ and try to entertain from the second you reach the front door,” he says. The last one standing in Oregon is the Bijou in Lincoln City (RIP to Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene, 1981-2021).Ĭo-owner Keith Altomare is as proud to carry on the Bijou name as he is to frequent the theater lobby asking for audience feedback on films. Moreover, the theater-tracking website Cinema Treasures estimates at least 230 defunct American theaters were once Bijous. Named for founder Myrtle Buckmiller, the Eltrym currently shows first-run films on three screens.Ī Hidden “Gem”: Bijou Theatre (Lincoln City)Ī half-century ago, the word bijou (or jewel) was such a common theater name that it appeared in Stephen King’s Children of the Corn as a quintessential rural example. ![]() Baker City’s Eltrym is among the most striking still around, with its aqua and burnt-orange color scheme and art deco leafing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |