A love letter to the local cinema scene
Globe readers share their memories
‘Ican honestly say one of the reasons I moved to my East Arlington home is that it’s a 10-minute walk to the Capitol Theatre,” says Helene Martel, one of dozens of Globe readers who wrote in after we ran an article featuring Globe staffers’ most memorable movie-theater experiences and asked for yours.
From recalling “Rocky Horror Picture Show” midnight madness to recommending where to get the best popcorn, readers had a lot to share on the subject of cherished cinemas, past and present, in Boston and beyond (and, in a couple of cases, way beyond).
While some local treasures have disappeared since these memories were made (the Orson Welles Cinema, which closed after a fire in 1986, received a lot of love), the Boston area is still a big draw for cinephiles, with recent additions like the Alamo Drafthouse Seaport and AMC Causeway; a new state-of-theart sound system at the Brattle; a reimagined and revamped Coolidge Corner Theatre; a devoted drive-in scene (plus plenty of other outdoor-screening options); and a wealth of deeply knowledgable film workers, from programmers to projectionists, dedicated to preserving the in-person experience at the movies.
What follows is a communal love letter to the local cinema scene, written by some of the people who keep it going: you.
“At the great Orson Welles Cinema on Mass Ave. in Cambridge, 1970, after seeing Robert Altman’s anti-war film ‘M*A*S*H,’ I exited the theater and walked into fragments of a massive Vietnam War protest, a true Life and Art fusion.” — Dave DeInnocentis, Andover
“In Boston, nothing beats a full house in the 400-plus-seat MovieHouse 1 of the Coolidge Corner Theatre: the energy of the audience, the beautifully preserved art-deco theater, giant screen, and great sound. Go for one of their ‘Big Screen Classics,’ and if you’re lucky there’ll be an intro by the incomparable Mark Anastasio. As a kid, growing up in Montreal, there were wonderful singlescreen movie palaces. A highlight, at age 17, was seeing ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ the first weekend of its June 1981 release at the Imperial Theatre, on their brand-new 70mm projector, in ‘sixtrack Dolby Stereo’ — the gold standard for sound systems at the time.” — Mark Lowenstein, Brookline
“In 2000, I saw the Italian film ‘Bread and Tulips’ at Cinema Salem. At a certain point in the movie, the film reel got stuck, and the bottom of the screen was black so we couldn’t read the subtitles. As the 20 or so members of the audience began chatting, one person volunteered to go tell an usher. Then, about two rows in front of me, an older gentleman stood up and faced us. We all went silent, and he proceeded to tell us what the couple on the screen were saying to each other. He kept looking back at the screen and gesturing to the two actors as he translated. He made this Italian love story all the sweeter. About 10 minutes later, the screen was corrected. However, I believe everyone in the theater was a little disappointed.” — Cora Duculon, Newburyport
“The old Harvard Square Theatre [now closed] was a real gem. Originally one screen before they chopped it up. Midnight shows of ‘Rocky Horror,’ dollar nights, and always two movies for the price one. And a great policy of, once the first coming attractions started, no more tickets sold!” — Rich Kelly, Woburn
“How about Off the Wall Cinema, a unique experience in (mostly) Cambridge from 1974-86. We specialized in putting together feature-length programs of short films, and became internationally known for promoting animation in particular. We brought the voices of Rocky and Bullwinkle (June Foray and Bill Scott), Warner Brothers animator Chuck Jones, and Mae Questel to Boston. The atmosphere was more coffee and cheesecake than popcorn and Pepsi: rotating art exhibits and our special Alternative Family Cinema shows for kids on the weekends. In the Globe, Casey Affleck said his first movie experiences were there! This coming December, there will be a celebration of the 50th-anniversary of our first show. (Pure memories only, not commercial.)” — Michael Nicholson, Brookline
“My most memorable movie experience by far was going to a full-participation midnight showing of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ at the appropriately run-down gothic-y Exeter Street Theatre in the mid-’70s. As a sheltered kid attending a middling suburban college, it was an eye-opener . . . and a blast!” — Jim Beauchesne, Arlington
“After selecting what movie to see, my number-one criteria on which theater to go to is who has the freshest popcorn. Nothing like the smell and sound of popcorn popping when you walk into the theater. And it’s always important to have the butter layered on. Comfortable seating and parking are also a factor. My picks: Landmark Kendall Square, Cambridge; Majestic 7 Theater in Watertown; Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline; Embassy Theater in Waltham; Dedham Community Theatre in Dedham.” — Dan Lyons, Waltham
“My best memory is of the long-gone Orson Welles Cinema in Cambridge — my art house escape during grad school in the ’70s/early ’80s. Still haunted by ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock.’” — Noreen Barnes, Acton
“When I moved to Boston in the early ’80s, my favorite theater was the Orson Welles. It was my introduction to amazing foreign films. One was ‘Bread and Chocolate.’” — Gini Goulet, Concord
“The Orson Welles ran ‘Triumph of the Will’ one rainy Saturday afternoon. Whatever the reputation and length of the film, it seemed endless. When Hitler announced (through subtitles) that the rally was almost over, the Welles audience — for the first and only time, I assure you — broke into cheers.” — Jon Vargosko, Arlington
“There we were, two 12-year-old boys, at the Poplar on Willow Street, New Orleans, 1957, and there HE was, Elvis Presley in “Love Me Tender,” his first movie. Every time Elvis appeared on the screen, the girls in the audience went crazy, ‘EEEEEEEKYAAAAAEEEEK!’ Ridiculous. We couldn’t hear half of what was said. But we were able to hear each other as we agreed the girls were being allowed to steal our $.25. Only one thing to do: Every time SHE (Debra Paget) appeared on the screen, we let it rip: ‘EEEEEEKYAAAAEEEEK!’ In no time, flashlights appeared at each end of our row, and it was, ‘Hi, Willow Street, who expected to see you again so soon?’ Once again, the adult world had demonstrated how totally unjust it could be.” — Richard Derby, Needham
“Somerville Theatre. We just came home from a week on the Cape and stopped into Mike’s for a little dinner. I could tell there was a buzz in the crowd so I asked someone, ‘What’s going on tonight?’ ‘Oh, they’re showing “Jaws” — it’s the 40th anniversary, and Narragansett beer is sponsoring.’ Although very tired, we weren’t giving up the chance to see one of our all-time favorite movies. It was pure cinema gold: ‘Jaws’ fans enjoying the familiar movie with repeated gasps of, ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat!’ The movie holds a special place in my heart as I saw it opening weekend in 1975 in Hyannis. We strictville, ly swam in pools that summer.” — Mark E. Smith, Marblehead
“When I graduated from high school, my summer job before college was working overnight cleaning theaters at the Showcase Cinemas in LouisKentucky. Sumner Redstone, a former Boston-area resident, owned the national chain. His name was in an iridescent stamp on our paychecks. There was this summer blockbuster about a great white shark — “Jaws” — playing nightly to sold-out crowds in a huge theater of 900 patrons. The syrupy aroma of popcorn and soda permeated the place. When the sheriff (Roy Scheider) attempted a rifle shot at the air tank in the mouth of the shark, the explosion always brought a loud cheer — the harbor nemesis is destroyed. It is always an unforgettable memory of good over evil.” — Anthony W. Lanier, Cohasset
“Several years ago, the Capitol Theatre in Arlington had a series of film classics shown on its main screen. The first one was ‘The Godfather.’ I had seen it when it first came out in 1972, but hadn’t watched it on a big screen since. When we left the theater, my wife and I both acknowledged that ‘they don’t make movies like that anymore.’ The combination of a well-told classic story with superb cinematography is something you don’t see much on big screens these days. The second film we saw in the series was ‘Casablanca.’ I hadn’t seen that one on a big screen since the days of the Bogart festivals at the Brattle
Theatre during Harvard exam week. What most amazed me about this showing is how many younger people there were in the audience.” — Sam Kafrissen, Arlington
“My family, friends, and I have enjoyed countless films and experiences [at the Capitol Theatre]. And, dating myself, I went when it was a one-theater venue. The range of movies is eclectic: American, foreign, documentaries. The fabulous Arlington International Film Festival is held there annually. They host very fun and popular birthday parties for kids and mama’s matinees. Their prices are modest, the staff exceptionally friendly and accommodating. And the refreshments unbeatable — real buttered popcorn, tap beer, vino, lattes, Quebrada-baked goodies, and Richardson’s ice cream. This is a community treasure.” — Helene Martel, Arlington
“My wife and I have been moviegoers for decades. No matter the intrinsic merits of the movie being shown, the theater must be absolutely quiet, devoid of the sound of people eating. Both retired now, we choose early matinees on Mondays and Tuesdays, giving us the best odds of concentrating on the film rather than on the food being consumed. Best movie experience ever? Easy. The Nuart Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard, in Los Angeles, watching the midnight showing of ‘The Harder They Come’ for the umpteenth time.” — Alan Marks, Acton
“One of my best experiences is when Waltham got its own movie theater, The Embassy, in 1998, and I went to see ‘Sliding Doors,’ which turned out to be one of the best pictures of the year. The Embassy closed for COVID, and reopened after people got vaccines. I don’t remember our first post-COVID film there, nor our last, when it shut down again due to poor attendance. The Embassy reopened this past fall, and we were thrilled to see the renovations (now an arts center) when we saw ‘The Holdovers,’ one of the best films of ’23.” — Donald Caplin, Waltham
“My favorite theater is the Dedham Community Theatre. It’s an exceptionally intimate venue. My wife and I have gotten to know Paul McMurtry, the theater’s owner, well because he is often there to sell you a ticket and ask you in the lobby afterwards how you liked the film. In an article last year in The Wall Street Journal, Paul described the moviegoing experience as ‘coming to a place alone and not feeling like a stranger.’ I’ll never forget seeing ‘The Quiet Girl’ there post-pandemic. Leaving the theater, I was intoxicated by my cinematic experience. Some films just demand to be seen in the dark with fellow enthusiasts of ‘art’ or independent films, and the Dedham Community Theatre provides an indispensable outlet for them. May it continue to live and prosper!” — Jeff Stoodt, Milton