By Rachel Ahrnsen

In April 1938, the new Bama Theatre was unveiled to the fanfare of the parading Million Dollar Band. The Public Works Administration had commissioned architect David O. Whilldin to design the building, which would be used as a theatre and city hall. He modeled the building on the Italian Renaissance; the design of the lobby is based on the Davanzati Palace in Florence. The atmospheric interior of the theatre was intended to look like an Italian courtyard at night. Its ceiling has twinkling lights dotted among  painted clouds, and the walls are lined with handpainted murals and false balconies.

As buildings surrounding it have fallen and risen throughout the decades, the Bama has remained constant. Bama Theatre manager David Allgood says the fixtures in the building are, “all original. Nothing has been changed, and everything inside is unique. The false balconies are different on each side, the original murals are still there, the same star lights are there.”

As the film world goes through rapid changes, the historic Bama is negotiating the modern era’s challenges through new series such as the  Bama Art House.

Filmmaker Andy Grace sparked the series in 2009. “At the time, they were doing a cinema nouveau series with a movie showing all week, which was poorly attended. When I went to graduate school in Wyoming, there was a film series that was one night a week. Because it was one night a week, it was an event… I told David this would galvanize an audience, and he could also bring a ton more movies throughout the year. I just figured it would work.”

The cinema nouveau series was then changed to the art house series, to showcase contemporary, independent films that would not ordinarily be shown in Alabama. Allgood says, “You won’t see these films anywhere else in Alabama.”

Grace, Allgood, and other members of the Arts Council, pick six to ten films for each of the fall, winter, and summer series.

“I’d love to sit here and tell you we scour the very best films from Sundance, Tribeca, etcetera and find the ones that are best for our audience. But the truth is that film distribution for a little town like Tuscaloosa is a hard sell for a lot of distributors,” says Grace.

“We say, ‘We’d like to bring your movie, which is made by these world-renowned directors, and has all this Oscar buzz. Well, we’d like to bring it to Alabama. For one night.’ They’re like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ We kind of have to program based off what distributors are willing to give us. I feel we have strong programming every year because we’re able to work with small distributors, and sometimes we’re able to work directly with the filmmakers. I, as a filmmaker, like this because then the filmmaker gets all the money.”

Another issue the art house series faces are the technological changes of the industry; even the medium of film is changing. Only three of the eight movies in this series have been traditional 35 mm, and the rest have been digital. “The change from 35 mm to digital, we will make in the spring. The last movie in the series,”Wadjda,” might be the last 35 mm ever seen in the Bama Theatre,” says Allgood.

Grace is more concerned with a different technological issue, that of online distribution.

“Here’s another problem: a movie has been on itunes for two months now. That’s happened in the last year or two. It used to be there would be at least year, between when an independent film was first shown and when it was released to the public. Now, that space is much shorter. There were films at Sundance that were released on demand the day they premiered. That’s the way the market is shrinking.”

However, Grace believes that this series offers more than a movie.

“The Bama Art House, it requires that your audience believe this: we have a product they can’t get on their individual screens. We’re saying to them, look, you can watch this movie on your computer, but you can’t watch it with 200 people. You can’t watch it with a beer sitting next to your neighbor. You can’t have that communal experience, which I think is the beautiful part of cinema, on itunes.”

Grace believes that the art house series provides a rare opportunity for connection.

“I think there are fewer and fewer avenues for community in modern life. We get collapsed into our machines sometimes. I think going outside of your comfort zone to a theater, with friends and a whole bunch of strangers, and hearing that  collective laugh, collective sorrow, and collective joy is something really vital. It’s something that gets lost when we turn increasingly into our computers.”

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the Public Works Administration in 1933, one of its stated goals was to, “benefit the community.” The Bama Theatre still fulfills this ambition.

The Bama Art House series takes place Tuesday nights through March 11. Doors open at 6:45 p.m, movies begin at 7:30 p.m. The remaining movies are “The Best Offer”: A master auctioneer becomes obsessed with a reclusive heiress who collects art, “Una Noche”:  Two Havana boys dream of escaping to Miami, and face the biggest challenge of their lives, and “Wadjda”: A Saudi girl signs up for her school’s Koran recitation competition to raise money to buy herself a bicycle.

About The Author

Publisher

221 Responses

  5. Jameswak

    top 10 pharmacies in india [url=https://indimedsdirect.shop/#]IndiMeds Direct[/url] reputable indian online pharmacy

    Reply
  8. Jameswak

    buying prescription drugs in mexico online [url=https://tijuanameds.shop/#]mexican drugstore online[/url] TijuanaMeds

    Reply
  12. Jameswak

    IndiMeds Direct [url=https://indimedsdirect.com/#]india pharmacy[/url] indian pharmacy online

    Reply
  14. Jameswak

    canadian pharmacy ed medications [url=https://canrxdirect.shop/#]canadian pharmacy oxycodone[/url] buy canadian drugs

    Reply
  17. Jameswak

    reliable canadian pharmacy [url=https://canrxdirect.shop/#]CanRx Direct[/url] canadian family pharmacy

    Reply
  22. Jameswak

    canadian pharmacy online store [url=https://canrxdirect.com/#]canadian pharmacy[/url] canadian drug

    Reply
  26. Jameswak

    TijuanaMeds [url=https://tijuanameds.shop/#]TijuanaMeds[/url] TijuanaMeds

    Reply
  32. Danielrat

    trust pharmacy viagra [url=http://rxfreemeds.com/#]online pharmacy uk tadalafil[/url] RxFree Meds

    Reply
  37. Danielrat

    Farmacia Asequible [url=https://farmaciaasequible.com/#]Farmacia Asequible[/url] chocolat-box reseГ±as

    Reply
  41. Danielrat

    mejor antimosquitos elГ©ctrico ocu [url=http://farmaciaasequible.com/#]ВїdГіnde queda la farmacia mГЎs cercana[/url] farmacia cerca a mi ubicaciГіn

    Reply
  45. Danielrat

    enclomiphene price [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.shop/#]enclomiphene for men[/url] enclomiphene buy

    Reply
  50. Danielrat

    provigil online pharmacy no prescription [url=http://rxfreemeds.com/#]pharmacy store manager[/url] propranolol target pharmacy

    Reply
  55. Danielrat

    enclomiphene best price [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.com/#]enclomiphene[/url] enclomiphene price

    Reply
  59. Danielrat

    enclomiphene testosterone [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.shop/#]enclomiphene[/url] enclomiphene

    Reply
  63. Danielrat

    Farmacia Asequible [url=https://farmaciaasequible.com/#]farmacia avenida de espaГ±a[/url] Farmacia Asequible

    Reply
  68. Danielrat

    pharmacy ce online [url=https://rxfreemeds.com/#]kamagra pharmacy online[/url] clotrimazole price pharmacy

    Reply
  72. Danielrat

    enclomiphene buy [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.com/#]enclomiphene testosterone[/url] enclomiphene online

    Reply
  76. Danielrat

    online pharmacy percocet [url=https://rxfreemeds.com/#]RxFree Meds[/url] online pharmacy c o d

    Reply
  82. Danielrat

    multicentrum energГ­a y vitalidad 50 contraindicaciones [url=https://farmaciaasequible.com/#]Farmacia Asequible[/url] farma segura

    Reply
  86. Danielrat

    RxFree Meds [url=https://rxfreemeds.com/#]pharmacy store design[/url] RxFree Meds

    Reply
  90. Danielrat

    Farmacia Asequible [url=https://farmaciaasequible.com/#]comprar cialis por internet[/url] Farmacia Asequible

    Reply
  95. Danielrat

    enclomiphene for sale [url=http://enclomiphenebestprice.com/#]enclomiphene buy[/url] enclomiphene best price

    Reply
  99. Danielrat

    droguerГ­as [url=https://farmaciaasequible.shop/#]Farmacia Asequible[/url] Farmacia Asequible

    Reply
  104. Danielrat

    enclomiphene for men [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.shop/#]enclomiphene testosterone[/url] enclomiphene buy

    Reply
  108. Danielrat

    RxFree Meds [url=https://rxfreemeds.shop/#]aldara pharmacy[/url] online pharmacy azithromycin

    Reply
  112. Danielrat

    farmacia direct [url=http://farmaciaasequible.com/#]isdin antiverrugas amazon[/url] Farmacia Asequible

    Reply
  117. Danielrat

    RxFree Meds [url=https://rxfreemeds.com/#]fluconazole mexico pharmacy[/url] big pharmacy online

    Reply
  122. Danielrat

    enclomiphene for sale [url=http://enclomiphenebestprice.com/#]enclomiphene price[/url] enclomiphene testosterone

    Reply
  126. Danielrat

    RxFree Meds [url=http://rxfreemeds.com/#]clomiphene pharmacy[/url] zoloft indian pharmacy

    Reply
  130. Danielrat

    enclomiphene for sale [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.com/#]enclomiphene[/url] enclomiphene buy

    Reply
  135. Danielrat

    farmacia de la [url=https://farmaciaasequible.com/#]amazon mallorca bestellen[/url] drogueria madrid

    Reply
  139. Danielrat

    arimidex online pharmacy no prescription [url=https://rxfreemeds.com/#]RxFree Meds[/url] RxFree Meds

    Reply
  145. Danielrat

    misoprostol pharmacy cost [url=https://rxfreemeds.shop/#]RxFree Meds[/url] RxFree Meds

    Reply
  148. Danielrat

    enclomiphene citrate [url=https://enclomiphenebestprice.shop/#]enclomiphene best price[/url] buy enclomiphene online

    Reply
  153. Chasepib

    viagra verified internet pharmacy practice sites [url=https://medismartpharmacy.shop/#]MediSmart Pharmacy[/url] pharmacy famotidine

    Reply
  158. Chasepib

    pharmacy website [url=http://medismartpharmacy.com/#]web rx pharmacy palace[/url] premarin pharmacy coupon

    Reply
  161. Chasepib

    mexico pharmacies prescription drugs [url=http://meximedsexpress.com/#]mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa[/url] medicine in mexico pharmacies

    Reply
  167. Chasepib

    MexiMeds Express [url=http://meximedsexpress.com/#]MexiMeds Express[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies

    Reply
  171. Chasepib

    Online medicine home delivery [url=http://indomedsusa.com/#]reputable indian online pharmacy[/url] IndoMeds USA

    Reply
  176. Chasepib

    buying from online mexican pharmacy [url=https://meximedsexpress.shop/#]MexiMeds Express[/url] mexican mail order pharmacies

    Reply
  180. Chasepib

    MexiMeds Express [url=https://meximedsexpress.shop/#]MexiMeds Express[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies

    Reply
  186. Chasepib

    pharmacy mall [url=http://medismartpharmacy.com/#]indian pharmacy viagra[/url] mexico pharmacy order online

    Reply
  190. Chasepib

    IndoMeds USA [url=https://indomedsusa.com/#]IndoMeds USA[/url] pharmacy website india

    Reply
  195. Chasepib

    online pharmacy buy viagra [url=https://medismartpharmacy.shop/#]drug store near me[/url] vardenafil online pharmacy

    Reply
  199. Chasepib

    buying prescription drugs in mexico online [url=https://meximedsexpress.shop/#]mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs[/url] MexiMeds Express

    Reply
  204. Chasepib

    viagra pharmacy online [url=https://medismartpharmacy.shop/#]us pharmacy online viagra[/url] doxycycline tesco pharmacy

    Reply
  207. Chasepib

    rx pharmacy logo [url=http://medismartpharmacy.com/#]Tadacip[/url] tamoxifen pharmacy

    Reply
  211. Chasepib

    IndoMeds USA [url=https://indomedsusa.shop/#]top 10 online pharmacy in india[/url] IndoMeds USA

    Reply
  214. Chasepib

    MexiMeds Express [url=https://meximedsexpress.shop/#]MexiMeds Express[/url] п»їbest mexican online pharmacies

    Reply
  221. RickyaxokE

    sertralina 50 mg prezzo [url=https://ordinasalute.shop/#]normast 600[/url] reaptan 5/5

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.