Screenland Theatres, the Fine Arts Group and the Tivoli Theatre are three of the smaller cinema houses in the metropolitan area working hard to capture a few of the entertainment dollars from moviegoers. Screenland Theatres owner Butch Rigby, Jerry Harrington with Tivoli and Brian and Ben Mossman with the Fine Arts Group all love films that aren’t necessarily going to be big ticket blockbusters. “We have more art films and smaller boutiques shows. We will bring in some commercial ventures, but we really can’t compete as first-run movie houses.”
To remind moviegoers about the joys of movies, Rigby is playing films that can become an event. He’s planning on offering Gone with the Wind as part of a southern experience with a southern dinner. Around Valentine’s Day, there will be a package event of Casablanca, a bottle of wine and Christopher Elbow chocolates. He also brings in comedians who roast films and at least once a quarter, The Big Lebowski is shown.
Rigby says he treasures finding those little gems like Terence O’Malley whose book and documentary Nellie Don has received critical acclaim. The launch of his next book and film Blackhand Strawman was in November. O’Malley’s next film will be Tom and Harry, a documentary looking at the relationship between Tom Pendergast and President Truman. He also showed C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America, written and directed by University of Kansas film professor Kevin Willmott.
Two of the Screenland Theatres have multipurpose facilities that can be used for wedding receptions, corporate events and other parties. The Fine Arts Theatres can be used for corporate and business meetings, lectures, special events and private functions. Tivoli Cinemas offers the Performing Arts Series and Harrington opens the movie house to show the KCPT Community Cinema shows. The Jan. 14 show is Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock and Feb. 11 will be More Than a Month.
