Picture This

It's not so much that we felt a compelling urge to see another movie, but we have been very keen to visit the town's theatre. It is somewhat unusual for theatres to continue to exist in small places like ours, especially when they are close to large cities, but Mills has one. It resides in the basement of an old church, under the main floor fitness centre. Of course, we have been intrigued enough to want to pay a visit, especially because, indicated by the sign, it plays current, popular movies.

We descended the short flight of steepish stairs to be greeted right at the bottom by the personable proprietor who was manning the till: an ancient relic perched on a small counter (the cash register I mean). We talked amicably as we forked over our twelve bucks — yup, only six bucks each, four-fifty on cheap Tuesday, less for seniors — and he introduced us his old German Shepherd, Misha, who to our great delight contentedly, sprawled his ample bod over about half of the lobby. Because there's nothing to compare him with in the photo, you'll have to take my word (or not, if you are one of the legions who doubt my credibility) that Misha is the biggest German Shepherd in the history of planet Earth. I wonder if he's always been as uptight as he was when Cuppa took this picture? <grin>

 

We purchased a small bag of popcorn at the tiny concession and proceeded into one of the two the movie rooms (see above photo). Isn't it almost too delightful for words? For whatever reason, concerts I might suppose, there's even an organ. The screen has scratches and electrical wires run visibly along the walls where bare bulbs are interspersed (see light near top left of photo). The seats are not comfy for me, but many aren't compatible with my sorry back, even in the new, plush, and grandiose edifices.

The proprietor walked to the front to introduce the film and to pump the new one, Forty Year Old Virgin, that was playing in the other room. After walking back into the glass-windowed projection room (just like the old days) and starting the film, he walked back out to listen. Not liking what he heard, he advised us that we would stop the film to eliminate the background noise. He did; it worked.

We pronounce the place and the evening delightful. How absolutely wonderful that someone would think to run such an enterprise in such a small town. I imagine that the younger set would think it corny and pine for the glitz of a modern megaplex, but I think, and more importantly, the ever redoubtable Cuppa thinks that, with all apologies to Rocky, this place is the cat's ass.

Oh yes, the movie, Just Like Heaven, was fine too: a light and inoffensive flick that could be seen and appreciated by a gamut of age groups with the possible exception of the pubescent set that would likely prefer more action, violence, and you know what else.