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AN ART-HOUSE
choosing a suitable venue to display the early films
he produced in his Black Maria theater, Thomas
Edison opted for one of the most ravishing settings
available: the awe-inspiring architectural wonder and once-in-a-
lifetime cultural hotspot of the White City built for Chicago's 1893
World's Fair. What a shame then that most cinematic experiences
these days (of ever finer and cheaper
technology) have to take place amidst
the reeking odor of burned popcorn
oil, flypaper floors and seat cushions
whose best days coincided with the
rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust.
Such was the concern of Athens-
by-way-of-Zurich film aficionado
Brigitta Hangartner when she and her
collaborators began fleshing out her
idea for a new movie theater down
town. As the project began to evolve,
Hangartner, who holds a PhD in psy
chology and has helped design numer
ous urban public spaces, and the team
decided on the historic Snow Tire
Recap building at 234 West Hancock
Ave. for the home of Cine.
THEATER RISES AMONG YOU
building proved perfect for stadium seating in the two theaters—
one with a stage and 135 seats, the other with 105 seats—each
outfitted with state-of-the-art JBL sound systems and sonic mask
ing designed by master technician James Bond (the technological
wizard behind the exquisite setup for Robert Osborne's Classic
Film Festival at the Classic Center Theater). Each theater boasts
or "only in selected cities," Athens will now be among those privi
leged places. Recalling the European art-house cinemas she fre
quented in her youth, Hangartner has also given the concessions
at Cine a flair that should come as a welcome surprise. The familiar
soda fountain and popcorn popper will be accompanied by savory
finger foods like nuts, cheeses and olives, as well as espresso and
a selection of beer and wine that,
when transferred to unbreakable cups,
can accompany one into the theater.
Moreover, the bar-cafe portion won't
be wholly reserved for those waiting
for or decompressing after a film. Ms.
Hangartner and her crew hope that
Cine will be “a space for gathering.”
a specially-fabricated screen to maximize the beauty of the films
projected from the top-quality 35 mm projectors and astonishing
digital towers at the back.
P erhaps most exciting for the viewing public, these screens will
be playing a rotation of films different from the all-too-famil-
iar fare generally peddled on the silver screen. Where once movie
buffs let out a sigh and started putting back a store of gas money
for a trip to the ATI whenever a trailer mentioned "limited release”
W ith the help of local design
firm Department of Corrections,
Unlimited, Swiss graphic designer Rolf
Will, a host of seasoned theater tech
nicians, and plenty of others onboard,
Hangartner set about transforming
the nearly 70-year-old structure into
a modern, environmentally-efficient
space, while carefully preserving its
historic beauty. The roll-up garage
door in front of the box office (with a ^
stylized tire track at the entryway in i
homage to the building's previous in- ?
carnation), the remarkable weathered 2
barrel roof and skylights that used to
hang over the heads of the workers, and even the newly restored
"Man Down” graffiti on the west wall all remain, ensuring that the
building's roots are intact.
But the utilitarian layout has been replaced with a cozy bar,
projection rooms connected by suspended catwalks across a roomy
central gathering area with tables and chairs, whimsical but practi
cal furnishings designed by Didi Dunphy, and a capacious lab space
adorned with art, all rendered with sinuous, intuitive lines in tonal
shades of blue and aqua. The natural grade of the land behind the
Brandon Waddell
T his gets at the heart of what its
creators envision as Cine's ulti
mate purpose. Certainly the uncom
mon beauty and power of the films on
the screen will be a central player in
the experience. Beyond the draw of
Athens' very own downtown art-house
cinema, though, the group hopes the
space will become the nexus of what
they see as a burgeoning local film
scene—a place where moviemakers,
movie lovers, and even casual view
ers can convene to ponder a fine
film. They hope to draw together
those with a love of and stake in the
cinematic arts into a coherent com
munity with memberships (for singles,
couples, students, and even "The Full
Monty,” which includes a full year of
free admission), films audiences would
previously have been forced to drive
m t es to see, and, most importantly,
the unique experience of sharing
these things with others. In her blog
at www.athenscine.com, Hangartner
recalls a recent evening spent at one of the theaters that served as
inspiration for her project: "There was no other place in the world
I wanted to be right then. I was in the mood for love, my love for
good movies. It made me happy that this combination of bar and
theater, an idea we had had for Cine all along, could do this for
me." Considering the care with which every detail of Cine has been
designed, Athenian audiences should be prepared for nothing less.
THURSDAY
APRIL 26.2007 ri 6 PM
Featured Bands:
Modern Skirts
. Packway Handle Band
Hope For Agoldensummer
tickets $10
t i cash or check
(credit card /OG 542 98421
WWW.WluAOtO
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fundRAZOR
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16 FLAGPOLE.COM • MARCH 28,2007
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