Local theaters offer alternatives to the multiplex this summer
BY MATT ARADO
Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2007

At first glance, it seems like summer and the multiplex are made for each other.

What better place to see the latest mega-spectacular popcorn movie than in a 30-screen behemoth that offers stadium seating, wide screens and a sound system that can make the earth rumble?

Go to the multiplex enough times, though, and the experience can start to feel, well, kind of boring. One looks and feels pretty much like any other.

So this summer, consider visiting one of the local, hometown theaters still operating in the suburbs.

These theaters, most of them located in downtown areas, are throwbacks to a time when just about every town had its own movie house. Many date back to the '20s or '30s. Generations of residents experienced their first job or first date in those buildings. Step inside and you can't help but sense the history.

"Old theaters are vessels of memory," said movie-theater enthusiast Ross Melnick, co-founder of Cinema Treasures, an online database of more than 15,000 classic movie theaters all over the world. "Take one that's been open since 1928 - so much of the cultural memory of that town is right there."
Of course, most local theater buildings lost some of their historic charm during the rise of the multiplex in the 1980s. To stay competitive, theater owners divided their grand, one-screen auditoriums into two or more boxlike screening rooms.

Still, charming touches remain - from old-fashioned marquees to vintage ticket booths to uniquely personal service.

At the very least, seeing a summer hit in a local theater will save you a few bucks, as most offer a discounted admission price.

To help you plan a trip, here's a closer look at some local theaters in the suburbs and what they offer.

The Tivoli, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. (630) 968-0219; www.classiccinemas.com
Whether you live near Downers Grove or not, you owe it yourself to see a movie at the Tivoli.The theater, the flagship of the Classic Cinemas chain, is an absolute gem. Built in 1928, it remains a one-screen theater with more than 1,000 seats.Its auditorium and lobby have been painstakingly restored to retain their historic beauty. The decor shines with blue and gold accents. The screen sits behind a dramatic arch. Walk down the aisle and you'll feel like you've been yanked back in time.It isn't old-fashioned in every respect, though. Classic Cinemas outfitted the theater with a state-of-the-art sound system last year. And the seats have cup holders.

The Tivoli shows second-run films for $3 a ticket. A small popcorn and a bottled water will cost $6 together. The theater also hosts special live events as well as a regular film discussion group.Classic Cinemas, a family-owned company, operates 12 theaters in the suburbs, including the Elk Grove in Elk Grove Village and the Ogden 6 in Naperville."Retaining that old ambience is so important," company president Willis Johnson said. "It's what separates us from the multiplexes. Where else can you see architecture like this in the suburbs?"

The Catlow, 116 W. Main St., Barrington. (847) 381-0777; www.thecatlow.com
If you ever get tired of the same-old theater concession items, the Catlow is for you.

Customers can buy a sandwich off the menu from Baloney's, the restaurant next door, and bring it to the theater for some unique movie-time eating. The Catlow's owners (who also own Baloney's) say the theater is the first in Illinois to offer in-theater dining.

There's a lot to recommend about the Catlow besides the food, though. Like the Tivoli, the Catlow is a single-screen theater. It first opened in 1927, and its Tudor-style exterior is a focal point in downtown Barrington.

The spare-but-elegant interior recalls an English castle or church. The 700-seat auditorium is airy and comfortable, and I had no complaints with the picture or sound quality.

The theater shows first-run films, usually two to three weeks after they've opened. Admission is $5. A small popcorn and bottled water cost $4.

To stay competitive - the Catlow came close to shutting its doors a few years ago - owners Tim O'Connor and Roberta Rapata have devised unique ways to reach out, such as a voting system that lets customers decide what films the theater will book.

O'Connor, however, said he never considered dividing the theater. "I didn't want to go down in history as the man who ruined the historic character of this great building," he said.

The Glen Art Theatre, 540 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 415-1976; www.glenarttheatre.com
This theater dates back to the 1920s, but Generation Xers are likely to recognize it from the hit 1986 teen drama "Lucas," which starred Corey Haim and an unknown actress named Winona Ryder. The movie was filmed in and around Glen Ellyn, and it featured the theater in several scenes.According to the theater's Web site, the Glen used to be a one-screener with 1,000 seats. When the multiplex craze hit, the owners divided the theater into four auditoriums with about 200 seats each.Despite that, the Glen still has some old-school charm, due primarily to its picturesque marquee - often used by hopeful young men to ask girls to the prom - and ticket booth, as well as its downtown location.

I saw "The Hoax" there on a recent Tuesday afternoon, and the auditorium, while small, boasted a decent-sized screen and comfortable seats.The Glen books foreign and "arthouse" movies, which makes it a particularly worthy destination, as those movies aren't screened at many other places in the suburbs. (Go to the Web site and you can make suggestions for films to be booked in the future.) Plus, downtown Glen Ellyn offers plenty of spots for pre- or post-movie snacking.Tickets cost $6 ($4.50 before 5 p.m.), and a small popcorn and bottled water will set you back $7.70.Now, if only I could meet Winona Ryder there next time ...

Bensenville Theater, 9 S. Center St., Bensenville. (630) 860-1404; www.bensenville.il.us
The Bensenville is a rarity in that it is owned by the village, which purchased it in the mid-'90s in an effort to fuel revitalization of the downtown area.The theater dates back to the 1920s, though like most of its suburban counterparts, it has undergone significant renovation over the years. The facade retains a vintage look with classical-style columns and arched doorways.The Bensenville has two auditoriums that show second-run movies. The auditoriums are small; each has about 130 seats. During a recent showing of "Zodiac," though, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the screen and the quality of the sound.

Tickets are $3, and on the day I went, a small popcorn was free. So for $4, I got a ticket, a bottled water and popcorn. Great deal! The theater sits adjacent to Sundae's Too, a sandwich and ice cream shop with a '50s-diner vibe. That makes the Bensenville perfect for an inexpensive meal-and-movie outing.

Buffalo Grove Theaters, 120 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. (847) 604-1393
The word to keep repeating to yourself when talking about the Buffalo Grove theaters is "value." You won't get a lot of creature comforts here, but at such a low price, does that really matter?Tickets are $2, except for Tuesdays, when admission is just $1!!! Think about that: A family of four can see a movie at Buffalo Grove for about the cost of a venti Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks. (Concession prices are pretty low, too; a small popcorn and bottled water cost about $5.25.)The Buffalo Grove theaters don't have the historic charm of other second-run movie houses in the suburbs, as they opened in a strip mall during the mid-1990s. There are five auditoriums, giving customers a nice array of movies to choose from.

I caught a recent Tuesday night showing of "Night at the Museum." The auditorium was small and, unfortunately, so was the screen. (I'm one of those who believe that when it comes to movie screens, size does matter.) The floor, at least under my row of seats, was a bit sticky.But you know what? I left completely satisfied, because I'd just seen a movie in a theater for a single, solitary dollar. That's tough to beat.

The Liberty Theater, 708 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. (847) 362-3011
You might sense the spirit of the late, great Marlon Brando when you see a movie at the Liberty. Legend has it that Brando used to work there, and in a fit of anger at his boss he dumped a wheel of Limburger cheese in the basement, causing the entire theater to smell for days.I don't know if that's true, but I do know the theater is a bargain. It shows first-run movies (as in, opening weekend) for $2 before 6 p.m., and $4 thereafter. A small popcorn and bottled water cost $5.50 together.

In addition to the great prices, the theater offers some unique service touches, the coolest of which being the fact that ushers walk through the auditorium during the movie, flashlights in hand, to take refill orders on drinks and popcorn (refills are free). It's like when vendors take orders at a baseball game.The Liberty opened in 1938 as a one-screen theater with 700 seats. It was later divided into two narrow auditoriums with 350 seats each.The seats and picture quality were fine, though not up to multiplex standards. The downtown location is a huge plus, though. Libertyville offers quite a bit of shopping and dining for before or after your movie.

 

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