Reliving the Film House Experience of My Youth Is A True Guilty Pleasure
In this modern age of multiplex cinemas, it may be hard for some of our younger readers to imagine the kind of social significance communities attached to a downtown theater in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Going to the movies was a family event when I was young. Often times, we would run into our neighbors (because back then you knew and were social with your neighbors) and that would make the night out all the more special. I’m talking about the kind of movie houses you seen in old movies like “The Blob”, where the theatre owner tore your ticket at the door and teenagers necked in the darkened back rows. Those places were a part of American culture, right along with Drive-In Theaters, old-fashioned soda fountains in neighborhood drug stores, and burger joints with car hops who hooked trays filled with greasy delights on the window of your car. Perhaps another month, I will have to address some of those other diminishing and declining pieces of my and perhaps your youth. But for now, I want to salute a family business that is still around and still a place where I can escape from the hum of my computer and relive a little bit of my childhood. The subject of my Soapbox this month is Hammond’s Janowski family, who own and operate The Town Theater in downtown Highland. They are kindred spirits who understand that sometimes people need to escape from the modern age. They know that sometimes we all need to go back to a time when patronage was repaid with courtesy, fair prices and quality service. Director Peter Bogdanovich significantly epitomized the social/community relevance of the small town movie theater in his 1971 epic film, “The Last Picture Show,” a coming-of-age period piece centered around the demise of a once glorious town theater, fallen into disrepair. Thirty years ago, nearly every community had their own downtown theater. There was The Lans in Lansing, The Glen in Gary, The Paramount and The Parthenon in Hammond, and others too numerous to mention. Like the fictional Texas cinema house in “The Last Picture Show”, these local theaters fell from favor and shuttered their doors. Highland’s Town Theater is one of the few remaining with it’s single screen, single ticket booth, single concession stand movie houses, still operating in the Calumet Region. Others include The Art Theater in Hobart, The Crown Theater in Crown Point and The Hoosier Theater in Whiting and The Kennedy Theater in Hessville. For those who remember seeing films in such cozy theaters, the experience of packing into corporate-owned 16-screen/16-refreshment counter “movie malls”, pales in comparison to those “mom and pop” picture shows of their youth. Movie fans waxing nostalgic, owe to themselves to visit The Town Theater or some of the other venues listed above. These are places where “character” applies to more than just the actors’ film roles. I have been enjoying visits recently to The Town, where as a little child, I attended the very first movie that I remember. It was “Walt Disney’s Pinocchio.” They no longer show children’s films at The Town in favor of more art house fare and evoking an attendance policy of 12 and over, but the facility itself has not changed a bit from my earliest memories. From the old-fashioned neon marquee that yawns out over Kennedy Avenue to greet visitors, to the cream colored ceramic tiles that cover the outer building, to its red carpeted entrance, and the rustic suits of armor which adorned the inner walls – “character” – abounds at The Town Theater (8616 Kennedy Avenue), approximately one mile South of I-94. Built in the waning days of World War II, the original, gear-driven monolithic projectors that first lit up the screen there one their opening night in 1946, are still used today. “These projectors are real warhorses,” said Ted Janowski Sr. from his recliner in the tiny, upper level projection room, as whirring steel reels wrapped in celluloid spun. “These old projectors were built to last a lifetime,” injected Ted Janowski Jr., who came onboard as a teenager when his parents first brought The Town from its original owner in 1979. “We had sold our tavern, Ted’s Tap in Griffith, and I didn’t have anything else to do,” mused Ted Sr. on why he and his wife, Vern Janowski chose to purchase the old theater. “I knew the projectionist who was here then. He told me how the original owners wanted to retire and were looking for a buyer, so I figured why not try something new.” “This is a family business, so we are all very involved,” said Janowski Jr. “We all do whatever needs to be done. I do everything from the plumbing and the electrical, to running the projectors, to making popcorn, to changing the marquee sign...” “Yeah, he is the chief cook and bottle washer,” laughed Ted Sr., who generally greets customers and tears their tickets most nights. “I run the projectors when Ted (Jr.) has a night off.” Vern Janowski selects which films get shown week to week on their old-fashioned silver screen. Vern reads reviews and stays on top of what films are available. Often suggestions written by visitors in the theater lobby guest book aid her in choosing a film. “The guest book helps to give us an idea what people like and don’t like,” said Ted Jr. “We also pick five weekly winners for free theater tickets from those who sign the book.” Though they occasionally run mainstream pictures –– “Meet The Parents”, “Meet The Fockers”, “Chicago” “Bridget Jones’ Diary” and “Cinderella Man”–– most films are lesser know and indie fare. “We play a lot of foreign films here, because no one else does,” said Janowski Sr. “We have people who come here from as far away as Michigan to see films, along with a lot of people from the South Side communities.” A quick gander at license plates in the parking lot across the street indicated that about one third of the audience on any given night at The Town Theater had traveled across the state line rom Illinois. “We run the kind of films that most big theaters won’t run because they are not commercial enough,” said Janowski Sr., noting The Town’s main competition is not the local multiplex, but the downtown Chicago “art house” theaters. “The types of films we usually run here may have only 5 to 15 copies available for the entire country,” added Janowski Jr. “Because there are so few copies on some of these films, there is a lot of competition to get some of these films. People drive long distances to come here, because we are often one of the few theaters in the country showing a certain film.” Aside from securing the films her patrons, Vern greets them nightly at the box office. First timers who are numb from high multiplex ticket prices have a “deer in the headlights” look when Vern charges only a $5 admission for all showings of all films. Prices are likewise surprisingly economical inside as well, for those wanting to partake in the movie-going tradition of savoring a large popcorn, pop and candy selection. Perhaps the best part of a visit to Highland’s Town Theater is the “intermission” break that comes half way through each movie. The Janowskis use this break to treat their guests to a large table of free pastries and free coffee. “People tell us that they really like the intermission. They sure do go for the cake and cookies,” concluded Janowski Sr., noting the tradition was started by the original owner shortly after the theater opened it’s doors. “People like having the opportunity to get up and stretch their legs, use the restroom, grab a smoke outside, and not have to worry about missing any of the movie while they do it.” The wide array of delicious pastry is brought in fresh daily from Almira’s Bakery in Hammond. “People appreciate when a business thinks enough of them to give something back,” summed up Ted Jr. “We do everything we can to let our customers know we appreciate their business. I think that’s what keeps them coming back.” For more information: www.towntheatre.com
Tom Lounges spins Region Rock on his Night Rock radio Show every Sunday evening from 6-9pm on X-ROCK 103.9 |
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