Angelika Film Center closes
My living room just became the second biggest art house in Houston overnight. The Angelika Film Center shuttered its doors this morning. For the last few months, this is summertime remember, they only ran air conditioned in the theaters (all eight of them) but not in the cavernous lobby.
That leaves the Landmark River Oaks 3 as the only movie theater dedicated to alternative fare. Right now they are running Get Low, The Kids Are All Right, and Mao’s Last Dancer.
Among the films that the Angelika opened this weekend or were going to open in the next three weeks are Animal Kingdom, Countdown to Zero, The Extra Man, Mesrine: Killer Instinct, Lebanon, Centurion, Cairo Time, Life During Wartime, The Tillman Story, I’m Still Here, to name a few.
As the story develops one has to ask a personal question. How much did I support this venue? FPH talked to one person today who works at the Angelika as a projectionist. When they showed up for work Sunday morning they found out they were unemployed.
In a press release the Angelika’s parent company stated: “After 13 years of continued service to the Houston community, the Angelika’s lease has been terminated by the Angelika’s landlord, Bayou Place Limited Partnership, an affiliate of the Cordish Company. Since it opened in 1997, the Angelika has been committed to exhibiting the best in specialty, foreign and independent film to Houston film lovers. Houston has been an important market for Angelika and its family of theatres for years.
The management and staff of the Angelika Film Center have enjoyed being an important part of downtown Houston’s Theater District and it leaves Bayou Place with the greatest appreciation to all those who have supported the Angelika for so many years. The Angelika will begin to explore alternative cinema locations in the Houston market.”
All of a sudden the Kurosawa retrospective running for the rest of the year at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston takes on new and profound meaning. When one door closes another opens, and so we await the next development in the cultural landscape of Space City.
– Michael Bergeron
I supported this venue about as much as I supported the Rice Radio Station which is not at all.
If I need alternative music I go to the web and if I need anything in Fine Arts, I check first with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and University of Houston Moores School of Music.
My friend in New York City and Boston tell me I am keeping up just fine.
::
GP
Gary your an idiot.
Gary, you’re a philistine and a rube.
Don’t bother withhim, he’s a troll who writes on the Houston Press. At least FPH doesn’t have too many trolls like they do at HP.