It’s better in the matinee

I’m not on the mailing list for Central Cinema patrons, but I did catch the initial e-mail from Mark Haskett on Alameda Daily News and then the follow up article in the Alameda Journal last week, evidently we’ve come a long way from this to this.    Evidently, things were still pretty positive for Central Cinema only a month ago, but now we are hearing a completely different tune as the opening of the Alameda Theatre grows closer.    Here is the complete text of the email, since it’s no longer on ADN and the Journal article didn’t reproduce the entire text:

“Sadly, the future of Central Cinema is uncertain. We are now unable to book movies for the summer because the City of Alameda is opening its new movie theater in May and is monopolizing all of the movies (meaning the movie studios won’t let us have any movie that the City’s theater says it wants). I am deeply troubled that the Alameda City Council spent our tax dollars ($35 million?) to build a movie theater. Aren’t there better uses for our tax money?

Central Cinema has had a positive impact on the community and has been a special experience to many families. I’ve seen it first hand in the faces of our customers. I am proud of what we have accomplished and no bureaucrat can ever take that away. We might be able to solve this problem if we could move to a location that is further away from the downtown theater, so if you are familiar with a new space that would embrace our little theater, let me know.”

Perhaps it would be in both the Alameda Theatre and Central Cinema’s best interests to work together and discuss which movies they would like to bring to their respective theaters.   Sort of the way that the two Emeryville theaters manage, you never see overlap in the movies that they are showing and the older one has been able to stay in business even though the newer Bay Street theater is a whole heck of a lot nicer.    Of course that would require the setting aside of egos and doing what is best for the community as whole.   After all, there are quite a few people who have vowed never to set foot in the Alameda Theater, what better way to bring in those reluctant customers if it can be shown that they are not actively trying to put Central Cinema out of businesses.   And on the other hand Central Cinema should probably relinquish expectations of getting a big blockbuster like Indiana Jones or the new Batman movie and stick to the movies without all the whiz bang boom of CGI and monster sound and be satisified with being able to show films that are much less sensory intensive.

The tone of the email was a little sad, but it appears that Mark H. wouldn’t have been happy with any level of spending on the Alameda Theatre as long as it was competition to his own operation.   He knows that the money was spent not to only to build a theater, but to restore a historic landmark in Alameda.   Historic restoration does not appear to be a cheap endeavor whether it is simply a house or a huge building like the Alameda Theatre, particularly if the restoration is to be done properly.    So while I’m a little sad for Central Cinema and hope they will be able to continue operating side by side with the Alameda Theatre, much like those that have vowed to never go to the Alameda Theatre, I know that I will probably never go to Central Cinema myself

And speaking of things that I will never go to, I know that it is de reiguer to have an opening gala for most significant openings, but $100 a pop to get a sneak peek at the new Alameda Theatre?   Too rich for my blood.   I’ll just wait for the free public opening that following Saturday, although from what I understand there is supposed to be a midnight showing the night of the Gala of Indiana (”don’t call me Junior”) Jones, so that is another non-$100 option to see the Theatre as well.   Although if you can afford the $100 a pop and really want to get that first look, the money from the Gala will go to help fund the restoration of the mural in the mezzanine lobby and the hand painted curtain.

As to a possible future location for Central Cinema if it finds it needs to move farther away from the Alameda Theatre to stay in business, might I suggest the recently approved Esplanade development on Bay Farm or the old Alameda Art Association building on Webster, it can get all the traffic from the dim sum goers on Saturdays and Sundays, maybe while they are all waiting for a table at East Ocean.