Portland M

Movie Night
Monday, January 16
I really should have planned the day better. In the afternoon I came across a few MLK day volunteer projects that would have been a worthy way to spend the morning, but, by then it was too late. So in keeping with the letter, though not necessarily the spirit of the day, I went to see a movie at The Hollywood Theatre. The movie was OK. The theatre was the real treat.

The facade is wonderful--like a some gothic castle mysteriously plunked down near 42nd and Sandy Boulevard--and the darkness and rain heighten this effect. I get there early and try to find out what I can about the theatre and, magically, as if waiting in the wings is Ellen, the executive director of the nonprofit Oregon Film & Video Foundation which owns the theatre. Ellen told me a little of its history, how it was built as a Vaudeville house in the 1920s, was turned into a movie theatre, and, after being abandoned by a movie house chain, was taken over by the OFVF. The Hollywood was so important that the neighborhood in which it resides was named after it. In addition to showing art and repertory films, the OFVF is involved in cultural and educational endeavors like a summer program teaching youth documentary film.

The Hollywood has been carved up over the years and now has three viewing rooms. Ellen told me that they show many independent and art films not seen elsewhere in Portland, such as Loggerheads, which is playing tonight. She said this is possible because most of the theatre's revenue comes from a selection of choice second-run films, like Pride and Prejudice or Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, which, ahem, was what I came to see. (All films are $4 on Mondays.)

Now, it is not the Portland Project's mission to do film reviews, but I'll tell you three things about the movie. First it is misnamed, it should be Bang-Bang, Kiss, Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang; second, it is a lot of fun; and third, Syriana is not the most confusing movie of the year after all! I did, however, see a preview for Loggerheads and it looked very promising.