Now that I have the pesky job of highlighting Madison's blockbuster theaters out of the way in last week's column, it's time to give the smaller, independent theaters their due. Many college students (and film audiences in general), prefer movies that involve as much taste as popcorn and carry about the same weight. I'll gladly point to the box-office success of \2 Fast 2 Furious"" and ""Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"" for proof that many moviegoers are simply out for a quick, action-packed movie that doesn't make (or allow) them to think too much, if at all. I love an exciting action movie as much as the next guy, but you have to have standards.
More importantly, you have to open your mind to a bit of variety. Many students on campus are interested in trying something new or have always been into limited-release films, and that means heading out to those ""art house"" movie theaters. Madison has an excellent group of them too-and, for the most part, they all have pretty similar ticket prices. Frequently, the factor that will determine where you go is selection. Usually, you won't find the same movie at more than one theater. On that note, each of the theaters has a particular independent film that is worth mentioning from this week.
Westgate is best described as a downsized version of Marcus Point Ultrascreen, 7825 Big Sky Dr., that happens to show independent films. The prices are reasonable, the food is standard issue and the decoration is average. The theater's atmosphere suffers a fair amount simply by being buried in the depths of Westgate Mall, which seems to always be nice, shiny and off-limits like your grandmother's living room.
Considering the relative solitude of the surrounding mall, it's surprising that Westgate pulls in a decent crowd to the movies. While there are technically three screens, two of them are so small that it's pretty obvious that they were either split from one original screen or Marcus got greedy enough to shove more in than there was room for. The area is small enough for the staff to keep an eye on things, so forget about movie-hopping. While the place lacks any particular charm or possible perks, its simple existence is comforting. This weekend they were showing ""American Splendor,"" a film that mixes fact and fiction on many levels to bring the life of Harvey Pekar to the screen. It's great to see that Westgate can draw in a good crowd to watch what may turn out to be one of those relatively unknown Oscar contenders.
Located adjacent to Hilldale Mall, 702 N. Midvale Blvd., this theater is also a victim of its surroundings. While Westgate feels almost like it is not broken in yet, Hilldale feels like it's far past its prime. A renovation might help spruce the place up and return some of its original shine and charm. Hilldale also doesn't seem to bring in enough business to call for it. When you're seeing a movie in a theater that looks like it hasn't really been touched for about 20 years, largely vacant and somewhat rundown, it's hard to get into the movie-going experience.
With two screens, Hilldale's selection is even more limited compared to Westgate. The main showing this weekend was ""The Secret Lives of Dentists,"" starring Denis Leary and Campbell Scott. Scott, son of George C. Scott, actually studied drama in Appleton, Wis. Meanwhile, word has it that Leary has finally taken his career a step in the right direction after choosing to star in 1995's ""Operation Dumbo Drop.""
In case you haven't noticed, I find the style and design of a movie theater almost as important as the ticket price or the film. The Orpheum is the embodiment of what is missing in the new multiplexes that are springing up over the country like so many bunny rabbits. The Orpheum does not feel run down and past its prime, like Hilldale. Instead, the Orpheum takes you back to an older movie tradition, where theaters were similar to stage theaters.
""Fellini: I'm A Born Liar"" is currently playing, and while any true movie fanatic should know about Fellini and his work, a documentary about him isn't going to appeal to anyone who isn't familiar with movies like ""La Dolce Vita"" and ""8 1/2."" If nothing else, though, it may spark interest in his work, which is what independent cinema is all about.
