yeah! Downtown West has the kinds of movies I want to see. I'd go every week if it were closer and maybe sometimes more than that. I love films, but I hate the Hollywood car chase thrillers and the slasher nightmares. They do fill seats, so I'm not saying they shouldn't have them, but I bet if they had some more intelligent fare (which I think ironically is often cheaper) they would have a whole lot more business. I'm just so glad it's there. I did like the film I saw. Can't think of the name, but it starred George Clooney. It was a suspense movie, but without all the racing camera action and gore. The actors were actually given time to act. Eventually, the Regal may have more interesting films in at least one of the theaters every week. I sure hope so.

, practically every week, and the downtown theater so far seems to more than be holding its own. Go to any of the theaters during the week and sometimes its a lonely scene. If I have noticed any theater lose business over the last two years I would say its Regal West (vs. Pinnacle I presume).

Now, IMHO, that would not be if the loud arts contingent convinces Regal that somehow what the public really wants is 12 screens of Eastern Promises. Then I guess the Riviera would be a very lonely place indeed.

Think folks, you also wouldn't get to smugly go on about how often you only go to the art movies at Downtown West.

The wiffle ball thing sounds fun. You're right that small independent business owners need to take time off, not hire extra staff to remain open at night, and they also need customers to make staying open late worthwhile. It's a problem.

It's probably heresy, but one good open-all-night store like a Dunkin' Donuts, an all night diner, or even a convience store (which in most cities often acts as a reassurance zone to people like myself who like to wander alone through cities at night) would be a welcome sight. Maybe Market Square being what it is and having very limited space will not turn out to be the central attraction downtown. Maybe Gay Street will become the late night hub. There's room there anyway for more businesses and the movie theater hopefully will draw more people down there.

Market Sqaure is a huge asset. It's beautiful. The shops and restaurants are superb and in the daytime or on weekend nights it feels like a friendly community space, and it's fun. I go there a lot, and love it!

The Square seems to be doing well. I hope it benefits from the theater and all the stores it might bring to Gay street.

Yup. I've been waiting for something good too. But Michael Clayton is playing now, and I want to see that, so we should be going this week.

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes

You didn't miss much. I went to see it despite iffy reviews more as a vote than anything else. Had to go with Ebert's review: "I agree with every word in this tedious documentary."

I sure hope that wasn't our only shot at alt-cinema

I agree with Goose Creek. And I understand there are two small auditoriums, which seem ideal for these kinds of movies. Adding them to the mix to attract the market for them that obviously is there seems like a no brainer to me.

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes

I like the Old City, but outside of Java, I've always considered it a place for young college kids. Nothing wrong with that if there is enough of them to support growth down there. It's a charming historic place that I hope won't get ruined by too much upscale "improvement".

It does however cost an arm and a leg to park there unless you want to walk a long way. I'm not much into cereal, only an occasional bowl of granola or Cheerios. I hate sugar-coated cereals. I hope they consider doing a nice breakfast in the future. Parking is probably much easier in the daytime, but that's when most of the shops are open, so I'm not sure about that.

...everywhere I've ever lived, I've observed that the art/indy films are inevitably screened at second or later generation facilites. In other words, those houses are usually trying to make another go out of an otherwise failed (or replaced) venue. And this includes Downtown West, which is one of Knoxville's oldest cinemas.

Look at how many people cite Downtown West as their favorite or even only venue in Knoxville. One thing art houses usually have going for them is that they're the ONLY place that a particular picture's going to show. That's not unique to Knoxville. People who are fans of this genre are going to take whatever reasonable measures to see it. That includes for many of them a longer trip than they would prefer. But they'll do it if they want.

Now, let's say you're a big theater chain, and let's say you're already operating a successful multiplex art house in a market. Are you going to go and screen those movies elsewhere? Even if you own it? I'm thinking if you split the audience, it cuts into Downtown West's receipts. Unless you're assured you're going to pick up additional customers -- rather than just moving them around -- why do it?
~m.

Probably about one or two that I think are good ones show up every few weeks. There's nothing wrong with the usual fare, though I really think the slasher movies, the thriller car-chase suspense dramas, and the mob corruption movies are often boring and stupid. I like a good plot with solid acting, a movie that reveals something deeper about the human condition or something so funny I can't help but laugh out loud. Chix-flicks are sometimes great & I especially love those Victorian movies about individuals bucking the mores of the times, partly for the clothes ( I wish I had been born rich back then!). I love the steamy repressed sexuality too. Passionate women folks steeped in formality and good manners panting secretly over some handsome dude or trying to assert their freedom in a stern family. There's something about aberration shown against a backdrop of luscious scenery and prudish manners that I find enchanting. Like studying a wine stain on a pure white linen tablecoth.