Friday, August 13, 2004

Oh, Happy Day

I love movies, but loathe the theatre experience.

Why? I could rant at length, but essentially its all those rude bastards chattering with each other like magpies, kicking the back of my seat, and making every surface sticky and gross with soda and popcorn. Not to mention cell phones and children. Plus the ticket price -- seven bucks or more per person. The crap that is today's megaplex is just not worth the cash compared to the many pluses of DVDs.

The average DVD costs eighteen bucks or less if bought from half.com, is available for encore viewings, allows reverse and scan for missed action or just scenes that demand immediate rewatching, can be shown around my schedule in comfort with pauses for snackage and bathroom runs, and comes chock full of all those "extras" unavailable anywhere else. The creation of Netflix just made it all even better.

So I picked up a DVD player six years ago and only darken the theatre door for that rare handful of movies that demand the big screen. For those, even after plotting the movie times around prime packed hours and for maximum kid avoidance, I never really enjoyed it like I felt I should.

But the Drafthouse made it different. It tends to attract a higher quality of film going bastard, has extra space between the aisles for the wait staff which coincidentally provides the lebensraum required to prevent any rhythmic tapping on my seat back, and offers a decent menu with beer, wine and cappuccino. Plus it has a great vibe.

My first look was for a QT film festival and ever since, I've road tripped for the few flicks worth the bother and have always had a good experience. Of course, generally having the company of my favorite Austinites -- the twin bros -- and our sharing buckets of Schaeffer's (the epicurean's delight) might contribute to the warm glow of the memories.

So... the point of all this is that after years of saying -- "I wish San Antonio had an Alamo Drafthouse of its own, why do those rats in Austin have all the luck?" -- tonight is the night!!! (Sorta)

Less than ten minutes away from my casita is the first San Antonio Drafthouse (SADH) establishment, courtesy of some wise people who finally realized the greatness of the Drafthouse concept and are spreading the joy to the people too discerning to live in Austin.

(Yes, nitpickers -- I know there is a Drafthouse in Houston and I have been there -- once -- but Houston isn't home and I'd rather live in Austin then that swamp... but I digress.)

Tonight as the first SADH event, they are showing Friday the 13th part four in the parking lot -- construction delays have pushed the opening off until the 23rd. But this sort of thing is the hallmark of the good vibe of the chain. I expect much future happiness.

posted by Bohica at 8:12 PM