What if? A magical mystery theatre like once upon a time...

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Last night, I had the most incredible dream. First off, I live out by the Colorado River with a bunch of animals and love where I live. But, in the dream, my husband and I moved into Austin. It was a busy section, maybe over by Barton Creek amid all the high rises and such. We rented an apartment with yellow wood floors and lots of light. But, the incredible part was the movie theater downstairs.

I'd purchased a ticket to see a movie there on the life of Lina Wertmüller. The movie started at five minutes to five and for some reason, I missed it. I got there an hour late and began to cry and beg the theater manager, a man wearing a suit with a vest, a movie suit like movie managers used to wear
back in the day. He tut-tutted me and said the evening feature was sold out and most likely the people would be bringing children who'd take up any extra seats. I asked, "What do children know about Lina Wertmüller?

The lady who owned the theater turned out to be a friend of mine, Rochelle Hamby. When I saw her, I was very happy, because I knew she would understand how much I needed to see this film. We began to talk and I told her we'd just moved into an apartment upstairs. She told me about the theater and her dreams running it and was surprised I hadn't heard of it before. Austin is a very small town even with all the growth as in 'tumeur goitreuse.'

What Rochelle had mimicked was the theater in France that had inspired the magazine Cahiers du Cinéma. The theater ran five films a day from everywhere around the world old and new. From Iran to Greece to India, from France and Spain and Italy, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand and even, Hollywood. Each film showed three times during the day and night. 

The titles were amazing. My mind, remember, this is a dream....my mind went berserk. And I don't even speak French, but the titles were all over the place. I just happened to be there on France day when they were showing three French films. Arbie Pluie Commune was a remake of the Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor movie set in the French countryside. There was another one, Le Chute Physique Por Homme. Of course they had a trio of Eric Rohmer to make everybody happy again.

Rochelle sold me a film lovers pass where you pay a nominal amount and can attend the films at the theater anytime and as much as you want. What a dream. What if?






 

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