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Miracle Theatre: the last picture show
August 14, 2011By: Michael Abrams
Tallahassee, Fla.
It was midnight in Paris at the movies, but high noon for those who loved the Miracle Theatre.
This movie theatre was one of those things that made Tallahassee “unique” said one distraught onlooker.
And now it’s closing.
That’s what bothers Elizabeth Mcauliffe and many others who came to draw energy and share memories with friends and strangers who had one thing in common: a love for independent theatre and an urge to escape from Hollywood’s cookie cutter movies.
This was a sweltering day, with thunder in the background, but people still came to the theatre at the shopping center, 1815 Thomasville Road. If you Google it, you’ll find one reviewer calling this theatre the “best” in Tallahassee. Quite a few people see it that way.
“It was part of our cultural capital,” said Mcauliffe, who moved here in 2002 from Jacksonville, a city many times the size of Tallahassee, she pointed out. Jacksonville. she says, did not have a dedicated independent theater. That’s why she was not happy to hear the news that the Miracle Theatre on Thomasville Road was closing.
This was sometimes a movie theatre of subtitle heaven, the indie films, the home of the idiosyncratic, Sundance, Cannes, where patrons could buy Ghirardelli chocolate bars for the same $4 it cost to buy a box of those declasse M&M’s. An online encyclopedia says about 15 percent of domestic boxoffice revenues came from independent films in 2005.
Lynn Kupfer hopes her 10-month-old Eliana will grow up with a wide perspective. She says “we just came to say goodbye.”
“When she (Eliana) grows up she may think they only make movies about the “Transformers.” They make so many of those,” said Kupfer. “Not that every movie has to have a lot of substance. I really don’t think that Governor’s Square (a mega-movie site in Tallahassee) will give a screen to some of the smaller market or independent films.”
Jane Nathanson said “I hate to see it go. It’s convenient to my house, it plays good movies, and the price is right.” The last movies she saw there were Midnight in Paris, still playing, and The King’s Speech. The last day to catch Midnight in Paris and other movies (just Google it) is Sunday, August 14, at 7 p.m. That’s when the theatre plans to shut the doors for good.
Calling the crowd together for this event was Rachel Gustafson, with the Tallahassee Network of Young Professionals, and a friend, Staci Mellman, a volunteer for the Tallahassee Film Society. They and others were collecting “pledges” - simply the email addresses of people who support independent film in Tallahassee. You can find similar forms to sign at the Red Elephant Restaurant, Kool Beanz, the Red Eye, Beef O’Brady and Tomatoland.
“I know the community has a real love affair with this theatre,” said Gustafson.
“If the community had known about it earlier, they would have given more support,” said Linville Atkins. She remembers coming to the theatre with her brother when she was eight years old, and how she was excited to meet “the real Benji” the canine star. Atkins is now in her 40s, but the memory is strong. The theatre, she says, was built about the time she was born.
“Has anyone thought of approaching Ted Turner?” asked another in the crowd.
Jeff Mandel, retired, said that he knows that in Austin, Texas, for instance, they added a coffee shop - restaurant to make an independent theater successful. The loss of the Miracle is “a real blow to the community,” he said.
Tales were told. One lady said many years ago, kids would sneak cans of soda into the theatre. When the movie was loud “you’d pop your cans.”
Others have told of going to the theatre on their first dates.
Prof. Ken Zimmerman, who taught humanities and film classes at Tallahassee Community College, emerged with friends from one of the movies. As people left the theatre, many of them signed the pledges of support.
“I’m very distressed,” said Zimmerman. “I think this is one of the few places we can go to find alternative cinema.”
Even as the Miracle closes, there is still independent theater in Tallahassee. The small but successful All Saints Cinema on Railroad Avenue may expand its offerings, said Kelly Karst, a volunteer for the Cinema who is an FSU student. “Hopefully they are going to expand their hours and bring in more films,” she said.
The Miracle, owned by Easter Federal Corporation of Charlotte, N.C. ,which apparently owns the entire Miracle Plaza Shopping Center, was built in 1968. Total property value is listed at a little more than $3 million, and includes two buildings, according to the Leon Property Appraiser. Some rumors have been circulating that the movie theatre may be rebuilt as a grocery store. No one at the theatre would comment, but corporate contacts were given for inquirers to call and ask questions.
The phone number for Russ Nunley or Dick Westerling was given as 865-922-1123.
