Movie Natters: December 6, 2006 Archive

Hail and farewell to Har-Mar

Posted at 10:45 AM on December 6, 2006 by Euan Kerr (3 Comments)

Har-Mar fades to black

What a surprise to learn that 11 screens at Har-Mar in Roseville will go dark on Friday. Or perhaps not. The new 14 screen AMC Rosedale megaplex up the road opens this weekend, and it sounds as though it will put Har-Mar's boxy utilitarianism to shame.

Built in 1970 Har-Mar has a grand front section with a high-ceilinged foyer which made you feel like you were in for something special. But many of the films I saw there were in the back section where a cattle chute design efficiently guides a patron into the dark labyrinth of sticky-floored cinematic caverns.

As I thought back my biggest memory was of joining a huge throng of people who flooded the front theaters to see the Red Green movie. Steve Smith, the dry Canadian wit who plays Red was there to introduce the show, a reward for fans who had pledged during a KTCA membership drive. There were thousands of people there, all eager to hear about Possum Lodge. I got the last ticket for the 7pm show even as people were lining up for tickets for the 9pm screening. It was amazing. There was huge excitement and Smith got a rapturous reception. He was a little late and as he spoke I realized they were actually showing the film on two screens, such was the interest.

Sadly the movie was pretty bad, struggling to make the jump from the intimacy of a 20 minute studio based show to a 90 minute movie. It was free though so everyone seemed happy as we spilled out into the cold and watched the other folks lining up.

So I am not sad to see Har-Mar go. But I bet there are people out there who are. People's lives change in movie theaters. It might be the movie that does it. More likely it's the people they are with.

Anyone have anything they'd like to share?

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