For those in need of a break from the banal blockbuster film, the Boston area is home to a handful of independent movie theaters that provide a unique cinematic experience in the form of the latest indie-flicks, critically acclaimed documentaries and crowd-pleasing favorites that consistently stand the test of time.
The Coolidge Corner Theater, a few blocks away from West Campus, entices curious movie-goers with a unique selection of films and documentaries.
“There’s such a wide selection [of films] that goes beyond just the film itself that I think really makes it unique,” said Rachel Langus, administrative coordinator of the nonprofit Coolidge Corner Theater Foundation.
This summer, the 74-year-old theater held a showcase of the classics, screening oldies like Citizen Kane and Casablanca as well as The Big Lebowski and other contemporary classics to attract a diverse audience, Langus said.
“[Audience members were] either seeing them for the fifth time or the first time,” she said. “That’s why they’re classic, because they can maintain quality and people still want to see them so many years later, from all different generations.”
Theater administrators say they frequently travel to film festivals to scope out the latest films and decide which are worthy of their exclusive screens, she said, adding aspiring filmmakers can rent space at the theater to screen their own creations as well.
“A lot of film students take advantage of that,” she said. “It’s really good for encouraging up-and-coming work.”
Across the Charles River, the Brattle Theatre, a landmark located in Harvard Square, has been programming films for more than 50 years and considers itself an “unofficial film school,” according to Alison Kozberg, the theater’s operations manager.
The cinema offers a speaking series in conjunction with the Harvard Book Store, hosting directors and actors who engage local academics in film discussions, Kozberg said.
To please its eclectic audiences, the Brattle offers a broad range of films, from the Hollywood’s smash hits to more subtle and artistic international and independent triumphs.
“Depending on the type of films that we’re screening, the makeup of the audience changes,” Kozberg said. “We do aspire to have something for everyone.”
If the eclectic film collection is not enough to wow audiences, one defining characteristic sets the theater apart from most others.
“Our projector is behind the screen,” Kozberg said. “That’s very, very unusual.”
Through the use of mirrors, movies are displayed from behind the big screen, a process that is very different from the projectionist’s average project, though virtually unnoticeable to the audience, she said.
Harking back to an era of nickelodeons and drive-in movies, the Brattle offers film lovers one other old-time throwback — a good bargain.
“We do a lot of double features, which is two screenings for one ticket,” Kozberg said.
A few miles away, another Cambridge theater aims to keep its audiences small and refined.
The Kendall Square Cinema — owned by cinema chain Landmark Theatres — shows foreign, independent and art films in the hopes of attracting a “sophisticated” audience, said general manager Howie Sandler.
While typical movie-goers file out the back door as the final credits begin to roll, Sandler said the Kendall Square crowd is just as rapt during the credits as the film itself.
“Our customers, they sit there because they want to know who the first grip was, and then they talk about how the film was shot, or the meaning of the film,” he said. “Basically, we have a bunch of film critics at every show.”
