Ken Cinema

“Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.”

Neil Gaiman, Dream Country

Ken Cinema first opened in 1946. I started visiting while in college.

Each month I waited in anticipation as the Ken Flyer came out and listed the showings for the month. This was the spot to see foreign films and art films. I saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show here. I enjoyed these old single screen theaters. The architecture is much more interesting to me than the mall theaters. There was a sense of history and tradition. When I was kid I visited most of the single screen theaters in town. Now they are all gone except for the Ken. Sadly the Ken is closing March 22. It’s had a good run. Thanks for the awesome Kurasawa, Almodovar, Renoir, Ozu, Jim Jarmusch, and other films.

I visited one last time to see The Woman Who Loves Giraffes by Allison Reid. The box office from which people once streamed out onto the sidewalk was now closed. You get your ticket from the concession stand now.

Aroma of buttered popcorn filled the lobby.

Posters of the current and upcoming movies were predominately displayed.

The original carbon arc projector from 1946 was in the lobby.

I liked to look up at the projection booth when the previews started to watch the bright lights streaming out into the darkness. There was a certain magic to those evenings leaving the house on an adventure. I watched the tales and dreams of some of my favorite director’s in the world here. The Woman Who Loves Giraffes told the tale of the Anne Dagg the first person to made a solo journey to Africa to study giraffes in the wild back in 1956. We follow Anne’s life up to the the present where giraffes are nearing extinction. It’s a very fascinating journey and you learn alot about Anne and giraffes.