The document discusses several historic and independent movie theaters in Texas as alternatives to large chain theaters. It describes the Texas Theater in Dallas, where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for assassinating JFK, and notes that it now shows repertory films and commemorates the assassination. It also mentions the Lakewood Theater in Dallas, the River Oaks Theater in Houston, the Aurora Picture Show in Houston, the Stagecoach Theater in Fredericksburg, and the Alamo Drafthouse theaters across Texas. These theaters show independent, foreign, art, and cult films and aim to provide a unique experience beyond mainstream commercial films.

1. HOUSTON LIFE |26 | MAY
E-LIFE
The Land Before Cinemark
Bigger ain’t always better
WORDS ALMA VERDEJO
BUFF | Contrary to popular belief,
historic and independent films houses
aren’t much of a hard find. And after hit
indie films, like The Kite Runner and
Little Miss Sunshine, the masses that once
flocked megaplex movie theaters in search
of over commercialized moviebusters
are now eagerly on the hunt for obscure
and unheard of films. Here are some of
Texas’ predominant movie houses that
remain untouched by a demolition ball.
Starting in northern Texas brings us
to Dallas and the infamous Texas
Theater, the location of Lee Harvey
Oswald’s arrest after assassinating
President John F. Kennedy that fateful
November morning in ’63. Now a
repertory theater, tourists still visit
the historical attraction along with a
display of activities surrounding the
capture of Oswald. There are even
limited run movies featured in the
theater, so as to add a little panache to
your “Assassinations” tour of the South.
1 Alamo Drafthouse
320 East 6th 512.476.1320
Austin, Texas *more locations
originalalamo.com
2 Aurora Picture Show
800 Aurora 713.868.2101
Houston, Texas
aurorapictureshow.org
Lakewood Theater
1825 Abrams Pkwy 214.821.7469
Dallas, Texas
lakewoodtheater.com
River Oaks Theater
2009 West Gray 713.866.8881
Houston, Texas
landmarktheaters.com
3 Stagecoach Theater
2254 South US Hwy 87 830.997.1777
Fredericksburg, Texas
stagecoachtheater.com
Texas Theater
231 West Jefferson 214.943.4567
Dallas, Texas
oakclifffoundation.org
Also in D-town is the intriguing,
art-friendly Lakewood Theater. It’s
impressive 100-foot red, green and
blue Art Deco tower heralds its 1938
creation. Since then, Lakewood has
updated its look slightly, expanding to
private parties, concerts and movies.
The River Oaks Theater is one of the
oldest still standing movie theaters in
the upscale Houston neighborhood.
Built in 1939, the movie theater is a
beautifully preserved Art Deco building
equipped with a small café and organic
movie fare. Its three theaters showcase
a variety of foreign, independent and
“art house” films. And every Friday
and Saturday at midnight, an eclectic
combination of crowd-pleasing movies
like Rocky Horror Picture Show and
Ghostbusters are shown. Crowd
participation is highly encouraged.
Venturing into the Houston Heights
neighborhood is the Aurora Picture
Show. Housed in an old church,
there are many distinctive features to
the quaint movie house. The theater
delves into art flicks, indie shorts and
full-fledged movies. Of course, it is a
challenge to get comfortable in the pew-
like seating, but once the movie starts,
you won’t know the difference. There are
even discounts for green-friendly patrons.
Heading off to the Hill Country where
Oktoberfest is religiously celebrated,
there is the small, out of the way
Stagecoach Theater in Fredericksburg.
Featuring only three movies at a time,
a Western theme pervades through the
halls of the theater, equipped with a
coffee bar, rustic wood paneling and
thought-provoking stagecoach murals
of Texas’ infancy. There is also a tourist
shop where you can buy Western
movie memorabilia to add a touch
of “cowboy cool” to your home.
Another Hill country favorite is encased
within indie-loving Austin. Alamo
Drafthouse is anything but ordinary.
Any movie theater that has a “no
children under six” policy (why not just
“no children,” we’ll never know) is your
best bet to offering liquor on the menu.
The wine and dine madness doesn’t
stop there. They have rows of seating
alternated with bench-style tables, and
customers/audience members can
request anything on the menu, such
as hamburgers, fresh salads and pizza.
Austin is the birthplace of Drafthouse,
but other locations reside in Houston,
Katy, San Antonio and Rio Grande Valley.
Those are just a few popcorn tastings
of the variety of movie theaters in
Texas that offer cool alternatives to
the forays of large megaplex movie
theaters. Whether you’d like to feed
your soul with great films or your
tummy with tasty fare, these are
theaters that will fulfill both wishes.
3
2
1
5
AURORAPHOTOKENNYHANER
5
ELEMENTS_52_H_18to32.indd 26 4/28/08 4:29:25 AM