The big screen
There is just something special about seeing a movie on the big screen, and movie lovers are getting a second chance to see old favorites at the Dogie Theatre. Owner Daren Downs has been selecting and showing an assortment of old and new movies, and he said many patrons are flocking there to watch these treasured films and reminisce about the good old days, when they saw them for the very first time.
“The old movies are drawing larger crowds than some of the new releases,” Downs said. He explained that one new-release movie brought in only six people — not enough to pay the bills.
One of the older movies he selected was “Rio Bravo,” a 1959 Western starring John Wayne and Dean Martin, which drew a good crowd. Another was “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman.
“A friend of mine suggested I should show ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.’ I’d never heard of it, but I did a little research and decided to show it,” Downs said.
He said he received a positive response during and after the showing.
“I heard laughter while the movie was playing. They all clapped when it was over, and people thanked me on the way out the door,” he said.
Downs said the two times he has shown “Jaws,” the response from moviegoers has been very good. This year marked the film’s 50th anniversary, with the original premiering June 20, 1975. I can understand the turnout —
it was a hit in my home —
and I would have to say it was my son’s favorite movie of
his youth.
When I saw that “The Polar Express” was playing over the weekend, I texted my granddaughter to see if she and her brother wanted to go. She texted back, “Sure.” At a
very young age, they both loved the movie and sat almost mesmerized, watching it over and over again.
During my conversation with Downs, Bette Sample, a retired teacher and principal, shared a special memory of “The Polar Express”. She explained that about 20 years ago she was involved in writing a grant to create better readers at the grade school during the 2004 holiday season. At the time, the movie was playing at the Dogie Theatre and Sample could not recall exactly how it all came together, but the entire elementary school was able to attend the movie. According to the Dec. 9, 2004 NLJ article “Booking a trip on a train” written by Lindsay Harris explained how the funding, along with community support and fundraising efforts purchased each elementary student a hard copy of “The Polar Express” book and enabled them to attend the movie on Dec 3, 2004. It was quite a grand promotion that included a reading contest and challenge with each class creating a train car. Students were loaded onto buses and taken during the school day and a Dec 1, 2004 blotter archived the elementary school requesting assistance in closing Newcastle’s Main Street for buses to unload students in front of the
Dogie Theatre.
“I can’t even tell you what it meant to be in that theater with all those students. It was a spiritual experience,” she said. “It was just wonderful.”
Sample said she recently ran into one of those former students, now an adult, who made a point of telling her she still had the book. I would venture to guess that those lucky children carry a lasting memory of “The Polar Express.”
There are certain movies people never tire of watching — films that entertain us, stay with us and help create lasting memories.
There are many blessings to be thankful for this holiday season: faith, family, friends, good health and cheer. In our small town, it is also a blessing to have a movie theater — one that will celebrate its 75th year in the new year — where
memories are made and movies are still enjoyed on the big screen.