Cinemapolis
TICKETS:
$8.50 general admission
$7.00 for students with I.D.
(except Fridays and Saturdays)
$7.00 Saturday and Sunday matinees
Fall Creek Pictures
TICKETS:
$8.50 general admission
$7.00 for students with I.D.
(except Fridays and Saturdays)
$7.00 Saturday and Sunday matinees
Cornell Cinema
TICKETS:
$4.00 anytime for students
$6.50 general admission
Regal Cinemas
TICKETS:
$7.00 before 6:00 p.m.
$7.50 for students
Sunday – Thursday
$9.50 general admission
Ithaca is best known as a college town, but did you know it also has a rich filmmaking history? From 1910 to 1920, two independent producers, the Wharton brothers, opened their own movie studio in town and helped to make Ithaca the home of the silent film industry. Though the cameras are no longer rolling, film buffs and indie enthusiasts won’t be disappointed by Ithaca’s eclectic moviegoing options.
Ithaca currently has three movie theaters that showcase independent, international, and experimental films -- Cinemapolis, Fall Creek Pictures, and Cornell Cinema. Cinemapolis opened in 1986, a few years after film lovers Lynn Cohen and Richard Szanyi arrived in Ithaca. “We wanted to start a business and we wanted to bring in some of the movies we’ve seen in New York City,” Cohen says.
Tucked away in a side alley off of the Commons, Cinemapolis can seem a bit out of the way. But have no fear; this theater is warm and inviting once you step inside.
Shortly after opening Cinemapolis, Cohen and Szanyi bought Fall Creek Pictures from its previous owner and began running both as sister theaters. Hidden among the foliage of a residential area, Fall Creek Pictures is only one mile north of the Commons on Tioga Street.
Going to either theater on a snowy evening in the depths of winter is like having a big cup of cocoa and snuggling up in front of a fire, only the warmth is emanating from the movie screen instead of burning logs. All of the food is homemade -- yes, that means real butter on the popcorn -- and the viewing rooms comfortably fit 50–150 people.
In 2000, the 7th Art Corporation, a nonprofit organization, took ownership and now operates both Fall Creek Pictures and Cinemapolis. A new theater -- expected to open in early 2009 -- that will combine the two cinemas is currently under construction.
Jodi Cohen, Ithaca College professor of speech communication and president of the 7th Art board of directors, says the move to a bigger and better theater will benefit Ithaca’s community. The new theater is going to have larger screens, stadium seating, and a better sound system. But Cohen says they’re going to try their best to keep the homey feel of the old theaters.
“We promise we’re going to be funky,” she says. “No bins of M&M’s -- just the cheapest movies and the best treats. The building won’t be mall-like.” Another one of Ithaca’s authentic theaters stands on the other hill in town. Originally established in 1970 as a university film society, Cornell Cinema is a refreshing flashback to the classicmovie theater.
Featuring a film or video seven nights a week, Cornell Cinema, located on the Cornell University campus, shows classic Hollywood and foreign films, independent titles, documentaries, experimental work, recent international cinema, silent films, cult classics, and recent Hollywood and art house hits. Two of the best features of the theater are the wooden seats and the old-fashioned popcorn machine. It’s the perfect place to impress your date.
What if you’re dying to see the latest Hollywood hit? Don’t worry. If you’re looking for a more mainstream movie experience, Ithaca’s got you covered. The Shops at Ithaca Mall houses Regal Cinemas and shows all the major first-run blockbusters. The recently renovated theater now features stadium seating and a surround-sound system to accompany the bigger movie screens.
Just remember, you won’t find any homemade snacks or cheap ticket prices at Regal, so check out one of Ithaca's unique local theaters at least once. You won’t regret it.
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Fuse is a student produced publication about the Ithaca College experience. All content in the print and web versions of Fuse is developed by current Ithaca College students in a breadth of different areas of study.
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