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Movie goers enjoy nostalgic, inexpensive outing

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Nick Graham

By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer Updated 12:31 PM Monday, April 19, 2010

HAMILTON/MIDDLETOWN — Going to the movies around here can be like going back in time — nostalgically and financially.

A family of four going to one of the big suburban multiplexes could spend close to $50, especially if the film is in 3D. And that’s before popcorn and drinks.

But both the Middletown and Hamilton areas offer cheaper alternatives to chain “megaplex” theaters. While these theaters don’t offer such modern features as digital projectors, surround sound or even cup-holders, their old-fashioned atmosphere — and prices — keep people coming back.

The Holiday Auto Theatre is a drive-in just outside Hamilton at 1816 Old Oxford Road in Hanover Twp. It boasts the rare distinction of being open year-round on weekends, with full operating hours in the summer. Admission prices there are $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 4 to 11. And that’s for two movies. Children 3 and younger are admitted free.

The By-Jo Theatre, at 20 N. Main St. in Germantown, bears the distinction of being not only one of the oldest existing theaters, but also one of the cheapest. Serving as a movie theater since 1932, (with a 17-year hiatus), the By-Jo charges a flat, $4 admission to first-run features.

“It’s close, convenient and cheap,” said Trish McQuinn of Middletown. “Most of the time on the weekends we come over here,” she said, adding that she also liked the theater’s “old, historic” feel.

The Holiday Auto Theatre draws a number of patrons from the Cincinnati area, which has only one other drive-in: the Starlite in Amelia. Two recent first-time visitors were David and Melissa Northup of Wyoming in suburban Cincinnati, who were about to take in “How to Train Your Dragon.”

“The prices are reasonable, especially for two movies,” Melissa Northup said.

“It gives us a chance to escape and be kids at heart,” David Northup said.

Small, friendly and cheap

The By-Jo’s lobby contains posters or ads for “The Quiet Man” with John Wayne, “Adam’s Rib” with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, and even one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lesser-known moves, “Under Capricorn,” starring Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten.

The theater closed in 1969 but reopened in 1986 after Rick Allen’ s family took over ownership of the building. He and his wife, Nina, operate the place, which usually plays family-oriented movies such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and “How to Train Your Dragon” on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It seats 165 people and sold out showings of “Wimpy Kid” last weekend.

“People can spend a night out here and not feel like they had to go to the bank,” said Rick Allen, who only charges $4 for all seats at all times.

The theater doesn’t offer the most modern features like digital 3D or stadium seating, but its nostalgia is what attracts some people.

“There’s a lot of history here for me,” said Mike Lane of Eaton, who has frequented the theater since it played “Top Gun” in 1986. “We came here as kids every weekend for a long time.”

Now he’s trying to turn his son Carter, 7, on to the experience, and it seems to be working.

“I’m a movie kind of guy,” Carter said.

Linda Green of New Lebanon said “It’s small, friendly, cheap, it’s not crowded and for less than $20 I can come here and enjoy a nice night. At other theaters it’s $20 just for the tickets.”

The Hamilton area offers the Holiday Auto Theatre, one of only two drive-ins still operating in the Cincinnati area; the other is the Starlite in Amelia.

While drive-ins used to be known for trashy exploitation movies and that its guests didn’t actually watch the films, these days many of them gravitate toward family audiences. Last weekend, the drive-in was showing a double bill of “How to Train Your Dragon,” followed by “The Tooth Fairy.”

“We like to come here when it gets nice. It’s more family friendly and the kids can go and play,” said Tracie Rogers of Delhi Twp. outside Cincinnati.

Christie Rogers said, “It’s close by our house in Monroe. We’ve been coming here for years. Otherwise, we go to Danbarry (in Middletown) or Rave (in West Chester Twp.).”

Her son, Jenzen Rogers, 10, had only one question about going to a drive-in. “What if it rains here?”

Todd Chancey has been the co-owner of the drive-in with Mark Althoetmar for 2 1/2 years. On a “good Saturday,” the place can pack in 400-plus cars. He noted attendance went up about 7 or 8 percent after the first operating year. He hopes one day to add a second screen, and he said 3D at the drive-in might yet be possible.

“We got compliments about our focus on families. Everyone’s very excited and glad we’ve kept it going,” Chancey said.

Two movie theaters operate in the Hamilton city limits, operated by the independent Kerasotes chain. Clair Maio, a company spokeswoman, would not comment on theater operations, saying the company was in the midst of being acquired by the AMC theater chain. The nearest AMC theatre is at the Newport on the Levee complex in Kentucky.

The Danbarry Cinemas in Middletown plans an upgrade next month: the installation of a 3D system, in time for the May 21 release of “Shrek Forever After,” said Danny Heilbrunn, the owner of the company.

Heilbrunn said business at his first- and second-run theaters has been “terrific. 2009 was a very good year and in 2010 that’s continued. At the end of the day, it gets down to the quality of the movies,” he said, citing hits like “Avatar,” “Up,” and “The Blind Side.”

“Historically, the business has been somewhat recession-proof because it’s still a very inexpensive form of entertainment. People will chose movies over ball games, concerts and plays,” Heilbrunn said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.

Area movie theaters

By-Jo Theatre: 20 N. Main St., Germantown. Admission $4. Web site: byjotheatre.tripod.com
Holiday Auto Theatre: 1816 Old Oxfod Road, Hamilton. Admission $8 for adults, $5 for children aged 4-11. Children 3 and under free. Web Site: holidayautotheatre.com

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