Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

another man's done gone

Sad news: Indie movie theatre Visions is shuttering its Dupont Circle doors. (Washington Post: “Final Reel to Roll At Washington’s Visions Theater” - 09/23/04) The owner cited stiff competition from other local theatres, particularly corporate-owned indie moviehouses (which seems like a funny contradiction in terms), which made it difficult for the theatre both to book standout films and to pull in audiences.

The theatre is hosting a final sendoff at its Bar Noir lounge on Sunday to help raise money to settle some of its outstanding debts (like the employee payroll).

I’ve only been to Visions once, to see a midnight showing of Donnie Darko, and I kept meaning to come back for other shows. There even had been talk of getting a group together to see the Donnie Darko director’s cut. Alas.

I liked the idea of Visions — the iconoclasm, the midnight movie with a keg of beer, the bar in the lobby, the weird shorts that played before the film. I like the idea that there are funky places like Visions out there. So sad to see it go.