Angelika was my theater of choice for years, but the place never struck me as being terribly well run.
Shakespeare will never be in danger. That was a bad analogy on Moes' part. He's been the most produced playwright (not to mention the most boring one), from universities to multi-million dollar theatres to underground theatres, for literally centuries. The loss of Angelika (and KTRU) is more akin in the theatre world to losing everything BUT Shakespeare.
Don't worry, the Cordish Company will continue to make more money than everyone on this board combined. So there's really nothing to worry about. We'll still be the richest country ever. Yay us! Collectively, we all have so much money! We can just buy movies! Besides, I'm sure the Cordish Company will sell the property for something really awesome, like a totally rad multi-level McDonalds.
What a blow to lovers of independent films and "small movies." My SO and I have been there several times over the years, when we were in Houston, to see films that were not yet playing in Austin. This venue was willing to show films rated NC-17, which you can't say about a lot of theatres. We went to the River Oaks literally for decades. One of the most disappointing things about Houston, besides the lack of zoning, is how little effort (considering the size of Houston) on the part of the community there is to save landmarks from the city's past. And when the effort is there, far too often corporate entities win out. Zoning would help that a LOT.
If Hell ever freezes over and there's a good snowfall in Houston, the back of the Miller's "hill" is great sledding. I lived within walking distance of it for 4 years at the beginning of the 1970's. Sometimes someone will bring a real sled!
Damn. Sad to see. Went there a few times over the years for off the cuff flicks and thought it was kinda cool. Last movie I saw there was Moon. Why did they suddenly terminate the lease though? On what grounds?
What does it always come down to in the end? Money. The Angelika could have been making money and paying its lease, but if the property owner can exercise a clause in the lease contract to boot them out, so he can get a higher lease payment from someone else, then you can get this result. It's happened before in Austin, but zoning prevents a great deal of that.
The last movie I saw there was The Hangover, one of the more successful indie movies of the past couple years.
Unfortunate things kept happening every time I tried to go... I was at least about to go to one, but finalsbound ended up driving to the wrong location. I will be in attendance soon my friend, don't you worry about that.