The Movie Theatre: Lights! Camera! Decay!
The year was 1990. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was headlining theatres everywhere, and even though I was only five years old, I remember it as vividly as if it were yesterday.
It was the first film I had ever seen on the big screen. Going to the movies has always been a joy for my family—there’s something timeless about the dimmed lights, the smell of popcorn, and the deep rumble of a sound system shaking you to your core.
When I discovered St. Marie had its own theatre, all those memories came flooding back—but in a completely different way. This time, I wouldn’t be sitting in the audience. I’d be exploring behind the “scenes,” venturing into areas that had once been off-limits.
Stepping through the front doors, I noticed the faded outlines of old movie poster frames on the walls—a ghostly reminder of a time long past. The concession stand was in ruins, the projectors long gone. Yet, the seats still remained, waiting silently in the dark.
It was thrilling to sit in one again, soaking in the moment, if only briefly. The rest of the building lay in disarray, much of its former magic now just a memory.
Standing on the stage one last time, the five-year-old in me wanted to linger, to take more shots, to relive those moments. But time was fleeting, and the day was short—other wonders awaited.