UCC Mainstream Online

Local cinema options to expand


Dustin Hall is excited about the upcoming addition of the VIP theater to the Garden Valley Cinema.  The theater will serve beer and wine. He is looking forward to taking his wife to the movies more often.
Summer Hall / Mainstream
Dustin Hall is excited about the upcoming addition of the VIP theater to the Garden Valley Cinema. The theater will serve beer and wine. He is looking forward to taking his wife to the movies more often.

Good films inspire audiences and showcase the creative potential of the human mind, playing a prominent role within every community. But what happens to that inspiration when available cinematic experiences are limited?

This has become a frequent question asked by movie fans throughout Douglas County. With only two active theaters in Roseburg, the opportunity to view films is limited. Further complicating this issue is the absence of available movies in Douglas County, due in large part to monetary conflicts.

“Sometimes the movie studios ask too much money for the release of certain movies,” UCC student and cinema employee Erin Carter said.

The films that Carter refers to are often categorized as artistic or independent, often resulting in a lack of public intrigue.

Aside from money, viewer support is one of the most critical factors in movie selection. According to Carter, a predicted lack of viewers impacts the decision of whether or not the cinema will air a film. Previously, many films have received limited airtime for this exact reason.

Critically acclaimed films such as “Blue Jasmine,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” and “Her,” among others, didn’t last long in Douglas County. In contrast, blockbusters such as “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” remained in theaters for extensive periods of time.

As is the premise of any business, money is the heart of the issue. Still, the result of these cost cutting measures draws the ire from members of the community.

“It’s sad that in some instances we are forced to drive to Eugene to see a good movie,” UCC transfer student David Henry said.

Although the Garden Valley Cinema is occasionally unable to play certain movies, renovations are being made to increase viewership and revenue in the theater.

The most appealing aspect of the new renovations is the addition of three new theaters, one of which comes with an added feature.

“One is going to be a VIP room that will serve beer and wine,” Carter said

With completion of the new rooms projected for August and with the inclusion of new 3D technology, the Garden Valley Cinema has remained a technologically relevant theatre.

To fund the renovations, the owners of both of Douglas County’s cinemas, have decided to sell Harvard Cinema. This past November, an agreement was made to sell the theatre complex to Redeemer’s church. The church does not plan to continue operating the theatre.

With Garden Valley being the lone theatre in Roseburg, it will be responsible for new films shown to the community. With the improvements to the theatre and increased responsibility, time will tell if the diversity of films aired in Douglas County begins to increase.