Sam's Sites: The On-Screen Scene

With $12 tickets and $5 bags of popcorn, going to the movies these days is less of a leisure activity and more of an investment. So it’s quite refreshing when you find a theater that loves movies, not just the money they make at the box office. Nestled in between buildings on a side street off of Harvard Square is the unassuming Brattle Theatre. It’s given away only by the small red awning with “CINEMA” written on the end, for those observant enough to notice. Climb down the stairs and you’ll find a tiny ticket window and small concessions stand that could fit in the pocket of Loews Boston Common.

Image provided by boston.com

But, in this case, size doesn’t matter. If you’re looking to be dazzled by Avatar-esque blockbusters, you’ve come to the wrong place. Big theaters may play big movies, but the Brattle plays good ones. The Brattle has prided itself on showing “the best in classic, cutting-edge, foreign, and arthouse films” since its inception in 1953, and it has the perfect venue for doing so. The inside of the theater is the epitome of old-time coziness; with its muted colors and dim lighting, walking in is like entering a secret cave where some exciting mystery awaits. A decent-sized screen is framed within an actual performance stage and surrounded by rows of red plush seats. And for those who don’t want to sit down below, a dorm-sized balcony offers a bird’s-eye view of the movie.

It’s now easier than ever to watch old movies online or order them from Netflix, but the Brattle fights against this by showing movies they way they should be shown—on the big screen. As the atmosphere would suggest, the Brattle is where film-lovers go to watch the films they love. The Brattle is a theater where the manager often comes out and personally thanks the audience for their support, and where dedicated customers purchase seats and brand them as their own (Seat G6: JOE’S SEAT, Seat G7: I’M WITH JOE). The Brattle is where I watched It’s A Wonderful Life this Christmas time and cried my eyes out, even though I’d seen it before. Because, squeezed in my tiny seat up in the balcony surrounded by cute couples, excited friends and close families, it still felt like the first time.

More about the Brattle:

-Check out the schedule for a list of upcoming movies, both old and relatively recent.

-Get to the Brattle by riding the T to Harvard Square, then taking the right-hand exit out of the station that leads to Brattle Square. Out of the station, walk to the right, down Brattle Street. The theater is on the left-hand side of the street attached to the Casablanca restaurant. Student tickets cost $7.75.

-Speaking of Casablanca! Need a plan for Valentine’s Day? Whether you’re single or attached, you can enjoy the Brattle’s two screenings of the classic film on Feb. 13th and 14th. See the website for more details.