Between the 1910s and 1940s, movie palaces—large, elaborately decorated movie theaters—cropped up around the country. Motion pictures developed as an art form and the buildings in which they were viewed evolved with them. They were often designed with inspiration from a myriad of visual styles. French Baroque, High Gothic, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Spanish Gothic, Hindu, Babylonia, Aztec, Mayan, Orientalist, Italian Renaissance, and Egyptian Revival were combined in countless ways to create opulent spaces that transported the viewer out of their ordinary life into a fantastic environment.
With the advent of the television and people’s migration out of cities, many movie palaces were demolished or left to decay. EverGreene has been fortunate enough to preserve many of these remaining gems.
Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace, directed by April Wright, explores movie palaces across America— from their origin and gradual decline to their preservation and the future of movie theaters. We are thrilled to see so many of our featured projects in this film!
