They Survived the Conversion from 35mm to Digital, so Now What? The Future of America’s Small-Town Art House Theaters

Abstract

This paper explores the vital role art house movie theaters play in their communities, particularly in bringing film culture to small towns. I argue that art house theaters have a symbiotic relationship with their communities (particularly small towns) in which the art houses play a vital role in bringing culture to their downtown communities, and these communities are ardent supporters of art house theaters, helping them convert from 35mm to digital and continue to thrive. I explore two art house movie theaters in great detail as case studies, the County theater in Doylestown, PA and Gettysburg\u27s Majestic theater, to prove that art houses are staples of small towns and play a cultural role so vital that they have overcome major changes in technology and appear to have a bright future