The Last Picture House theater in Davenport, IA, has been showing films since November of 2023. The theater owners, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, are also working writers in the movie industry, known for A Quiet Place. That may explain how the duo secured director Michael Sarnoski, known for 2021's Pig, of the series' prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, to speak in Davenport.
The Last Picture House's General Manager, Jameson Ritter, says seats are already filling up. Their members, The Autograph Club, were offered tickets first.
Ritter says streaming is hurting the theater business but that it can't replace the feeling of awe and community.
"To share that first communal viewing experience is a lot of fun," Ritter said. "We want to build a community that's passionate about movies, going to the movies, passionate about physical media and the arts."
The Last Picture House has a 150-seat and a 50-seat theater, as well as a rooftop area that can accommodate around 90 people. Ritter says around 30 people work there, ranging from the bar manager to theater attendants.
"It takes a village to pop a lot of popcorn and keep the lights on at the movie theaters," Ritter said. "We're thrilled to be able to provide that and be a local, regional resource for employment opportunities within the arts, and that celebrates a lot of our artistic endeavors."
The theater management works with distributors and studios to coordinate rights to screen movies, like The Goonies, which Last Picture House is showing this weekend. Ritter says the schedule can change quite a bit depending on audience feedback and last-minute deals with distributors.
"It's meant to be a social space; that's what the cinemas and the theaters are," Ritter said. "It's a place to go, be engaged, to be challenged, to be emotionally moved and inspired; connect with your fellow audience members. It's a special place that we don't have very much of anymore."
A Quiet Place: Day One takes place before the events of the other two films. The plot follows a woman named Sam who must survive the invasion and escape New York City from blood-thirsty creatures with ultrasonic sound hearing. Tickets to attend A Quiet Place: Day One cost $22 for the Q&A event. The theater's website has more information on the special showing and other showings.
