Cinema Suicide

The Ioka Theater in Exeter, NH is one of the nation’s oldest movie theaters.  It’s an artifact from a time when going to the movies was a special occasion and a grand experience.  The building’s facade is adorned with the classic movie theater marquee advertising the latest engagements with thousands of lightbulbs.  Internally, it looks like something straight out of golden age Hollywood with a giant silver screen, a massive auditorium and a classic lobby with brass fixtures and molded wood.  It’s quite a place.  As testament to its age and importance, this was one of the first theaters in the United States to screen D.W. Griffith’s epic (and deeply troubling) film, Birth of a Nation back in 1915.  Make no mistake, The Ioka Theater is the genuine article.

Unfortunately, the theater has had a hard time since the 90′s.  It’s your typical scenario.  The area became home to several multi-screen theaters in the 80′s and struggled to keep pace with theaters running first-run features on several screens at once.  Dwindling attendance left the once-majestic theater in disrepair.  However, several years ago, a new owner came in and restored the place to its former glory, opening up the basement theater as a night club and doing his best to get the theater back on track.  But it didn’t really help.

Dave and I, earlier this year, had a vision to book late night cult movies up in there and the owner was on board to do it, but things fell apart as they tend to do and nothing came of our effort.  The Ioka is still our number one choice as a venue for this sort of engagement, though.  Over the years we had attended some of the coolest special engagements like House of Wax and Dial M For Murder in 3D, so the theater holds a special place in our hearts.

Recently, the theater went up for sale again but its future isn’t so certain this time.  The Ioka is actually at risk of becoming something that isn’t a historical and beautiful movie theater.  It could, conceivably, become just another shitty downtown boutique selling papercraft home decor or scented candles.  So it’s Facebook to the rescue, or a Facebook group, rather.

I’m a little leery of Facebook.  Even though I have one, I don’t much use it other than to rag on my co-workers. But I’ve heard of really good things happening as a result of Facebook organizing and I’m hoping that this one actually has a little momentum.

The IOKA as a community-owned theater

I’m doing what I can to get involved and save this place.  Dave and I had a vision for The Ioka that differed from the last business plan and the vision of this group is very much in line with what we saw in our minds when we thought about the future of the theater.  An old, one screen facility cannot compete with a multiplex giant like Regal.  In the last year, two local theaters have been absorbed by them and closed up shop.  In order for The Ioka to survive, it needs to be a destination for alternatives in cinema.  Film festivals, live music, special engagements (like our cult movie nights).  The audience for these sorts of things is here. They just need to know that it’s out there.

Take some time to check out that Facebook group and if you’re local, do what you can to get involved and help organize the rescue effort.