![]() ![]() Santikos shown more independent films at its Embassy and Palladium theaters, and they’ve performed well, Brooks said. Santikos plans to show independent and foreign films at its 10 remaining local theaters under a program dubbed “Bijou Series,” which will begin this summer. “The Bijou has been my number one theater during the pandemic mostly because of how chill and relaxing it is (and empty which is of course the problem here),” another wrote. ![]() EVERY theater offers the same fare - the Bijou was the exception. “This was the ONLY arthouse/independent movie theater in the city. So many memories since the late 80’s, mid-90’s & onward,” one Twitter user wrote. “While we’re sad to announce its closing, we’re excited for the future of Santikos.”įor years, the Bijou hosted Texas Public Radio’s Cinema Tuesday series.Ĭinephiles took to social media to mourn the theater’s closure, recalling the independent and classic films they saw there and lamenting declining attendance at the Bijou. “The Bijou theater has been part of the Santikos family since December 1987, and over the past 35 years it has become revered as our art house,” Brooks said. Santikos’ Northwest theater at 7600 Interstate 10 West is close by. It then re-opened - but initially only on weekends. The Bijou was closed for about a year during the pandemic. It also hosts a quirky mix of events, including the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, the horror-themed Monster Con and the Wonderland UFO Festival. Once a major shopping destination, Wonderland is now a blend of medical offices, mom-and-pop businesses and discount stores. The Bijou theater at Wonderland of the Americas has closed. As with “CODA,” operators also are facing mounting competition from streaming services.Īt the same time, Santikos’ lease for the six-screen Bijou at the struggling Northwest Side mall was coming up for renewal. Even after theaters reopened, some moviegoers have been reluctant to return to their seats. Cinemas were closed and film production halted for months. The theater industry as a whole was hit hard by the pandemic. ![]() Apple bought the film at Sundance Film Festival for a record $25 million. It played at Santikos theaters for just one week before opening on Apple TV+, taking the movie’s audiences out of theaters, Brooks said. “CODA,” which recently won an Oscar for best picture, is an example of the new reality. Beyond that, the “art-film dynamic is changing,” said Andrew Brooks, Santikos’ executive director of marketing and sales. ![]()
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