Behind the scenes of a small-town movie theater: Inside Minnesota's Red Wing Cinema 8

In this local spotlight, Cody Benjamin tours Red Wing Cinema 8, a small-town movie theater in one of Minnesota's most picturesque riverside communities. Longtime general manager Jesse Stewart provides a behind-the-scenes look at everything from concessions to the projection room, before joining Cody for a sit-down discussion on these topics and more:
• How "Top Gun: Maverick," plus the simple smell of popcorn, helped the theater weather two closures during the pandemic
• Tim Allen's surprise celebrity visit, hours before he performed a nearby standup show
• Plans for new luxury seating as soon as early 2024
• Why such a loyal, hometown audience proves cinema remains an "event" for all ages, be it little girls dressed up as Little Mermaid or teens frequenting the 9 p.m. horror flicks
Learn more in Cody's books, "Why We Need the Movies," and "Movies from the Mountaintop."

[@Nargon46]

These are still great places to me. I miss when going to see movies was a big deal. I still love seeing movies in the cinema

[@joshuacoldwater]

That laugh at the end 😂😂😂

[@jeremiahryunlandes4628]

Really appreciate your new video, Cody, and your support for theatrical experiences.

[@LG-ws3ze]

I've been in the construction/FF&E end of the theatre industry since 1979, do most of my work for Cinemark Theatres and EVO Entertainment Centers nowadays, but I've always loved the small independent movie theatres found in small towns; I've installed IMAX, XD, RPX, EVX and other large premium format screen systems, but feel just as happy watching a movie in a local family owned cinema 👌

[@KyleSoldani]

I still very much love the movies, I'm about a mile from our local Regal. The Unlimited program and my work schedule is awesome, I can catch a matinee whenever and you hit the nail on the head. It's one of the final places you can disconnect, turn the phone off and purely enjoy the experience for a couple hours.

[@AMERASIAN12]

Thank you, Cody. This brought a tear to my eye. You just rarely see stuff like this anymore. I live in NYC and while I love the variety of films, I have access to, there is something about a small-town theater that makes me nostalgic. Thank you, Mr. Stewart, for the tour. I wish the Red Wing Cinema 8 many more years of success.

[@davidwelker4172]

My favorite job was a cinema usher in high school. Here's a bit of trivia: Did you know that Andy Kaufman would go into his local cinema just to buy a bucket of popcorn?

[@TWDay-sy6nq]

I've lived in Red Wing since 2015 and this theater is one of our favorite features of this small town. Well run, reasonably priced, clean, and the folks who work there are always friendly and helpful.

[@cookiesncream789]

This was such a fascinating and interesting video! I don't go to the theatre often but stull something I do enjoy.

[@deadpan80]

I worked for a brief time for a mall cineplex back in the late 90's. Pretty sure they were still using film. The projection room (more like hallway) was kind of creepy because no one was usually up there (I think the projectionist just had to start the movie, then he hung out in the lobby with the ushers)--- just the sound of film flickering. Didn't work there long because they kept cutting hours and it kinda sucked there.

[@jeuxdeau2009]

Enjoyed the video!

[@tundraportal]

great tour of the theater!

[@jmfilmsinc]

the laugh of the endis hillarious!!! good video i love to support independent movie theatersto

[@TheaterAtReference]

Very very interesting thank you for sharing

[@darshankansara8000]

THANK YOU SIR

[@michaelmcgee8543]

This theater uses 35 mm still and no dcp and this was 8 months ago.

[@michaelmcgee8543]

Oh it is digital .

[@JunkerDC]

I quit going to the movies because they quit masking off the screen at out local theater and its too distracting to see the gray bars on the top and bottom of the screen plus the sound is so low now I wish they would bring back film whats the point of going to the movies to wach a movie on a computer i have a phone its a computer i can just watch it on there

[@austinwillcut4919]

So that's why I keep seeing the black bars on the top/bottom of the screen these days? They never used to do that, now it feels like I'm watching a blu ray movie on my flat screen tv.

[@user-ot3gc6kb3y]

Μπράβο!!! πολύ καλό και ωραίο το βίντεο για τον Κινηματογράφο, very good videos for Cinemas μπράβο!!!

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