Effort under way to save Ritz Theatre in digital era

Benzel donates movie house to downtown group

Some would say classic movie houses should be national treasurers.

Generations have passed through their doors to snack on popcorn and candy while enjoying a good movie. From the silent films that started it all, to memorable musicals and spaghetti westerns, to today’s modern, multi-million dollar productions, these vintage show houses have provided thousands of hours of entertainment.

At the very least, those theaters that are still operating, primarily in small rural communities, have an uncertain future as the film era succumbs to the advent of digital technology.

Nationally, the motion picture industry has mandated conversion from 35-millimeter film to digital projection systems.

This mandate has grave implications for the owners of vintage single screen movie theaters. The cost of converting from film to digital projection is expensive.

The New Ritz Theatre (The Ritz) is not immune. Likely by the end of 2013, major motion picture companies will stop putting movies on film altogether. The only solution is a major investment in a digital projection system, accompanied by modern day sound systems.

By the end of September 2012, according to a USA Today article, 31,135 of the nation’s 39,908 movie theaters had transitioned from film to digital systems.

Celluloid film has enjoyed a 120-year plus reign as the primary format for delivering movies to theater goers. The 35mm format has been utilized since 1889 as the principal film projection technology.

One movie, a blockbuster motion picture, has been tagged by the industry as the catalyst for the conversion to digital technology – Avatar. Digital technology, as proven by Avatar in December 2009, delivers superior picture and sound quality.

According to IHS Screen Digest, “In the United States there will be no more mainstream 35mm usage from the end of 2013.”

For The Ritz, that means a major investment, one that will not occur without a community intervention.

Larry and Dora Kramer began operating the 330-seat theater in June 1992. Dora and her family continue to do so today. For more than a year, they have been searching for options. The Kramers have been looking for creative ways or the right financing to upgrade the theater’s projection system. The estimated cost for the required new equipment is about $100,000. The challenge for The Ritz is it will also require a major electrical upgrade, a significant additional expense.

The theater was originally opened in 1937 and has been providing Ritzville and the surrounding area with big screen entertainment for decades.

There have been some time lapses when the doors were closed and movies weren’t playing on the weekends.

One local man stepped up to save the theater back in 1983. Farmer Herb Benzel, also known for his investment and support of Big Bend Bowl, purchased the theater at auction in October of 1983.

“I got it pretty reasonably,” he said. “There was no intention of making any money. I just wanted to see the theater keep going. It has been one of my projects to help keep the town alive.”

After purchasing the building, Benzel and his crew renovated the interior of the building, installing new carpet, repairing the seating and updating the sound system. Benzel’s most recent upgrade came a couple years ago when he installed a new movie screen.

Benzel took another major step on behalf of the theater in late 2012. He donated the building to the Ritzville Downtown Development Association (RDDA), a local nonprofit that works to promote and support the preservation of Ritzville’s designated historic downtown business district.

John Rankin, president of the RDDA, told the group last year that tackling the project was necessary in an effort to save it.

“There aren’t any grants really available for private owners,” he told the board. “If owned by a nonprofit it opens up a whole world. It would be a shame for it to close up and go away.”

Rankin’s desire to save and preserve the theater found unanimous support from the RDDA’s board members.

With that decision in place, Benzel moved forward with his plan to donate the building. Ownership officially transferred in December to the RDDA with the understanding the group must continue to operate it as a movie theater. The Kramers continue to lease the business, now with the RDDA as the landlord.

“What they are doing to us is making it pert near impossible for a small theater owner to keep going,” Benzel said. “I’d like to see it keep going. I’ve had people tell me ‘Oh no, we can’t close that theater.’ It’s good for the kids and with gas being expensive they have no place to go. It’s just plain good.”

Benzel’s prime motivation for the donation is to ensure the theater continues to operate.

“I have no trouble turning the title over to this group. I wish them good luck,” he said.

Dora is eager to keep the theater open, as it has been a labor of love for her family.

“You’re giving to the community,” she said of the effort. “If we didn’t do it, the theater would have closed.”

At the same time, the motion picture industry’s decision to migrate to digital technology is also a bit frustrating for Dora because of the tremendous expense.

“It’s just killing them,” she said of the impact on small theaters. “There’s no survival for the little guy. It’s as un-American as you can get.”

Working in the theater has been a family affair. Daughter Janna Gingrich started out working in concessions when Dan Geschke was operating the theater. Gingrich went on to learn how to run the projection system and eventually taught her father, Larry, how to run the system. Dora worked in concessions and is most commonly seen in recent years in the ticket window. Mallory, Larry and Dora’s other daughter, and Scott Kessler have also been dedicated to the theater. Today, Scott tackles the projection system.

“Scott’s mom worked at the theater when he was a kid,” Dora said. “Today he does projection, concessions and maintenance.”

Dora said another vital part of the operation is the opportunity to provide employment for local high school students. Cory Kiesz and Brandon Becker are among them.

“Cory really liked the theater,” she said. “He liked meeting the people and has been there quite awhile. He has done all things including running the projector. Brandon has been with us for a while now. He is a frequent movie-goer.”

Dora said the theater welcomes about 100 people on an average weekend. She said a really good night is when 80 people attend.

Currently the theater shows one movie on a weekend, running the film nightly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If the RDDA is unable to raise the funds to upgrade the digital system, it will become nearly impossible for the theater to continue, as modern day movies will not be available. At least not on 35mm film, which is required for the 1949 projector currently used at The Ritz.

The platter that holds the film was installed in the early 1970s and the lighthouse was updated in 1979.

“What would this town do if we didn’t have a movie theater,” Dora wondered. “The reason we did this was because we like it and it was just something to do for the community. No, it has not been profitable. It’s just nice to see a place for the people to come without making it a hardship. It’s a hobby, a passion.”

Before the RDDA became involved the Kramers had obtained two bids for upgrading the projection and sound systems. The estimates were $77,264 and $115,325. Neither of those estimates addressed the required electrical upgrades.

Preliminary estimates for a renovation of the theater, according to Rankin, could top $250,000.

Along the way, Rankin said the priority is to maintain the integrity of the original 1937 design of the theater.

He hopes the RDDA is successful in identifying and receiving grant funds to help offset the cost of the renovations.