Something's Fishy at the Inwood Theatre


Since moving to Dallas in 2010, I have always had a bit of a fascination with the Inwood Theatre. From the vintage neon sign outside to the neat murals and etched glass inside, I suspected that there was more to the story of this little three-screen movie theatre. That’s why I was very excited to find the theatre’s history listed on its website, which you can access by clicking here.

One of many fish etched into glass at the Inwood Theatre.
The mural in the back is located on the right wall along the stairwell.
Built in 1947 by the Interstate Amusement Company, the Inwood Theatre was designed with an aquatic theme that is still visible for visitors today. This theme includes a ceiling mural of naked nymphs, an aquatic mural along the stairway and glass etched with beautiful fish. According to their website, the glass has always been lit to create the effect of looking at an aquariums. The murals were painted by Dallas artist Perry Nichols, who also created the mural in front of the Dallas Morning News building.

The 1980 fire caused some damage to the ceiling mural, but the naked nymphs are still visible.
 The first film to debut in the theatre was Red Skelton’s “The Show-Off” on May 16th, 1947. Other notable moments include a two-year run of “The Sound of Music” from 1965 to 1966, and the world premiere of The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” in 1975.

But there is also a dark spot in the theatre’s bright history: In 1980, a fire occurred that closed the doors of the theatre for a year. The stories of the cause of the fire differ. Some believe it was arson while others say it was an accident. Whatever the case, the theatre reopened in 1981 with a second screen. The third screen and the Inwood Lounge were added in 1982.

Speaking of the Inwood Lounge, this little bar is very cozy with tables, a couple of booths and a backroom. Television screens play Turner Classic Movies, and a water feature makes for a very relaxing atmosphere. My favorite drink is the Godiva Chocolate Martini, but the bar is well-stocked with a variety of beer, wine and liquor. The best part is that patrons can take their drinks into the theatre to enjoy throughout the movie!

The seating in the theatre is unique in that guests can choose from comfy armchairs, couches, love seats or “LoveSacs” which are basically beanbag chairs. It’s definitely a fun place to cuddle with a date or bond with the family. The theatre was restored after its purchase by Landmark in 1998. Landmark was purchased by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban (the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks) in 2005, who had the theatre extensively refurbished.

The Inwood Theatre currently offers weekly midnight movie screenings of cult classic films in addition to the more popular mainstream films screened during regular business hours.

Inwood Theatre
5458 W. Lovers Ln, Dallas, TX 75209
(214) 352-5085
www.landmarktheatres.com/market/Dallas/InwoodTheatre.htm



Tickets are $10.25 general admission, $8.25 for showings Monday through Thursday before 5 p.m., $8.25 for the first show on weekends and holidays, $8.25 for seniors and children aged 12 and younger, $8.50 for students, and a $3.00 charge is added for all 3D screenings. The theatre is also available to rent for business gatherings or parties.
Location: 5458 West Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75209, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial

Image
The Dallas Uptown skyline looms behind the Freeman's Cemetery Memorial. I like this view because of the combination of past and present. On the corner of Lemmon Avenue and North Central Expressway lies an often overlooked piece of Dallas history. I myself drove past it several times in the years I lived in Dallas without realizing what I was driving past. From the outside, it appears to be nothing more than a green space or park intended to offer a little scenery. But those willing to walk up and examine it closer will find that the fenced off green area is actually a stark reminder of the city’s troubled past. These photos show the walkway toward the central monument. The figures pictured in the middle represent freed slaves.   A plaque next to Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial states that the area near what is now Uptown was once home to a settlement of freed slaves following the United States Civil War that was known as Freedmantown. In 1869, an acre of lan
Read more

DFW M'Antiques: Free Beer, Great Humor and Neat Stuff!

Image
A feminist walked into an antique store for men. No, that’s not the start of a bad joke. It’s what happened when I checked out DFW M’Antiques in the Bishop Arts District . DFW M’Antiques is like the treehouse with the “no girls allowed” sign after the boys become teenagers: It’s a place for the boys to escape to, but they clearly still want the girls to stop by and appreciate their cool clubhouse. In fact, the store has a section of women’s clothing and jewelry, and it’s clear within moments of talking to owner Compton Creel that the intent of marketing antiques to men isn’t a dig at the ladies. Based on these Yelp! reviews , the female patrons mostly appreciate the niche marketing tactic and enjoy the store all the same.             “We wanted a place that was just for guys to hang out,” Creel said, adding that they offer all patrons a free cup of beer as they shop. That “we” refers to himself and business partner Robert Owen. The pair have worked in the antique busin
Read more

J. Erik Jonsson Central Library

Hello Readers! *Author's note: I originally wrote this in 2014 and recently recovered the lost file. I hope you enjoy! Sorry, there are no pictures for this post. As some of you may know, I've been getting into the swing of things at my new job as a grant writer for a local nonprofit organization. As a result, I haven't had much time to update Dynamic DFW. Now that things are on an even keel at work, I am hoping to post regularly again, though it will likely be monthly instead of weekly due to time constraints. For this post, I wanted to focus on the  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Dallas. Named after Texas Instruments co-founder J. Erik Jonsson, the library is the heart of the Dallas Public Library system and has a few really neat features! Make a beeline for the 7th floor. There you can see: 1. An original broadside print from July 4, 1776 of the Declaration of Independence. This was basically one of the drafts handed out before the official Declaration
Read more