Redford’s Sundance Cinemas opens in Houston
Truett Manning
The Signal
Movie theaters can be such an exciting, rare experience for college students who find themselves broke 99 percent of the time.
Whenever shaking the couch cushions relinquishes enough cold, hard cash, going to the movies can be a fun pastime. Theaters like Cinemark can get the job done, but for those looking for a refreshing movie experience, the newly opened Sundance Cinemas definitely has something unique to offer.
The first Sundance Cinemas was opened by Robert Redford in 2006. Sundance Cinemas opened in Houston on Nov. 23, 2011 and became the third Sundance Cinemas to open in the United States, making it an exclusive, new attraction in the Houston area.
“Houstonians love great film and are extremely interested in all kinds of cultural endeavors, so we knew we’d fit right in,” said Nancy Gribler, vice president of marketing for Sundance Cinemas.
The idea behind Sundance Cinemas was to revamp the movie-going experience by pleasing customers with top-of-the-line presentation and focusing on comfort.
This new theater offers films from Hollywood, foreign, independent and documentary film programming on Sundance’s eight different screens. Sundance renovated the old Angelika Film Center, which abruptly closed in 2010 after 13 years of business.
“When the old Angelika space became available we were immediately interested as the theatre had great potential,” Gribler said.
Sundance offers a variety of amenities to its customers to focus on quality cinema rather than quantity. One aspect of the theater that makes it unique is that all seats in the theater are reserved, which eliminates the hassle of having to show up early and save seats for friends and family. Seats can be reserved online or chosen by touch-screen when purchasing tickets at the theater.
Sundance Cinemas offers a bar in the lobby for those who like to unwind with a beer or cocktail before, after or while watching their movie. Most food and beverages are served on or in recycled materials to be more eco-friendly.
“The wood that’s used in our box office and our tables in the Sundance Bar are made from a tree that fell during Hurricane Ike on one of our employee’s property,” Gribler said.
Part of what sets Sundance Cinemas apart from other theaters in Houston is the idea and design of the theater itself. Sundance employed local architects to create the theater, making it a one-of-a-kind design.
“When we design our theaters, we like to meld the Sundance aesthetic with the local look and feel,” Gribler said.
Royce Walker, an adjunct professor in communication at UHCL, has attended the theater several times.
“It is a great meeting place,” Walker said. “The decor is very Robert Redford with his focus on nature and the outdoors. There is expanded food offerings, including specialty coffees and alcohol beverages.”
Sundance strives to capture the culture of Houston by displaying local artists’ paintings in the theater, which are switched out on occasion.
“We have art galleries in all of our locations – it’s all part of our philosophy of supporting local artists,” Gribler said.
Sundance offers a special $7.50 pricing to students every Tuesday.
Sundance Cinemas is located at 510 Texas Ave. in the Theater District near downtown Houston.
For more information about Sundance Cinemas, visit SundanceCinemas.com.
Photos and slideshow created by Samantha Samuel: The Signal.
