It’s Saturday night, and you’ve only got $3 to spare. If you think the only culture you’re going to see is growing in the bottom of your can of Pabst, think again.
For that $3, you can catch a late show at the Bijou Art Cinemas, also known as “the best little art house between Seattle and San Francisco.”
The Bijou, located at 492 East 13th Ave., usually shows independent and foreign films, though a certain strain of blockbuster fare (read: “Gladiator”) occasionally finds its way onto one of the two big screens.
The theater is housed in an enormous butter-colored Spanish mission, which was designed in 1925 by the first dean of the University’s School of Architecture. Originally a congregational church, the building was converted into the McGaffey-Andreason Mortuary in the 1950s.
The mortuary eventually closed and the building remained vacant for several years, until owner Michael Lamont decided to turn it into a movie house. In the 20 years since, the Bijou’s legend has grown.
“Everyone says the Bijou’s haunted,” said Dana Krizan, who has managed the theater for almost 10 years. “The biggest story would have to be the Spoon Ghost.”
Spoons have inexplicably fallen on several occasions from places where no spoon would ever be, Krizan said.
“Once, I wasn’t there, but I walked in right after it happened, and I saw the expressions on people’s faces after the spoon fell,” he said. “It would had to have jumped two or three feet off the shelf to land where it did. Another time a spoon hit really close to an employee, and it freaked him out so bad he wouldn’t close down the bathrooms anymore.”
Krizan said the ghost doesn’t scare him as much as the fact that the old mortuary’s bloodletting room, Rm. 107, was later converted into a child psychology office.
Sunday through Thursday general admission at the Bijou is $4.50, with shows before 6 p.m. just $3. Late shows (usually around 11 p.m.) are $2. Thursday through Saturday, general admission is $6 and late shows are $3.
Call 686-2458 for information.
Another Eugene landmark, the McDonald Theater, has been showing movies since 1925. Located at 1010 Willamette, the McDonald is now a member of the Regal Cinemas chain and shows mainstream Hollywood movies.
In spite of this, the terra cotta facade and balcony seating help the McDonald retain the glamour of the Roaring ’20s movie palace.
General admission for adults is $4.25 before 6 p.m. and $6.75 after 6 p.m. A student ID will get you through the doors for $5. Call 344-4343 for showtimes and parking information.