The Historic Texas Theatre in Dallas Reopens Its Doors

The newest business in Dallas may also be one of the oldest. The Texas Theatre in north Oak Cliff, famous as the site where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, has been largely dormant for the last three decades. Through the efforts of several local film lovers, however, the historic theater that opened in 1931, and nearly closed for good in the 1980s, is once again showing movies on the silver screen.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert officiated over the ribbon cutting on December 9, and guests were treated to a free screening of "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles." That may sound like an odd choice for a movie theater's grand opening, but then again, the Texas Theatre isn't trying to be just another movie house.

According to Jason Reimer of Aviation Cinemas, the company operating the Texas, the theater will operate "like a year-round film festival," and serve as the artistic heart of the community. In the past month, the Texas Theatre held several events as part of a "soft opening," including hosting an art exhibit and several events by local civic groups. "We want this to be a venue that caters to artists, and not take a corporate approach," Reimer said.

Movies, however, will be the focus at the Texas Theatre, as Reimer promises they will "start simple, and make the theater feel like you're sitting on someone's couch watching a movie. We decided we were going to show movies we thought were cool." That not only includes classics like "Bonnie and Clyde," (which is fitting, as both have close ties to the Dallas area), but obscure and even controversial films like Gaspar Noe's "Enter the Void," which according to Reimer, elicited strong opinions among attendees who either loved or hated the movie.

Aviation Cinemas is the brainchild of Barak Epstein, a filmmaker and film industry consultant who in early 2010 was looking for an older movie theater to work out of. Epstein then met Reimer, who at the time was serving with the Oak Cliff Foundation, which owns the theater and had renovated it in recent years. Together with two other filmmakers, Adam Donaghey and Eric Steele, Aviation Cinemas was formed in July 2010. The company officially took over day to day operations of the Texas in a lease from the Foundation in the fall of 2010, and the doors to the historic venue opened once again.

The Texas Theatre will not only serve as a venue to show movies, it will help young artists craft their own films. Their "Rough Cut Lab Series" will allow aspiring filmmakers to screen unfinished films at the Texas in order to take in feedback and improve their film.

In addition, Reimer hopes the Texas will become a destination, even when something isn't playing, for anyone looking to just "hang out" with other movie lovers and artists. The theater just obtained their license to serve alcohol, so adult beverages will be served from the concession stand in addition to the standard popcorn and Raisinets.

Operating the Texas Theatre is not without its challenges. Getting moviegoers back to the north Oak Cliff neighborhood where the Texas resides has never been easy, but changes in the area over the last decade have helped. The nearby Bishop Arts District is one of the city's most popular areas for restaurants and shopping. An area that was once in decline has seen new development and a significant drop in crime. A large parking lot at the nearby Bank of Texas has made it easy to attend functions at the Jefferson Boulevard landmark. "We really are trying to change the perception," Reimer said.

While the Texas Theatre will never shake the connection to Oswald and the Kennedy assassination, Reimer wants people to know there is much more to the Texas than the events of 1963. "This theater's background is broader than just that one incident," he said. "There is an entire history here beyond the assassination that is extraordinary. It is a very cool building."

The Texas Theatre is located at 231 W. Jefferson Blvd. in the north Oak Cliff section of Dallas (75208). For more information about the Texas Theatre and a schedule of events, call (214) 948-1546 or visit TheTexasTheatre.com.