To See Michel Gondry

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Dave Feucht

We had what I consider to be a very fortunate opportunity last night. The Hollywood Theatre was showing Michel Gondry’s latest film, The Thorn in the Heart (L’Epine Dans Le Coeur), followed by a Q&A session with Michel Gondry himself. We got tickets to go with our acupuncturist and her husband, and it turned out to be well worth it.

It was a nice, warm night, despite it having been cloudy and raining on and off during the day, and we headed over to the Hollywood district (where we had been for the farmers market earlier in the day with two other friends) to meet our acupuncturist and her husband at the theater.

To See Michel Gondry

The Hollywood Theatre is a 1926 theater in Portland, originally built as a vaudeville theater, and converted for films later. Eventually, the balcony was cemented off and made into a second theater, which is how it is still currently set up. It’s a beautiful theater, with a very elaborate facade, and the Hollywood District of Portland was actually named after the theater, as commercial and residential development of the area followed the construction of the theater.

Hollywood Theatre

Hollywood Theatre

The film was wonderful, focusing on the life of Michel Gondry’s aunt who was a teacher, and her life at the schools where she taught and her relationships with her family.

Gondry himself was shorter than I expected, with even more crazy hair than I expected, and was very engaging and interested in the audience and seemingly glad to be there. We also got a bit of a surprise – a 10 minute film made earlier in the day with some people from Portland, kind of in the style of the sweded films from his film Be Kind Rewind, about the calculator stealing all the math in the world, and the math ninjas coming together to save the math :)

Afterwards, we headed out, said goodbye to our friends, and hopped back on our bikes to head home.

To See Michel Gondry

To See Michel Gondry

It was still surprisingly warm out, and it was nice to just pedal calmly and chat on the way home. Gondry’s films always evoke an appreciation for humanity in me, an appreciation of life, and this one was no different. I’m glad to be who and where and with whom I am, I feel our life is worth living.

To See Michel Gondry

Happy weekend, all!

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  • Anne

    What a wonderful post. Riding a bike to an evening event is one of my favorite things to do in any but the most impossible weather. But to go and meet a favorite filmmaker–that's wonderful!

    I love all these photos–not sure which I like best, but I'm leaning toward the last one.

    I did NOT know that the Hollywood district was named after the theater. *Native NE Portlander hangs head in shame*.

  • portlandize.com

    @Anne: yeah, it was a really fun night, I'm glad we got to go.

    Another interesting tidbit, the first Fred Meyer store was just across the street from the theater, in the building that is now a Rite Aid.

  • Velouria

    Wow, that facade!
    I like the top picture of Trina – somehow the outfit and the bicycle and her posture and facial expression all go together perfectly.

  • Trisha

    Oh my gosh. What a lovely post! That theater is just beautiful. And so cool that you got to see a Q&A with Gondry!

  • portlandize.com

    @Velouria: Trina will be glad to hear that, as she thought that photo was kind of awkward :)

    This is definitely the most elaborate theater facade in Portland. Some of the other old theaters in town (Bagdad, Laurelhurst and CineMagic, for instance) have better marquees, but the buildings themselves are much more plain.

    @Trisha: yeah, I felt like it was a pretty unique opportunity, and I'm glad we got to take part in it. Plus, we don't get out to the Hollywood Theater much, and it was nice to have an excuse :)

    I'm sure I'll have posts in the future about some of the other old theaters in Portland, there are a lot of them still running that were built in the 1920's, or even before.

  • Herzog

    You should also see Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! It's pretty rad.

  • portlandize.com

    @Herzog: Yeah, actually our acupuncturist who went with us to see this was telling us she's reading those books and really likes them.

  • Herzog

    Oh, and BTW, don't put cork grips on your Raleigh! I *love* the brooding dark and vintagey color scheme you've got going on right now.

  • portlandize.com

    @Herzog: the only problem with the current grips, is that they have ridges on the top where your palm rests, and on a longer ride, they can really dig into your hand and become quite uncomfortable. I'm also thinking about the Brooks leather grips, which would be a little darker, at least.

  • Herzog

    Hmmm… I might allow Brooks grips. Need to mull it over. ;) ;)

  • What Would a Nerd Wear

    ohh i like your bicycle! (and you look pretty great, too!)

  • portlandize.com

    @What Would a Nerd Wear: I'm going to assume you mean my wife (she is the prettier one, after all) :)

    The bike is a 1980 Raleigh Roadster (DL-1). I particularly like her shoes, I think they're really pretty – and her necklace is pretty great too, though you can't see it terribly well in the photo.

    Cheers!

  • solracm

    Cada día me gusta más este blog. Está dentro de mis favoritos y os leo casi a diario. Tengo que traducirlo con el Google, ya que mi inglés no es muy bueno.
    Gracias por compartir esos momentos… Saludos desde Sevilla (Spain).
    http://plegaleando.blogspot.com/

  • portlandize.com

    Muchas gracias, me alegro que os guste mi blog! Saludos y feliz en bicicleta en España, He oído Sevilla es una ciudad hermosa!

    (Hopefully Google's translation makes sense, I don't speak much Spanish) :)

  • Mark

    What a fantastic looking cinema, what a great asset for your local community (and it puts on some pretty great films too, by the look of things) I always rate these kind of cinemas way over the big out of town multiplexes, it's a totally different experience. And of course it's easier to cycle to the small movie theatre on the Main Street.

    Great bikes, great photos and great sentiment – thanks for sharing!

  • portlandize.com

    Mark: Yeah, there are quite a few 1920's (and some even earlier) cinemas in Portland that are still operating, and it is such a better experience than the giant multiplex – and as you say, they are a great asset to the neighborhoods they are in.

    This particular theatre plays a lot of documentaries, independent films, etc. Many of the others in town just play mainstream films, but as second run (after they have left the big multiplex theaters), and a couple of them actually get first-run films.

    Cheers!

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