Establishing Shot
Do you like going to the movies? Does your movie taste a bit more niche than most people? Well, do I have the place for you! The Frida Cinema is a non-profit movie theater in downtown Santa Ana on a street home to many other small businesses. The Frida is a very unique and special place to many people and I got the chance to talk to someone who works there about their feelings on this place… more on that later.
A Look into the Lens
According to their website, The Frida Cinema “opened its doors on February 21st, 2014” on 4th Street. Upon walking in you’re greeted with walls muraled with references to a wide variety of movies. At the far end of the lobby lie two doors and behind them are the auditoriums that can hold up to 200 people. The Frida hosts a multitude of events that go beyond simple film screenings. They have held meet and greets, Rocky Horror shadow casts, art shows, and student film showcases as well as participating in communal events.
Behind the Scenes
In my process of researching for my article, I made sure to plan a visit to ensure the greatest degree of authenticity I could muster. (That which I did for my other two articles in this series.) Upon visiting I met Bobby Thornson Jr., one of the few employees residing at the Frida. He has been a part of the Frida for three years, six to eight of those months he volunteered his hours there and since then he has been fully employed. His favorite movie is Inland Empire by the late, David Lynch. He told me that what he loves about this cinema is that “there are always interesting people, everyone has a story.”
My partner in crime for this article is a recurring character, Cash Loyd who also aided me in my first “hidden gem” article. We went to see Eraserhead and based on this experience and others in the past, I asked him a few questions. Cash has been to the Frida about seven times and his favorite movie he has seen there is between Eraserhead and Drive.
Finally, I interviewed my English teacher who had previously mentioned that he had been to the theater before. He has been to the theater so many times he has lost count but he estimates at least twenty times. Bies’ favorite movie he has seen there (if he had to choose) is Nowhere by Gregg Araki. To Mr. Bies what’s so unique about this place is “like a used bookstore where you’re bound to stumble across out-of-print gems – the Frida shows tons and tons of old movies, not just the latest stuff. And that often uniquely means getting to see movies on the big screen that maybe came out before you were even born! Second, the Frida is weird. I’d go so far as to say that this is part of their mission, the explicit cultivation of strangeness, as they consistently curate a programming calendar that’s rife with unconventionality… Ask anyone: punks, emo kids, drama geeks, film snobs, random green-haired people who got lost in DTSA and walked in off the sidewalk: all of them have felt (or are bound to feel if they haven’t yet) the Big Weird Magnetic Force that positively radiates from the place,” Mr. Bies.
My Experience
Every time I have come here I have been greeted with smiles. The atmosphere is incredibly fun and creative and everyone is extremely approachable. I have seen Paper Moon, Whisper of the Heart, Amelie, Eraserhead, and Blue Velvet so far, and hope to come back many more times in the future.
Ambience
The popping of corn. The fanatic banter of film geeks. Insightful conversation, concessional candy. The growing anticipation of a movie you’ve only heard in passing, the excited feeling that you will finally be a part of that secret society. The choice of where to sit in the auditorium, waiting for the previews. Twenty minutes roll by and you start to wonder, ‘Is the movie going to start yet?’ And then the opening credits roll and the title screen hits; you’re in.
Letterboxd Hot Take
As every film fanatic knows, letterboxd is THE place to review movies. Whether it’s half-hazardly done or thoroughly thought through. On January 31 I went to see Eraserhead and as soon as it was over I rushed to put my thoughts down…
★ ★ ★ ★ ½
“His head WAS an eraser.” – Valentine Wollnik
Denouement
Like its predecessors of this series, the Frida Cinema is one of a kind. You can only know the feeling of stepping into those doors by actually doing so. It opens up a whole new world for people who are curious about film and even art in general. What’s even better is that there are plenty of other incredibly intriguing places right alongside the street you could visit before or after seeing a flick. Until next time folks “and in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!”
Credits
The Frida Cinema
305 E. 4th St, STE 100
Santa Ana, CA 92701