Film Forum

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Uploaded on: May 28, 2023

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This ad from May 1973 is a good example of the type of bookings that made this location such a success during the 1970’s. The Ansley Mall Mini Cinema had opened in 1968 and made an effort to present the type of films that would not ordinarily get an Atlanta release at any theater other than the soon to be closed Peachtree Art. Its only notable event occurred when it was raided by the Fulton County Solicitor for showing the Andy Warhol feature Lonsome Cowboys. In 1971 the Mini Cinema company was having a difficult time competing for product with the large chains and the company owned locations entered into a partnership with Storey Theaters. The franchise locations went independent and the company subbed out this location to George Ellis.

At that time George, who was also a local actor and TV personality had for several years been trying to make a go of it running very obscure art movies downtown at the Festival on Walton Street. Those were rough times for any business that depended on people coming downtown at night, especially one with such a limited appeal product. In the Ansley Mall Mini Cinema which he renamed Film Forum, George finally found the perfect sweet spot between downtown and the northern suburbs for his business model. There he ran many films which would otherwise never get a public showing at mainstream theaters and his tiny (for those days) 170 seat house was perfectly sized for this audience. When there was no such art film available he would book movies such as the ones in this ad to fill in the gaps and replenish the coffers. Many such films had seen limited and/or poorly attended release at a first run theater and were without a subsequent wide release.

A good example was Sleuth which had disappeared after its first run engagement but here resulted in multiple sellouts to the point that the Storey booker took notice and booked it into a wide neighborhood break. Despite this George brought it back numerous times over the next few years where it could always be counted on to fill the house. Two other things from these times that were never successful at other theaters either before or after were midnight shows of a different movie every day of the week and at 2am Friday and Saturday, and starting his new movies on Monday instead of the usual Wednesday or Friday. Admission was $2 on weekends and $1 Monday-Thursday and always $1 for the late shows. Just more examples of the ways George was able to set himself apart from the rest of the theaters.

One of the many interesting things you would usually encounter here was George himself staffing the ticket desk. He greeted each patron individually in his warm, soft voice, thanked them for coming and if it were a weekend show he would remind them that if they attended during the week the ticket would only be one dollar. His relationship with his customers was such that he almost felt guilty taking their money despite the fact that they were the ones who should have been thanking him for providing such a venue.