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Remember the "Alamo," or not
Published: 6/11/2009 1:33 PM
Last Modified: 6/11/2009 1:33 PM

The best answer I can supply is maybe never, and on the corner of 12th and Never.
The question? When is the Alamo Drafthouse, a beer-and-grub moviehouse operation out of Texas, coming to Tulsa, and where is it going to be located?
I've heard from a couple of phone callers here, a couple of e-mailers there, half of the theater operators in town. They've all asked me this question since a May 20 story ran in the Tulsa World's business section. It's understandable why their interest is piqued.
This staff-reported story was written from a Las Vegas convention of national retail, real estate and shopping center types, and it ran accompanied by a big picture of a Chinese fast-food chain, Panda Express, that is definitely coming to the Tulsa area.
The story was made sexier in the first sentence, following the eggroll-shop-is-coming-soon part of the opening paragraph, with "and a beer-serving theater operation may not be far behind." The story included a photo of Alamo Drafthouse CEO John Martin with a cutline that tells us he "wants to bring two of the movie-restaurant combo franchises to Tulsa."
What the story goes on to say is that he won't be the one bringing them. They wouldn't be company-owned stores. The CEO is looking for franchisees, someone willing to fork over big bucks, someone who is "up to the challenge," as he is quoted, of running a movie multiplex in which waiters deliver burgers and brews to moviegoers' tables.
It sounds like a lot of fun. It sounds like a place where adults might escape from some of the younger set more interested in what's on the screen of a cell phone than what's up on the big screen. If they build it, I will go.
But until I hear that some Tulsa franchisee is willing to "show me the money" in terms of making an official announcement, the part of that Panda Express story that mentioned Alamo Drafthouse appears to be all sizzle, no fire.

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I See Movies for Free

“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

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Past Articles By Michael Smith

2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
2/15/2013		Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'
2/15/2013		Review: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

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