Historic Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Belcourt Theatre is a 2-cinema theater located in Nashville's Hillsboro Village district. It is operated by a non-profit organization, and features independent films, as well as live performances. It is the main venue for RiffTrax Live performances. The following riffs have originiated from this facility:
- Plan 9 from Outer Space - August 2009
- Christmas Shorts-Stravaganza - December 2009
- Reefer Madness - August 2010
- House on Haunted Hill - October 2010
- Jack the Giant Killer - August 2011
- Manos: The Hands of Fate - August 2012
- Birdemic: Shock and Terror - October 2012
- Starship Troopers - August 2013
- Night of the Living Dead - October 2013
- Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - December 2013
- Godzilla - August 2014
- Santa Claus - December 2014
- The Room - May 2015
- Sharknado 2 - July 2015
- Miami Connection - October 2015
- Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny - December 2015
History[]
Opened in 1925 as the Hillsboro Theatre by M.A. Lightman, Sr, of Malco Theatres and his father Joseph Lightman as a silent movie house, boasting the most modern projection equipment and the largest stage in the city. As the community grew, the Belcourt adapted to the new needs of the neighborhood by providing a regular home for two highly successful performance groups. Nashville Children's Theatre, the longest running children's theatre of its kind, and the venerable Grand Ole Opry both shared the Belcourt stage during the 1930s. The Opry's tenure from 1934 to 1936 shaped the format the radio show still uses today. Due to the intimate size of the room, the Opry began playing each show to two separate audiences. Performers found themselves playing two fifteen-minute performances rather than the single half-hour performance to which they were accustomed.
In November 2007, the theatre was purchased by a non-profit coalition of local arts activists (operating as "Belcourt Theatre Inc.") for $1.4 million.
Today[]
The Belcourt currently features a variety of entertainment events, including film—much of it independent—as well as live performances within the same venue. Its concession stand is a rarity as it includes a variety of food and drink items, including pizza, wine, and draft beer from local brewerey Yazoo. The venue has been home to Nashville's incarnation of the 48 Hour Film Project and other festivals and special events.
The Belcourt is also the base theater for the live RiffTrax showings streamed into nationwide theaters, and co-hosts a monthly 16mm film series called The Light and Sound Machine with Third Man Records at their live venue.