The reopening of two old Hamilton movie houses after extensive restorations is ushering in a new era of local art-house cinema.

The Westdale is showing "Casablanca" for its grand reopening Feb. 14 during an evening that promises "glitz and glamour."

On the other side of town, the owners of the Playhouse on Sherman Avenue North are planning a February or March opening, but are coy about what will be on the marquee.

"I don't know when we're going to let that cat out of the bag," John Tutt said. "It's going to be reflective of the neighbourhood we're in."

Both operators promise regular showings of independent and international films, which locals have only been able to see consistently in other cities for years.

"It's kind of a wonderful coincidence in 2019," says Graham Crawford, a member of the nonprofit group behind the 1930s-era Westdale restoration.

Fred Fuchs, chair of the Westdale Cinema Group's board, said Hamilton is "severely underscreened" as a city.

Independent movie theatres are, in fact, "booming" across North America, with multiplexes leaving a void by showing blockbusters catered to young audiences, said Fuchs, a former Hollywood producer now living in Dundas.

Tutt is confident the two operators will find their respective niches.

"We can't wait to introduce the theatre to the public. It will be the oldest surviving cinema in Hamilton."

The 177 Sherman Ave. N. cinema opened its doors in 1914 with silent films and vaudeville. The last movies to show there were of the adult variety in the 1980s.

Tutt and his wife, Wendy, bought the old brick building just north of Barton Street East from charity City Kidz for $630,000 in February.

Since then, they've spent another $450,000 restoring it and setting it up with a new projector and other equipment.

Roughly 280 bucket seats are expected to arrive Feb. 20 from a Michigan manufacturer and will be installed shortly thereafter.

For Tutt, most striking about the restoration is the proscenium arch at the front and plasterwork, including the ribbed ceiling.

The old Playhouse sign (it wasn't the first one) couldn't be saved. However, another vintage one from Brantford's Sanderson Centre is being refashioned to resemble the original.

The Playhouse will have a coffee shop for cinema clientele that will also serve customers when movies aren't playing.

The Tutts are veteran operators of independent movie houses, having run Princess Cinemas in Waterloo since 1985. Their son, Jacob, is a key player in the Playhouse project.

Tutt said the most popular films at the family's two Waterloo theatres right now are "The Favourite," a historical comedy about Queen Anne, and "Green Book," about an African-American pianist who tours the South in the 1960s.

"There are so many movies that don't even see the light of day in Hamilton."

The Tutts and The Westdale operators alike are interested in hosting screenings of the Art Gallery of Hamilton's film program.

"From Day 1, we've been having conservations about it," Fuchs said.

An important component of The Westdale's lineup will be Canadian content, he said.

Annette Paiement, a well-known figure in the Hamilton arts scene, has been hired as The Westdale's executive director.

The 1935 theatre's focus will be cinema but it will also feature music, plays, comedy, civic talks and community events.

Westdale Cinema Group bought the deteriorating theatre for $1.7 million from its longtime Toronto owners in June 2017.

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It's thanks to donors, lenders and grants that the volunteers have been able to pull off the $4.6-million project, Crawford says.

The nonprofit wasn't able to land any provincial or federal dollars. "So we had to scramble, but Hamiltonians stepped up and closed the gap."

The cinema's 340 seats are to arrive in early February with the names of donors on them.

There's a new stage, lighting, high-end projector and sound system, which will be miles ahead of the less-than-stellar visuals and audio of before.

"This is state of the art. This is brand-new technology," Fuchs said.

The interior will feature deep-textured "jazz plaster, which in some spots, like the lobby, had been covered up during a 1969 renovation.

Mirrors, woodwork, and red, creme and black Vitrolite glass tiles will do justice to the original Art Deco look, Crawford said.

"We are replicating it based on original architectural drawings and on archival photo. It's going to look like it did in 1935."

So, why "Casablanca" on Valentine's Day?

"It was selected because it's a great, romantic film," Crawford said.

The Westdale première What: Grand reopening of the 1935 cinema featuring "Casablanca" (1942)

Where: 1014 King St. W. in Westdale Village

When: Feb. 14, doors open at 6:30 p.m., screening at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $100 available online.

tmoro@thespec.com

905-526-3264 | @TeviahMoro