by: Pontifex Aureus
The first time I went to the Josephine Theatre, I was smitten—powerfully and immediately smitten with the place. It sits at the far west end of Josephine Street, the sole sign of life in an otherwise desolate stretch of nighttime road. It is close enough to the hustle and bustle of St. Mary’s Street that I could probably hear the music coming from the White Rabbit if I tried, and it may be that this lonely street might likewise be lit up with bars and restaurants someday in the near future, but for now it is dark and solemn—befitting of, what is to me, a sacred cathedral.
It’s an old place, classic, but not in a self-consciously retro sort of way, it’s just distinctly ‘of the past’. The Josephine opened its doors in 1947 and, as was common for the era, had a now-unthinkably huge 700+ seating capacity to accommodate all the surrounding neighborhoods. Like many other classic movie theaters, it faced a slow decline during the 70’s culminating in bankruptcy, but the Josephine was among the theaters lucky enough to be saved. Standing inside, I’m greeted with a cool-blue interior decorated with large etched-glass depictions of fairy tale characters. It’s dark, with the muted elegance of a Bogart-era nightclub. Now sporting a bar and lounge-area and a more reasonable amount of seats, the Josephine is looking a little more modern, but its old-fashioned charm still shines through.
Tonight especially, the place has special significance. The lounge is filled with vendors and movie-goers here for the monthly Pigstagg Creature Double Feature. Since late December of 2014, David Gore of Pigstagg Records & Video, in conjunction with George Ortiz of theHorrific Film Festival, have come together to host a monthly double-feature movie event at the Josephine, celebrating classic schlock, horror, and cult movies from the old-school—absolutely nothing made past 1989. Previous showings include: Return of the Living Dead, Nightbreed, Heavy Metal, River’s Edge, The Wraith, and Trick or Treat. And while not always strictly horror, I promise all you horrorphiles out there: you will not want to miss out on this treasure-trove of cinema gold.
(left to right) David “Pigstagg” Gore, Tony Chainsaw, and George Ortiz
The setup at the Josephine is unique; with its large, open floor-plan, you can choose the traditional route of sitting in the actual theater, or you can choose to relax in the lounge and watch the movie from the comfort of your table. Being as there is a bar in the lounge, you can easily get up, order yourself a drink, and not miss a minute of the movie. If two movies sounds like a lot to sit through, don’t worry; there is an intermission between movies, enough time to stretch your legs and perhaps check out some of the vendor’s tables in the lounge. The Pigstagg Records & Video table is there, of course, offering a range of schlocky, obscure movies for your viewing pleasure. This is a full evening of entertainment, 2 movies back to back, all for the price of $10 ($5 with costume and $5 for kids).
This series of double-features will be running from now until November, on the last Saturday of each month. This month’s event will take place on February 28th and will feature two street-gang classics: The Warriors and The Wanderers. And don’t forget, come August, the Josephine will also be host to this year’s Horrific Film Festival, where you’ll be able to enjoy a slew of independent horror films and celebrity guest stars. If you’re a horror-lover living in San Antonio, or simply a movie-lover in general, this is where you should be in 2015. So come and join us at the Josephine and see for yourself what kind of magic this old theater still holds.
splatterjunkie 