Independent focus

By David Royer
Published: July 24, 2008

There’s no shortage of superheroes at the movies during the summer. Computer-generated explosion sequences are more common than dry spells in July.

But could there be more to the movie experience than the latest, loudest Hollywood blockbuster at the multiplex chain?

A few years ago, a young New York screenwriter and movie lover named Adam Greenbaum set out to find a new approach to the movie theater — and he’s shown it can be done outside the big-city markets where art-house and independent theaters often thrive.

“It just struck me that you had all these great movies that were essentially just going to a few markets, and everyone else was essentially out of luck,” said Greenbaum, owner of the Visulite theater in Staunton.

“I just felt strongly that everywhere there were going to be people who wanted to see these movies.”

After scouring the country for the right location to house his silver-screen dreams, Greenbaum found the Visulite, a relatively tiny 1937 film house that once beckoned crowds in Depression-era Staunton. It was hardly love at first sight.

“The building was a complete wreck,” he recalled. Since the 1980s the Visulite had stood mostly empty. Plus, its location was far from an urban center, and negotiations with the owner were tense. But Greenbaum was encouraged by the small city’s burgeoning art scene.

The new Visulite reopened in January 2006. Its vintage neon sign has been restored and its interior retrofitted for two screens with plush, rocking stadium seats, stereo sound and a modern décor that gives a nod to the building’s Art Deco heritage.

Local artwork fills the walls in the lobby, where the counter offers Italian sodas, iced coffees, chocolates and, of course, popcorn.

Most important are the movies at the Visulite, an off-the-beaten path selection largely culled from independent and foreign cinema.

Some, like last year’s indie sleeper “Juno,” become breakout mainstream hits. Others, such as “Atonement” are award-winning gems by directors thinking outside the box office. A few bomb, Greenbaum admitted.

“We try to get the very best stuff out there at any given time,” he said.

If anything is missing from the Visulite experience, it’s crowds of 14-year-old boys who, Greenbaum said, make up Hollywood’s typical target audience.

That’s by design, he said. The Visulite was configured to draw an older clientele who appreciated well-made movies but were burned out on the modern multiplex experience.

Apparently, the plan worked. Viewers now drive in from as far as Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Lexington, he said.

The dozen or so restaurants within walking distance of the theater make it an easy dinner-and-a-movie destination for day-trippers.

Set in an unlikely location in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley, the Visulite is proving itself as a haven for regional film lovers, including its owner.

“I’m a movie lover, and I love going to the movies,” Greenbaum said.

If you’re going
WHAT: The Visulite theater
WHERE: 12 N. Augusta St., Staunton
GETTING THERE: Take U.S. 29 north to Charlottesville, then take Interstate 64 to the Staunton exit. Drive west on U.S. 250 and veer right under the railroad bridge into downtown Staunton. Take the first left, then the second right to Augusta Street. Driving time: About an hour and 45 minutes
INFO: http://www.visulitecinemas.com