Alamo Drafthouse's Tim League on Love For Bottle Rocket, Need to Save 'Landmark' Motel

Alamo Drafthouse's Tim League on Love For Bottle Rocket, Need to Save "Landmark" Motel

By Robert Wilonsky Wed., Jun. 22 2011 at 4:09 PM

Photo by Annie Ray

Tim League

Found this in the in-box: a few words from Alamo Drafthouse CEO and founder Tim League, who wanted to explain why he decided to add Bottle Rocket to its Rolling Roadshow revue, which has taken iconic Texas-made films to the towns in which they were filmed. The series, which was around North Texas last week, wraps this week and next in Marfa and Archer City, and as we noted last week, the Alamo opted to add Bottle Rocket as a last-minute addition to piggyback on Andy Carl Valentin and Chris Durbin's efforts to save the Hillsboro motel where some of Wes Anderson and Luke and Owen Wilson's debut was shot.

League's a man of few words. They are:

"Bottle Rocket may very well be my favorite comedy of all time and is the only movie that has caused me physical pain from laughing. The Alamo Drafthouse will do anything we can do to help preserve the 'Bottle Rocket Motel,' which from my perspective is one of the greatest Texas film landmarks."

Valentin and Durbin are shooting the event for a doc for their website, Reservoir Geeks, which is where you'll now find a page devoted to the event. Tours of the motel will be given; but, remember, bring your own adult beverages. And a swimsuit: The mostly made-in-Dallas movie, says the hotel, will likely be screened by the pool. Hustle, because rooms are (finally) beginning to book up. But there are some left.

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Bsmit1543

Not sure if anyone is still checking this feed but Alamo Drafthouse is coming to DFW and soon. A good friend of mine owns the franchise rights for the entire DFW metroplex and is shopping around for locations at the moment.

The goal is to have one in the metroplex by the end of 2012!!!! Stay tuned and keep the faith DFW's movie audience is about to get their world rocked by Alamo Drafthouse! The newer theaters are said to have lounges and patios so patrons can enjoy the huge selection of beers and custom cocktails!

Robert Wilonsky

Tell your friend to let me know: robert.wilonsky@dallasobserver.com

Blueskies758

They are putting an Alamo Drafthouse in Carrollton down the road from my house. Swear. Just found out today. News freakin made my year.

Coleman

I gotta say, Tim league looks actually like I imagined the founder and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse would look like.

Baddatesindallas

I know Dallas-ites just can't get enough of the Wes Anderson oeuvre--doesn't even crack my top 100--but, if I may, how is an AD different from our awesome Magnolia, where you can imbibe freely & see great indies?

Coleman

Alamo Drafthouse has awesome food and better beer, for one...Also, Magnolia Theater plays "indie" snob movies while Inwood Theater literally plays The Room at least two weekends a month because "omgitssobaditsfunnylol."

Baddatesindallas

I'm bummed that you just don't get indie movies. They're so giving of their art. Unlike, oh, "Green Lantern", "The Twilight Saga", and "The Green Hornet". Why does everything have to be so loud, in 3-D, and...Green?

Baddatesindallas

ouch! ok ok. I'm just saying, for every Magnolia (and I drink the brewed tea there, most times) there are 4 bolidiplexes showing all that bloated garbage that most people call "entertainment". I actually saw 2 stinkers at the Angelika last night. so, it can happen. The Mag makes mistakes. I make mistakes...even Michel Gondry makes (big) mistakes.

Coleman

I disagree with you so therefore I "don't get indie movies" and love crap? blow it out your ass, lady. There's a difference between good indie movies and the mediocre crap they show at Magnolia that pulls wine-swilling "movie aficionados" who think any crap movie in a foreign language must be magic. Also, Green Hornet was directed by Michel Gondry...you know, the same guy who directed such indie-friendly movies as Be Kind Rewind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep and a segment in Tokyo. But of course you already knew that because you GET indie movies and I don't.

Bigjondaniel

It's not about the building, it's about what they present, how they present it, and how it is marketed. http://drafthouse.com/austin

elbueno

I really wish they had been part of the Sylvan Thirty development. How great would it have been to have an Alamo Drafthouse behind that lovely old Alamo Plaza sign??

Robert Wilonsky

I just spoke to someone at AD who shall remain nameless but says with no small modicum of authority, "We'd love to be in Dallas." Ah, but are there plans to come here in the near or distant future? Hard to say at present.

Chris Danger

Ive been saying it for awhile, id love to have the programming events like they do at Alamo here, setting up in Down/Uptown or even Deep Ellum, as we would def. benefit from the business. SMG and Movie Tavern can barely hold a candle to these guys.

Also concerning the old West End Cinema: the reason they originally closed was the fact all the little hoods and homeless were jumping on the DART and causing hassles over there. It sucked because I used to go to that theater quite often and it was a great example of what a downtown area should have to thrive...

Downtown_worker

I'm not sure how the West End Cinema met its demise but I know the demographics have changed quite a bit since then. I see thousands more potential moviegoers living downtown and a lot fewer thugs and homeless people.

scottindallas

Cause we all know Cinema is where all the money is at. $5 Popcorn! that's mark-up only the military can expect!

ThatGuy

Lake Highlands Town Center?

Downtown_worker

Victory Park?

Mdmost

I would think competition might be why there aren't any Alamo Drafthouses here. In Houston and San Antonio where franchises were launched, they didn't have to worry at that time about competition from Movie Tavern or Studio Movie Grill. I am in no way comparing the 3 because Alamo is wayyyyy different and better but getting films might not be as easy with the amount of competition here. Still kills me that the Casa Linda location never happened.

I think the dead Whole Foods on Greenville would make a great Alamo Drafthouse location. The South Lamar Austin location was a renovated grocery store that was about the same size.

scottindallas

or the Granada?

Bigjondaniel

There is no competition to how Alamo goes to market vs. and traditional theater or theater/food combo. As usual, content is king, and Alamo understands their target audience, and how to bring the content to them in an entertaining and unique way.

I think an Alamo would do great in Dallas and hopes one shows up here soon