Detroit
Movie Palaces
The Film
Programs of the Detroit Film Theatre, Michigan Theater and Redford
Theatre
The Film Programs of the Detroit Film Theatre, Michigan Theater and Redford Theatre
Your Guide to Classic Movie Theater Fun!
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Look What's Coming!
| From Here to Eternity returns February 14 to the Michigan, where it first played September 24, 1953. |
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The acclaimed 2011 Iranian film A Separation screens at the DFT on February 24-26 and March 4. |
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Billy Wilder directs the Oscar-winning The Apartment at the Redford on February 17-18. Video courtesy of Turner Classic Movies |
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Michigan Theater
Multiple Viewing Options
The two auditoriums have added variety
to both the programming and design of the Michigan Theater. The main theater
glitters with its symmetrically inlaid gold patterns that are highlighted
by a brightly lit chandelier. The intimately 
detailed
lamps, stucco walls, and finely preserved woodwork also enhance the setting.
The Michigan Theater Building (521-109 E. Liberty St.) was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 28, 1980. In May 2009, the Michigan was designated a National Marquee Theatre by Boxoffice Magazine, "for its unique character, historical significance, and continued commitment to excellence in film exhbition."
Before many films in the main theater, an organist plays some friendly tunes on the Barton theater organ near the stage. The warm, vibrant tones of the organ spread throughout much of the theater. Anticipation for the feature film climaxes with audience applause as the organ descends to the final notes of the organist's last selection.
Unlike other expansions of old movie houses, the smaller Screening Room was not carved out of the main theater. Filmgoers enjoy its dynamic acoustics, comfortable seating, and decorative images of old Ann Arbor movie theaters. The elegantly crafted corridors around the Screening Room evoke the feeling of a richly adorned home. Roomy restrooms are also nearby, with red cushioned seats in the hallway.
Perhaps the most impressive visual feature
of the Michigan is the palatial grandeur of the upper part of the Grand
Foyer. Its beauty almost blinds you, with a dazzling mixture of mirrors,
gilded patterns, and glass-laden 
chandeliers.
You have many views of this splendor from the sweeping arc of the balcony
railing, and from the two long wide staircases that meet in the center
of the Grand Foyer.
The Michigan recently expanded its viewing options even further. A grant from the state of Michigan helped with the installation of new digital projectors. This new equipment has increased the available offerings in the auditoriums. Visitors also enjoy digital presentations in the new MicroCinema Galleries in the theater lobbies. In the summer of 2009, the theater started showing digital 3-D movies, including the family favorite Up.
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