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The Film Programs of the Detroit Film Theatre, Michigan Theater, and Redford Theatre

Your Guide to Classic Movie Theater Filmgoing!

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Elegant Showcase

The DFT auditorium was built in 1927 as part of the original construction of the Detroit Institute of Arts. As you wait for a film to begin, it's easy to get lost in admiration for the different details of the auditorium. The dark blue and gold color scheme adds to the depth and intimacy of the theater. As you gaze around, you find mysterious faces, human figures, and animals sculpted in the silver and gold detail of the walls, ceiling, and doorways.

The physical beauty extends outside of the auditorium. The inner and outer lobbies are an efficient mixture of brass, glass, and stone that guide you through the theater with a heightened sense of sophistication. From the inner lobby, two symmetrically located stairways lead to the balcony and the Crystal Gallery Café. These stone stairways include risers made from the Pewabic Pottery that is crafted in Detroit.

The small spaces and hard surfaces add muffled, dreamlike echoes to the texture of the theater. Carved-out stone at the top of each stairwell looks like fossil excavations. Look more closely and you'll see the names of artists who have inspired the setting—Beethoven, Bach and Mozart on one side, and Molière, Shakespeare and Schiller on the other.

Comfortable food smells greet you at the top of the stairs to the balcony level. The Crystal Gallery Café includes snack food like cookies and cake; alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages; and full meals like salads, soups, and quiche. The café makes the DFT a self-contained experience for patrons looking for just a dinner and a movie. It also adds a welcome touch of friendliness and relaxation after a serious DFT film. And it's a great place to spend the time between two DFT movies.

The café is set in an airy, well-lit space that is ornamented with chandeliers, high vaulted ceilings, and large windows that bring in much natural light. You can't take the food into the theater, but the relaxed atmosphere of the café more than compensates, with its cushioned chairs, small tables, and subdued air of conversation. At night, the lights from the John R entrance to the DIA add dramatic shadows to the ceiling of the café.

Next Page: Sophisticated Surroundings

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