Story Screen Cinema – Hudson: They are the Reel Deal!

As soon as you start talking to Diana and Mike, the new owners of Story Screen Cinema on 160 Fairview Avenue, you understand how happy they are. They are living their dream. They have the gumption and build-it-and-they-will-come attitude of a movie plot. After years of doing popup movies throughout the Beacon and Poughkeepsie areas, they settled in Hudson. They found an empty movie house, repainted the walls, spruced up the theaters, brought in pinball and video machines, took posters and tchotchkes off their walls from home, and opened for business. They bring chutzpah, a sense of humor, and an encyclopedic knowledge of movies to Hudson.

They are the reel deal. “It’s the experience of watching a movie that I love.” says Mike.

They only sell popcorn in buckets, because they feel bags make too much noise. You will be asked to silence your cell phones. They are a lot of fun, but they are also no joke.

Story Screen Cinema has a liquor license and serve beer and hard seltzers alongside pizza and mozzarella sticks. (There are no peanuts, anywhere. If you have nut allergies, you are safe here.) You bring your food and drinks inside the theater with you before the picture starts. The food is not delivered to you, because that may interrupt a scene.

Sometimes, however, they want to interrupt a scene.

“We showed Reservoir Dogs once,” explained Mike, “and everyone put their food order in before the show. When Mr. Blonde [Michael Madsen] enters with the fast food takeout, we turned up the lights, wheeled it in and then handed out the food.”

Diana and Mike are all about the moving-going experience. “When you come to the door, Mike or I greet you and show you to your seats.” says Diana. It’s just the two of them now. Their only other “employee” is a fake skeleton behind a glass window waving a pride flag.

Diana explained to me that the pinball machines are classic and vintage. “There are apps for pinball enthusiasts, so they can find the machines they want, with the high scores. We’re on it.”

They will run Sandra Bullock movies on her birthday and have a listing of first run features. They hosted films with the Hudson Film Festival.

They are open to playing Rocky Horror late at night and doing special events, such as kids’ parties. When I mentioned a John Waters movie night, Mike got a gleam in his eye, “A Multiple Maniacs and Pink Flamingos double feature!” Anyone who knows obscure John Waters films, and is willing to play them on a big screen, with such enthusiasm, gets points in my book.

If you’re looking to relax and watch a film, crossover Fairview Avenue and check them out.

PS – they are a new Trixie’s List advertiser – thank you for supporting local media!