( j The Clackamas Print
alture
acedlSiclackamas.edu
Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012
Hollywood
to
J ÍTZ Theatre
T1 1 takes
1 WZ • strides
15
■■■■■
What the filmmakers had captured was the
first time meeting of music writer Chris Estes
By John William Howard
and Calvin Johnson (not the wide receiver
Sports Editor
for the Detroit Lions). Johnson is a guitarist,
singer, songwriter, producer and disk jockey
Walking down the dark alleyway next to from Seattle.
the aging theater, I didn’t quite know what I’d
Estes arid Johnson share stories and chat
find I had Just walked two blocks in the rain, awkwardly, interspersed with songs from
doing my best to stay dry while waiting to Johnson and readings from Estes’ life. There,
cross streets and dodging the growing puddles wasn’t really any acting to speak of (other than
that collected in the ruts. After weaving past a Johnson being, apparently, himself) and the
pair of trash cans and around a badly leaking editing was basic and choppy. The audio was
rain gutter, I found myself facing that iconic poor.and the video was Just that. Video, not
sign.
- shot on film and played from a DVD player.
“Hollywood,” it proclaimed loudly to the , After the movie was finished, directors
bustling street at its front, its lights shining Kathy Wolf and Pat Thomas answered a smat
on die barren sidewalk below. Still an hour tering of questions from the audience before
before the show, the doors to the box office introducing Johnson to sing a few of the piec
were locked tightly, which gave some extra es he “made up himself,” much to the delight
time to get a closer look at what I’d come to of his four diehard fans that arrived to sit in
see.
the front row, one wearing bright red pants
On the wall to the left of the lit up marquee and a tweed pea coat, and another sporting
was a small bronze plaque detailing how the hair an odd mixture of blonde and light blue.
historic theater had been built in 1926. The
The experience doesn’t speak to the qual
Hollywood Theatre opened in July of that ity of the artistry; it spoke to the fact that
year, boasting 1,500 seats and was hailed as a Portland, as weird as.it is, is a special place in
“palace of luxury, comfort and entertainment this country. Portland is a place that allows
unsurpassed by any theatre on the Coast.” '
those who have ideas, those who have obses
Now more than 90 years later, it isn’t quite sions, those who hold ideals, to get them out
lace that it used to be. Once the doors' for people to see and appreciate. It seems that
y opened and the 15 or so patrons that this city in particular is constantly looking
had been waiting under the cover filed in, for
it something new to follow. Its the hipster
became even clearer the grandeur that at one
culture that doesn’t like anything mainstream’
time graced theater goers in the building’s and therefore goes out of its way to find its
heyday.
own little, nook that it can call its own, but
Pictures of the, building’s remarkable his only until it becomes popular.
tory line the walls of the foyer leading up to
The people that showed up weren’t there
the main auditorium, which was the lower to ooh and ahh over the quality of the
»■three
-they-there -
jn,
fiy d..^lpdel-A| who was entertaining, though not quite the
sits squarely in front of the entrance; carefully way I expected. The movie and concert
detailed artistry decorates the ceiling, which goers were there because they wanted to see
has now been painted over. The titles o f the something different, which is exactly what a
films for the everting are written in colored non-profit like the Hollywood offers. With its
chalk on blackboards. Mine was in the largest “Hecklevision” films (heckles and comments
of the three auditoriums entitled, “Have You texted to a certain number appear on screen)
Ever Had a Beard?”
and its menagerie of indie productions, the
I’ll admit I really knew nothing about the beloved Hollywood Theatre helps Portland to
film before walking in, and that I dort’t really live up to that famous slogan, “Keep Portland
know much about the film after walking out. Wend.’ .
■
U H
C alvin Johnson helps “Keep P ortland Weird.” w ith his u nusual
performances which was seen in the movie, “H ave You Ever H a d
a Beard?”playing a t the H ollywood Theatre.
C O M M U N
;
I T Y
C O L L E G E
D o w n lo a d o u r n e w
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rails End Saloon
a
Ì1
1320 Main St- Oregon City 503-656-3031
u? a
Blues Therapy
J Wednesdays^ Gord°n ‘^
R H |
INW
& Saturdays
y-
rvice Blues Bar and Grill
“H ave You Ever H a d a Beard?”played a t the H ollyw ood Theatre last Friday.
h S
'reejon's Best Blues Venue
H B y Cascade'Blues Association ' "