NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A place that's long been part of Nashville's story just hit an important anniversary.
On Sunday, a crowd waited outside just as it came time to open. It was a sold out show at the Belcourt Theatre on what was very much a milestone day. Thashana McQuiston wasn't going to miss that.
"I have been here a ton, as a patron and as a person introducing things," she said, standing in a line for popcorn.
That includes appearances at the Belcourt's yearly Halloween-time 12 Hours of Terror event.
"It's a fun one!" Thashana told a crowd in 2023 as she introduced Sorority House Massacre. "It's not a snoozer!"
What brought Thashana out Sunday wasn't horror. It was history.
"That's a part of it too, y'know," she said.
"I'm just gonna stand here until the light comes on," a voice laughed to the crowd in a dark theater. The lights came up. "Hi, everybody! I'm Stephanie Silverman. I'm executive director here at the Belcourt. I am so thrilled to have you all here for this premiere event for the Belcourt 100 celebration year."
Yes, it was 100 years ago on May 18 that the theater first opened its doors as a silent movie house. The first film played was D.W. Griffith's America.
There were other theaters in Nashville at the time, several of them downtown, but the-then Hillsboro Theater was more of a neighborhood theater. It was in its early days the theater had a connection to another Nashville tradition that just turned 100; the Grand Ole Opry.
"The first stage they came to was what is now known as the Belcourt, what was then known as the Hillsboro Theater, in the mid-30s," Stephanie said. "They were only here a couple years. They outgrew our space pretty quickly because it just exploded in popularity. The structure you see today, when you go out to the Grand Ole Opry and see one of the shows, it's still the same structure. They worked that out in the 30s here, and it's been that way."
Even with that history, the Belcourt getting to 100 was not a certainty. In the late 90s, a date was even set for the theater to close forever.
"For many years, Carmike had leased the building from the property owners and had operated a successful two-screen movie theater," Stephanie said. "As megaplexes were exploding, and we were seeing them go up in 100 Oaks and Green Hills, the idea of this two screen theater was becoming very unfashionable. It became unclear if Nashville was going to keep this theater alive."
A group of neighbors didn't want to see the story end. They started what was called the Belcourt Yes movement that saved a theater that would later become a non-profit.
"It's really the only independent cinema we have here," Thashana said. "It's a great place for people who support film and people who make it. It feels like a safe, comfortable, supportive place to be with people of common interests who support creativity."
"I can't hug you, but I can grab your shoulder!" she said to a Belcourt employee, getting to the front of the concession line.
Since the story of the theater began with a film called America, perhaps it makes sense that a 100-year celebration would zoom in a bit with a showing of Nashville. The 1975 Robert Altman film had a cast and crew premiere at the Belcourt 50 years ago.
"Thank you for being here," Stephanie told the crowd gathered for the screening of Nashville. "The Belcourt is the Belcourt because of this community we live in and treat us so beautifully. It's the reason we're alive. It's the reason we're here. You're the reason we're here. We are thrilled to share this moment of celebration with you, and without futher ado, Nashville!"
Sunday's screening of Nashville was just the start of a year-long anniversary celebration. That will include seminars and screenings of films made in Nashville.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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- Lelan Statom
