Movie theater, Otis, Colorado c. 1965 - 1977

Curator: This is "Movie Theater, Otis, Colorado" by Robert Adams, a gelatin silver print made sometime between 1965 and 1977. What are your first impressions? Editor: Quiet. There's a sense of abandonment. It feels like the end of something, with that muted gray scale and peeling paint on the building. You almost expect to hear a distant train whistle. Curator: Yes, Adams captures that feeling acutely. The theater is named "Sun," but ironically, there's very little visual warmth here. The 'Sun' name hints at early cinema’s optimism, a dawn that this image suggests has perhaps passed. Editor: Absolutely. And even the graffiti feels…resigned. Not aggressive, but just…there. What social narratives were Adams interested in exploring here? Curator: Adams was documenting the changing American West, particularly suburban sprawl and its effects on established communities. Here, the aging theater, flanked by modest buildings and overshadowed by power lines, becomes a symbol of a shifting cultural landscape. It makes me think of a fading dream. The movie theater as a public space holds significance in so many communities. Editor: Exactly! This image raises interesting questions about who has access to cultural narratives. Did this closure limit access to shared storytelling in Otis, Colorado? It makes me consider issues of cultural capital and the democratizing, or not, potential of film in rural America. The lack of glamour says a lot. Curator: Cinema was more integrated into the lives of regular, rural folk. It brings forth a very distinct visual vocabulary with the “Sun” emblem that is so characteristic of public buildings like these. Editor: You’re right, it certainly brings to mind small town America, and a bygone era of Saturday matinees, and the local meeting place. This almost seems ghostly by comparison. The realism, in effect, makes this ghostly absence speak powerfully. Curator: Agreed. It holds that specific cultural weight; we understand this symbol even if we did not attend this specific movie theatre. Well, this was definitely worth excavating a little further; thank you. Editor: The pleasure was all mine; it highlighted some crucial details.