Films ‘N’ Froth
By Nick Smith
Rodney Walker has come a long way since his ‘70s childhood, selling alligators to tourists on the roadside in Fort Walton Beach. Back then, the town was much simpler and less built-up than it is now. If you wanted to fill up your car, you’d go to the one and only gas station, run by Walker’s father. If you wanted to catch a movie, forget Netflix – you would go to the local Tringas Theater.
The theater has been standing since 1940, when Fort Walton had a population of 90. Now that number has grown to over 20,000, Main Street is Miracle Strip and Walker is Operations Officer of Suds ‘n’ Cinema, the latest incarnation of a local landmark. Walking into the theater is like entering a rock and roll diner, complete with red and white tables and back seat booths devoted to the Delinquent, the Duchess and the Duke (James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne), offering a side of Hollywood glamor to go with second run blockbusters like the live action Lion King and the Elton John biopic Rocketman.
‘The music and the time were symbols of innocence and rebellion,’ says Walker, explaining the ‘50s diner theme. ‘It appeals to most people; they can relate to its purity.’ The décor is an experiment for Suds, which has only been open for a couple of months. Walker and his colleagues are on a huge learning curve. For example, unlike a regular movie theater, not every seat gets filled on a busy night. ‘It’s a dining and family experience,’ says Walker, ‘people want to sit together.’ Since families don’t want to be split up when they’re eating, they might end up sharing a table with a couple of people they don’t know instead, adding to the communal feel. Walker’s solution is to make a live announcement before each movie explaining the dining arrangements.
Other changes are sure to follow, such as monthly menu tweaks and a hoped-for expansion out back with a run of classic movies projected on the wall, appealing to Okaloosa Island snowbirds. This would help to sustain the theater over the lean winter months. Walker calls these trials and ideas, ‘throwing spaghetti against the wall,’ to see what sticks.
The new Suds ‘N’ Cinema was originally intended to open last winter but the building needed some epic-scale renovations. The interior walls were stripped, revealing brick and terra cotta beneath. In the rafters, Coke bottles were found from the 1940s, left by workers when the theater was first built. The electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems were retooled. A two-month job turned into a nine-month labor of love. Walker has no regrets.
‘We can’t predict what’s going to happen,’ he says, ‘we suck at predicting.’ His strategy is a good one though. There are so many ways to watch films these days (DVD, DVR, streaming services) that all theaters have to work hard to entice audiences. They’re not just screening movies, they’re providing an experience. Suds ‘n’ Cinema is a perfect example with food, drink and support from the community.
All the new owners are locals: Rodney and his wife Julie, Tony Giordano, Matt Robinson and CEO Steve Caldarelli. The support they’ve drummed up is impressive, with their text bulletin subscriptions jumping from 100 to 3000 in less than a month and packed houses most nights. They’ve also started renting the theater for private screenings, hosting charity events. They’re also planning a Rocky Horror Picture Show run in October, just in time for Halloween. According to Walker, Rocky Horror was the first film he and his friends saw at the theater and with its “don’t dream it, be it” message it’s perfect for this charmingly independent local attraction.
SUDS ‘N’ CINEMA INFORMATION: 174 Highway 98 SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
850-226-SUDS (7837), [email protected], www.sudsncinema.com
ABOUT NICK SMITH: Nick Smith is a bestselling novelist from Bristol, England. He moved to Fort Walton Beach in 2013. He has written for the BBC, The Scotsman and the Charleston City Paper, where he was a Contributing Arts Editor. His other work includes books on art and screenwriting. He is also an award-winning movie director and a committee member of the Emerald Coast Filmmakers. Nick Smith’s new mystery novel, The Windmill Factory, is available from local bookstores.