The new Harbor Theater will be offering up to 104 movies per year when taking over operating the Meadow Mall theater this Friday, Oct. 6. And, top rated, first run films will be among them, just not the first week of release.

“This will avoid studio demands that small theaters run many of their new first-week releases exclusively three weeks in a row (and pay 65 percent of the gross),” said Board Program Chair Helen Meserve.  “If we wait several weeks, we need show these movies for only one week (and pay only an average 35 percent). This allows us to show 52 movies a year instead of perhaps only 30 as in past. And, we keep more of the revenue to broaden our offerings,” she said.

In this way, Harbor Theater can show 52 feature films a year Friday-Wednesday, and another 52 on Thursdays through Friday afternoons — for a total 104 films annually. For example, Thursday and Friday the theater will show primarily independent and art films, and documentaries.

“On Thursdays the theater will be offering a 2 p.m. matinee (all tickets $6) and a 7 p.m. show (regular prices),” Helen explained. “And again on Friday a 2 p.m. matinee (all tickets $6). The theater’s regular feature films start their weekly run Friday night at 7 p.m.”

Further, on the third Thursday-Friday afternoon of every month, Meserve noted, the theater will show just classic revival and retro films (1970-2010) — again $6 for all tickets at matinee and regular prices in the evening. “This is all in an attempt to give theatergoers wider variety, bargain prices and more matinees,” she said. 

Meserve said movie goers are invited to offer suggestions for movie selections at info@boothbaycinema.org