American Studies International, June-October 2004
Book Description
From the 1920s through the 1950s, the magnificent movie theaters of the South beckoned to millions of urban patrons. By the 1960s, however, many downtown districts had experienced profound cultural and economic crises and the wrecking ball destroyed scores of the grand old structures. Others barely survived by showing pornographic or racially exploitative movies. Those remaining today are often a critical component of downtown revitalization.
Jones discusses attempts to save, restore, and reuse the movie houses. She explores how and why people attempt to resurrect the past and reveals the complex layers of cultural memory. Based on her interviews with preservationists, she offers a cultural analysis of architectural preservation in the late 20th century by examining the practices, philosophies, and politics of preservation today, shedding light on the ways that nostalgia often guides--and misguides--their work.
Illustrated with black-and-white photos that evoke an era of glamour and fantasy and utilizing first-hand accounts from past and present employees and patrons of the theaters, this book is the first to detail both the decline and the revival of the urban picture palace.
