George R.R. Martin's Santa Fe movie theater opens for business
鈥�Game of Thrones鈥� author George R.R. Martin recently used his own money to purchase and refurbish the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, N.M., which opened for business again this past Friday.
The facility, which had originally opened in 1984, closed down in 2006. Martin saw a 鈥渇or sale鈥� sign and thought to himself, 鈥淲hy doesn鈥檛 somebody reopen it?,鈥� according to the . Then that became 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 I reopen it?鈥�
The author purchased the theater this past February, hiring Jon Bowman, founder of the Santa Fe Film Festival, to manage the building.
鈥淚 am bound and determined that we are once again going to have the best popcorn in town鈥� I want this theater to be what it once was 鈥� a beloved theater,鈥� he said when he announced the purchase in April.
The theater officially reopened Aug. 9 with a showing of the movie 鈥淔orbidden Planet.鈥� The rest of the night鈥檚 movies included 鈥淥rpheus,鈥� by Cocteau, as well as the film 鈥淒ark Star.鈥� Martin took tickets at the door.
鈥淭he Grand Re-Opening of the Jean Cocteau Cinema came off as scheduled on Friday evening ... something I scarcely would have believed a week ago,鈥� wrote on his site.聽鈥淲e made it with ... ah ... minutes to spare.聽Work was still going on when I arrived at the theatre an hour before opening.鈥�
Martin listed the dates of the original run of the theater and said that 鈥渁 twenty-two year run is nothing to sneeze at, but here's hoping the new Jean Cocteau will help to entertain, enlighten, and delight the people of Santa Fe for at least twice as long.鈥�
