Old hand puts new Schein on the Ridge
Well-known local film buff says business is good since conversion to first-run movies

Jenny Wagler, Vancouver Courier, Feb 24 2006

Two months after its long run as a repetory theatre ended, the "new" Ridge Theatre is going strong, according to its owner.

Last fall, Vancouver's moviegoing community was distressed to learn that the Arbutus Street theatre had been unable to renew its lease after a crippling 16 per cent increase in property taxes. The theatre, which opened its doors in 1955 and has shown repertory films -classic, notable and older work- since the late 1970s, is considered historic. But time had run out on its offerings.

"[Repertory cinema] is doing terribly in Vancouver," said Leonard Schein, founder of the Vancouver International Film Festival, and operator of the Ridge from 1978 to 1985. Schein bought the lease on the Ridge and made the pragmatic decision to switch over to first-run films.

"I want the Ridge to stay in business for many years," he said.
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Schein noted that movie downloads and pay-TV are further culprits in the repertory theatre's decline.

On Dec. 23, the curtain fell on a final showing of The World's Best Commercials and on the repertory Ridge. Two days later, the curtain rose on Schein's renovated first-run Ridge debuting with Mrs. Henderson Presents.

Prior to reopening on Christmas Day, Schein had renovations done, including changing the seats. "The seats used to be known as the worst in Vancouver," he said. The seating was cut back from 800 to 500. Schein said most of the comments he's received have been positive.

Positive reactions to Schein's reinvented Ridge are evident in the 15,000 tickets sold during the six week run of Mrs. Henderson Presents. It was the highest attendance for the film in a Canadian theatre and the third highest throughout North America.

"I try to bring good quality, non-Hollywood films to Vancouver," said Schein, whose career has included film distribution and exhibition, as well as work with a number of Canadian film festivals. Schein's Vancouver projects, through his company Festival Cinemas, have included operating the Starlight cinema, the Park Theatre, the Vancouver East Theatre and the Varsity as well as starting up Fifth Avenue Cinemas.

Last year, Schein also bought back the lease on the Fifth Avenue Cinemas, which had been operated by Alliance Atlantis since 2001. Under Alliance Atlantis' direction, the choice of films, which included Batman Begins and War of the Worlds, sometimes disappointed Schein. But Fifth Avenue, like the Ridge, is entering a new era.

"I'm settling in," said Schein of his return to the Ridge, which he ran for seven years before giving it up in 1985 to devote himself full-time to the Vancouver Film Festival.