The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 24, 1997, Page 5, Image 5
NICKELODEON
continued from page 5
forerunner of the motion Dicture.
The machine operated a lot like
a flip-book where still images were
put into motion to create a "movie."
In those days, a person could pay a
couple pennies to look through a
viewfinder and watch an animated
"film."
Today, the machine's jerky picture
would seem completely unrealistic,
even though modern movies are still
based on this concept of combining
many individual pictures.
Modern motion pictures appear
smooth because the human brain is
unable to perceive that 24 still images
are projected onto the screen each
second. The film seems as if it is
completely fluid.
At first, the Nickelodeon theatre,
just like the old-fashioned machine,
only played black and white films.
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expensive to run and quite popular
in the theatre's early days.
The beginning film series of the
Nickelodeon was planned around
the themes of American Directors,
Greatest Movies of All Times and
Alfred Hitchcock productions.
Of course, Davis and O'Connor
could not possibly have done all this
by themselves. Their friends and
acquaintances donated hard work,
time and money.
"It'fe always been run by
volunteers. There are a couple staff
members, but many, many
volunteers. And that's still true
today," Campbell said.
In 1980 Davis and O'Connor
wanted to pursue aspirations of going
to Hollywood so they recruited
Campbell to leam to run Nickelodeon.
At the time Campbell was working
at an esoteric record store where he
met Davis and O'Connor through a
mutual friend.
Campbell trained for three
? months. "I had to learn a lot about
films in a short amount of time. I
read everything I could and
subscribed to the movie channels. I
became a taping fool for several
years," he said
Campbell taped so many movies
from the television that he now has
a collection of 2,000 videos.
0 Suddenly thrown into the position ,
of manager and programming director
evoked mixed feelings for Campbell.
"It felt great to run a business but
to book the films was a little
intimidating," he said.
It took Campbell about 6 months
to become comfortable in his new
job. "I inherited the place, with its
terrible equipment and seats. It was
a shoe-string operation," he said.
His initial improvements to the
theatre began with a brighter light
source, a better sound system and
a loan from the bank to finance it.
Davis and O'Connor never made
it back to Columbia to resume control
of Nickelodeon. Still residing in
California, they have since parted
and traveled their separate ways.
However, here in South Carolina,
Nickelodeon's success continued to
escalate, and today the theatre has
survived as the only single screen
left in Columbia.
"When I started, there were seven
or eight theatres along Main Street.
There are none now," said Campbell.
At 937 South Main, Nickelodeon
occupies a great location downtown,
near both the capitol and USC, and
within a ten-square block area of
some of the best artistic and cultural
organizations in Columbia.
Directly next door to Immaculate
Consumption, Nickelodeon sits quietly
on the corner. The painted glass
windows are decorated with the
liknesses of film stars Marlene
Dietrich, Charlie Chapman, and
Humphrey Bogart.
Inside the building, the purple
ceiling and black lighting contribute
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to the comfortable atmosphere of
the small lobby. The theatre itself
is very intimate. It seats 77 people,
which ensures none of the seats are
too far from the screen.
Refreshments at the Nickelodeon
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themselves.
Besides popcorn, soda, and candy,
the concession stand also sells freshly
baked cookies from Immaculate
Consumption, Red Hot Blues Chips
from Rosewood Market, coffee, tea,
juices and mineral water.
Because the theatre does not show
juvenile movies, Nickelodeon can
offer beer and wine to its customers.
"It's the only theatre in town where
you can have a beer or a glass of
wine while taking in and enjoying
a favorite movie," Campbell said.
Every two months, Campbell
publishes a calendar of upcoming
attractions at Nickelodeon. The
calendar tells people about each film
and why it is worth seeing. This
publication includes a brief synopsis
of the story, critic's quotes, running
time, rating and starting time.
Ten thousand of the calendars
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town. Most movies run between two
days and one week.
Besides the variety of their films
and food, a final reason to attend a
movie at Nickelodeon instead of
staying at home with the TV, in
Campbell's words: "The filmmaker
wants the picture and sound to be
bigger than you. He or she wants
you to be overwhelmed. You just
have to sit there and go 'Wow!' TV
is just not the way film was
envisioned."
Admission prices at Nickelodeon
are $3.50 for members, $4.50 for
students and senior citizens and
$5.50 for non-members. Buying a
regular priced ticket entitles you to
a two-week temporary membership.
Nickelodeon's box office and movie
hot-line can be reached at 254-3433.
Check out Nickelodeon on the
Intern e-t at
www.scsn.net/users/nickelodeon.
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sbruary 14, 1997 - March 31, 1997; is not valid on certain blackout dates; and is subjecl
you must present your card when you pick up your ticket. Some trains require reservati
ers, and in conjunction with other promotions, offers or discounts. "To qualify for the F
jr travel agent; (2) Travel on Amtrak at the regular fare and complete your journey by fv
elf addressed form. All tickets submitted must be in the applicant's name and issued th
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tarch 31, 1997; (3) Upon completion of travel, forward a
rough an Amtrak ticketing counter or your travel agent,
f the '96-'97 and all of the '97-'98 school years.