Falls Cinema, a popular place for people of all ages, closed for the winter, leaving people to travel as far as Eau Claire or Tomah to see a movie.

According to Michael Radue, owner of Falls Cinema, during the months of January, February and March, Hollywood doesn’t produce as many big movies. If the movie companies do produce a big movie, it will not release as many copies between January and March. Therefore any copies released will go to bigger cities. Since Falls Cinema isn’t located in a big city, big screen movies like New Moon or Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen are very hard to get.

“Hollywood releases movies around the times that teenagers are out of school because you are the ones that go to the movies the most,” said Radue.

Another reason for closing the theater during the coldest winter months is because of the cost to heat the building and keeping up with repairs and updates. Due to the low attendance during these months, these costs are greater than the income.

“It is the coldest time of the year during January through March, and that old building is really hard to heat,” adds Radue.

Many people have been quite considerate about the Falls Cinema being closed. According to Radue, they are very understanding.

“The people that come here [Falls Cinema] are very open and understanding when I tell them why we are closed or why we don’t have a certain movie,” said Radue.

Radue plans on having the movie theater open from March 6 up until the first week in January 2011. He has owned Falls Cinema for five years and claims this will be the normal pattern. However, Radue does have plans to open Falls Cinema all year round.

“If it [Falls Cinema] stays busy like last summer, the busier it is the more funds I can get to remodel some things here and hopefully keep it open all year round,” said Radue.

He has some fresh ideas to help make the place more modern.

“I’m hoping to put in a new heating and air conditioning system. I have redone the entire concessions stand, and I’ve taken down the curtains in the cinema and put new ones up,” said Radue.