The lights go down... for now... on the Grand Illusion Cinema

For over 50 years, the little theater at the corner of 50th & University Way has been showing movies to passionate filmgoers.

And in that span, it’s changed owners, it was renamed, and for the past 20 years, has been the longest running completely volunteer run cinema in the country.

But like all good things, the Grand Illusion’s time at its current location has come to an end.

The owners announced back in 2023 that the site was for sale, and that they would not be extending the Grand Illusion’s lease beyond January 31st, 2025.

But that didn’t deter either the volunteers OR patrons from selling out the final week of screenings, with some intrepid fans waiting in the rain for HOURS before the final screening of 1985’s RE-ANIMATOR on 35mm.

And this isn’t the END of the Grand Illusion - the staff have been working hard to find a new location here in the U-District, and they’ve got a few events scheduled in partnership with the Northwest Film Forum and Central Cinema.

Soundside Producer Jason Burrows headed down the street to the Grand Illusion to find out how folks were feeling about the closing of this particular chapter of the storied theater’s history…

GUESTS:

• Brian Alter - Executive Director
• Richard Gilbert - General Manager
• Spencer Sundell - Lead Projectionist
• Trevor Brandt - Lead Programmer

RELATED LINKS:

• The Grand Illusion is Moving
• Seattle’s Grand Illusion Cinema closing this winter, hopes to relocate - Seattle Times
• Seattle's Grand Illusion Cinema, indie film buff favorite, faces uncertain future following $2.3 million sale - KUOW
• Grand Illusion Cinema (@gicinema) • Instagram

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.