Regent Square Theater: Hip to Be in the Square

The Regent Square Theater continues to be one of the most popular destination points on South Braddock Avenue.

The venerable building has been hosting films since 1938, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” both blockbusters in their day.

In 1998, the theater became part of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, an organization dedicated to bringing foreign film, independent movies, documentaries and local cinema to Pittsburgh.

On a random Sunday evening, you can still catch “The Day the Earth Stood Still” or “Vertigo” at the theater. Pittsburgh Filmmakers brings the classics back to the big screen as part of its Sunday Night Classic Film Series.

The Regent Square Theater is a vibrant force in the filmmaking community in Pittsburgh. Every year, the theater hosts films in the Three Rivers Film Festival in the fall, alongside the Pittsburgh Filmmaker's other locations, the Harris Theater (downtown) and the Melwood Screening Room (in Oakland).

The treasured art house is also one of the only places in Pittsburgh where you can see the Oscar-nominated live action and animated shorts every year before the Academy Awards Ceremony.

The theater extends a special incentive to keep returning. With an $80 Screenie pass, a customer gets 12 movie admissions, 12 bags of popcorn or fountain drinks, $10 off an associate membership to Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, 10 percent off at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts’ Shop, a monthly film calendar in the mail and invitations to openings and special events (the movie admissions are not valid for co-sponsored screenings, festivals or special events).

Theater Manager Matthew Wright became more and more interested in film as he worked at the trendy little art house cinema over the last four years.

"I like it when we have silent films like 'Morning to Midnight' or 'Metropolis' and the Alloy Orchestra comes in and does the score," Wright said. "It's great having live music accompanying the film."

The theater manager is a now champion for film. He said, "Most places are all digital now. We have some real film in here. We welcome digital, but we cherish film.

"A small band and voice over actors came in for an independent movie, 'Gravity was Everywhere back then.' That was a unique experience."

Currently on the screen at the Regent Square Theater is "Take This Waltz," an indie starring Michelle Williams and Seth Rogan. The film plays through Aug. 30.

Also, as part of the Sunday Night Classic Film Series, Tony will have just met a girl named Maria in "West Side Story," Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's re-imagined "Romeo and Juliet" musical starring the iconic Natalie Wood. The Broadway hit-turned-movie comes to the theater on Aug. 26.

Regent Square Theater is located at 1035 South Braddock Ave.

For showtimes, call 412-682-4111 or visit Pittsburgh Filmmakers online.