SACRED HOUSES: TOWER THEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

“Sacred Houses Series”

This month, we would like to pay homage to the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, as we continue to celebrate and honor notable movie theaters around the globe.

The Tower Theatre, located at 876 E Harvey Milk Blvd (formerly 900 South) in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of the city’s most beloved and historic independent cinemas. It opened its doors in 1928, making it the oldest operating movie theater in Salt Lake City.

The Tower Theatre was constructed in 1928 as a local movie house during the silent film era. It had a single screen and quickly gained popularity. The theater’s name, “Tower,” likely refers to its distinctive tower-shaped design element, which made it stand out in the neighborhood.

In its early years, Tower Theatre featured silent films and later transitioned to “talkies” as sound technology developed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The theater’s small size and proximity to downtown Salt Lake City helped it thrive as a neighborhood cinema.

Over the years, Tower Theatre, like many single-screen cinemas, faced challenges from larger multiplexes that began to dominate the industry. By the mid-20th century, suburban theaters and drive-ins attracted many moviegoers, leading to a decline in the Tower’s popularity.

The Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City experienced a revival in the 1960s and 1970s by catering to niche audiences. It began showing foreign films, art house films, and cult classics, earning a reputation as a premier venue for independent and alternative cinema. This shift to specialized programming helped breathe new life into the theater, attracting cinephiles interested in films not typically shown in mainstream cinemas.

In the 1980s, the Tower Theatre became a hub for independent and foreign films in Salt Lake City. It played a crucial role in the city’s art-house scene, offering films that appealed to diverse and sophisticated tastes. It became a key venue for midnight screenings of cult favorites, such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and other avant-garde movies.

By the 1990s, the Tower Theatre had solidified its position as the go-to cinema for independent films, foreign language films, and retrospective screenings.

In 2001, the Salt Lake Film Society (SLFS), a nonprofit organization promoting independent cinema, took over the Tower Theatre. Under the SLFS’s leadership, the theater continued to thrive as a venue for indie, international, and classic films. The SLFS made significant efforts to renovate and maintain the historic building while preserving its old-school charm.

The Tower Theatre has been a significant cultural hub in Salt Lake City, hosting film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival. While the main venues for Sundance are in Park City, the Tower Theatre has played a vital role in bringing the festival to the local Salt Lake City audience, bridging the gap between the city’s film scene and the internationally renowned festival.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed the Tower Theatre and many other cinemas. In response, the Salt Lake Film Society adapted by creating a virtual cinema platform to continue providing access to independent films despite the physical venue closures.

As the pandemic waned, the Salt Lake Film Society reopened the Tower Theatre, continuing its tradition of showcasing diverse programming and serving as a gathering place for the local film community. The Tower symbolizes Salt Lake City’s cultural and artistic heritage.

Today, the Tower Theatre is undergoing a complete renovation supervised by the Salt Lake Film Society. Updates are posted on its website HERE.

If you think a theater deserves recognition in our “Sacred Houses” series, kindly contact us with details of its name, location, and significance to either you or your community. We’re enthusiastic about backing local theaters and feel they should be celebrated alongside the more renowned historic venues.