Edge 12 offers students a cheaper, closer movie theater

Posted on Aug 25, 2011 in Features

More than a few students at UAB have bemoaned the lack of local theaters in the Birmingham area, lamenting as to how the closest cinemas are in Vestavia or at the Summit, neither of which truly qualify as being close to campus. Seeking to change and hopefully capitalize on that is the Edge 12, located at 7001 Crestwood Boulevard in the Festival Center near Eastwood Mall, where the old Festival Theater once stood.

bpositive.com

Don’t let that fact fool you, however. This is a wholly revamped, completely overhauled theater that just happens to be in the same location. After completely gutting the interior of the old theater, the new Edge complex was rebuilt from the ground up, with newer, more comfortable chairs and spacious seating, plus new equipment, including 3-D projectors in three of the theaters.

Spokesperson Tabitha Newton said the Edge hopes to expand not only the theaters that feature 3-D, but the theater as a whole, including adding more screens. Currently, there are twelve screens in use, but there is room for more, and plans are already underway to expand the entire theater.

Owner Marty Felts and general manager Rob DeLeo are seeking to bring new life into the old digs, and hope to reinvigorate the Festival Center in the process. Safety concerns from the past have been dealt with, and the theater features heightened security and an interior ticket office so that moviegoers can buy their tickets inside rather than standing outside at a box office.

“We want this to be a family-friendly place, with a committed staff and great employees,” said spokesperson Newton, assistant manager of the Edge, who added that there has been no trouble whatsoever in the area thus far.

The Edge also hopes to attract filmgoers who prefer independent films to the standard Hollywood product one can find in any given theater. They plan to accomplish this by highlighting smaller, more low-budget features that one simply cannot see anywhere else in Birmingham or surrounding areas, save perhaps at the annual Sidewalk Film Festival in downtown Birmingham. In the past, theaters such as the ones at the Galleria and in Brookhighland likewise spotlighted independent film, but with those theaters long since shut down, indie film lovers haven’t had a place to seek a quirkier brand of fare than found in most commercial theaters.

No more. Two screens in the Edge will be solely dedicated to showcasing independent film year round, including foreign films that cannot be found anywhere else in the Birmingham area.

Another intriguing aspect of the theater is its Facebook connection. Taking full advantage of the computer age, the Edge has its own Facebook page (search under “The Edge 12 Birmingham”) where filmgoers can see the latest news and special deals available at the theater. They may even make requests as to the films they’d like to see.

For instance, there were several requests for films from India on the Facebook page, and the Edge has indeed ended up showing some select films from India to accommodate viewer demand. While it is true that not all requests may be honored, those determined to see a particular film are encouraged to start grassroots campaigns to get their favored films into the theater. The more demand online, the more likely a given film might make the rounds of the Edge at some point.

Then there are the specials. Popcorn and soda refills are free all week long, and popcorn is free altogether on Fridays, when film prices are likewise reduced to a mere five dollars- with the exception of 3-D films, which are still a comparatively modest $8.25. College students can enjoy a reduced rate any day of the week, with night prices a flat $8, save slightly higher pricing for the aforementioned 3-D films. Matinee prices are $7.25. You can get feature listings and showtimes at Movietickets.com.

Free kids’ movies are shown on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings, and theater space may be rented for private functions, such as birthdays and graduation celebrations. Call 205-795-3500 or 795-3595 for more information.

Mark Trammell
Staff Writer
ripmrgordo@hotmail.com