BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 18: A man wears gloves and a bandanna across his face while riding a scooter past a shuttered movie theater, with the message 'Take Care of Each Other' displayed on the marquee, on March 18, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. The city of Beverly Hills mandated the closure of ‘non-essential’ stores, including the famous retailers on Rodeo Drive, starting today in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Closed Movie Theaters Are Using Their Marquees for Humor and Hope

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Across the world thanks to coronavirus, movie theaters are closed. From megaplexes to local single-screen independent theaters, the lights are off and the doors are shut. But the marquees are still visible and all over, theater owners and employees are using their marquees to spread important information, make people smile, and maybe even bring us a bit of hope while we wait for the cinemas to open again.

One such theater is very close to my own home, here in Oregon. The Lake Theater is a home for great independent film, but they’re using the marquee now to recommend it, instead of advertise it.

This is actually the second iteration of the marquee at the Lake Theater. The previous version also made me smile every time I drove by.

But that’s just the start of theaters having fun on their marquees. Sometimes to be funny, sometimes to be sad.

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Some even got in on the May the Fourth celebrations.

This is a great quote as long as you forget what happened to the guy that said it ...

This theater has a whole series worth checking out on their Instagram.

And finally, this local theater keeping it simple.

Is there a theater in your area that's been using the marquee for some fun? In the meantime, go watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

(image: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Jessica Mason
Jessica Mason (she/her) is a writer based in Portland, Oregon with a focus on fandom, queer representation, and amazing women in film and television. She's a trained lawyer and opera singer as well as a mom and author.