The Interstate Documentary Project is a media initiative designed to preserve an important part of motion picture theater exhibition history...the story of Interstate Theatres, Inc. and founder and lifetime president, Karl Hoblitzelle. The Project will also document the present day drama of the efforts of El Paso, Texas to save and restore the last, great Interstate theater, The Plaza, and the current debate about what shape the exhibition industry will take in the future.
This saga will be told in a one-hour documentary film, titled Before the Curtain Rises, that the producers plan to submit to PBS and other cable channel networks for broadcast consideration. An educational outreach program will also be developed to compliment the film and will consist of an educational website that expands on the story and places it in context of 20th century history and technology. A teacher's guide will be developed for integrating the film and website into secondary school curriculum as well.
Interstate was a giant among motion picture theater circuits in the south,
and its many innovations and dedication to serving its community set
it apart. Karl Hoblitzelle also had a love affair with the state of Texas,
where he would become one of its most cherished philanthropist. Even though the company no longer exists, its philosophy of "dedicated to community service"continues to be played out today. In El Paso, citizens have saved one of Interstate's last movie palaces. As the curtain rises again on the Plaza Theater stage, a new chapter in the Interstate story is opened.
Rationale
The story of Interstate and Karl Hoblitzelle is important to tell for
two reasons. First, this unique era of motion picture theater exhibition
is fast being lost to the wrecking ball and Interstate's long and colorful
history perfectly illustrates this period of movie-going, when the theater
building itself was as important as the movie on its screen.
Second, examining the present day saga of the fight to save the Plaza Theater will be a catalyst for the public debate raging within many US cities: what is our commitment to our past, is it worthwhile to spend public monies on saving old buildings and do the arts represented in theater buildings enhance our present day culture. The story in El Paso will supply important lessons for toady's urban planners, public officials, historians, and involved citizens who must deal with these critical issues.
Our goal is for this film to be a powerful advocacy tool for these individuals and organizations working for historic preservation and urban revitalization.
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