Caribbean Cinema – Uncanny, to say the least

ALERT ALERT ALERT!! It is imperative that I immediately report the most bizarre experience I have had in St. Lucia to date. As you have already figured out, it involves a visit to the Cinema. I will walk you through my experience at the Cinema; take note of the differences between St. Lucian Cinema and American Theater!

Haley walked over to the Cinema to check the time; the movie would be starting at 7:30. When it was a quarter after seven the four of us (Me, Lois, Haley, and Scott) walked from the coffee house to the Cinema to buy our tickets (It was a Tuesday so we expected a sell out was not an issue). As I walked up to the glass enclosed podium that I would soon be purchasing my ticket at I noticed the large movie posters on the exterior walls. They were incased in glass; the rim dotted with a trail of white lights. Nevertheless, I walked up to the ticket booth that jutted out of the wall, cinema entry doors on either side. I said to the woman behind the enclosed counter, “One for Tropical Thunder, please.” She typed something into her computer screen, a ticket came out of the top of the counter and she tore it away from the ticket role before sliding it to me under the ticket window.

After we all got our tickets we proceeded to enter the building. I decided that I wanted popcorn but standing between us and the concession stand that lined the back wall was another ticket booth. I walked up to the man standing at the small box like podium and handed him my ticket. He ripped the ticket in half along its perforated line and said, “Theater 6 on your left.” I then approached the concession stand. There were large neon signs on the wall behind the stand displaying the price of all the items. I decided to buy a medium popcorn that would be dispensed from a large popper behind the counter. I decided not to buy candy or a fountain drink. The candy was being displayed below the counter top in a glass case that was part of the entire counter. I asked for extra salt; they had the yummy orange kind.

Next we headed toward the left, theater 6. Before going up the hall that held theaters 4 – 8 they checked to make sure we had tickets at yet another ticket stand. We opened the doors to the theatre, walked up the hall and turned to see that we were now at the bottom of a stadium of seats. We walked up the white light beaded stairs and situated ourselves somewhere in the middle of the theatre. At 7:30 the lights dimmed and there were a series of advertisements on the screen. At about 7:45 the Caribbean Cinema trailer played (it was much like the Cinemark theater trailer), after which the movie began. About 30 minutes into the movie I realized that I was freezing and should have brought a sweater.

After the movie was over we exited the theater, throwing our empty popcorn bags into the trash bins at the door of theater 6. Before leaving the Cinema I needed to use the restroom. I went in, did my business, and as I stood to button my pants the toilet flushed automatically. I went to rinse my hands and when I went to dry them it was under an automatic hand dryer. I walked out of the bathroom reflecting on what I had just experienced in complete amazement. I half expected to exit the Cinema, jump in my car and drive home. However, when I opened the exterior doors of the Caribbean Cinema I was greeted once again with warm moist air, and my vision was flooded with the deep greens of the lush environment that surrounded me. I took a moment and said, “Well, hello St. Lucia, nice to see you again.”

Footnote: the theater does not have butter dispensers where you can add butter to your popcorn; OH MY!