Dorothy Browns

I confess I’m a bit of a cultural snob and was worried about missing the chance to watch any decent independent movies or read anything other than sheep shearing manuals during my stay in Queenstown. On an earlier visit to the area I’d discovered the wonderful Cinema Paradiso but Wanaka is more than an hour away, challenging even for this movie glutton.

The reading has not been a problem since there are two, yes, two bookshops and Amazon delivers to New Zealand. A reasonable cinema in town shows plenty of mainstream movies, but the real saviour has been a small cinema in nearby Arrowtown.

Thank the heavens for Dorothy Browns.

Only a couple of years old, this movie house boasts enormous seats with silk cushions and blankets, a diverse programme of second run, foreign and off-the-wall flicks, plus a cosy bar and bookshop. It’s difficult to overstate the elegance and comfort of the place. But best of all – where else can you order a cheese board for the intermission and take it, with your glass of wine, to watch the second half of a movie?

Dorothy Browns is in contention for top spot in my ‘hippest cinemas’ list. My only complaint is that too many of the movies shown are DVDs rather than celluloid (perhaps as this is a cheaper way of distribution in a small market like New Zealand). When I open my cinema in twenty years time, it might look a bit like this – without the cushions but with the cheese.

23 May 2005 | Travel | Comments

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