Cinema Walk 1st “Cinema Jack & Betty” Wakaba-cho, Yokohama City

I like going to the movie theater.

In today's world, where distribution services are abundant, it is now possible to enjoy movies at home.
However, the experience of watching a movie at a movie theater is priceless.
Big screen and sound. It was great to be disconnected from everyday life! The moment you are drawn into the world of movies.
They will make you cry and laugh to your heart's content, and make you think, ``Let's do our best tomorrow too.''
I love those few hours of escapism.

For many people, movie theaters may be a place to go to see the movie they want to see, but
I want you to know the joy of going to see a movie, with the goal of finding the movie theater you want to go to.
In this column, we will introduce recommended mini theaters in Kanagawa Prefecture that are perfect for this type of entertainment.

In this memorable first installment, we will be introducing ``Cinema Jack & Betty,'' located a 5-minute walk from Koganecho Station on the Keikyu Line.

Riding a red train, I arrived at Koganecho. Contrary to its glittering name, it used to have a strong image as a town where no light shines through, and it was also the setting for Kurosawa's film ``Heaven and Hell.'' Nowadays, it is a place worth strolling around, with its Showa-era features and stylish shops and art scattered throughout. In this town with such a mixture of cultures, Cinema Jack & Betty is a place that exudes a distinctly Showa-era flavor. It's a souvenir from the days when it once flourished as a movie district.

The retro exterior is by no means an afterthought, and it certainly speaks to the history of this mini-theater. On Christmas Day 1952, it opened as Yokohama Meigaza on the site of a former U.S. military airfield. Later, in 1991, the name was changed to ``Cinema Jack & Betty'' and it was renovated, but it closed in 2005, much to the sadness of many movie fans. Another company restarted it in the same year, but the current operating system took over in 2007 as the situation continued to be difficult. Thanks to the current manager's strong will to ``preserve the movie theater, which is an asset of the town,'' and the support of its many fans, it gradually regained its liveliness and is still loved as the town's movie theater.

A building with an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you have traveled back in time. I hesitated for a moment, thinking that they might not be inviting newcomers, but my curiosity was aroused by the flyers and posters in the store, and I climbed the stairs as if I was drawn to them. When I climbed up, I was greeted by a melancholy lobby with a homey atmosphere, and I took a deep breath. A corner full of flyers and a whiteboard with screening information. This entire space, including the waiting time, allows you to fully enjoy the entertainment of a movie.

You are free to bring your own food into this theater, but there are many delicious-looking temptations lined up at the shop. Of particular note is the bread from Kameya, which is popular in Koganecho! What a luxury it is to be able to eat recommended local gourmet food while watching a movie. It makes me think it was worth going all the way to see it instead of going to the local movie theater.

Let's introduce "Jack" and "Betty", who are also the names of the mini theater. From the lobby, you can see "Jack" on the right and "Betty" on the left. Yes, "Jack & Betty" is the name of two screens. The famous theater ``Jack'' is chicly dressed in blue, and the mini-theater ``Betty'' is dressed up in red. It's quite rare to find a movie theater where the atmosphere changes so much depending on the theater! Initially, it seems that movies for men and women were separated by theater, but now high-quality Japanese and Western movies of any genre are shown, with a focus on one-off new releases.

As advertised as a ``mini theater where you can slowly enjoy movies,'' you can spend a whole day watching movies at your own pace. The carefully selected selections include works that can only be seen in Yokohama on Jack & Betty, and feature films set in a variety of countries, from the debut films of currently up-and-coming young directors to love stories set in the United States in the 1990s. , works from different eras are being aired. The number of films shown each day is hard to believe for a two-screen mini-theater. The museum's desire to ``introduce as many good works as possible'' is conveyed.

We also actively hold events such as special screenings by directors and actors, film festivals based on themes, talk shows, and live performances.We also hold monthly salons where people can share their impressions of the films screened and what they are interested in. There is a place where people can exchange opinions about movies, such as the works that have been released. It is a space where you can not only ``watch'' movies, but also enjoy ``discovering'' new works and ``interacting'' with movie fans.

This theater is the perfect place to discover hidden masterpieces that you never knew existed. Rather than deciding on a movie and then going to the theater, it's the perfect place to decide on a movie theater and then watch the movie you're interested in.

This theater is loved by many movie fans and regulars. As I mentioned earlier, some people may find it a little difficult to enter when they first visit. Finally, let us introduce the logo of the theater, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary on December 21st of this year. The catchphrase is "climb the stairs to adulthood."
I hope you muster up a little courage and climb the stairs to Cinema Jack & Betty. Once you reach the top of the mountain, you will find a number of works that can only be found here and that can become a part of your life.

 
 
Click here for the 2nd Cinema Walk “Cinema Novecento”
Click here for the 3rd Cinema Walk “Yokohama Cinemarin”