Hillsborough Cinemas Presents Summer Movie Series
Hillsborough Cinemas is a town staple for Hillsborough residents of all ages. The theater, first started in the early 1970s and in its current location since 2000, is hosting a summer movie series starting this Tuesday. Throwback animated movies will be featured on Tuesday mornings and throwback family friendly movies will be shown on Wednesday nights.
“Toon In Tuesday Summer Movie Camp” will begin on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and admission is only $1. The schedule runs from June 25 through August 13, and features animated favorites such as Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, and The Lorax.
The “Way Back Wednesday” movie series is on Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m and admission is $3. The series runs from June 26 through August 28, and is showing classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s including Back to the Future, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Grease, Indiana Jones, The Karate Kid, Dirty Dancing, and E.T.
Kathy Tompkins, the theater’s general manager said the “Way Back Wednesday” movies are the kind that “when you see it on TV, you just have to stop and watch it.”
Tomkins said the theater showed “bring back” movies years ago as a part of cruise night events. She said they had a DJ, food, classic cars, and movies that tied in with the cars.
“Those did really well so we figured let’s try it again but deal more with kids and families,” she said.
Tomkins continued to explain how the theater is offering different selections of movies throughout the summer -- seeing what they can do to bring people back into the movies.
“With Netflix and On Demand, movie theaters are down from where they used to be years ago,” she said. “So we are just looking to make that experience pleasurable and fun, and make people want to come out to the movies again.”
Tompkins said she hopes the summer series gives families the opportunity to go to the movies who normally would not because of how expensive it is.
Depending on how this program does over the summer, she said they would consider doing other specialty programs, such as showing holiday movies come November and December.
“We’re just brainstorming right now to try to bring new things to bring people out to the movies and for the movie going experience to be fun and something everyone wants to do again,” she said.
Hillsborough Cinemas is a family run business started by Tompkins’ grandfather and father. Her father is still involved, but Tompkins and her brother have taken over day-to-day operations.