THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS: Rustin Thompson on Saving Small-Town Cinemas

Ten states, 10,825 miles, and 123 theaters. Director Rustin Thompson joins Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge to discuss THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS and the people keeping America’s small-town cinemas alive. Independent movie theaters, small-town cinemas, and the fight to preserve theatrical moviegoing are at the heart of THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS, a new documentary from filmmaker Rustin Thompson. Ten states. 10,825 miles. 123 theaters. Thompson traveled across the American West searching for what remained of a once-essential center of small-town life: the local movie theater. He encountered abandoned cinemas, theaters struggling to survive, and devoted owners working against extraordinary odds to keep their screens—and their communities—alive. What began as an elegy for a disappearing American institution became something more hopeful: a story of resilience, connection, and the people who still believe that gathering together to watch a movie matters. The documentary draws inspiration from Peter Bogdanovich’s 1971 classic THE LAST PICTURE SHOW—singular—while THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS—plural—turns its attention to the real movie houses confronting streaming, consolidation, changing audience habits, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. Join Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge for a conversation with director Rustin Thompson about his 10,825-mile journey, the future of independent movie theaters, and the people determined to keep the lights on. CHAPTERS 00:00 What Happens When the Last Theater Goes Dark?01:30 THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS02:00 Meet Director Rustin Thompson05:30 Journeying Through America’s Cinema Deserts09:25 The People Keeping Theaters Alive12:55 From an Elegy to a Story of Hope16:25 Finding 123 Small-Town Movie Theaters19:55 Why These Theaters Matter to Their Communities26:20 The Struggle to Keep the Lights On29:20 Abandoned Theaters and Vanishing History33:20 Streaming and the Future of Moviegoing35:00 Ten States, 10,825 Miles, 123 Theaters36:35 Why the Big-Screen Experience Still Matters39:05 Closing Thoughts Follow @laemmle and @OfficialRaphaelSbarge. Subscribe to INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE for more conversations with the filmmakers, artists, and exhibitors keeping independent cinema alive. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices