The fact that Hollywood has all but ceased distributing films on celluloid reels, replacing them with digital prints stored on hard drives, is not good news for America’s remaining independent movie theaters, who have had to find ways to pony up $100,000 for digital projectors or go dark.
On Saturday, western Massachusetts’ only two indie theaters, Amherst Cinema and Images Cinema in Williamstown, will join 160 others across the country to celebrate Art House Theater Day, a commemoration of the cultural role the art house plays in the community. At Amherst, the day will begin with a screening of the family film “Tales of the Night” at 10 a.m. ($5 admission) and will conclude with “Phantasm: Remastered,” a newly restored version of Don Coscarelli’s 1979 cult sci-fi/horror classic “Phantasm” at 9:30 p.m. (followed by a live-streamed Q&A with Coscarelli). In between, the theater will intersperse its regularly scheduled films with merchandise sales, film poster giveaways and a beer tasting (set for 6 p.m.). amherstcinema.org