Dick Van Dyke and Bincentennial Fire Hydrants: The Virginia Theater
I browsed the News-Gazette while eating Ernie's Sunday biscuits and saw that the paper's movie series at the Virginia Theater includes Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
THAT'S IT!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.....THAT'S why the new Virginia marqee vaguely makes me think of Dick Van Dyke. Now, I've nothing against Dick Van Dyke but I'm always left with a slightly icky feeling when I think Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Actually I'm not sure I've ever seen all of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but there's something about that faux Gay Nineties or the fake 1920esque style always makes me feel....embarrassed.
And that's how that new Virginia marquee makes me feel....slightly embarassed and somehow reminiscent of the fire hydrants that people painted like revolutionary soldiers during the Bicentennial. Just kinda....not right.
I felt sick to my stomack when I heard they were getting rid of the Virginia's glowing neon marquee that had stood there since the 40's. I really, really thought that in the end somebody would say "NOOOO.....STOP!" Nobody did though and the new plan was that they would replicate the original 1921 marquee.
No.
Instead they created this mash-up that screams Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.....and bad fake colonial storefronts.
Here's the 1940's marquee:
and the new one going into place: