The Paramount Theatre

Address:	713 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Phone:	+1 512-472-5470
Site:	austintheatre.org
Rating:	4.5

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

Mason West

The Paramount is the grand dame of Austins cinemas. The place originally opened in 1915 as a venue for live acts, which it continued to host even after it became a movie theater in the 1920s. Theaters from that period sought to emulate the grand opera houses of European capitals with their palatial spaces, their gold trim, and velvet curtains, but they did so with molds and plaster of paris, gold paint instead of gold leaf, and a cheaper kind of velvet. The thin veneer doesnt matter that much since I go to movies not to touch but to look. Unfortunately Hollywoods vulgar term for ticket sales is "butts in seats," and the seat that I had was a pain in the butt. All this isnt fair, really, because a few decades ago the building was facing the wrecking ball, and a historically minded bunch of good citizens founded a non-profit organization that saved the Paramount. So if my seat feels like a car without shock absorbers, I have to refocus my imagination on the movie or show. I saw Donovan, the 1960s folk-rock hero of the lost continent of Atlantis, at the Parmount last September (2016), and it was a great show, bottomless seat and plaster trim notwithstanding. It was another great show in a century of great shows at the Paramount.

Kim K

After I had put my ticket back in my wallet and into my purse and was about to head up the stairs, one of the ushers came out from nowhere, grabbed my arm and said "THERES NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK." I was totally caught off-guard so I just stared at her, trying to figure out what was going on. She proceeded with, "I SAW YOU TRY TO HIDE YOUR OUTSIDE DRINK IN YOUR PURSE." Wait...you mean my EMPTY Klean Kanteen bottle that lives in my bag 24/7? Is it that unusual for someone in Austin to have a reusable bottle in their bag, especially in the dead of summer? I completely understand one of her job requirements is to make sure no outside food or drink comes in, but there were about 358 more professional ways for her to approach the potential "hazard" I was apparently posing. Had she chosen any one of those "professional" options, I would have been more than happy to open the container and show her that it was, in fact, empty. Regardless, the Paramount is a beautiful old theater that makes you feel like youve gone back in time a few handful of decades once stepping through the doors. It is downtown and parking can get tricky, so make sure and budget in extra time for that.

Leila Rahil

One of my fav places in Austin! It is not only historical and architecturally gorgeous, but some of the citys premiere events take place here! I have seen first rate comedians, shows, and movie screenings here and enjoyed each experience. Parking, per the usual anywhere downtown, is this places only downfall and also, per the usual in Austin, there is always a line for anything and everything going on here. My most recent event here was for the Austin Film Festival screening of Rosewater w/Jon Stewart and Maziar Bahari in attendance for a post screening Q&A, definitely one of the better events hosted here and the Paramount ushers did a fantastic job working w/the crowd of 1100 anxious movie goers who had been waiting outside for almost 2hrs and helping everyone find a seat in a semi-orderly fashion. Even if you are just visiting ATX, put this place on your "must-visit" list. Rumor has it this was supposedly the theater featured in the movie Inglorious Bastards and really is a gorgeously adorned theatre to behold!

A Private User

Its a fabulous arts theatre, and the people who book events and deal with attendees are lovely. They book some really outstanding things, as well as movies and fun and other community goodness. I dont live in Austin, but the Paramount is one of those institutions worth visiting. That said; they have a really aggressive fundraising staff, and it seems impossible to get off the list if you purchase tickets online. A couple of times Ive been able to tell the reps that I dont even live in the same area as the theatre, and theyll get off the line, but yesterday the fundraiser forced me to just hang up after 5 minutes of telling her that I support my own local arts community and that while I liked the Paramount, I felt like my dollars were betters spent locally. She just wouldnt take no for an answer, and wouldnt promise to take me off the list. So, fair warning, if you buy event tickets online, you will get calls, and you cant seem to get off the list no matter how many times you ask.

Christopher Cox

Do I appreciate the beauty of this classic theater, which seems like it hasnt changed a bit since it was originally built (?) many years ago? Of course. Do I appreciate they bring back classic films and now have finally started getting quality prints of them? Absolutely. But I cant sit there for long. Hell, some seats I cant even fit in and Im only 6 feet tall. These seats appear to be the originals as well and Ive never encountered a less comfortable seating arrangement, but I suppose people were shorter back when. Hell, you cant even see a fourth of the screen in a lot of the places to sit. I realize theyre on a smaaaaaaall budget, and I sympathize, definitely, but I cant generally bring myself to see more than one feature there at a time...forget the festivals and double features.

David Tucker

This is an Austin Staple, pure and simple. I would suggest everyone to see an event here and to support the arts as much as possible. They always have a fun event going on here, whether it be Movies for SXSW or comedy shows. During May to early September, they have a Summer Movie series where they show older movies for very little money. I definite recommendation. The only complaint Id have at this point is that because this is an older theater, the seats are smaller than at a new facility. This not so much an issue for someone like myself, but a larger person will probably be less comfortable. All in all though, please support this venue, its a landmark.

Luisa Munch

The Paramount Theatre is me and my husbands preferred cinema and we last went there for the premiere of the new Wolverine movie as he is a huge fan of the X-man series. The things we both simply love about this place are the intimate atmosphere, the historic building and the acoustics. There are certain things that we dislike. Like the fact that although there are quite a few free parking spots around the theatre at peak movie times there are absolutely no available spaces so make sure to come early. The second thing is the small old time seats. I personally have no problem fitting in them but Ive seen a lot of people struggle with their size.

Emma Burcham

We came to see David Cross and it was the prefect location. The staff was organized, efficient, and very friendly and helpful. There were obviously a lot of people there, but the wait was short and stress-free. The theatre itself was ornate and gorgeous. I found myself getting distracted during the show just looking at the carvings. It was so pretty. The seats werent terribly confortable, but whos really paying attention to that? The lighting and sound were handled perfectly, it was nice and easy to get out after the show, and it dropped us out right onto 6th Street so we could join in those festivities. It made for a lovely night.