Experience a Night of Cinematic Magic at The Woodland
On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Maplewood Film Society invites film enthusiasts to an exclusive screening of Wild at Heart, the 1990 cult classic directed by David Lynch. This special event will take place at The Woodland, a historic venue nestled in the heart of Maplewood, New Jersey. The screening promises an immersive experience, featuring the film’s original stars—Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, and Isabella Rossellini—in a tale that intertwines romance, rebellion, and surrealism.
Following the film, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a panel discussion with writers and film aficionados, delving into the making of Wild at Heart and exploring Lynch’s profound impact on 1990s culture. To add a touch of fun, audience members are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Lynch character, with special door prizes awaiting the most creative costumes.
Advocating for Maplewood’s Cultural Heritage
In conjunction with the screening, the Maplewood Film Society is championing the preservation of the community’s historic movie theater. Residents are urged to sign a petition urging the Maplewood Township Committee to revisit and revise the current Movie Theater Redevelopment Plan.
Key Requests Include:
- Guaranteed Community Cultural Space: Ensuring that the redevelopment includes a dedicated space within the Maplewood Movie Theater Building for community-driven entertainment or cultural arts activities.
- Historic Preservation Oversight: Involving the Township’s Historic Preservation Commission in advising the developer on design plans and being part of the formal approval process.
- Increased Transparency: Revealing all public incentives offered to the developer and involving the community in discussions about negotiated “give-backs.” Additionally, making available all engineering reports related to demolition proposals for public review.
Why This Matters:
- Cultural Heritage: The buildings slated for redevelopment hold significant cultural and historical value to the Township, particularly the movie theater, which has been a gathering place for generations.
- Economic Impact: Preserving historically significant buildings supports local businesses, attracts tourism, and fosters community pride, while ensuring that new developments respect the architectural integrity of the town.
- Community Connection: The centrally located Village movie theater site should include a community space with amenities for public enjoyment, preventing a void that could arise from focusing solely on restaurants and multi-family housing.
- Educational Value: Preserving historic buildings offers educational opportunities for younger generations to connect with the past, fostering curiosity and providing knowledge about the historical and architectural significance of Maplewood.
- Sustainability: Adaptive reuse of historic buildings is environmentally sustainable, utilizing existing structures built with high-quality materials that are not readily available or cost-prohibitive today.
Residents and supporters of Maplewood are encouraged to take immediate action to amend the Redevelopment Plan before irreversible changes are made to the northern part of The Village. This plan will influence the town’s architecture and character for decades, making it imperative to ensure that Maplewood’s historic and cultural integrity is preserved.
Event Details:
- Film Screening: Wild at Heart
- Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
- Venue: The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
- Post-Film Discussion: Panel with writers and film aficionados
- Dress Code: Costumes inspired by David Lynch characters encouraged
- Special Prizes: Awarded for best costumes
- Petition Signing: Advocating for the preservation of the historic movie theater
Join the Maplewood Film Society for an evening that celebrates cinematic artistry and community heritage. Your participation not only enriches the cultural fabric of Maplewood but also contributes to the preservation of its historical landmarks for future generations.
Sign the petition to protect our historic village and ensure community space.
By signing this petition, I urge the Maplewood Township Committee to revisit and revise the Movie Theater Redevelopment Plan.
OUR REQUESTS
- Guaranteed Community Cultural Space: In addition to housing, retail and restaurants within the two acre development area, the [site’s] developer(s) must provide a dedicated space within lot 175 (Maplewood Movie Theater Building) for a community-driven entertainment or cultural arts space.
- Historic Preservation Oversight: As part of the Maplewood Village Historic District the Township’s Historic Preservation Commission must be involved and advise the developer on their design plans and be involved in the formal approval process.
- Increase transparency: Reveal all public incentives being offered to the developer, and involve the community in determining the “give-backs” negotiated with the developer in exchange. Also, reveal all engineering reports created by the developers that propose demolition, and corroborate those with reports engaged on behalf of the community.
WHY THIS MATTERS
- Cultural Heritage: The buildings to be redeveloped hold significant cultural and historical value to the Township as outlined in the Township’s Master Plan. The movie theater in particular has been a gathering place for generations. The Redevelopment Plan should honor its past and secure the community’s future by including a carve-out in the Plan requirements for a community hub or “third space” dedicated to entertainment and culture.
- Economic Impact: Preserving historically significant buildings supports local businesses, attracts tourism, reaffirms the values of our community, and encourages development while respecting the architectural and design integrity of our town. Protecting this section of the historic Village would generate more local jobs and foster community pride.
- Community Connection: The Village movie theater site is centrally located in the Township and should include a community space with amenities for the public to enjoy. A Redevelopment Plan that only contemplates restaurants and multi-family housing would leave a “third space” void that cannot be easily replaced.
- Educational Value: The preservation of historic buildings offers educational opportunities for younger generations to connect with the past, fostering curiosity and providing knowledge about the historical and architectural significance of the Maplewood we know and love today.
- Sustainability: Adaptive reuse of historic buildings is the most environmentally sustainable option and contributes to the long-term sustainability of our community. Using existing historic structures built with high quality building materials that are not readily available and/or cost-prohibitive today is always greener than new construction.
We, the residents and supporters of Maplewood, urge our elected officials to take immediate action to amend the Redevelopment Plan before irreversible changes are made to the northern part of The Village. This Redevelopment Plan will guide our town’s architecture and character for decades. We must ensure that Maplewood’s historic and cultural integrity is protected in all that is allowed to be built.