• The silver screens of small Dakota towns have faced various threats to their existence over the years: Television. The decline of Main Street. Video rentals. The farm crisis.
• Along the way, many small-town theaters shut their doors. Some that closed in the 1970s were re-opened more than a decade later by new owners who had community benefit more than profit in mind. Many theater owners today show movies simply so another generation can have "a place to escape reality and forget your troubles for a couple hours, experiencing sorrow and happiness, laughter and tears," said Marchel Krieger, owner of the Krieger Theater in Gackle.
• Now those theaters face another challenge. By 2014, Hollywood studios will provide movies in digital format only, and the film reel projection equipment that these theaters use will become obsolete. Switching to digital costs $65,000 to $100,000--a phenomenal sum for theaters in small towns.

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