Entry No. 9 — the Nashville file — filed under: midnight movies
Belcourt Theatre Midnight Movies
A 1925 silent-film house that hosted the Grand Ole Opry from 1934–36 now runs weekend midnight screenings ranging from 'Godzilla vs. Biollante' to a VHS-roulette 'Weeknight Rewind Redux' returning after an 11-year hiatus, often introduced live by the house projectionist.
The story
Long before Hillsboro Village was swallowed by boutiques, this brick hall opened in 1925 as a silent movie house. From 1934 to 1936, it even played host to the Grand Ole Opry while country radio was still finding its legs. But you aren't coming here at midnight for country pickers or standard arthouse darlings. You're coming for the weird celluloid underbelly that only surfaces once the sun drops.
The Belcourt's weekend midnight series skips standard crowd-pleasers in favor of forgotten kaiju battles like 'Godzilla vs. Biollante', Russ Meyer camp classics like 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls', and hyper-stylized cult favorites like 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World'. They've even resurrected 'Weeknight Rewind Redux' after an 11-year hiatus—a game of magnetic-tape roulette where you sit in the dark while an unannounced VHS tape plays out, often introduced live on stage by the house projectionist before the gate drops.
What it's like
Show up about twenty minutes before midnight to snag a good center-room seat and catch the house projectionist’s live setup notes. The room fills up with night-shift stragglers, cult film nerds, and insomniacs clutching concessions. When the credits roll around 2:00 AM, you'll step back out onto Belcourt Avenue to find Hillsboro Village completely shut down and deserted—perfect for an empty-street walk while your brain processes whatever bizarre print you just watched.
The move: Grab a late seat for a Friday or Saturday midnight showing — recent bill included 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls' and 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' — then walk Hillsboro Village after, since almost nothing else is open.
- 📍 Hillsboro Village
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 2102 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Fannie Mae Dees Park ("Dragon Park") — Take an early-evening walk three blocks down to see the 200-foot mosaic sea serpent before heading to your midnight show.
- Old Glory — Grab a cocktail inside a converted 1920s laundry boiler room in Edgehill before heading to the 1925 cinema hall.
- 1865 Club — Follow up a late film screening by slipping into a speakeasy hidden beneath a former tobacco auction house.
Good to know
When do these late-night screenings happen?
Midnight showings typically run on Friday and Saturday nights, with occasional weeknight retro tape events popping up on the schedule.
What sort of films are on the bill?
The lineup rotates through cult classics, rare monster movies, B-horror, genre hits, and mystery VHS tapes.
What is the historical background of the Belcourt?
It opened in 1925 as a silent movie theater and served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1934 to 1936 before evolving into an independent non-profit film center.
Who introduces the midnight films?
Midnight screenings are frequently introduced live right before showtime by the theater's house projectionist.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia
last checked: 2026-07-20