Off Beat Cinema

Is there anything in your life that you've been doing for a long time? What about something you've been doing for thirty years? Not something by accident, but something on purpose.

Thirty years is a long time. Thirty years ago was 1993—five years before Google was founded. That was a whole year before Sony introduced the first PlayStation game console. Back then, standard computer hard drives were only about 40 MB. Today, an average 4K movie stored on a hard drive would take about 40 GB. That's 1,000 times the capacity of a 40 MB hard drive. With sizes like that, you could have stored a whopping 7.2 seconds of a 4K movie on a hard drive in 1993. (Not that you could even play it...)

With technology developing at blazing speeds all around us, it's hard to imagine anything tech-based lasting for 30 years. Very few things can keep up with the rapidly changing tech, adapt to it, and survive. There are a few, though, if you know where to look—like over in Buffalo, New York, and a television program called Off Beat Cinema.

Off Beat Cinema: Origins

On Halloween night in 1993, WKBW-TV, in the Buffalo/Toronto area, started airing a new show called Off Beat Cinema. It was created by an advertising executive named James Gillan and a creative consultant named Jeffrey Roberts. The show's first airing played the original 1968 film "Night of the Living Dead". Since then, playing the same film has been a Halloween tradition.

The vision behind Off Beat Cinema was to create a space for films that slipped through the cracks of mainstream television, theaters, and video stores. Every show offered something different: a curated selection of offbeat, artistic, and often obscure films—all presented by hosts with a distinctive flair. Off Beat Cinema became a weekend staple in Buffalo, creating a local cult following that set the stage for a broader audience.

"Off Beat Cinema was created to provide a forum for films that are not regularly shown on television – and in many cases – are not readily available, even on DVD. There is an enormous cache of films out there that an entire generation grew up watching that are otherwise unavailable. We wanted to create a program reminiscent of the hosted late-night film shows of the 1960s and 1970s – the kind of show that made you beg your parents to let you stay up late to watch. Where else can you watch Teenagers from Outer Space and a week later watch Bergman's The Seventh Seal in its original language version?"

— James Gillan
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The show resonated deeply with its audience, filling the void of late-night television, just as they'd hoped. To further stand out for the non-mainstream audience, the show also secured a unique array of advertisers that catered to an alternative demographic, including a Grateful Dead inspired head shop, a local Mexican restaurant chain called Mighty Taco, and many others.

Buffalo was the perfect place for Off Beat Cinema to start because it's a hub for indie filmmakers. The city hosts film festivals, which showcase indie and alternative cinema. It's also been a place with a vibrant film culture, supporting diverse cinematic voices, particularly in horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.

Off Beat Cinema: Evolution

As the buzz around Off Beat Cinema grew, it caught the attention of larger networks. The show transitioned from a tiny, local favorite to a syndicated program with national reach and aired on larger cable networks—bringing it into living rooms across America. The expansion also helped filmmakers and artists whose works were featured, giving them exposure they wouldn't have had otherwise.

As broadcast television changed, Off Beat Cinema adapted to the advent and proliferation of cable and satellite television, targeting audiences watching specialty channels with niche content. Fans of classic, indie, and cult films found a community with Off Beat Cinema. The strategy worked wonderfully, and the show survived a broadcast bloodbath around them as viewers moved to new technology.

More recently, Off Beat Cinema embraced the digital age and once again adapted to the changing habits of viewers, launching their own YouTube channel. The shift to digital platforms and online streaming broadened the show's reach, making it accessible globally and on-demand. Keeping up with the times has also allowed new generations of viewers to discover its unique selection of films.

Today, in the right circles, Off Beat Cinema is a longstanding cultural icon. 

Over the years, it's had several hosts—some of which hosted for 20 years. Usually, the hosts are a trio who discuss the films they're airing while drinking copious amounts of coffee at their home in (a fictional) place called the Hungry Ear Coffeehouse. They typically have guest stars, sometimes famous, others less well-known. 

It's strange to think that series like the X-Files sprang up, became popular, and died—all within a fraction of the time Off Beat Cinema has been going. The journey of Off Beat Cinema from a local Buffalo show to today shows the passion of those involved in the production. It continually entertains and educates viewers about the vast world of cinema beyond the mainstream, a task few have tackled in the entertainment industry because, simply put, mainstream is easy.

The offbeat, though? That's something else.

It's where the coffee is always hot, and the movies are oh-so cool.

Relevant & Related

• Check out Off Beat Cinema on YouTube, which has nearly 200 videos for your enjoyment, including their 30th anniversary Night of the Living Dead show, Cat Women of the Moon from 1953, and many more.
• Off Beat Cinema's official website lists upcoming shows.
• Buffalo Rising has a great article about Off Beat Cinema and their 30-year history.
• Want something really unusual? Try Off Beat Cinema's presentation of Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964).

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