There's a lot of ways to experience the movies these days. Whether you want to experience IMAX or the 270-degree screen to maximize your viewing or heading to the 4D theater for an immersive experience, there are options out there other than your standard movie-going experience.
And Harkins Camelview at Scottsdale Fashion Square happens to have a very unique one.
In case you weren't aware, there's a hidden speakeasy-style screening room locked away behind a faux freezer door — complete with fake frosted glass and temperature gauge. If you're walking to the left of the concession stands, just past the women's restroom and a theater on the left, there's an unsuspecting door that blends into the wall.
Just behind that door is a big, white room and
a freezer door that leads into Harkins' hidden, private screening room.
Why is there a hidden theater at Harkins?
Like me, you may be wondering how Harkins came to the decision to hide a secret screening room behind a faux freezer. Turns out, it simply came to be thanks to some extra space they didn't know what to do with.
"When Harkins was building our Camelview at Fashion Square Theater, there was some extra space that team was trying to figure out what we were going to do with it, and thought 'what if we did a private screening room? Something no one knew about,'" explained Jessica Reeves, vice president of marketing at Harkins. "The only way you could ever find out about it is if you had heard from somebody else. It was really going to be top secret."
Over the years, the Harkins team decided that maybe they should market the space at least a little.
I really do give them credit to wanting to keep the mystery and the word-of-mouth alive. Even their advertising is limited with just a small section of their website dedicated to it. But it's on a page people rarely go to, and people are likely to only accidently stumble upon the information. That alone keeps the air of mystery alive.
What's so special about the hidden theater at Harkins?
When you open the false freezer door, you're immediately transported into a luxury screening room. You walk down a narrow aisle with luxe cabinets on either side. There's a private bathroom on the left before the room opens up to the theater where there are 16 leather loungers, four swivel bar stools, four armchairs and, of course, a massive screen.
"You get unlimited popcorn, unlimited sodas. You can order food, an en suite attendant will help you with whatever you need for your orders," said Reeves. "We have a special menu that you can order food from, and then also we have our Verity lounge with a full bar, custom movie-themed cocktails that a lot of people enjoy here as well."
And it's not just private parties booking The Freezer at Harkins Camelview. People host meetings, do family get-togethers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, anniversary celebrations and more. Plus, you're not just limited to watching a new release. Guests can request throwback films or even bring in their own home movies to show for a special occasion.
How much does it cost to rent The Freezer at Harkins?
The question likely everyone wants answered: How much does this specialty experience cost? According to Reeves, the pricing starts at around $1,200, though it depends on how many people will be in attendance and how many hours you would like to rent the space for. Other factors that can determine price are if it's a holiday, what time of day it is and if it's an opening weekend for a title you're requesting.
You can fill out a Freezer Request Form at harkins.com to get a quote for renting out The Freezer.
Meredith G. White covers entertainment, art and culture for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She writes the latest news about video games, television and best things to do in metro Phoenix.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Behind this fake freezer door is metro Phoenix's most unique theater
