Atlanta's Fox Theatre—or more to the point, The Fabulous Fox Theatre—is one of the grand dames of what used to be called the “movie palace.” It’s an opulent throwback to the days when an old-fashioned movie premiere was a real event—unlike today, when “Friday the 13th Part XVII: Jason Lives Yet Again” opens on 3,500 multiplex screens and goes to DVD three months later. I’m talking undisputed classics. “Citizen Kane.” “Lawrence of Arabia.” “Gone With the Wind.” 

The Fox Theatre—originally the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque—was built to function as the headquarters of the Shriners organization. But the Shriners lacked the necessary financing, so before construction began they signed an agreement leasing the building to mogul William Fox. It was constructed in 18 months at a cost of $3 million, had a lavish opening on Dec. 25, 1929 (less than two months after the infamous stock market crash), and declared bankruptcy two years later. Since then the Fox has had its share of ups and downs. It was one of Atlanta’s premier movie houses in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, came close to being demolished in the early ’70s and staged a comeback in the ’80s after an extensive, and still ongoing, renovation.   

I’ve never been, so an Atlanta business trip seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to acquaint myself. Before I left I made a reservation for one of their behind-the-scenes tours. Eight of us—myself, two couples and a father with two kids visiting from Cleveland—showed up at 10 a.m. on a rainy Wednesday morning.

We were all taken under the capable wing of Ed Conley, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteer tour guide. Ed started the tour by imparting some historical nuggets and then took us on an expedition through a couple of back rooms. These are dimly lit, musty and antiquated while still hinting at the exotic elegance the theater once epitomized. The furnishings and decorative details define ornate—everywhere you look there are intricate geometric designs and Egyptian motifs. And what’s really interesting is that so much of the gilt is faux. Imposing columns are for show, not support, and they’re made of plaster. Plastic beams mimic wood, and the rich-looking carpets are reproductions. Even the broom closets are emblazoned with intricate plaster accents. It was all done because of a tight budget, and it all looks pretty amazing.

The pièce de résistance, of course, is the auditorium itself, which resembles a set piece from “The Ten Commandments” or another one of those Technicolor movie blockbusters of yore. Imagine an indoor Arabian courtyard with a giant canopy overhang that looks like a Moorish rampart but is really ornamentation made out of plaster and steel rods (it also serves as an acoustic device to project sound to the rear of the 4,700-seat hall).

Another eye-popping feature is the ceiling, which looks like an evening sky complete with stars and floating clouds. It’s actually a vaulted ceiling painted ultramarine blue, with 11-watt bulbs installed above 4-inch crystals subbing for the stars and a special projector producing the clouds. Even so, the illusion is remarkably persuasive. It was very cool to sit in the vastness of the empty theater while the lights were dimmed and then brought back up.  Given such an iconic stature, the Fox has hosted its share of high-profile appearances over the years, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Rolling Stones and a record-breaking engagement of “Les Miserables.”

These days the eclectic entertainment lineup includes everything from Broadway shows to Death Cab for Cutie. And the Fox still screens movies. A showing of “Gone With the Wind” is always a special event, and the theater’s Summer Film Festival showcases films both classic and contemporary, plus a pre-show sing-along accompanied by “Mighty Mo,” a 4,000-pipe Moller theatrical organ (named for Danish organ builder M.P. Möller). This year marks the venerable dame’s 80th anniversary. That’s good enough reason to pay a visit.   

One last bit of trivia: The star-studded Atlanta premiere of “Gone With the Wind” took place not at the Fabulous Fox but at the Loew’s Grand Theater, which was destroyed by a fire in 1978.

The Fox Theatre is at 660 Peachtree St. N.E., two blocks east of Marta’s North Avenue station (North-South line). Theater tours are given Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Saturday at 10 and 11; for details phone (404) 688-3353. -Greg Weekes