After eight months of renovations, the Uptown Theatre is ready to shine.

With a combination of neon signs, an old school popcorn machine, personal pizza bakers and electronic movie posters, the Uptown Theatre has returned as a combination of new and old.

Since 1939 the building has been a landmark for the local area, and is still one of the oldest theatres in Minneapolis.

However, sophomore Alex Sundvall said 73 years of service left its mark on the old theater, and that it needed an upgrade.

“I thought it was kind of junky, and you kind of stuck to the seat,” he said. “It was bad all around with springs coming out of some seats.”

However with the Sept. 14 premiere of the movie “Sleepwalk With Me” the old theater returned with larger seats, double couches and many other new minor amenities.

Assistant manager Rich Gill said the larger double couches can mean better seating for couples hoping to catch a movie together, and that beyond couples, any other large groups might enjoy the new seats.

“For midnight shows it can be better for a group to come together and sit in a living room type area with a couple of couches next to each other,” Gill  said. “It makes it feel more like hanging out at home.”

The largest new feature is a fully digital projection system to improve movie and picture quality. To further move forward, the theater also will allow for reserve seating online. However, junior Hannah McCracken said she believes it won’t be that important.

“(Online reserve seating is) only good for a midnight showing where you would otherwise have to arrive early to get seats with friends,” McCracken said.

The exterior will be improved with the return of the fully illuminated Uptown neon sign not seen since the 1980s. All of the artwork and photos inside the theater remain, including the two murals found in the main theater.

What hasn’t changed is Uptown’s cult classic movie showing. Every Friday and Saturday at midnight starting Oct. 19 the theater returns with cult classics.

Sundvall said that for him, the location and the theater mean everything for going to see a movie.

“(Uptown Theatre has) something you don’t get to experience with other movies or theaters. It’s out there and fun,” Sundvall said.