History

The Chez Artiste was a three-screen movie theater in the University Hills Shopping Center of Denver, Colorado specializing in independent films and foreign language cinema. It opened on November 3, 1972 as the University Hills 2 and screened “Billy Jack” and “Fantasia”. An additional auditorium was created from a neighboring store-front in the 1980’s.

On December 21, 1988, United Artists Theatres took over ownership from Commonwealth Theatres and renamed it the Chez Artiste to be an art-house venue. Landmark Theatres took over the theatre in 1992, and it was a successful part of the Denver art-house scene. In 2012, the theater was renovated to add digital projectors, wider rows, new seating, and other design touches.

The Chez Artiste was known for its old-school charm, a diverse selection of golden-age Hollywood cinema and foreign programs such as “A Film For All Seasons” and “Retro Replay”, and was one of the most wheelchair accessible theaters in the Denver area until its surprising closure on August 8, 2024. The final lineup of films was “Thelma”, “The Fabulous Four”, “Coup!”, “Touch”, and “Widow Clicquot”.