There's something to say about The Screening Room at 127 East Congress. It's not a "Showcase Master Blaster 5000 Theatre Extravaganza," but it has something those types of theatres do not: personality.

Maybe it's because the single-screen theatre is nestled between a tattoo shop and an art gallery. Another reason might be the lack of a required uniform or cheesy, colorful vest by the employees. Or perhaps it's because their ticket stubs resemble raffle tickets.

Whatever the case, America is running short on personality these days. It's odd when you visit any given state across the country and are able to catch the latest movies in a theatre that matches the exact stadium-style seating of those in your hometown. American life is quickly diluting itself in favor of conformity.

Though I've only been to two shows at The Screening Room, I remember exactly why I was there and what I saw. That's more than I can say for most of the other trillion movies I've seen in my humble 23 years.

Last Saturday night, 3-D glasses were required in the film screening, making it this experience sure to standout in my memory.

The movie shown was "Revenge Of The Creature," a nugget of film experimentation from 1955 directed by Jack Arnold. The experimental part mostly dealt with whether a 1955 audience would believe, not once, but twice that a human-lizard was not, in fact, a man in a rubber suit. Perhaps in an attempt to further throw standard perception off, the creators shot the film in 3-D.

As far as a 2003 audience is concerned, the crowd at the 7 p.m. showing was in good spirits and seemed to know what they were in for. There was no sign of those nose-in-the-clouds University of Arizona Media Arts students either. It seemed everyone was ready for good old-fashioned fun at the movies.

The second in the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" trilogy, the story follows scientists as they search for the creature or "Gill Man." Once he is in the scientists' custody, he is taken to Florida where he becomes the white-hot attraction on the aqua-park circuit.

Sure, the movie shows its age at times; sexism was very prevalent back then. For instance, when romancing Nelson, Agar says, "I'm a man. I don't have to make decisions. You gals have it tough." This got a burst of laughter from the audience.

Yes, the 3-D was grainy at times. Yes, this movie has been clowned on "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" before. Yes, the 1955 plot and dialogue was Velveeta, although it wasn't that much worse than the lines contained in the 2003 monster movie, The Hulk.

Among the gems of the showing was that the 3-D held your attention, there were no cuss words, and a young, unknown, un-credited Clint Eastwood appeared as a goofy lab attendant.

Peering through the red and blue lenses of the cardboard 3-D glasses and scanning the well-behaved and attentive audience was a unique experience. It was one of those rare Tucson moments demonstrating that this city, whether it wants to admit it or not, has a true, distinctive cultural flavor all its own. And there is nothing Phoenix can do about it.