UK cinema theatre fans?

[Stallic]

Hello,

I've just joined and am already asking for help. I was wondering if anyone knows of any good appreciation/fan sites for UK cinemas? As in somewhere for people to reminisce about their favourite cinema that's either long since been turned into a bingo hall or actually still exists. I can rarely drag myself to the cinema these days to go sit in a sterile box anymore compare to the grand cinemas I remember as a child (and even by then a lot of them had been split into screens).

Or does such a site need to be set up? I'm feeling energetic! Or have I even missed such a section on this site?

[Moor Larkin]

TRY:
Cinema Theatre Association

before it's too late......OOPS.......

[Stallic]

Thanks for that - some good links off there along with some mighty depressing pictures - I hadn't realised that they'd finally shut the Odeon in central Glasgow (where I used to live). Slowly but surely all the glamour of going to the cinema is being stripped away...

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Stallic Thanks for that - some good links off there along with some mighty depressing pictures - I hadn't realised that they'd finally shut the Odeon in central Glasgow (where I used to live). Slowly but surely all the glamour of going to the cinema is being stripped away...

There are some that still exist. You just have to track them down and support them as much as you can. Avoid the modern megaplexes. But that doesn't mean you just have to go to the very old cinemas. I was recently at the Apollo West End in Lower Regent Street. It's built on the site of an old cinema but has been completely refurbished. It's a small frontage but it's very elegant (in a modern style) inside. It's got 5 screens, we were in the largest one (watching a preview of The Departed) and that was quite luxurious.

Also in the London area are the Curzon West End & Curzon Soho as well as quite a few smaller "art house" cinemas that get by on a shoestring budget. They usually have to show a few blockbuster films to pay the rent and to let them show the films they love.

I'd also suggest you join the London Cinephiles mailing list. That gets announcements of screenings and news about the cinemas themselves.

Steve

[David Brent]

Talking of UK cinemas - I was wondering whether there has ever been a drive-in cinema that has operated within the British Isles?
I should imagine the notorious Brit weather would be a major hinderance to such an enterprise.

Drive-in cinemas around the world are now few and far between and declining by the month.
Australia used to have hundreds of them, especially during the fifties and sixties, but now you can count the surviving ones on one hand.

They were great fun though - and if you ever got bored with the film you could always slash the seats.:

Dave.