Comments from Ian

Showing 126 - 150 of 1,764 comments

Ian
Ian commented about Empire Picture Playhouse on Oct 23, 2018 at 1:24 am

Two exterior photos from September 2018 here – closed but seemingly in OK condition:–

EMPIRE THEATRE

EMPIRE THEATRE

Ian
Ian commented about Regent Cinema on Oct 23, 2018 at 1:20 am

The Regent, as seen in September 2018, is once again closed. A photo of the exterior here:–

REGENT THEATRE

Ian
Ian commented about Gaumont Birkenhead on Oct 9, 2018 at 1:02 am

Further images from 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

REAR BALCONY

Ian
Ian commented about Vue Birkenhead on Oct 9, 2018 at 12:59 am

Another view from 2018 :–

VUE BIRKENHEAD

Ian
Ian commented about Plaza Theatre on Sep 28, 2018 at 12:53 am

Some more recent images following further restoration to the circle area – taken August 2018:–

EXTERIOR

ORGAN

STAGE FROM STALLS

AUDITORIUM FROM BALCONY

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Vue Islington on Sep 26, 2018 at 1:02 am

A proposal to remove the Angel Wings sculpture from the entrance was heavily criticised and withdrawn in 2018.

VUE ENTRANCE

Ian
Ian commented about Electric Theatre on Sep 26, 2018 at 12:57 am

Night time shot from August 2018 here:–

EMPRESS

Ian
Ian commented about Screen on the Green on Sep 26, 2018 at 12:55 am

Night time shot in August 2018 here:–

SCREEN ON THE GREEN

Ian
Ian commented about Majestic Theatre on Sep 21, 2018 at 12:55 am

More photos taken in September 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

CIRCLE FOYER / CAFE

PROSCENIUM DETAIL

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon West End on Sep 20, 2018 at 12:29 am

Good to see on the Lighting Plans that the Odeon entrance and name is so prominent, but there seems little consideration for advertising the films.

Will this be Odeons first new build luxe cinema – or will it count as a conversion as, albeit before opening, it will have been adapted rather than planned from the start?

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon West End on Sep 19, 2018 at 7:00 am

Neither of the two artist’s impression images shows any sign of a cinema, presumably it will not have a Leicester Square entrance or presence.

Possibly (tongue very much in cheek), given Odeon’s poor grasp of London geography, it will be known as the Odeon Trafalgar!

Ian
Ian commented about Royalty Cinema on Sep 19, 2018 at 6:49 am

And another more devasting one:–

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45570791

Ian
Ian commented about Empire Cinema on Sep 18, 2018 at 12:46 am

Some exterior photos of the Empire from August 2018 here:–

EMPIRE

EMPIRE

EMPIRE

EMPIRE

Ian
Ian commented about Coliseum Theatre on Sep 14, 2018 at 12:21 am

Some photos taken in August 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

FOYER

STAGE

AUDITORIUM SIDE VIEW

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Storyhouse Theatre & Cinema on Sep 12, 2018 at 12:53 am

Some images of the transformed Storyhouse, taken in August 2018

OLD EXTERIOR

NEW EXTERIOR

ODEON AUDITORIUM

NEW THEATRE AUDITORIUM

STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about O2 Apollo Manchester on Sep 7, 2018 at 3:10 am

Some photos from August 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

AUDITORIUM TOWARDS STAGE

ROOF VOID

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

BALLROOM

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Oldham on Sep 3, 2018 at 12:53 am

Photos of the Odeon, taken in August 2018 can be seen here:–

EXTERIOR

SCREEN 2

OLD STAIRS

SCREEN 5

NEW FOYER

Ian
Ian commented about Cannon Liverpool on Aug 30, 2018 at 1:20 am

A few photos from August 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

REAR STALLS

VIEW FROM BALCONY

STAGE FROM FRONT STALLS

SPLAY WALL DETAIL FROM BALCONY

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Luxe Swiss Cottage & IMAX on Aug 25, 2018 at 7:42 am

Interesting. I saw Mamma Mia part 2 there – perhaps not the best choice of movie for the Imax experience – but was aware (sat centrally in the back on the last full row) that the bottom corners of the screen could not be seen unless the seat was completely upright. And this was in a near empty auditorium (there were 12 of us watching the film), with no-one sat in front of me.

Unlike L_S_F I am not a connoisseur of big screens – this was the first Imax I have experienced for years – so have little to compare it with. All I can report is that the image was very sharp, and the sound excellent (apart from Brosnan’s singing, but that is another story).

My Hemel cinema memories were at the Odeon on Marlowes which had a massive curved screen – but that was decades ago!

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Luxe Swiss Cottage & IMAX on Aug 24, 2018 at 9:24 am

Some recent photos of the Odeon Imax Swiss Cottage here:–

EXTERIOR

IMAX SCREEN

IMAX LOGO IN AUDITORIUM

Ian
Ian commented about Gaumont Dover on Aug 24, 2018 at 1:05 am

Some images from August 2018, operating as the Gala Club:–

FACADE

REAR – STAGE

AUDITORIUM – SPLAY WALL

UNDER BALCONY PLASTERWORK

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Metropole Cinema on Aug 23, 2018 at 12:46 am

Back then film & developing costs were high. Now I wish I had done more, a lot more, but I had no concept of the scale of the losses that would materialise – particularly in the West End and major cities.

Ian
Ian commented about We're switching to Apple Maps on Aug 20, 2018 at 11:42 am

I like the fact that the flags are now named, making it easier to identify the theatres. Not noticed any problems yet.

Ian
Ian commented about Cannon Cecil Cinemas on Aug 20, 2018 at 12:40 am

Some photos from July 2018 here:–

EXTERIOR

BALCONY FOYER

SCREENS 1-2 ENTRANCE

SCREEN 3

MECCA BINGO

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on Aug 19, 2018 at 12:56 pm

No disrespect was intended from my post – I am hugely appreciative of CF100’s updates (particularly the links to the plans) of the OLS.

BUT, I am also aware of the lazy journalism around, and the fact that this site is the pre-eminent source of cinema history in the UK (if not worldwide), and felt the need to contest the impression that the OLS was the last “super” in which to see a movie.

Indeed it is contestable that the OLS is still in its original form. The cinema has been turned down on at least two occasions for listing because of the myriad of alterations over the years. It will be interesting to see if the Empire (former Carlton and built in conjunction with Paramount) Haymarket, which contains more original features than the OLS (despite sub-division), is successful in the current listing application.

Part of the problem lies with the lack of a succinct definition of the term “super cinema”. We know more-or-less what we mean, but is largely a marketing term, and we now perm any three of the four elements that Terry enumerates. The term itself precedes the 1930’s by around a decade. There is a good case to make that Frank Tugwell’s Futurist at Scarborough, recently shamefully demolished, was the first (opened 27th June 1921), closely followed by Brightons Regent Theatre. Both by any definition were “super cinemas” and were referred as that at the time.

Following there were (amongst many others) the Piccadilly Manchester (1922); the Pavilion Shepherds Bush (1923); the Kensington/Odeon (1926); and the Davis Croydon (1928). It is possible to argue that the “super” peaked in 1930/1 as generally (notable exceptions) the later 1930’s super cinemas tended to be smaller and less luxurious. The 1937 Birmingham Paramount for example was a pale imitation of the Manchester (1930), Newcastle (1931) and Leeds (1932) namesakes, and few matched the four London Astorias (1929/30).

The Rio Dalston by F E Bromige was referred to as a minature “super” and IMO is probably the best place in 2018 London to get the “super” experience. I hope to be proved wrong, but with the reclining seats (why do people need to lie down to watch a film?) I suspect the OLS will look even less like a “super” when it reopens. And I hate the fact that it will prosaically be known as screen 1.

I fully realise that I am a dinosaur who fondly remembers the days of stalls and balcony luxury cinemas (Gaumont Manchester aged around 5), with screen tabs, separate performances, masking and all the other extras which have been junked in most venues. I do find it depressing that the only – I think – place you can now regularly view a film authentically in a large “super” is at the Plaza Stockport which is grade 2* listed.

Incidentally the OLS’s claim to be the largest in Europe was palpably wrong as the Futurist, with 2,155 seats, was operating mainly as a cinema at the time. The fact that at least 1,500 of those seats were rarely occupied for a film did not make it smaller that the OLS!