Accattone

If the theatre name is that of a Pasolini movie, the name is misspelled...either the theatre itself, or this posting entry, or both. The correct spelling is ACCATTONE. It is the name of the main character, played by Franco Citti, in Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1961 film masterpiece. The word "accattone" (two t's) means street beggar. In the film, the character Accattone is a pimp of the Roman "borgate" or slum-suburbs.

I just checked the web entry for the cinema. It is spelled Accattone, with two t's. Therefore this entry should be corrected.

I have very fond memories of this movie theater. When I was going to school in Paris for a few months in 1994, I was lucky to only live three blocks away, and could always count on Accatone to show a Pasolini, Oshima or Cavani movie. It's small, very casual, the ticketseller doesn't appear until five minutes before the screening, and whenever I return to Paris each year and the schedule never seems to change. It usually includes TEOREMA, BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL, NIGHT PORTER, SALO and IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES. But Parisians are lucky that they can see these movies every other week or so on a big screen. Viva Accattone.

I caught a few films here back on my frequent visits of Paris. It was an interesting policy in that they tend to run the same films every day or every week. There may be five screenings a day here, with a different film playing in repertory. But the films stay and stay and stay for months, if not years. You can see all the film cannisters in the lobby. There looks to be a rather steep staircase or even ladder that leads to the projection booth. It must be fun lugging those film cannisters back and forth.

A nice little theatre, right near the Gardens due Luxenbourg.

I caught Wenders' "Paris, Texas", Derek Jarman's "Carravaggio" and Ken Loach's "Family Life" at this theatre.

A 1998 view of the Espace Accattone:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowsummer/275142046/

The previous picture was taken by me in 1998. My first time in this cinema was in 1995 when I saw Derek Jarman's "The Tempest". I still kept the ticket, on which the cinema name printed as "Accatone". Also, the information on the magazine "Pariscope" marked as "Accatone" too.

Am looking for first hand accounts of seeing The Night Porter at this theater in connection with film history research i am engaged in. Anyone with memories of The night Porter, please feel free to get in touch. mail@curious.orangehome.co.uk

Here is another photo.

The name of the cinema is misspelled in the description. It's supposed to be Accattone. See the photo above.

photo of the exterior taken sept 2009 as the espace accattone
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3951019613/