Rio Cinema

Located in the east London inner city district of Dalston. A great local cinema that originally opened in 1915 as the Kingsland Empire, designed by architects Percy C. Adams & George Coles of the architectural firm Adams & Coles, in a Neo-Classical style.

It was re-modeled in an Art Deco style by architect Frank Ernest Bromige in 1936 and became the Classic Cinema screening classic films. Later showing uncensored adult films as the Tatler Cinema Club. It was taken over by a co-operative of local people and re-opened as the Rio Cinema. In 1996, it was closed for 18 months for renovation & restoration, which were funded by the National Lottery.

It’s a real pleasure watching films all varied and relevant to Dalston and Hackney’s needs. The large amount of foreign films exhibited is excellent as they come with subtitles which helps when watching my weekly film with my one year old son and 20 or so other tots at the baby/parent screening.

You can buy a 100 pound seat there and have your name on a plaque on the one of your choice. It’s easy to find, up Kingsland High Street on the left opposite the Blockbuster video store.

The Rio Cinema is a community cinema, whose policy is decided by a Board of Directors consisting of local people elected each year. Programme requests are welcome.

The Rio Cinema is a Grade II Listed building.

Recent comments (view all 25 comments)

lostmemory on May 17, 2008 at 9:52 pm

A 2008 photo of the Rio at night can be seen here.

lostmemory on September 30, 2008 at 7:35 pm

This is a September 2008 photo.

lostmemory on January 23, 2009 at 8:31 am

Here is a photo of the Rio in 2000.

woody on May 16, 2009 at 8:05 am

night time photos may 2009, suddenly this area is mega trendy with the opening of the new bar and club next to the Rio called Dalston Superstore
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3535032099/
View link

woody on June 15, 2010 at 3:55 am

a press ad from dec 1979 showing a week of rep booking, and a very 70’s Rio logo, some great titles in here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4701658502/

Ian on September 25, 2010 at 3:51 am

Two photos of the Rio, taken in 1989 before the major renovation to the cinema in 1996:–

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5022007761/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5022007593/

woody on February 15, 2011 at 4:53 pm

another press ad from march 1971 as the tatler showing lurid smutty double bills
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/5448307280/

Ian on August 23, 2011 at 2:44 am

A set of images from 2011 of this great cinema

EXTERIOR

CIRCLE FOYER

CIRCLE

AUDITORIUM FROM CIRCLE

AUDITORIUM FROM STALLS

Well worth seeing a film here!

wgmewes on February 9, 2012 at 5:40 pm

This is a screen capture from Series 3 Episode 2 of “Whitchapel”

Link

HowardBHaas on April 5, 2012 at 7:01 pm

Yes, here in the States I’m watching now that Whitechapel episode. It also filmed in the theater’s back and in the interior, too, in the auditorium and stairway.