Maxime Cinema
High Street,
Blackwood,
NP2 1AH
High Street,
Blackwood,
NP2 1AH
2 people
favorited this theater
The Maxime Cinema opened in around 1939 with 1,400 seats. It had a 30 feet wide proscenium, later widened to 45 feet for Cinemascope. Still listed as open in 1966, operating as an independent cinema.
By 1976, it was operated by the Jackson Withers circuit and was running films and bingo. The Rank Organisation purchased the Jackson Withers circuit in late-1976. By 1980 the balcony had been twinned, with the two screens seating 194 and 170 and Rank also operating a Top Rank Bingo Club in the former stalls area. The cinemas were closed on 25th October 1988, with bingo continuing downstairs. In 2009, it is operated as a Mecca Bingo Club.
This was the most ramshackle of Blackwood’s cinemas that locals always referred to as the fleapit.
Contributed by
Editha Pearce, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 37 comments)
A separate page for the Capitol(Blackwood)could be started. The book I found said it was built as a live theatre and later used as market before becoming a cinema.
Hi Element 54,
The Capitol Blackwood already has a listing here {/theaters/28108/
}. Comments placed by Editha and I already draw reference to the Capitols use as a theatre and market. Unfortunately other than what we’ve included in the text under this venue there is little else confirmed. Editha once worked there while I’ve experienced the cinema as a patron and also entered the venue while it was closed and unused following a period of use as bingo. This cinema had a good size stage with fly tower.
Additionally if you view my website there are images of the venue alongside additional written information. If you have any further information please do add. Also, view my website, if you discover anything incorrect please do let me know.
http://cinemawales.homestead.com/INDEX.html
Photo of the Maxime from the mid sixties.
View link
I read with great interest the history of this cinema which I have been trying to find out for some time, my thanks to everyone who have cleared so many questions I had. I have tremendous fondness for this cinema which I spent my early Saturday mornings but later as a spotty youth trying to see as many films as poss that mother would fund and attemps to get in to see the X certs. Failed miserably with this cinema but had no problems in getting in at the Olympia in Tredegar to see Last Tango, The Omen etc. The memories are still vivid of the Maxime’s Gold Festoon Curtains floodlit at the bottom of the stage with mostly gold and red lights waiting patiently for the curtains to lift, lights out and with me mate to try and chat up any girls we knew from school who would show an interest. I also remember the songs played while waiting for the presentation, all were instrumentals at the time. The Shadows, Mantovani and Herb Albert. I rencently made a compilation cd of all I could remember about thirteen songs in total Great memories, Great times. Pleased to see that this Art Deco Gem it is still standing and looked after still open for Bingo in Feb 2010. Must try and get inside to see what’s changed or altered, will update if I ever manage it.
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Hi Puddle – great to read your memories, be good to read your findings if you are able to get inside the former cinema. Esp if you can take any pics:) You would probably need to pay for a game of bingo of course.
For me it was usually the Hanbury and Cameo in Bargoed for AA and X rated movies, the Maxime box office woman was very strict indeed. I also got into the Abertillery cinemas as well as the Ebbw Vale one but rarely the Blackwood cinema.
The background music used must have been a compilation album and like you I can remember them all being instrumentals.
Unsure if the CTA has done a feature on this venue, they had not done so a while back?
GREAT NEWS, I have been given full run of the cinema to document the interior and projection room having had a conversation today with Lee the manager. Planning to complete this Saturday, thankfully before bingo starts. Let’s hope he wasn’t winding me up…
Hey Puddle…
How did the visit to the former Maxime cinema go?
You got me jealous now, I cant wait to read how it went:)
Hi Puddle – you’ve not been able to add your report back to us following your planned visit to the cinema so I have to assume that you were not able to secure access. If you have been inside it would be great to learn of your findings?
The final film to run at The Maxime was the Eddie Murphy comedy, Coming To America. There was no B feature as Screen Two had long been made redundant.
I’ve many fond childhood memories of this cinema and definitely remember the lengthy ‘hype’ queues for ET, Ghostbusters et al. I’m sure that local church goers encouraged folks to boycott the cinema for it’s decision to show The Exorcist and The Evil Dead.
I’m 95% certain that the first film I saw there was Watership Down.
It is my understanding that the late Diana Dors visited the cinema to mark an occasion there (possibly a reopening?) – but I cannot elaborate any more on that as it was before my birth and based on what older friends tell me.
Christian’s input is interesting. I have also heard that Diana Dors visited the Maxime although like Christian I’m not able to expand on the reasons why as I’ve never been able to dig deeper on this idea.
The cinema did screen The Exorcist and was given some rough media coverage as a result although the queues were considerable so the negative press coverage certainly attracted the patrons.
Unfortunately for me I wasn’t allowed in to the Maxime to see the Exorcist as I was 15 at the time and turned away by the ticket seller in the box office who recognised me from numerous visits, with a children’s ticket… lol I had to go to another cinema in the valleys to see the film.
It was a similar story with Emmanuelle, another film shown at the cinema attracting considerable press attention. Others included Straw Dogs, Soldier Blue, Last Tango in Paris and Clockwork Orange {I’m certain this was shown}.
Good to read that like myself Christian enjoyed his experience of the Maxime.