Arlequin

Located in the south of the city centre. In 1930 a very impressive Art Deco style building was built by Radio Electric Company to the designs of architects Albert Laprade & Leon Bazin. This building was considered as a masterpiece of architecture in many magazines for its modernity, originally called the Cinema Lux Rennes when it opened on 21st December 1934 with Louis Verneuil in “L'Ecole des contribuables”, it had a large entrance which led to the underground 500 seat auditorium.

The fine Art Deco style design with a brown and white colour scheme remained up until the end of the 1960’s. There was a bar on one side of the auditorium and a large window on the other side showing the air conditioning system. In 1962 it was taken over and managed by film-maker Jacques Tati who renamed it l'Arlequin.

A major refurbishing to the plans of architect M. Georges Peynet took place in May 1972, and the original Art Deco design vanished, as well as a wide screen installed. “West Side Story”, after a long run at the Georges V continued at the Arlequin for years.

In 1978 it was renamed Cosmos and began screening Soviet Russian films. A Russian 70mm projector was installed. Operated by an art film chain and again named the Arlequin, the movie theatre was renovated in the 1990’s returning to the pre-Cosmos décor with blue colours and “Roman” curtain and a screen curtain.

In 2001, two more screens were added with 102 and 98 seats, taking over the space of a night club (the former famous Rose Rouge of the 1950’s). During 2003 summer season a 70mm print festival with Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” and Jacques Tati’s “Play Time” was an occasion to enjoy the fine stereo sound and wide screen of the 395 seat auditorium.

By 2022 the original main auditorium of the Arlequin was the only cinema in Paris equipped to screen 70mm films.

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Ken Roe on May 13, 2007 at 12:52 pm

A night photograph from December 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imaginair/139974888/

TruusBobJanToo on May 31, 2009 at 12:16 pm

In 1962 this modern cinema was started by filmmaker Jacques Tati. Here he showed his masterpieces like Jour de Fête, in the colour version, and Playtime, on 70 mm. Between 1978 and 1991 L'Arlequin was renamed Le Cosmos and was the official cinema for Soviet films. Nowadays it’s one of the major art cinemas of Paris. Source: Lesecransdeparis.fr.

For a recent photo of the front at night.

Koistinen on March 14, 2013 at 1:32 pm

Photographs from July and November 2012.

Lionel on August 18, 2022 at 3:10 pm

@Xavier Delamarre You wrote that the Arlequin is now the only remaining cinema in Paris to be equipped for 70mm. What about the Grand Action? Do you know when they got rid of their 70mm equipment? My latest inof about it is the Silverscreens.com article from the late 90’s. Thanks