On July 16, 1985 I saw the Liliana Cavani shocker “La Pelle” in this cinema. On December 28, 1993 I went to see the Chinese film “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou. It might have been the only Chinese film I ever saw dubbed in Italian.
I came here once to see a movie. It was February 23, 1974 for the local first run of Fellini’s “Amarcord.” I remember the house being packed with enthusiastic patrons.
There is a feature-length documentary on the history of this cinema, so very important to Florentine film buffs. The film is called “Cinema Universale d'Essai” and was made by Federico Micali in 2015. It can be seen in its entirety on YouTube. It helps to know Italian. It was based in part on the book “Breve Storia del Cinema Universale,” by Matteo Poggi.
I remember going to a film in this cinema once only. It was on August 19, 1969. The film was Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “Oedipus Rex” (Edipo re), made in 1967. I had already seen a few of Pasolini’s films but not this one, because it had not been shown in the US and wouldn’t be for another fifteen years when it finally made its way to the Public Theatre in New York. So I was very grateful to catch it out of sheer good luck.
In December 1991 I saw the film “Urga, territorio d'amore” (Close to Eden) by Nikita Mikhalkhov here. Set in Mongolia and typical of the kinds of films they ran here.
I saw the Russian film “Freeze, Die and Come to Life” here in February, 1992. Shown in Russian with Italian subtitles. Original language versions were the policy at this cinema as a reaction to almost universal dubbing in Italy.
Rossellini’s “Amore” premiered here on December 7, 1948. It include the episode “Il miracolo” (The Miracle) which turned into a censorship scandal in the U.S. because of its alleged sacrilege. No problem in Italy.
It’s an interesting angle that captures much more of what is beyond the theatre and down the road.
This is the cinema where Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” had its premiere on February 3, 1960.
On July 16, 1985 I saw the Liliana Cavani shocker “La Pelle” in this cinema. On December 28, 1993 I went to see the Chinese film “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou. It might have been the only Chinese film I ever saw dubbed in Italian.
I took the Metropolitana here to see “Mignon e' partita” on July 22, 1989.
Looks like Italian films by De Sica, Rossellini, and Malaparte were playing in town.
I came here once to see a movie. It was February 23, 1974 for the local first run of Fellini’s “Amarcord.” I remember the house being packed with enthusiastic patrons.
I visited here once, probably in the 1980s, to see a film. Can’t remember the title.
My 2005 photo.
The theatre appears in the 1960 film “Un amore a Roma” and can be seen in a clip on YouTube.
On August 24, 1969 I went to see the Italian movie “Flashback” here.
Another film I saw here was “A ciascuno il suo” or “We Still Kill the Old Way” by Elio Petri on August 27, 1971.
There is a feature-length documentary on the history of this cinema, so very important to Florentine film buffs. The film is called “Cinema Universale d'Essai” and was made by Federico Micali in 2015. It can be seen in its entirety on YouTube. It helps to know Italian. It was based in part on the book “Breve Storia del Cinema Universale,” by Matteo Poggi.
I remember going to a film in this cinema once only. It was on August 19, 1969. The film was Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “Oedipus Rex” (Edipo re), made in 1967. I had already seen a few of Pasolini’s films but not this one, because it had not been shown in the US and wouldn’t be for another fifteen years when it finally made its way to the Public Theatre in New York. So I was very grateful to catch it out of sheer good luck.
In December 1991 I saw the film “Urga, territorio d'amore” (Close to Eden) by Nikita Mikhalkhov here. Set in Mongolia and typical of the kinds of films they ran here.
I saw the Russian film “Freeze, Die and Come to Life” here in February, 1992. Shown in Russian with Italian subtitles. Original language versions were the policy at this cinema as a reaction to almost universal dubbing in Italy.
Saw the film “Volevo i pantaloni” here in April 1990.
Formerly known as the Teatro Bellini in the early 20th Century.
That was my 2005 photo.
One movie I saw here was “Evelina e i suoi figli” in April 1990. It starred the marvelous Stefania Sandrelli.
I saw films here in 1983 and 1989.
Rossellini’s “Amore” premiered here on December 7, 1948. It include the episode “Il miracolo” (The Miracle) which turned into a censorship scandal in the U.S. because of its alleged sacrilege. No problem in Italy.
In 1982.
In 1985 I saw a re-issue of Visconti’s “The Damned” here. On Christmas Day in 1991 I went here to see Roberto Benigni’s uproarious “Johnny Stecchino.”
This place was formerly known as the Cinema Italia.
On August 27, 1970 I saw the popular hit “Metello” with Massimo Ranieri in this cinema when it was called the Galleria.