Comments about Curzon Bloomsbury in London, GB

philgyford on May 19, 2023 at 9:49 am

The 2014 link to architectural drawings of the change to six screens no longer works. However, Takero Shimazaki Architects' site has some photos and, at the bottom of the page, some drawings of how the new screens fit into the space:

https://www.t-sa.co.uk/project/curzon-bloomsbury/

rivest266 on May 26, 2021 at 7:56 am

1977, 1978, 1981, 1986 grand opening ads posted.

rivest266 on May 26, 2021 at 7:36 am

Grand opening ad from January 18th, 1972 posted.

goodshow on September 4, 2016 at 3:04 am

Photo posted (4 Sept.2016) of the map advert for the brand new Bloomsbury Cinema and the first presentation referred to in our first paragraph.

Ian on August 27, 2016 at 2:58 am

An August 2016 photo here:–

CURZON BLOOMSBURY

DavidSimpson on July 6, 2015 at 9:21 am

In a nice nod to the company’s cinemas from the past, five of the new Curzon auditoriums are named Renoir (the largest, with 141 seats plus 9 more in a small balcony), Lumiere, Plaza, Phoenix and Minema (I believe the smallest, with 21 seats). The sixth is the Bertha DocHouse, devoted to showing documentaries; this has it’s own lounge/reception area. Inevitably, shoehorning six auditoriums into a relatively restricted space has led to the five smaller ones being rather cramped.

terry on June 24, 2015 at 10:38 am

2 auditorium shots uploaded as it was when ABC briefly ran it.

Buffer on March 24, 2015 at 2:51 pm

The Curzon Bloomsbury is opening on 27th March, with six screens designed by architect Takero Shimazaki. The fifth one will retain the name Renoir and be the largest with 139 seats and 10 more in the balcony. Other screens are around 30 each except the 55 seat Bertha Dochouse screen 6

Paul Stephenson on September 22, 2014 at 4:23 pm

This cinema closed 1st June 2014 with “Boudu Saved from Drowning” for sub division into 6 screens, reopening in December 2014 as the Curzon Bloomsbury. The architecural drawings show 1 “large” screen of 155 seats in the centre of the original auditorium, 1 “medium” 59 seat screen on the stage, and 4 small screens of either 24 or 29 seats each towards the rear of the original auditorium.

Details at http://www.curzoncinemas.com/news/all/renoir_cinema_curzon_bloomsbury.aspx

The place had similarities to the Angelica Film Centre in Manhattan – great art house film selections, but awkward auditoriums. The cinema had been unsatisfactorily twinned down the centre in 1981.

So, sad to see it close in it’s current format, sad to see the loss of it’s name, but hopeful the reopened cinemas will be better.

woody on June 15, 2010 at 4:21 am

another press ad from dec 1979 for The Outsider showing exclusively at the Gate Two
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4701021075/

woody on June 15, 2010 at 4:16 am

a press ad from dec 1979 for the late shows at the Gate Two (and the Gate Notting Hill)
View link

keiths on October 23, 2009 at 11:42 am

I visited this cinema on business in 1976, when it was still a single screen. The thing I remember most was the massive projection suite, which extended cross the entire back wall of the theatre. There was also a toilet in one corner, if I remember correctly.