Royal Theater Tuschinski
Reguliersbreestraat 26-34,
Amsterdam
1017 CN
Reguliersbreestraat 26-34,
Amsterdam
1017 CN
24 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 27 comments
There are several short videos of the interior on YouTube.
I am a little bit in heaven every time I enter Tuchinski 1. It has such a gorgeous grandeur. I have so many fond memories of great movies I have seen there. Even if the movie is mediocre, simply the delightful experience of visiting this jewel of a cinema is still worth the while. The balconies are not open to public, but you can have a beautiful sneak peak from the second floor, when you have bought a ticket. You can reserve your own private sitting booth near the balcony (for 6 people), with champagne as a nice extra! It still has got curtains that can be drawn open before the picture begins, but they only use those at special events.Visiting Tuchinski 1 feels like coming home. Anyone can visit the lobby for free and if asked politely one could even be allowed to have a quick peak inside the truly gorgeous Tuchinski 1.
My daughter did a semester at University of Amsterdam and came away learning about 5 words of Dutch because just about everybody in Amsterdam speaks excellent English (and many speak French and German also). In fact, I actually noticed many Dutch folks there lapsing back and forth between Dutch and English when speaking with each other, especially parents speaking with their children. It truly is an international city and a wonderful place. My only regret while in Amsterdam is not knowing that a 70mm Ultra Panavision print of The Hateful 8 was still playing on a properly masked 40' screen at the Eye Film Museum while I was there and I missed it.
I saw The Living Daylights here in 1987 whilst on holiday, great place to see it in.The film had Dutch subtitles but was spoken in normal English , but the Hollanders speak excellent English and thats from a Scot Bob Kincaid
Was on vacation in Amsterdam last week and made sure that I saw a film in this amazing theater. It is truly a sight to behold. Beyond the obvious beauty of the theater I was very impressed by the excellent sight lines in the main auditorium. The auditorium is almost as wide as it is long putting the viewer closer to the screen and creating a more intimate feel. The generous width of the theater also works very well with modern widescreen. Presentation was first class also. The projection was 4k Digital annd the digital sound was excellent. The theater Manager actually told me they are working on the sound to find the optimal system and balance in the large auditorium. There’s nothing like watching the curtains part to reveal the screen….a very rare treat these days. Another small but impressive detail was that the appropriate screen masking was even used for the previews. Wonderful experience. It’s unfortunate that all the great theaters in my own City have either been demolished or turned into Rite Aids.
I am now visiting Amsterdam and just passed by the Tuschinski. The facade is now being thoroughly – and hopefully lovingly – restored. The downside is that, except for the two towers, the facade is invisible to the eye. It should, however, be something to see when the work is done.
Fortunately, the lobby is open to the public and is an absolute delight to behold. The shifting colors on the ceiling create a terrific and absolutely exotic effect.
This is, in short, an incredible cinema treasure – and its best days may still be to come!
Nice theatre.
Europe has some truly beautiful movie Theatres,hopefully folks there don’t come to the movies in torn shorts and tank tops.
I was in Amsterdam in 2007 and saw Little Miss Sunshine here. I’d seen it already at home in New York, but wanted to see it again. Seeing here was like seeing for the first time again. I’ll go again the next time I’m in this awesome city.
I asked the usher very politely if I could have a look inside the auditorium without buying a ticket, and he gave me one minute. It’s a funny mix of art deco/Jugend style, a bit of Nouveau, some South American influences and what have you—I think the foyer and the light fixtures impressed me the most. Didn’t have much time in Amsterdam, but will take in a movie next time (hope there is a next time!) to catch all the details.
Enjoyed “Iron Man” in the huge historic auditorium, and also the classic Dutch film “Fanfare”
My May 2008 photos:
Exterior of historic Tuschinski & former Noggerath cinema (now another entry):
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Ex-Noggerath cinema, now another entry/exit for Tuschinski:
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STAINED GLASS:
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A “BUTTERFLY GIRL” mural, looking Art Nouveau:
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Mural in JAPANESE room:
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Another colorful mural:
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My flickr set including October 2005 photos:
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There is a beautiful illustrated book about the restoration of the Tuschinski- “Theater Tuschinski, Restoration of a Dream” – RUTGERS,BRAM & KEES DOORNENBAL.
Captions and text are in Dutch and English.
One bookseller:
http://www.antiqbook.nl/boox/akok/171721.shtml
Also, If you are in Amsterdam, there are guided tours of the Tuschinski in the summer, They are at 10:00am or 10:30am, one or two days a week. Link below has details.
http://home.scarlet.be/~tsa36492/archi1900/NL.htm
Gorgeous interior photos (click to enlarge them) of the historic theater and history:
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A couple more interior shots of the main Tuschinski cinema:–
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Since Pathe spent the money to restore this beautiful theater to its original splendor instead of doing it the American way (closing it), then forgive me if I cut them some slack for throwing up a gaudy sign advertising their cinema company name. We Americans should be so lucky!
It was good to see the old girl as beautiful as ever! – I do hate the ‘PATHE’ sign they have put on the front of the canopy, originaly there was only the Tushinsli Theatre sign you can just see behind. For give me but I closed the Nogerath [plus flower shop] in 1983 – but the Cineac’s in the Regularsbristraat and the Damrak were both in use, art movies in the 1st and Porno in the latter! – the Damrak Cinemac was also a beauty in my day
Nice photo’s – well done!!
I was in Amsterdam in November 2006 and went to see “Casino Royale” at the Tuschinski Theatre (a packed house!). Here are some photographs I took while waiting for the programme to begin:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324994906/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324995517/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324996147/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324996785/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324997384/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324998365/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/324999589/
I’d vote for Best in Europe!
Recent photo of the foyer here:
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As MD of Tushinski Beheer BV in the ‘80’s [of the 19 cinemas in the group this cinema is the best in the Netherlands, Europe, the World??
in '84 I was able to replace the original main foyer carpet [50 yrs old] with a new carpet made by the original maker in Morroco to the original patten and specification. It was flown to Amsterdam courtesy of KLM in one peice![cost then $106k] The pile on the original was thrad bere the replacement hade a pile depth of 2 inches!
Do visit!!! and insist on seeing the Chinese room and dont miss the circle side foyers and other smanll rooms of the circle lounge. All in all the ultimate cinema treasure!
An October 2005 photograph of the proscenium arch here:
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Plus other great photos in the set thanks to Howard Haas.
A recent exterior view here:
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Sorry the first two links I posted don’t seem to work, but were ok from the Google search I did for ‘Tuschinski Theatre’.
One point of note is that the Tuschinski still has its Wurlitzer-Strunk theatre organ still in situ, although it is hardly ever played these days. It was installed in 1940, replacing an earlier 6Rank Wurlitzer model 160. The current Wurlitzer-Strunk has 4Manual/10Rank.
As well as being a 1st class movie theatre, the Tuschinski has also presented stage shows. Before W.W.II artists such as Maurice Chevalier, Tom Mix and Jeanette MacDonald appeared here accompanied by the resident 16 piece orchestra. After the war saw Judy Garland, Marlene Deitrich, Edith Piaf, Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Domino and Dionne Warwick all do concerts in the theatre. The resident orchestra was disbanded in 1969 and the organ ceased to be a regular part of the programme in 1974.
A photograph of the proscenium arch is here:-
http://oh-no.net/mt/000038.html
The main light fitting in the centre of the auditorium ceiling
http://oh-no.net/mt/000039.html
Some more pictures here:-
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=fo&id=1331
I’ve just exited from “The Aviator” in the main house, and what a theatre it is! Everything stated above is true; this theatre is spotless!
Somve corrections are in order. Actually, this is a six-plex, though the other five theatres are in an adjoining building. The orginal theatre has not been compromised. When it was renovated, new seating was brought in and now seats 740 utilizing love seats (actual small sofas) and private boxes as well as regular seating.
There are two balconies and the design is somewhat distantly similar to La Scala, the opera house in Italy, with the balconies curving around to three sides of the theatre.
Pathe is the cicuit that operates this theatre and they are to be commended for such a wonderful renovation. I urge anybody visiting Amsterdam to visit the theatre and buy a ticket, even if you don’t want to see the film. Be aware that this theatre does not offer wheelchair access.