Ritz Cinema
16-42 Gordon Street,
Luton,
LU1 2QP
16-42 Gordon Street,
Luton,
LU1 2QP
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I saw the same 70 mm films as Keithmockett but at the Ritz at Chatham, another former Ubion Cinema with an ABC(Regent) across the road. Opening similarly, a year apart and in the same years as at Luton, the two Chatham cinemas were similar internally.
This was one of the many cinemas used for pop package shows in the 1960’s, and notorious as the site of one of P.J.Proby’s on stage trouser splitting incidents, which led to him being banned from all ABC theatres!
This was the first cinema that I saw 70mm in! Half A Sixpence, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Ice Station Zebra, Ben Hur (1969 reissue) and Where Eagles Dare were all shown here in 70mm with Six Track Stereo. Even as recently as a year or two ago I dreamed it had reopened and was so happy in the dream! So clearly my subconscious holds it in high regard. I also saw The Mask aka Eyes Of Hell there in anaglyph 3D (my first X movie in a double bill with Roger Corman’s The Haunted Palace).
Vintage photographs of the Ritz Cinema (when in use as a bingo club in the 1970’s), and its Wurlitzer organ console:
http://www.ukwurlitzer.co.cc/2210.html
Another 1988 shot here:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5032764662/
Exterior photo of the Ritz here:–
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/352007845/