19.5.10

Old cinema theatres

We are still more or less in the same area as in the last preceding posts.

I have already made a few posts about some old cinema theatres – "Ciné 13", "Studio 28", "Le Brady"…. This is about closed ones.

The first one is about one which was called “Barbès Palace” (see also top picture). It dates from 1914 and remained a cinema theatre until the 80’s. It could seat some 1200 people. Since 1988 it’s a gigantic shop for (cheap) shoes. Fortunately the new owners accepted to keep the place rather intact. Maybe one day it can revive?
The “Ornano 43” (the name and number of the street) has its theatre name written as part of the building, but it’s today a small supermarket and only the façade is left. Originally, this cinema started its activities already in 1908. It was rebuilt a last time in 1933, which can easily be seen by its architectural style. (I found no old picture, but a painting, imagined by an artist called Daniel Authouart.)

At last, let’s talk about “Louxor”, built in 1921 in a Neo-Egyptian style. It had an orchestra pit and a pipe organ and could seat 1500 people. When times – and the area – changed, the program became more Arabic. Some unfortunate events led to its closure in 1986, when it was converted to a disco and taken over by “Tati”, a cheap-clothing chain with shops on the other side of the street. It was however never taken in use as a shop, which may have been planned, and finally the City of Paris bought the place in 2003. The definite plans to save it have now recently been taken and in 2013 it should look nice again. The interior will however be completely remade, there will be three smaller theatres rather than one big; the decoration will be remodeled, copied… At least, the building will revive! (The old picture is from the 1930's.)




































(I'm still absent, so this post is again pre-programmed.)

16 comments:

Thérèse said...

Ah Tati, j'y allais flâner dans le temps. C"est bien nostalgique aujourd'hui...

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Wow! This is certainly very interesting!

Virginia said...

P,
I think when in Paris I want to go and see so much I have never thought about taking in a film. Perhaps I will find one this time. You've always got so much for me to add to my lists. Merci!
V

Olivier said...

n'empêche que les anciens cinémas/théâtre avaient quand même un autre design, c'était la classe...Je me demande si ma grand-mère ne m'avait pas amené au Louxor ??? mémoire mémoire, ne pas vieillir...Non en lisant sur le site les amis du Louxor je dois confondre

Cezar and Léia said...

There is a charming athmosphere in all! I liked a lot!
hugs
Léia

Bettina said...

I love the way modern life goes on in those old wonderful buildings.

Parisbreakfasts said...

You LOVE those old cinemas in Paris..If no one has done a book on them you should do it!!

astheroshe said...

LOve your post.. I have a few pics i have taken of old theaters here in the USA..sadly a lot of them are in need of restoration

Starman said...

Another great post.

Vagabonde said...

Ah the old cinémas Peter that brings me back for sure. That was in my quartier and with my parents we used to go to the Barbès Palace, the Louxor and the Roxy. First there was a documentaire ou des dessins animés, et puis les informations, then un entr’acte where sometime someone would play the piano and my parents would buy me un eskimo glacé, then le film. Tout ça c’est bien fini! But you know when we went to Paris last November I took my husband to the other cinema my mother would take me, and that was Le Grand Rex sur les Grands Boulevards, and we saw Césaria Evora – une soirée splendide.

Cheryl said...

Barbes Palace and Ornano...what strangely bittersweet places. I hope they become theatres again one day.

Mona said...

Gone are the days when there used to be separate movie theaters. Now we have cinema complexes everywhere, where they hold so many movie shows together under one roof!

Simony said...

Very interesting to see these places being "recycled" and reused for different purposes. Too bad some of them loose their natural beauty along the way.

Catherine said...

Les faces et les façades cachées du 18ème.....tel un projectionniste, tu lèves le rideau rouge.

quoiqu'en ait dit Arletty, tu nous la livres l'atmosphère de ce qu'a été ce quartier....

Trotter said...

Great collection!!

Jeanie said...

Well, I'm a sucker for an old theatre -- converted or not. These are wonderful. Thank you!