There are so many different ways of travelling. Being people of rich sensibility and hunger for art, travelers rush to the world in order to feel it at first hand, see it with their own eyes, smell it and touch it. Out there, sensual experiences are just waiting to burst into a million sensations and form new, wildly exciting and inspirational creations. Being able to detect them, travelers are filmmakers and designers at their finest. In return, the big, beautiful world offers them movie palaces, one at every station. Movies are very architectural, if you think about it. The narration forms a foundation, the characters are bearing walls, and filming techniques are the facade. The differences are only materialistic. Those who feel the art of building complex structures can sense movies equally as buildings. There are many architects in love with the moving pictures, and even more directors obsessed with city landscapes, surfaces of buildings and fine little ornaments with European names. When combined, film and architecture present an experience like no other.
The upswing and classical style
Movie palaces began to sprout concurrently with the film itself. At the rise of the 20th century, when all promises were big and all the buildings grand, cinema theaters met the age of their opulence and splendor. Much alike the grandiose opera halls of the past, these constructions were vast and extensively decorated. The ornamentation was actually the distinctive feature of this eclectic style, following the bigger is better motto. Almost baroque in their pageantry, these cinema buildings were designed to be a piece of a diverse, more exotic world. The classical style of movie palaces was supposed to arouse the mind, provoke emotions and bring the same adventure into extravaganza as movies of the golden era did. The fantasia that was offered to audiences was alluring and bizarre simultaneously, created in order to indulge every sense. Naturally, subtlety and elegance were not explosive enough, so architectural styles had to be stirred up. They were mixed in frenzy, often colliding with one another and creating a unique sort of eclectic exoticism. From Spanish Gothic, Mediterranean and Italian Renaissance, up to Moroccan, Aztec and Egyptian Revival, diverse styles were assimilated into something all-consuming and glittering. What a way to travel with every part of our animate being, without moving at all!
Strand Theatre, Manhattan, New York
The architectural pioneer of movie palaces was Thomas Lamb, a gentleman that designed the first maiden cinema theatre of this kind in 1913. The place was Harlem, and the never forgotten name of the building was Regent Theatre. Considering the need for social differentiation, the initial location wasn’t dapper enough, and the theatre got its upper-class opponent on Broadway the next year – the monumental Strand Theatre. The spacious auditorium counted 2,985 seats, the stage was shallow and sightlines were calculated flawlessly. Luxurious lounges and comfortable chairs were all coated in plush, stars of the arena. Since sound films weren’t presented until 1923, and were fully established in years to come, early movie palaces like this one incorporated live music that was played alongside the screening of silent pictures. Therefore, live music was an important part of movie theaters, with large orchestra assembles and theatre organs of great power and magnitude. The stage of Strand Theatre included a performance area with a capacity for a 30-piece symphony orchestra and mighty Wurlitzer. With perfect acoustics and vision, the Strand Theatre was rich in décor and voluminous in details. Mister Lamb was generous with marble and gilt, the floors were embellished with deep pile rugs and ceilings were decorated with crystal chandeliers. Lavishness was to be seen everywhere around, in designing techniques equally as in the smallest details. Harshly, this historic landmark was closed and demolished in 1987, depriving all architecture and film lovers of its brave, groundbreaking existence.
Chicago Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
Fortunately, the destiny of movie palaces from their golden era was altogether brighter. Three of them found their ground in The Third Coast, were architecture is tall and fine arts are all wrapped up in smoke and jazz. The Oriental Theatre, Uptown Theatre and Chicago Theatre formed the architectural triad, with each building devised and designed by the Rapp brothers. The Rapp brothers made their place in encyclopedias of architecture with their signature Neo-Baroque, French-revival style. This unique style accomplished to tame some architectural disparities and introduce itself with coordinated pomp and sophistication, color and softness. Being inspired by French architecture, the Chicago Theatre in different aspects, resembled the country’s landmarks like the Arch de Triomphe, the Versailles and the Paris Opera House. In fact, all of these three French milestones were in a way reproduced in the original design of the theatre. Its exterior, for example, included a miniature replica of Arch de Triomphe, with the authentic glazed façade in off-white terra cotta. The Palace of Versailles is featured in the grand lobby, which is encircled by gallery promenades that occupy five stories, including balcony levels. The Paris Opera House is honored with a duplicate of its staircase. With 3,600 seats, the auditorium is facing the crown jewel of the stage – the proscenium, framed with an impressive arch formed with 14 murals of the same, French provenance, created by Chicago muralist Louis Grell. The emblem of the theatre, as well as the whole street, the Chicago sign, is six stories high. Even though the current use of the Chicago Theatre is for live performances, mostly musical and stage plays, this venue should never be omitted from the story of movie palaces. In the period between 1925, when its grand opening took place, and 1945, this theatre was the absolute ruler of movie palaces all across the country. Palatial and expensive from the start, the Chicago Theatre remained the most recognizable Chicago landmark in popular culture, and the oldest of its kind to date. When asked to revoke the theatre’s beginnings, Orson Welles was concise. Oh, yes, it was mighty, he said.
Million Dollar Theatre, Los Angeles, California
Up in the West, the film industry was falling a little behind. Even though it grew to be predominant in the 20th century, Hollywood’s beginnings were established a couple of years late in comparison to the American East, during the twenties. However, that didn’t stop the architects to response with shiny new mansion-like constructions. The first of many was the magnificent Million Dollar Theatre, opened in 1918, and situated in the Broadway district in downtown Los Angeles. The men of the hour were Albert C. Martin, responsible for the twelve-story structure, and William Lee Woollett, who designed the interior of the theatre. The building’s exterior was executed in an intricate Churrigueresque style, as a part of Spanish Colonial Revival movement. Te Spanish influence is obvious on the façade as well. In fact, its designer, Joseph Mora was the Spaniard himself, and a son of this country’s famous sculptor Domingo Mora. The impressionable façade includes longhorn steer skulls, bison heads and allegorical figures that symbolize the arts. The central piece of the initial construction’s exterior was the entrance, surrounded by a frame window. The inspiration for the theatre’s interior, William Lee Woollett found in King of the Golden River, an English fairy tale from mid 19th century, whose motifs and characters were especially recreated on organ grills. Above the auditorium, the dome-shaped ceiling presented a chandelier as a trademark of Wooletts’ designs. Still, the most talked about engineering piece in the entire building was the balcony, which was, with its 110 foot in width, the biggest one so far in theatre architecture. What makes this balcony even more special is the fact that it was the first of its kind to be made with a concrete carrier, the usage of which was still unfamiliar in the engineering world. Facing yet another architectural giant, Bradbury Building, the Million Dollar Theatre continues to dazzle with its flamboyant baroque personage.
The atmospheric theatre
In the gloomy years of the Great Depression, American culture altered, going side by side with society. The continent entered the post-Gatsbian era, when the existence was often reduced to a bare struggle for survival. Fine and visual arts, including film were, interestingly enough, still in demand. With the motion pictures market, movie palaces were still going strong, and were adapted to the newly emerged situation only in certain aspects. Due to the economical decline in all fields, the extravagant, overpriced movie palaces of the previous decade were impossible to fund. Nevertheless, in the morose times of the 1930s, the public craved luxury and escapades in a yet bigger scale. Remaining magnificent in the past, movie palaces made way for the entertainment invention of the decade – the atmospheric theatre. The raising escapist need for delusion and fantasy was the foundation upon which atmospheric theatres were built. The expensive lobbies, balconies and galleries of the classic style were traded for the wonderland venues designed specifically to relocate the audience to exotic, far away destinations. The element most responsible for this kind of atmospheric illusion was a specially constructed ceiling, painted in cerulean blue in order to impersonate the sky, and embellished with reflector-made clouds, instead of former chandeliers. Such reflectors and similar technical lightning created a mirage of another space or time, while reproducing sunset or a starry sky. Apart from the light effects, the fantasy world was created with the interior itself. Without elaborate ornaments, side walls were decorated to simulate different settings, like open-air nature or countryside and the interiors of various venues. Every ticket bought was a ride to the unknown and whimsical.
Tampa Theatre, Tampa, Florida
The first theatre of the kind was The Indiana Theatre, constructed by John Eberson, the originator of the style. Mister Eberson was truly the soul of this architectural movement, with more than 500 movie palaces all across the States in his legacy. Florida’s Tampa Theatre is certainly the most praised among them, but more importantly, it is the exemplar construction of Eberson’s techniques. Besides realistic starry heavens on the ceiling, the unique outdoor experience was delivered with a rich and romantic inner courtyard designed in a Mediterranean Revival architectural style, furnished under the watchful eye of the master engineer himself. Sculptures, an abundance of flowers and gargoyles filled the palace. Since its opening in 1926, Tampa Theatre remained one of the architectural wonders of the entertaining world, and gained recognition as One of the Top Ten Iconic Showplaces in the World.
The ascendancy of Art-Deco in Europe
Much like America’s roaring twenties, movie palaces soon began to decay. In between hugely popular television and suburban life, 1950s brought little luck for grandiose entertainment venues. Movie palaces were rapidly shut and sold throughout the continent. Back in Europe, however, movie theatres were still highly acclaimed, even during the Second World War, or despite of it. Two of them still astonish the audience all around the world.
Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
Le Grand Rex, with its bright lights bursting through the nights of Paris is, by statistics, the biggest European cinema ever built. Its construction began late in comparison to the American predecessors, and was finally finished in 1932. Since then, the Rex has been home to millions of cinema lovers as well as architecture admirers. The birth of the theatre took place in the mind of Auguste Bluysen, and was conducted in constant consultation with the prime mover of the atmospheric theatre design, John Eberson. Just like in the American versions, the architectural execution of Rex’s interior was intended to create the illusion of an open sky atmosphere. Besides the ceiling and the décor, this theatre also included water effects. However, the symbol of the building remained. Its exterior consisted of the big Rex sign, and the landmark tower, which stands as the textbook example of Art-Deco architecture.
Pathé Tuschinski, Amsterdam, Netherlands
In the nearby and equally decadent Amsterdam, erects yet another giant of movie theater’s architecture – Pathé Tuschinski. A circumstantial change of the master architect made this alluring building into a versatile, eclectic piece of art. Deprived of that one dominant style, Tuschinski is an architectural wonder of many different features. Amsterdam School, Jugendstil, Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles all blend together to form one of a kind visual experience. With the original architect, Hijman Louis de Jong, fired from the site, Pieter den Besten and Jaap Gidding completed the interior with the Art-Deco finish prevalent in the foyer and represented with big yellow lamps, the original motifs of the style. One step into the main foyer is a wild journey into the land of allure and drama.
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A single screening provides a motion picture and live music played by a 50-piece orchestra or concert hall organs, all of that experienced bellow the setting sun, with crimson plush under the feet and fairytale creatures coming through the walls. Presented to the public demands back in the twenties, as a part of the American années folles, and inherited by visual art enthusiasts of today, movie palaces are still influential both in the film industry and architecture. Right in the middle of the digitalized era, these theaters offer the gilt and the dust much needed for every voyage into the dream.