The MAGNET.

dorramae · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:04 pm Post subject: The MAGNET.

When I was a child the nearest local cinema was at the top of our street,
its was a very stylist Art-Deco building. Myself and friends were always
fasinated by the magnificent curtains across the screen before the
film started.
Recently I came across the a photo of the curtains and a discription
in the souvenir book published when the cinema first opened inDecember 1938)
The photo realy does not do justice to the amazing ever changing colours
and lavishness of these curtains. Here is the souvenir discription
and photo:-

THE FRONT CURTAIN
This special satin and silk embroidered and appliqued curtain portraying a scene of Venice.We are hoping that this curtain wil please you and be a constant sourse of interest and delight,because we whall add to it's beauty with ever-changing variety of lighting effects: Sunrise effects,
and mid-day brightness as the chameleon-like varying colours and effects are played upon it.When the curtains are opened you will see a stage
draped entirely in black velvet wings,curtains and valances, like the
mounting of an artist's pictures.As these black velour curtains are withdrawn there will be revealed to you our Silver Screen: all that is
displayed there and all that there is, is discribed elseware and will await in due course, your approbation.

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JoJo · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject:

Dorramae those were the days, the curtains look beautiful and I can imagin how wonderful they looked with lighting, I wonder what happened to them?
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Sandie Seward · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:19 pm Post subject:

They didn't call old cinemas "Picture Palaces" for nothing, Dora.

They took you into another world of glamour, expensive cars, wonderful clothes, and such a different life as portrayed on screen by those magical old Film Stars.

This was the case right up to the mid-sixties.....then, some of the more, shall we say, "less glamourous" establishments took on a new name. "Fleapit" springs readily to mind here.

Sneaking in the side door to watch Hammer Horror films starring people like Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, god, we were "so brave"!!!!!
Good job that my friend and I were also friendly with one of the Usherettes!!! Rolling Eyes

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dorramae · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:33 am Post subject:

Incidentally, the building is now a Lidl supermarket, and I too would love to know what happened to the curtains, Crying or Very sad

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