Old style cinemas in the heart of Paris
The Arlequin cinema on Rue de Rennes
Writing for a website which provides weekly film reviews – in Timeout magazine style – has its many benefits. The story began just over three months ago after having come back from a brief period in the United Kingdom. I had a meeting organized with Kate van der Boogert, the chief editor of gogoparis.com.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of taking control of the website's film section, granting me access to a wide variety of press screenings throughout Paris.
Ok, the "job" is admittedly unpaid and takes up a grand total of about six hours of my working week. However, at the present time this is a sacrifice I am willing to pay. Writing the odd film review every week as well as entering some of Paris' oldest cinema clubs is an experience in itself.
The Club Marbeuf just off the Champs Elysees, and Club 13, tucked away somewhere behind the Arc de Triomphe are two cinemas whose atmosphere is something worth waiting for. Voluptuous, cushioned cinema chairs, lavishly chiseled walls round the main screen and mahogany paneling are just a handful of the elements that make these old Parisian cinema clubs such a delicious treat.
The cinema Arlequin on La Rue de Rennes is another example of movie world architecture which has kept its historical ties and avoided the all too familiar process of modernization where plastic billboards and shiny new escalators are all too common.
Projectors are often audible from the back of the salle, reminiscent of a by-gone era. Currently, fallen leaves float in through the art-deco style doors as the drumming of everyday Parisian life ambles by.
Every now and again a press contact will pick up on the English tinges which still latch on to my faux accent à la parisienne. This serves only too well when flirtatiously asking for added pieces of information on the film's director and his/her cinematic history.
Writing for gogoparis.com has opened many doors; doors I am afraid that will shut next year when my job and studies will be the priority. Still, it’s nice to be in Paris and feel that you have gone back in time half a century.
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
long time no comment...on my part!
I could not resist today, as I am from a theatre background, the technical side, and love all forms of theatre buildings, even cinemas. In Australia, a lot of the old theatres turned into cinemas, and then later on some old cinemas, (the big 'palace' style ones) were adapted to be theatres as well, although not as effectively because of limited backstage space.
I would love to see these old cinemas in Paris, maybe one day I will...
By the way, when you say "club", does this mean its origins were for members only, or is this still the case?
Sounds kind of wonderful, but regrettably exclusionist too!
By the way, I loved the little touches in your description, like the rattling projectors and the leaves blowing in from the footpath.
cheers
fog
Froggy Views and French News
Froggy News
Good to here from you me old mukka (as they say in cockney slang.) The clubs that are based in Paris are largely private ones, meaning they are closed to the general public. However, if you are ever over in Paris I'll drop you a few addresses and you can always walk in a check a few of them out. Or if you've got a bit of extra cash you could always rent the thing out for a few hours and have your own private screening with a few mates. Wouldn't that be magic. There are often some really cute little cafes on the premises for before and after aperitifs.
Flick Wit
One part of me would want to turn my nose up at the exclusive elitism of it... but the other (bigger) part of me would just want them to let me in!
Michaelie