In August of 1971 while I was at the Universita' per Stranieri, I went several times to what was then called the Modernissimo, a cinema d'essai or repertory cinema at that time. I saw six films there. They were the Russian “The Cranes Are Flying” by Kosintsev, the French “A Man Escaped” by Bresson, the Italian “Ostia” by Sergio Citti, the Italian “La Notte” by Antonioni, the Italian “Under the Sign of Scorpio” by the Taviani Brothers, the Italian “La casa delle mele mature” by Pino Tosini. The non-Italian films were dubbed in Italian.
In February 1992 I went to a film here. It was “The 600 Days of Salo'” by Nicola Caracciolo and Valerio Marino, a documentary about Mussolini’s fascist republic in the north of Italy during the final year and a half of World War II.
On August 18, 1969 I went to this cinema to see Visconti’s 1963 “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) in the full uncut 3-hour version for the first time. It had not been shown complete in the U.S. It was such a treat that I sat through it twice and considered myself lucky. A few days later I would see it again in that length at the Rex in Rome.
The first movie I ever went to in Italy was at this cinema on July 27, 1969 to see Pietro Germi’s “Serafino” with Adriano Celentano. It was a pleasant place, as I recall.
On August 23, 1969 I went here to see Visconti’s “The Leopard” (Il gattopardo). The 1963 film was making its rounds across Italy again in its original version. The uncut version would not play in the U.S. for almost another 20 years.
On July 30, 1983 I went to see Franco Piavoli’s film “The Blue Planet” (Il pianeta azzurro) here. It was a beautifully photographed kind of symphony of nature. I think I was the only person in the afternoon audience.
On July 16, 1985 I saw the Liliana Cavani shocker “La Pelle” in this cinema. On December 28, 1993 I went to see the Chinese film “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou. It might have been the only Chinese film I ever saw dubbed in Italian.
I came here once to see a movie. It was February 23, 1974 for the local first run of Fellini’s “Amarcord.” I remember the house being packed with enthusiastic patrons.
Beginning September 1, 1965 this theatre ran 70mm Cinerama films.
As the Teatro Palazzo Sistina, this theatre ran 3-strip Cinerama film from June 28, 1955 to May 31, 1959.
On July 28, 1969 I went to see the film “L'impiegato” at the Smeraldo.
I went here once on December 27, 1991 to see Marco Risi’s “Il muro di gomma.”
On November 30, 1997 I went here to see Marcello Mastroianni in the film “Three Lives and Only One Death” by Raoul Ruiz.
That was 1986, not 1976.
In August of 1971 while I was at the Universita' per Stranieri, I went several times to what was then called the Modernissimo, a cinema d'essai or repertory cinema at that time. I saw six films there. They were the Russian “The Cranes Are Flying” by Kosintsev, the French “A Man Escaped” by Bresson, the Italian “Ostia” by Sergio Citti, the Italian “La Notte” by Antonioni, the Italian “Under the Sign of Scorpio” by the Taviani Brothers, the Italian “La casa delle mele mature” by Pino Tosini. The non-Italian films were dubbed in Italian.
In February 1992 I went to a film here. It was “The 600 Days of Salo'” by Nicola Caracciolo and Valerio Marino, a documentary about Mussolini’s fascist republic in the north of Italy during the final year and a half of World War II.
Italian cinemas had been cut off from American films during the war years.
On August 18, 1969 I went to this cinema to see Visconti’s 1963 “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) in the full uncut 3-hour version for the first time. It had not been shown complete in the U.S. It was such a treat that I sat through it twice and considered myself lucky. A few days later I would see it again in that length at the Rex in Rome.
The first movie I ever went to in Italy was at this cinema on July 27, 1969 to see Pietro Germi’s “Serafino” with Adriano Celentano. It was a pleasant place, as I recall.
The Rex was demolished after 1997.
On August 23, 1969 I went here to see Visconti’s “The Leopard” (Il gattopardo). The 1963 film was making its rounds across Italy again in its original version. The uncut version would not play in the U.S. for almost another 20 years.
On July 30, 1983 I went to see Franco Piavoli’s film “The Blue Planet” (Il pianeta azzurro) here. It was a beautifully photographed kind of symphony of nature. I think I was the only person in the afternoon audience.
It’s an interesting angle that captures much more of what is beyond the theatre and down the road.
This is the cinema where Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” had its premiere on February 3, 1960.
On July 16, 1985 I saw the Liliana Cavani shocker “La Pelle” in this cinema. On December 28, 1993 I went to see the Chinese film “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou. It might have been the only Chinese film I ever saw dubbed in Italian.
I took the Metropolitana here to see “Mignon e' partita” on July 22, 1989.
Looks like Italian films by De Sica, Rossellini, and Malaparte were playing in town.
I came here once to see a movie. It was February 23, 1974 for the local first run of Fellini’s “Amarcord.” I remember the house being packed with enthusiastic patrons.
I visited here once, probably in the 1980s, to see a film. Can’t remember the title.
My 2005 photo.
The theatre appears in the 1960 film “Un amore a Roma” and can be seen in a clip on YouTube.
On August 24, 1969 I went to see the Italian movie “Flashback” here.
Another film I saw here was “A ciascuno il suo” or “We Still Kill the Old Way” by Elio Petri on August 27, 1971.