This was the first cinema that I saw 70mm in! Half A Sixpence, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Ice Station Zebra, Ben Hur (1969 reissue) and Where Eagles Dare were all shown here in 70mm with Six Track Stereo. Even as recently as a year or two ago I dreamed it had reopened and was so happy in the dream! So clearly my subconscious holds it in high regard. I also saw The Mask aka Eyes Of Hell there in anaglyph 3D (my first X movie in a double bill with Roger Corman’s The Haunted Palace).
Its wonderful to see that many others have appreciation for this once extraordinary cinema. Anyone know what happened to the Manager previous to the time of its redevelopment? I’d love to thank him for the many special times I spent there!
I have fond memories of many visits to the ABC Savoy (as it was known when I was a child). In the 1960’s it was one of two ABC Cinemas in Luton – the other was the ABC Ritz in Gordon Street. I think the tripling was significant because it was one of the first (?) and unlike later subdivisions the building was gutted and three distinct auditoria were created (not like the “cheaper” and more common practice of dropping a wall from the front of the circle and making two auditoria out of the space underaneath as in the Odeon at Luton and many other locations!). Architecturally the three auditoria were pretty much featureless. At the time of opening as a triple, Screen 2 had 70mm facilities. Screen 1 was upgraded to Dolby Stereo in 1984.
Yeah – thanks Woody found the images on the Apollo website a few days after posting my comment above. You know I’d love to beleive that the Apollo may indeed offer London filmgoers something special but the images remind me uncomfortably of the long-gone and unmissed (?) horrible five screen Cannon on Oxford Street – with a few more reflective surfaces! We’ll see! I live in hope!
Does anyone know any more about the new cinema development on this site? I understand it is to be operated by the Apollo Cinema Chain. Will they be offering us the usual non-descript modern cinema auditoria or something more stylish?
My reaction to the horrible redevelopment of this once wonderful theatre was thought to be over-the-top by my friends. I was decimated that such a wonderful cinema auditorium could have been greedily and unimaginatively sub-divided. I still miss it badly – whatever was shown there looked and sounded magnificent – and the projection always displayed a sense of showmanship (appropriate intermission and overture music etc.). Even the cinemas recorded telephone message of programme info etc. (the manger’s voice?) generated a sense of expectation.
This was the first cinema that I saw 70mm in! Half A Sixpence, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Ice Station Zebra, Ben Hur (1969 reissue) and Where Eagles Dare were all shown here in 70mm with Six Track Stereo. Even as recently as a year or two ago I dreamed it had reopened and was so happy in the dream! So clearly my subconscious holds it in high regard. I also saw The Mask aka Eyes Of Hell there in anaglyph 3D (my first X movie in a double bill with Roger Corman’s The Haunted Palace).
Its wonderful to see that many others have appreciation for this once extraordinary cinema. Anyone know what happened to the Manager previous to the time of its redevelopment? I’d love to thank him for the many special times I spent there!
I have fond memories of many visits to the ABC Savoy (as it was known when I was a child). In the 1960’s it was one of two ABC Cinemas in Luton – the other was the ABC Ritz in Gordon Street. I think the tripling was significant because it was one of the first (?) and unlike later subdivisions the building was gutted and three distinct auditoria were created (not like the “cheaper” and more common practice of dropping a wall from the front of the circle and making two auditoria out of the space underaneath as in the Odeon at Luton and many other locations!). Architecturally the three auditoria were pretty much featureless. At the time of opening as a triple, Screen 2 had 70mm facilities. Screen 1 was upgraded to Dolby Stereo in 1984.
Yeah – thanks Woody found the images on the Apollo website a few days after posting my comment above. You know I’d love to beleive that the Apollo may indeed offer London filmgoers something special but the images remind me uncomfortably of the long-gone and unmissed (?) horrible five screen Cannon on Oxford Street – with a few more reflective surfaces! We’ll see! I live in hope!
Does anyone know any more about the new cinema development on this site? I understand it is to be operated by the Apollo Cinema Chain. Will they be offering us the usual non-descript modern cinema auditoria or something more stylish?
My reaction to the horrible redevelopment of this once wonderful theatre was thought to be over-the-top by my friends. I was decimated that such a wonderful cinema auditorium could have been greedily and unimaginatively sub-divided. I still miss it badly – whatever was shown there looked and sounded magnificent – and the projection always displayed a sense of showmanship (appropriate intermission and overture music etc.). Even the cinemas recorded telephone message of programme info etc. (the manger’s voice?) generated a sense of expectation.