Regent Street Cinema

To continue from my 2017 post, I’ve visited this theater each year from its 2015 reopening thru 2019, when I had to pause due to the Pandemic my visits to London from Philadelphia. In 2018, I enjoyed a sold out local premiere of an Australian film “Breadth” which was accompanied by a wine reception, and in 2019, “That’ll be the Day” (1973) with a Q & A with the film writer & producer. Last month, I enjoyed “Downton Abbey: A New Era” here and I posted photos of the beautiful auditorium and marvelous hand drawn staffer posters for the movie and for “Top Gun: Maverick” The history panels showcasing the theater’s most remarkable history are no longer in the concession foyer, but I hope they return.

This is heritage listed as Ken’s Intro states: “In March 2015, the Regent Street Cinema was designated a Grade II Listed building.” It also deserves more than 5 comments. On vacation from Philadelphia, enjoyed 2 movies here in 2015 including a screening of “Reds” with the screenwriter on stage, and 3 in 2016 including “S is for Stanley” (with special guests -the co-author & the Archivist of Kubrick’s papers on stage), the “Knack…and how to get it” (with special guests including the author of a book on that period of films on stage), and on Halloween, a screening of Halloween. The historic character of this movie theater is wonderful! There are great history panels in the concessions/bar foyer. It really is neat to have a historic movie theater in the central, commercial shopping district, just as there used to be.

I was a projectionist there when it was a classic in the 70’s

Disgusting that the cinema will be destroyed. Absolute shambles that this has been given the go ahead.