Cinemas in Britain

Despiteanunevenhistoryintermsofitspopularity,thecinemacontinuestoplayanimportantroleinBritishcultureandcinemabuildingsareavitalpartofcommunitiesacrossthecountry.ThisfascinatingbookisacomprehensiveexaminationofthehistoryofthecinemabuildinginBritain,fromits19th-centuryoriginsrightuptothepresentday.Theearliestcinemaswerelittlemorethanshopconversionsorbasicrectangularrooms.However,aspopularityoffilm-goinggrewintheWorldWarIperiod,andlaterwiththearrivalof'talkies'fromHollywoodin1928,therewasagreatsurgeofnewbuilding,andcinemasbecamemorecomplexinstyle.Thesemoviepalacesofthe1920sand1930s,theheydayofcinema,couldseatasmanyas4000people,andoftenfeaturedfantasyinteriors,styledafterEgyptiantemplesorGothiccathedrals.Withthearrivaloftelevisioninthelate1940s,cinemaaudiencesdwindled,andanewtypeofbuildingwithseveral,smallerauditoriabecamenecessary.Therecentresurgenceinthepopularityoffilm-goinghascausednotonlythearrivalofthe'multiplex'butalso,moreimportantly,increasingrecognitionoftheimportanceofthemoviepalacesofthehalcyondaysofcinema.Thishassofarledtoaround120cinemasinBritainreceivinglistedstatus,thuspreservingthemforfuturegenerations.Fullyrevisedsinceitsoriginalpublicationin1996,andincludingagazetteerofsurvivingcinemas,CinemasinBritainnotonlyprovidesafullarchitecturalhistorybutalsoevokesthemagicofmovie-going.