|
The Royalty cinema closed on 30th December 1981 - almost thirty years ago.
Now we invite you to meet some of the staff and visit the cinema during its final
days, in a brand-new version of the video documentary Last Reel at the Royalty.
Watch the full video (free)
The video runs for 27 minutes. It is split into four parts here. You will need broadband to view it.
|
Part
1: introduction |
|
 |
|
Part 3: in the projection room |
 |
|
Introduction and brief history. The doors open and manageress Henrietta Eastlake explains why the cinema is closing. |
 |
|
The final film begins. Projectionist John Tessa
talks about 52 years working in cinemas and theatres. Mabel in the ticket office. |
|
Part
2: meet the staff |
Part 4: customers |
 |
|
Meet the staff. Cashier Mabel Chappelhowe recalls 25 years of working at the Royalty. The interval (time for a hot-dog!). |
 |
|
The film comes to an end and some of the customers give their views. What happened to the Royalty next? |
About the video & DVD
We have gone back to the original VHS master tapes and, thanks to digital
video technology, the footage has never looked better. Plus we have been able
to include some shots that haven't been seen before.
You can watch online free right now. If you would like a copy that you can view
on TV and keep, a DVD with many extras will be available to buy soon through this
website.
 In context
The beginning of the 1980's was a bleak time for Britain's cinemas and
its film industry.
Cinema admissions had been in decline for a couple of decades (eventually they
hit an all-time low in 1984) and the oil crisis of the 1970's had pushed up running
costs. The home video-recorder was big news and no one knew what impact it would
have on cinemas in the future.
In 1981, the British film industry made only 24 movies -- the lowest figure since
1914 and one quarter of the number that had been made just two years earlier.
So, it was against this background that many cinemas like the Royalty pondered
their future and looked for possible alternatives.
Other websites
Cinema World - a gallery of 433 images of cinemas on the photo-sharing site Flickr.
Kencta's Photos - more than 700 photos of cinemas around the world on the photo-sharing site Flickr.
The
Smallest Show On Earth - watch the classic film for free online or download.
Bill Travers and Virgina McKenna inherit an old cinema -- The Bijou. Also starring
Margaret Rutherford and Peter Sellers. It seems that this film is in the public domain in the USA. So freely available there.
|