Saturday 21 February 2009

20# Arthouse vs. Multiplex

As everyone who regularly reads my blogs knows, I love Arthouse cinemas. And if you have been to one even once you will fall in love with it. My local Arthouse cinema is the Duke Of York’s Picturehouse in Brighton. My first trip there was to see last years rather disappointing ‘Quantum Of Solace’ and even though the film was a big flop the cinema was just like the holy grail of film going experiences since most of my life I have been going to the boring multiplexes like Cineworld and ODEON. So thought I would write my thoughts down and try to convince all you beautiful people to go and support the building because thousands of people flock into the multiplexes whilst the Arthouse cinemas a loosing money.

Once I went I had to go back, again and again and again. And I still plan to go every week unless the film I want to review is not on. When the latest film isn’t on, they play classics such as Gilliam’s ‘Brazil’ (15/03/09) and they even have trilogy nights like ‘Lord Of The Rings’ all nighters (which gets me exited). Last month they had a ‘Kill Bill’ night and if you have met me and we have talked about film you’ll know how big of a Tarantino fan I am. But its not just classics that get shown its foreign films like ‘The Class’. The reason why I love a cinema that plays classic films is because people who weren’t into films or even alive during the films release can know what it was like when the films first came out years back.

The Duke Of York's cinema opened in 1910 and was one Brighton's first picture palaces and also one of the first cinemas in the world. Know how many of you knew that one of the first cinemas in the world was so close to home? When walking through the doors and waiting in line for your ticket just looking behind the desk and seeing all the classic movie posters like Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ placed on the walls you know your in good company. And at the confectionary stands not only do they sell the old packet of sweets or pop corn but also some very British coffee and cakes.

Now on the flip verse its time to talk about the multiplex’s. However in stead of talking about every single on I’m going to talk about one I went to the other day, the ODEON by Brighton’s sea front. This time when walking though the entrance I was welcomed by a long queue. On the walks are the latest poster for such films like ‘The Pink Panther 2’ it didn’t really fell the same. How ever a rather positive to going to a multiplex is the amount of screens so if you don’t want to see on film you can always change your mind. Then at the confectionary stand they have the same sweet/salt popcorn, cheesy nacho’s, ect. But this time they are crazily high priced that for someone with out a job can’t afford. At least ODEON lets you take in your own food unlike Cineworld who confiscates food from the outside world as if it’s a scary foreign thing with germs or something. Then you get into the screen and have you legs crushed in the claustrophobic seats. Then the films start and unlike at the Duke Of York were everyone respects the movie and shuts up, you hear girls giggling and cocky lads talking. This is actually what happened to me when I saw ‘The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button’. I was amazing why no one told them to shut up. But then again no one really cares unlike they do at a Arthouse cinema.

Really what I want you to get from this is that you should at the very least go to see a film at the Duke Of Yorks. It cosier, the people who work there and the people who go all have a passion for films. If you yourself have a love for films you will feel right at home.

Oliver Hunt

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