One of the most popular parts of Vamos Young People’s Theatre’s recent exhibition, The Projectionist, was without doubt a humble typewriter. Sitting on a checked tablecloth next to a red velvet chair, the traditional 1950s machine invited visitors to type up their own first memories of going to the cinema on its venerable gold and black keys. Interactions were certainly entertaining: many younger people weren’t sure how the typewriter worked, and even older visitors had forgotten how to ‘return’ the reel. Perhaps the most interesting realisation for many was there was no ‘delete’ button...
Many who visited the exhibition left a memory, and all were wonderful. In celebration, we’ve selected a few of our favourites and transcribed them (thank you, Alice) because they make such great reading. Feel free to leave a comment with your own memory or story about cinema if you’d like: the computer keyboard isn’t half as much fun as the typewriter, but we’d love to hear from you.
Photo Charlie Hammond
“When I was growing up in Birmingham you could go to the cinema for 6 pence on a Saturday morning. On your birthday you would have a free invitation where you could go to the cinema, get up on stage and everyone would sing happy birthday to you”. Ken Goode
“My first trip to the cinema was to see I am dreaming of a White Christmas with Bing Crosby. I remember the cinema, but not the film I was 7 years old”. Dorte, 67 years old
“My first memory of going to the cinema is going to The Regal cinema in Evesham when I was at primary school. I walked with my classmates and my Dad who has volunteered to supervise. We watched James and the Giant Peach. When we got to the cinema the ceiling was peeling and it looked like the roof was going to fall on our heads, it was really cold. I remember the film being scary. When we walked home it was snowing”. Alice, aged 23
“I went with my 4 year old brother- I was 5 – to see Snow White in our home town, Greenock, Scotland. What I remember most clearly is loosing the chocolate biscuit, a Blue Riband, my mother had given me”. Jenifer, aged 66
“My name is Ian and my first memory is going to the Saturday club with my friends. We would watch Roy Rodgers and Dan Dare or the Marx Brothers. It cost five old pence or 7d. It was last 3hours. It was at the cinema in Olton, Solihull... sadly long since closed and demolished.”
“Going to the Odeon cinema, Worcester with a thermo flask of tea and a big bag of sandwidges and staying in their all day to watch the films over and over again to keep warm and stay out of the rain” Sue Bray, 59
” “My Dad took me to see The Sound Of Music, just him and me.”
“I kissed until my lips were sore...”
“I remember getting removed from the auditorium in the Moreton-in-Marsh Roxy by my embarrassed mother when Bambi’s mother got shot. My first insight in to mortality.”
“The first time I went to the cinema it was really cool with a big screen” Lottie, aged 9
“I went to see “The Shaggy Dog” with my Sunday school group. We weren’t a religious family, my Mum just liked to play the organ.”
“My name is Julie, my first memory was a circus film with a tight rope walker who had a crisis of confidence. Then I remember “The Wizard Of Oz” which was black and white...but then it went to colour... Wonderful.”
My first trip to the cinema I can remember was in the late 1960’s to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as part of a Saturday morning kids cinema club. I can’t recall the film so much as the building, people, smells and sounds.
The building was Art Deco with grand stairs with heavy doors sporting brass fittings. The walls had all the mouldings and carpets from the 30s but I think the colours where more 1950s with candy pinks and blues. There was this old doorman with a military type coat who let you into the cinema itself but not before you pressing your hands against the hot glass box of the popcorn booth and smelt the heat and pop pop pop!!! There was a real sense of excitement as you lined up before being lit into the darkness until your eyes adjusted to find the white lights on walls and ceiling light which seemed so far up that the light it gave appeared like stars and no use to see by. There was the constant shuffle of people getting to seats, eating sweets if early (sweets were an after school treat if you were lucky) so to have them in the dark during the day was kind of magic.The picture would come into focus and was often a trailer of films to come and for me they always seemed to include horses galloping across the screen. It was the start, the build-up and anticipation which I loved, followed by the seemingly overly bright return to sunlight in the streets which confirmed you had been in a different place. You suddenly had to be able to turn on all the rules of being in the real world again. BUT the smells, sounds and feelings stayed with you and a part of you stayed behind until the next time.
I loved it.
ReplyMy first visit to the cinema was to the Classic cinema in Brighton to see Fantasia. It was magical but I cried my eyes out when I found out dinosaurs were extinct!! I wanted a Stegosaurus to walk to school with. Sian 53
ReplyI remember going to the cinema for the first time with my parents and brother. I had been bought a helium balloon of a parrot that day (I’m not sure if that bore any relation to the film). I remember there was a pre-feature with the Gummi Bears and then another film but I don’t remember what that was, possibly the Jungle Book hence the parrot?
The helium parrot deflated not long after that day and my Dad promised to stuff it with feathers, he never did.
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