Empire of Light.

[Ken Finch]

I visited our local cinema this week and a forthcoming film Empire. Of Light, which was partly filmed in Margate using the Dreamland cinema building may be of interest to any ex cinema projectionists was trailered. There are a number of projection room scenes as one of the key characters is the projectionist. Ken Finch😊

[Brian Fretwell]

They even built a second frontage to match the Dreamland cinema on vacant land very close to it.

I must say though that the real entrance to the Dreamland cinema was not as shown, but at the left hand corner of the building.

[Ken Finch]

You are quite right Brian about the entrance. Everything is back to normal now. Incidentally, the last manager/projectionist at the Dreamland cinema was until recently one of the team at our local cinema in Herne Bay, the Kabanagh. Ken Finch😊

[Brian Fretwell]

Yes, I was taken on holiday to there by my parents in the 1960's. I can't say I went into the Dreamland cinema, but I do remember going to the one in the High St. that is now a Salvation Army centre. I saw both of the Doctor Who films with Peter Cushing playing Dr Who (as he named himself in them). But I did pass it a couple of times each day.
Oh for the days that Dreamland was open in the evenings and had a miniature railway.

[Ken Finch]

Peter Cushing lived at Whitstable. What used to be the Oxford Cinema there is now converted into a Weatherspoons and is named after him. They have a 35mm projector in the entrance foyer. Ken Finch.

[Graham Ritchie]

Went to the cinema today to watch it, sorry folks didn't think much of it

[Graham Ritchie]

One thing that did catch my attention yesterday before "Empire Of The Light" started was this trailer, it looks good, might return to watch this one

[Adrian Winchester]

I'm projecting two screenings of 'Empire of Light' and saw about half of it at the first one. I wish it had been a documentary about the cinema as that would have been fascinating! I'm now presuming that the downstairs foyer we see was inside the second frontage that was built, but I'd be very interested to know if Ken (or anyone) knows if many of the other interior shots, such as the large auditorium, were the real cinema? We see upstairs areas that look abandoned, but this 2019 article refers to a major restoration: https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-...g-cold-2915485
Here's a recent article about the locations, that seeks to promote tourism: https://www.visitkent.co.uk/visit-ke...se-up-margate/

[Brian Fretwell]

I saw on one TV show that the auditorium was the real Dreamland cinema one, but they had to find the seats which were elsewhere in the building and re-instate them for the film (there were the right number still there). Looks like both the film and the people who are restoring Dreamland benefited from that.

[Ken Finch]

In response to Adrian’s query, it is difficult to confirm which parts of the building were original because of the changes made to the interior over the years, but the shots of the derelict parts shown in the film are original as is the main foyer. In conversation with the last projectionist/manager, only 1 of screens was in use when it closed and then everything was ripped out from all 3 screens and the rest of the building that was out of use just left derelict. The biggest of the tripled auditoriums was used in the film but proscenium had to be built because the one modified when it was tripled was ripped out. This was not the original one anyway. I think there are more details of the building available from the C T A. of which I am a member. It is a mine of information of u k cinemas. Ken Finch.😊

[Ed Gordon]

One thing that did catch my attention yesterday before "Empire Of The Light" started was this trailer, it looks good, might return to watch this one

Graham, Living is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. It is nominated for several awards (Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9051908/awards). I had never heard of this until you posted the trailer.

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ed its one I will watch when it comes out

Ken

Today while I was down at the Heritage Park a person came up to me and we started taking about 35mm projectors he was looking at the Weststar. This person was from "Worthing" out here on holiday, and had spent a lot of time working in the cinema there, I think he said it was the oldest in England, before going of to University. He told me the projectionist had been there 50 years . Anyway in the 15 minute or so chat I had with him, and the stories he told me of his time there, were certainly a lot more interesting to listen to than that 2hr film I sat through this week.

The thought that came to me after the chat, and as Adrian has mentioned above, I think it would be a great idea to make your "own movie" on the South Coast Cinemas, along the same lines of the interesting video interviews that were made a few years ago on the DVD called "The Projectionist".

Just a thought but this DVD is a good example.

[Graham Ritchie]

By the way here is the trailer to the above DVD

[Ed Gordon]

... I wish it had been a documentary about the cinema as that would have been fascinating! I'm now presuming that the downstairs foyer we see was inside the second frontage that was built, but I'd be very interested to know if Ken (or anyone) knows if many of the other interior shots, such as the large auditorium, were the real cinema? ...]

Adrian, this video answers some of your questions:

Olivia Colman, Sam Mendes and Toby Jones on the filming locations for Empire of Light

[Ken Finch]

Graham, in answer to your suggestion to make a movie of the South Coast Cinemas, I am flattered but must decline. About 3 years ago I gave a talk to our local history group here at Herne on the history of cinemas from Whitstable round to Birchington. I did not include Margate because of time limits and the number of cinemas that had existed there over the years. My talk was in the form of a 1 hour movie which I made with the help of one of my amateur film making club colleagues using information etc from magazines etc published by The Cinema Theatre Association. It is well worth looking at the website. I also have the dvd of The Last Projectionist. It was mentioned by The Projected Picture Trust. This organisation preserves, restores and maintain cinema projectors and many members are ex projectionists or maintenance engineers. Their main base is now in Halifax but used to be at Bletchley Park. It is another website worth a visit. Both organisations would welcome new members. I am afraid my movie making days are coming to an end, partly due to my age but mainly because of the difficulty in keeping up with the rapid changes in the technology and vide o formats. This is one of the reasons that amateur film making clubs are packing up.Ken Finch.😒