01) Avoca Beach Picture Theatre
The Avoca Beach Picture Theatre in a suburb of
Australia’s Central Coast, near Sydney, looks like a surf shack or beach bar.
Its single screen shows classics from throughout film history, and film
appreciation societies host lively post-film discussions on the gorgeous
outdoor terrace. Built in 1951, the cinema, situated harmoniously within its
seashore environs, is consistently hailed the most beautiful in Australia.
02) The Castro Theatre
The famous Castro Theatre, San Francisco is a fusion of
architectural styles befitting California’s great melting pot city. It’s opened
in 1921; the Castro has received many additions, like its neon sign hoisted
into place in the late 1930s and an elaborate Art Deco chandelier. An icon in
San Francisco’s gay community for decades, the Castro remains hugely successful
showing new releases, repertory classics and communal sing alongs.
03) Cine Acapulco
The Cine Acapulco opened in 1958, just before the Cuban
Revolution deposed President Batista. It is a masterpiece of late Art Deco
design, from the provocatively forward slanting font of its marquee to the wall
length mirror that appears to expand the lobby to infinity. Today there are
only 40 cinemas operating in Cuba and all under strict government control meanwhile
prices at most of them, including at the Cine Acapulco, have not changed since
the 1950s.
04) Cinematheque Français
The Cinematheque Français is famous for its peerless
collection of film prints, meticulously assembled over decades by famed
archivist Henri Langlois. But for most of its existence dating back to the 1930s,
the repertory cinema’s beauty was confined to the silver screen itself. That
changed in 1993 when a whole new Cinematheque designed by Frank Gehry opened.
05) The Tampa
The Tampa Theater is a temple to the 1920s Baroque, an
exquisitely preserved example of silent era movie palace excess that could
double for a set in a Douglas Fairbanks swashbuckler. The cinema was erected in
the ‘Florida Mediterranean’ style, meaning that it includes touches of Moorish,
Spanish, Byzantine, Italian Renaissance, and Greek revival influence. Its
ceiling is painted to resemble the night sky and even includes 99 ‘twinkling
stars’, tiny embedded light bulbs and its Wurlitzer organ, featuring nearly 900
pipes, provides accompaniment before and after screenings of the latest art
house and indie offerings.
06) Cine Thisio
There are many outdoor cinemas in the world but none is
more spectacular than Athens’ Cine Thisio, nestled at the foot of the Acropolis
to afford patrons a glorious view of the Parthenon. It’s one screen shows
mostly new releases and is open only during the summer but it has been
delighting film fans since 1935.
07) Colosseum Kino
Colosseum Kino, Oslo is the largest cinema in Scandinavia
with over 1,000 seats for its single screen. It also distinguishes itself for
its crystal clear acoustics. Meanwhile Norwegians may know it best simply for
its striking spherical dome which adds some geodesic flair to Oslo’s skyline.
08) Raj Mandir
Jaipur’s Raj Mandir is the most popular Hindi movie
theatre in India, consistently sold out night after night. Designed in the Art
Moderne style, with tile mosaics arranged in intricate geometric patterns and
dimly lit alcoves suggesting a maharaja’s palace, the Raj opened in 1976. The
lobby is lit with white lights before each screening and then with blue lights
during the interval.
09) Rex Cinema
The Rex Cinema may be the most beautiful cinema in
Britain. Looking much as it did when it first opened in 1936, the walls are
covered in wave patterns with small lamps that peek above the crests like
rising suns. The Art Deco cinema features the very latest in projection and
sound technology – and boasts some very comfortable seats.
10) The Music Box
The Music Box is a time-capsule movie palace that still
looks much as it did when it opened in the 1920s. Flanking its giant screen is
a simulacrum of a Tuscan courtyard, complete with balconies, sculpted loggia,
and a ceiling painted blue to suggest the night sky.