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The Electric Cinema in Cinema Hall
Portobello Road, is unique in the The ideal proportions of a cinema
roll-call of recently completed hall in respect of the relationship of the
cinema projects in the UK. It is screen to the seated area (ignoring sight
England's oldest operating cinema lines for the time being) are
and now arguably London's finest approximately 1:2. What is meant by
luxury cinema. This is all the more this is that the last row from the screen
astonishing when you consider that should be roughly twice the width of
in 1993 the cinema was run down the screen or picture size. Some
and appeared to close its doors for cinemas have ratios of 1:2.5 or even
good, having struggled under a 1:2.8, but anything more than this
succession of different owners since would create a tunnel-like and therefore
the mid 80's. However, the cinema unacceptable film environment. It has
was rescued from oblivion by Peter been said that The Electric previously
Simon, founder of the Monsoon and housed 600 tip-up seats, but in order to
Accessorize chain of shops, who maintain the ideal viewing proportions
started his career with a stall on for a luxury cinema it now has 98
Portobello Road many years ago. luxury leather armchairs complete with
The multi-million pound their own footstools and providing
modernisation of The Electric plenty of legroom. Beside each
Cinema and restoration to its armchair is a low-shelf for light snacks
former Edwardian glory was complete with wine cooler for that
carried by the present cinema obligatory bottle of Chablis or
operator, Nick Jones and his Chardonnay to complement the film
colleagues at Soho House Ltd UK. viewing experience. You can even get
sushi from the brasserie next door
delivered to your seat if that is your
The Electric and the Era of the Luxury Cinema by Bill Chew
choice. If you prefer to view your films
The Electric has been described by doing so it has ushered in an entirely in an inclined position there are four
David Atwell in his book Cathedrals of new film performance environment - futons available. The 98 armchairs are
The Movies (1980) as having ‘the that of the luxury cinema. arranged in 7 rows of 14.
earliest unaltered cinema interior in The idea of the luxury cinema is not
Britain ... built a few months after the new. A few years ago some national
Biograph in 1905. Like almost every operators created the idea of the
early cinema, it is a simple rectangular ‘premiere cinema’ within their
hall with a barrel-vaulted roof, and multiplexes. These cinemas mimicked
moulded plasterwork arranged as ribs the trends in business class travel. The
and as decorative panels.’ Remarkably premiere cinema generally consisted of
this cinema interior including the a plush and spacious cinema
proscenium arch and globe above it has environment with 40 to 50 recliner
been preserved to this day. chairs located within them. However at
The UK has experienced a boom in The Electric the concept of the luxury
cinema construction in the past 20 cinema has been taken to an entirely
years- the two discernible trends being new level altogether. Mandy Kean, The Electric’s luxury leather armchairs.
the multiplex revolution and the recent cinema manager at Soho House
revival of the budget cinema. The explains “Nick Jones initially wanted
Despite the seat of the armchair
rationale of the multiplex is to pack as the cinemas to be like the first class
being slightly lower than a normal
many seats and programs as possible cabin in an aircraft, where you can have
cinema seat, the sight lines to the
into each cellular cinema with the aim whatever food and drink you want and
screen work extremely well and the
of increasing the bottom line. watch a film at the same time... and it
audiences simply love the relaxed
With the budget cinema the aim is has gone on from there”. In addition to atmosphere of the cinema. The seating
not too dissimilar; it is to sell as many the cinema, The Electric Cinema arrangement proposed proved so
cheap seats as possible on the internet complex comprises a brasserie next unusual to the local authority, The
prior to the performance, providing a door and a private members club on the Royal Borough of Kensington and
cinema environment with few frills. It is first floor with private function rooms Chelsea, and unlike other cinemas or
therefore refreshing that The Electric available for press launches, photo multiplexes they had encountered
Cinema has chosen to eschew both shoots, etc. The cinema has also been before, that they requested cinema
these trends. The Electric has reduced designed as a multi-purpose venue management to obtain the approval of
its seating capacity but at the same time capable of being used for film the seating plan from the film
invested heavily in comfort in the premieres and press conferences.
distributors first, before granting
auditorium and in endeavouring to So what are the main features of a
approval themselves.
provide the optimum viewing conditions luxury cinema which distinguish it
both in picture and sound quality. By from other cinemas?

10 2005 CINEMARECORD