Screen Cinema
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Screen Cinema Dublin cinema |
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| Address: | 16-19 Hawkins Street, Dublin 2 |
| Number of screens: | Originally single screen, subdivided into three |
| Former Names: | New Metropole (1972-1975); Metropole (1975-1987) |
| Opened: | 16 March 1972 |
| Architect: | Sir Thomas Bennett and H.J. Lyons & Partners |
| Seats: | 783 |
| Owners: | Ward Anderson |
The Screen Cinema is a three-screen cinema located in Hawkins Street in Dublin's City Centre.
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[edit] History
The Screen Cinema, originally named The New Metropole, opened on 16 March 1972 on the corner of Hawkins Street and Townsend Street, on the site of the previous cinema The Regal, which had been demolished since 1962 to make way for offices. The name derived from the more famous Metropole cinema on O'Connell Street (Penney's now occupy the building), and after its closure in 1973 the New Metropole became the Metropole.
Originally a single screen cinema, the auditorium was tripled in 1982 with the addition of two more screens, which were suspended from the ceiling, meaning the main screen was not reduced.
In 1987, The Ward Anderson Group purchased the Metropole and renamed it the Screen Cinema, and the cinema became the sister cinema to the more well known Savoy Cinema. It was after this acquisition that the Screen began showing more left-field & arthouse films rather than the Hollywood vehicles shown in most cinemas, which in turn gave the cinema a cult audience base.
The cinema received a face-lift between 2004-2005, when the interior was upgraded, however the cinema lost its original marquee and neon sign in favour of an electronic board displaying the day's timetable. [1]
[edit] Today
Despite its unusual layout and loacation (the cinema sits in front of an obstructive edifice), the cinema has achieved a steady flow of cinema-goers over the years, and thrives on popular arthouses films, usually keeping the most successful releases running until just before DVD release. Also, since its inception in 2002, The Screen has played host to the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, and in 2007 alone 48 films were screened over the 6 days the venue was in use. Such celebrities to grace the cinema during the festival's run have included Wim Wenders, Julie Walters, John Boorman, & Eduardo Noriega.
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- ^ The History of Dublin Cinemas, Marc Zimmerman
