DVDs, downloads, live streaming – it’s never been easier to catch a film. But no matter how good home entertainment systems and computers get, nothing will ever beat watching a film on the silver screen. Cinemas may not be as packed as they used to be, but you can still experience some of that old-school movie-going magic at these epic theatres.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – Los Angeles, USA
There are many remarkable things about this movie theatre – its iconic Chinese-style façade, vast 2,200-seat auditorium and spectacularly ostentatious interiors to name a few. Yet it’s the theatre’s Hollywood Boulevard address that has made Grauman’s the world’s most famous cinema. Host to countless Hollywood film premières over the decades, some of cinema’s brightest stars have sat in its front rows. Before going in, be sure to check out the foot and hand prints of the stars set into its legendary forecourt.
4DX screens at CGV Cinemas – Seoul, South Korea
If you thought 3D was the cutting edge of cinema, think again. 4D is all about activating the cinema-goer’s senses beyond seeing and hearing. That means watching a 3D film in a mechanised seat that moves in tandem with the camera’s movements, that pounds you in the back during scenes of violence or impact and has jets that propel water and air into your face simulating anything from weather to bullets flying. The South Korean movie theatre company CJ CGV came up with the technology and it’s now installed at a number of its multiplexes in Seoul including Gangnam-gu.
Under the Brooklyn Bridge – New York, USA
Every summer, Brooklyn Bridge Park (a small green space in the shadow of the iconic bridge on the Brooklyn side of the river) shows a number of classic films on a temporary giant movie screen. Practically every cinema screen in the world is setup to block out the sights and sounds of the outside world. But here, with the vast Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline all lit up behind, it’s sometimes difficult to concentrate on the screen. Oh, and did we mention all the showings are free?
Rooftop Cinema – Melbourne, Australia
There are lots of bars and restaurants in cities around the world screening films on their rooftops. However, none of them matches up to the Rooftop Cinema in Melbourne, the daddy of skyscraping screens. Parked on top of an office building in the centre of the city, this dedicated space has a top quality giant screen and enviable views of Melbourne’s cityscape. Tip – bring a hat if you visit during the day, as it gets incredibly hot.
Honourable mention: The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin (Texas, USA) for wacky, themed classic nights such as “Quote Alongs”, “Heckle Vision” and fancy dress.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to …
