Members' Slide & Social Event

This was another chance for members to show their favourite images or give a presentation on a subject of their choice.

Members' Smash Hits

by Richard Norman

For the last few years, January has been a month full of surprises for those attending the 'Members' Slide Show'. It was the idea of our chairman David Trevor-Jones for members to show a miscellany and cornucopia from their personal collection of cinema related images (either stills or movies). Members came out of the closet to proudly present an extravaganza which were smash hits.

The show has evolved to become a popular evening's entertainment. The latest meeting held on Saturday 12th January (2013) consisted of about a dozen members showing items to satisfy all tastes. The audience was totally unaware of what they were about to see until the member delivered a mini-presentation and the image hit the screen.

Some comments received were: "I love these evenings - you don't know what's going to appear on the screen!"; "Keep those treasures rolling in"; "Exceptional value - nice buffet"; "It was good to dig out some of this material and show it to people who appreciate it" and "Would be good if these events were held more than once a year". On the other hand, we also heard from a member who could not stand the pace -"Far too much to take in and it went on for too long!"

To give an idea of the variety, here is a list of member's presentations:

Tim McCullen: CINEMA MAKING A REVIVAL - A Radio4 programme in the series 'The Local Network' broadcast c1987 with comments and interviews from industry personalities looking into the future of cinemas and cinema-going. An audio cassette recording that has been aired from Tim's personal collection.

Ken Roe: YOU'VE GOT MAIL - A collection of cinema photos from around the world, received via email in Ken's contribution to the Cinema Treasures website. Some cinemas were in obscure locations and some senders requested further information such as "Do you know anything about this cinema?" and "I photographed this many years ago and thought you would like to see it."

John Benzing: THE CTA ON YouTube - Consisting of 'An Evesham Teaser' - a shortie of the CTA's visit to Evesham (2012) including a lounge Wurlitzer installation; followed by our visit to 'Munich & Stuttgart' (2011). His slot concluded with photos from 'American Drive-in Movies', snippets from the feature film Rock Around The Clock as shown at the Cinema Museum (2012). John discovered that he could make short movies of our visits on his inexpensive digital camera and set about creating these for showing on the internet's YouTube. Unfortunately John was unable to attend in person and his work was shown by Richard Norman. John's videos can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/jbmoviebank

Ian Meyrick: A NATIONAL DISGRACE - The story of how the Rink/Majestic cinema (1933) in Oxford closed abruptly in 1940 when it was used as an emergency shelter when several thousand evacuees suddenly descended from London. The unpleasant conditions raised questions in Parliament about its suitability and it never reopened as a cinema. Ian used photos and original advertising material.

Allen Eyles: ABROAD - A NATIONAL MONUMENT - Photographs of the Lumière Quarter at Monplaisir, Lyon, France (where the Lumière Brothers experimented with animated pictures). Taken by Allen on his visit in 2011.

Wilf Watters: RE-OPENING OF PAVILION, SHEPHERD'S BUSH - A Gaumont British special film of the 1954 ceremony, followed by At The Pictures - how GB Newsreels were filmed, edited and prepared for distribution to cinemas. (courtesy John Young, former Gaumont manager).

David Jones and Nick Fyffe: AN ABC QUIZ - Architect's drawings of cinema exteriors and interiors from both post and pre-war opening programmes. The answers were revealed later in the show as either photos of the cinemas, opening tickets or other related items.

Martin Cleave: SUPER CINEMAS ON CELLULOID - Extracts on 16mm film featuring cinemas and cinema-going in the 1930s and 40s. Also extracts from Yanks starring Richard Gere filmed at the Davenport, Stockport, followed by "Let’s Go to the Movies", a number from Annie showing Radio City Music Hall, New York and some scenes from the Greta Garbo film Camille. Martin provided a welcome return to pre-digital days by showing a 'proper film'.

Nick Fyffe: A GLIMPSE OF CINEMA INTERIORS - Some unusual and rare slides of the interiors of the ABC Blackpool, mid-1960s; ABC/Coronet, Holloway Road c1963, with emphasis on the projection box (one of the last to use carbon arcs), and Odeon, Swiss Cottage interiors during conversion from 3 to 6 screens. From Nick's collection of 35mm slide transparencies.

Adam Unger: LONDON SUPERS - Looking at super-cinemas in the London area, sadly now demolished. These were - Regal, Edmonton; Commodore, Hammersmith; Gaumont Palace, Lewisham and Regent, Stamford Hill. The odd one out was the Granada, Clapham Junction which survives (and where we hope to hold this year's AGM). Adam's slides were from the late 'John Squire's Collection', taken in the late 1960s and early 70s.

Julia Courtney: HAVANA IN THE 1950s - A chance to recall the CTA's Cuba visit showing some cinemas in Havana's 23rd Street in Vedado (La Rampa), nicknamed Broadway. This was a Cuban Airlines promotional film (shown on DVD). Julia is famous for her Travelogues to the CTA!

Alexia Lazou: DUKE'S AT KOMEDIA - The latest addition to Brighton's cinema scene is the Komedia. Operated by Picturehouse in conjunction with the Duke of York's, Brighton. Alexia Lazou, who is very enthusiastic and is a volunteer at these venues, showed us some images taken at Komedia's recent opening event.

Do you have any hidden gems to show to members?

Due to the success of the January meeting, we are planning a similar event to take place during the coming summer.

Do you have a little story to tell or a description to give of anything cinema-related - photos, slides, movies, audio clips, programmes, posters or other ephemera? It doesn't matter what format originals are in, we will transfer them to images suitable for screening. If you are unable to attend in person at our London venue, don't despair - we can work to your notes and present your item on your behalf.

To discuss your ideas please contact: Richard Norman, e mail: RichardNormanCTA@aol.com or phone: 020 8668 6077