The Tampa Theatre 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 lightbulbs and its Wurlitzer organ, featuring nearly 900 pipes,
provides accompaniment before and after screenings of the latest
arthouse and indie offerings. (John Coletti/JAI/Corbis)
Cine Thisio
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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. Its one screen shows mostly new releases and is open only
during the summer but it has been delighting film fans since 1935.
(Courtesy of Cine Thisio)
Colosseum Kino
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Oslo’s Colosseum Kino is the largest
cinema in Scandinavia with over 1,000 seats for its single screen. It
also distinguishes itself for its crystal-clear acoustics. But
Norwegians may know it best simply for its striking spherical dome which
adds some geodesic flair to Oslo’s skyline. (Wikimedia Commons)
Raj Mandir
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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. And if that wasn’t already overwhelming enough to the senses,
floral scents are pumped in via air conditioning ducts located under
each of its more than 1,000 seats. (Corbis)
Rex Cinema
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Reopened in Berkhamsted, UK after a nearly
20-year hiatus, 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. (Robert Stainforth/Alamy)
The Music Box Theatre
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Billing itself as ‘Chicago’s
year-round film festival’, 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. (Robert Holmes/Corbis)
-BBC
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