In Prague in the cinemas of the old days

Nowadays, going to the cinema is often a similar experience to going to a shopping centre, with long queues for both tickets and popcorn, and large posters in all corners advertising films about to hit the screens. In other cases however, the experience can be more original and even cultural. In Prague, seeing a film on the big screen can even feel like a jump into the past, in the historical arthouse cinemas such as the Světozor, Aero and Bio Oko cinemas, all of which are managed by real film buffs. This is not to forget the oldest cinema of the Old continent, the legendary Lucerna cinema, located next to Wenceslas Square, which celebrated its hundredth year of existence in 2009. According to its website, it is the oldest European cinema which is still operating. It’s construction was part of a project which started in 1907 by the grandfather of Václav Havel, in collaboration with the architect Stanislav Bechyně. Their dream, which they later fulfilled, was to build a large complex-the Lucerna Palace, a multi-purpose building which would become a reference point for the cultural and social life of the city, basically what it could still be considered today.

The movie theatre, which was completed in 1909, is a genuine architectural gem, particularly popular with lovers of old cinemas, who prefer the intimacy which is impossible to find in large multiscreen cinemas. The extraordinary interior architecture, a splendid combination of Art Nouveau and Renaissance styles, continues to attract cinephiles to the numerous festivals in their program such as Eigasai, the annual Japanese film festival, but also businessmen who can relax in the elegant café, or even use it for business meetings. However, the Kino Lucerna, which also entered history for hosting the premiere of Obrácení Ferdyše Pištory (the first Czechoslovakian sound film), has also been on the receiving end of criticism for the projection standards, despite the notable improvements in recent years.

For those who wish to enjoy top quality international films at reasonable prices (from 80 to 120 crowns), the Světozor and Aero cinemas are among the most loved in the city. The former faces Lucerna Palace, next to Wenceslas Square, and remains one of the most popular not just with Prague’s students, but also with its foreigners. Besides the location right in the centre, it’s fame is also boosted by screening the films in their original language with Czech subtitles, and often with English subtitles for Czech language films. In their program you can find a wide range of different art films, commercial films, and documentaries. As emphasized on the website, “we don’t want to become a fort of intellectuals, but want to present entirely artistic film production”. It is true that when entering the Světozor you can feel international cinema history, with interiors which perfectly match it’s unique atmosphere and the original Czechoslovakian posters of the great classics on its walls. It also boasts a film poster store and a café where they sell their excellent Světozor beer. The cinema also has a long history behind it, which dates back to 1918, the year of its first screening, although after a few years it was to be transformed into a cabaret, which it stayed until 1957, when it was reconstructed into a movie theatre. It was renovated and subsequently reopened the last time in the year 2004.

Moving on to another historical benchmark, the Aero cinema which can be found in the area of Žižkov, could almost be considered the brother of the Světozor since they share the same owners, similar film selections and an atmosphere which prompts film fans to meet up in the bar to discuss what they have seen after the final credits roll. It is precisely this ambience which makes the Aero, Prague’s largest arthouse cinema, a unique place and a one of the few cinemas which remain full from two hours before the screening until a few hours after the final curtain is drawn. The Aero was designed by the architect Henry Freiwald, and constructed from 1930 to 1933, then renovated in 1957. It’s opening on the 10th November 1933, saw the participation of actors such as Vladimír Slavínský, Lida Baarová, Hugo Haas and Antonie Nedošínská.

No Prague cinema however, boasts such an eye catching appearance as the Bio Oko, the only cinema in the Letná area in Prague 7. From the neon lights above the entrance, to the modern bar with top quality beer, there are various things which draw youthful crowds into the Bio Oko. Inside is a truly unique atmosphere, with deck chairs inside the cinema itself, enabling the audience to imagine they are on the beach, or even in a drive-in cinema since you can even sit inside the beautiful cabriolet, as if you were in 1950s USA. Having been built in 1940, the Oko is one of the few classic, traditional cinemas still operating in the city. Despite its age, with the 2004 renovation, it remains a bar where the old and modern fuse marvellously. In addition to this, the building both inside and outside, is a superb example of functionalist architecture. While it typically displays a program which does not vary a great deal from those of its partners in Prague, the Světozor and the Aero, the Bio Oko stands out nevertheless, due to its originality.

If the Lucerna experience may recall an elegant night out in the theatre, while the Aero, Světozor and Oko are more suited to the tastes of more youthful filmgoers, the only cinema which aims only at satisfying the insatiable desires of true film buffs, is the historical Ponrepo-Bio Konvikt. This is the heir of Prague first cinema, the Blue Pike, which was opened on the 15th September 1907 on Karlova street by Viktor Ponrepo, the stage name of Dismas Ferdinand Šlambor, the owner not to mention the cinematographer of the screenhall. The Blue Pike was operating until 1945, but the spirit of the cinema remained as it moved from place to place. The history of the arcade which houses the Ponrepo on Bartolomějská street in Prague 1, dates back to the end of the 18th century when it became one of the most frequented cultural centres of the city, featuring guests such as Ludwig Van Beethoven, Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner. By the 1970s the need to reconstruct the building was evident, due to the terrible state it was in, but only in 1996 were they able to restore the screening room to its original purpose. Unlike other cinemas, those who attend Ponrepo screenings, go solely for quality cinema. It is even necessary to get a membership card to see screenings, but if the place itself is not comparable with the above-mentioned cinemas (even after the restoration it seems a bit narrow and crammed inside), it compensates with an impressive selection of films, celebrating the best of Czech cinema (almost always subtitled in English), but also the international classics. Being also the house of the National film archive of Czechoslovakian films, the Ponrepo is an ideal alternative – a cinema genuinely for lovers of cinema.

by Lawrence Formisano