The Environment of the Cinematic Spectacle. The Architecture of the Early Russian Movie Theaters
Abstract
The emergence of cinema brought about the issue of forming
a comfortable environment for film screenings. This essay analyzes the
characteristics of the first spaces used for film exhibition in St. Petersburg and
Moscow and the architecture of the movie theaters built in these cities in the first
decades of the 20th century and characterized by a combination of theatrical
architectural traditions, eclectic restaurant design and elements of the fading Art
Nouveau style.
Film exhibition was a profitable business. Initially, screenings were held in rented
spaces but soon specialized buildings were designed and constructed. The essay
looks at the largest and most popular movie theaters built in St. Petersburg’s
main street, Nevsky Prospect, and in the center of Moscow, discussing their
architectural features and their historical development. Thus, during the 1920s
and 1930s, large movie theaters included a foyer with a stage for variety shows
and a theater-like auditorium with a high-mounted, dark-framed screen; the
spectators entered the auditorium via the main entrance and, after the screening,
exited directly to a street or a yard
Keywords
architecture,
electrotheater,
early movie theaters,
façade,
interior,
auditorium,
Neoclassicism,
Art Nouveau,
reconstruction UDC 72.03 Alexander V. Anisimov Doctor of Architecture,
Professor of the National Research University “Moscow State University of Civil Engineering”,
Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences (RAACS) The Environment of the Cinematic Spectacle. The Architecture of the Early Russian Movie Theaters
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Review
For citations:
Anisimov A. The Environment of the Cinematic Spectacle. The Architecture of the Early Russian Movie Theaters. Vestnik VGIK. 2019;11(2(40)):8-20. (In Russ.)
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