Movie Magic on Exmoor

by Sandy Francis

The UK Film Council’s most recent figures show that we, as a nation, have fallen back in love with cinema. Last year 173.5 million people bought tickets, the second biggest box-office turnout since 1971 – beginning of the home entertainment era that saw our romance with cinema cool as we all bought TVs and video players. Ten years later, leaving the house to see a movie was a little bit passé. Many cinemas were turned into bingo halls in the 1980s.

Fortunately, the gloomy demise that saw thousands of screens close in last century’s latter decades is now as much a part of cinema history as toffee sticks, intermissions, B-movies and usherettes scanning red-lit torches through swirls of cigarette smoke looking for the last spare seat. Ah the nostalgia. Of course it was more likely in those days that the dodgy sound system would pack up or the film reel would snap but most of us have happy memories of huddling in the dark, cradling our paper bag of sherbet and being transported...

Happily, it’s not over. In 2009 over a million of us went to the cinema at least once a month. For the theatres in, and on the fringes of, Exmoor – Wellington, Ilfracombe, Lynton and Barnstaple – this roughly translates into 4,000 visitors per week – a fairly healthy number. But why the turnaround? Why have we all gone back? Home cinema set-ups are better and cheaper than they have ever been. We can watch crystal images on massive screens playing perfect surround sound with our chosen friends and pause everything to put the kettle on. It sounds good. Apparently though – it’s a bit dull.

The cinema, by contrast, is exciting, and more exciting now than ever before. The films are good, often visually spectacular, and theatres are making a huge effort to improve facilities and choice. Even the food and drink is... well, it’s unique and we like it now and then. Most importantly though, going to the cinema/movies/flicks/pictures is sociable. It’s easier to cry in a cinema where it’s dark and everyone’s doing the same. It’s somehow more satisfying to laugh too when the people around are also laughing. The appeal is in the collective experience – whatever that might be.

One of my favourite cinema moments happened during the newest ‘Star Trek’ film when the entire audience held onto their chairs, rocked from side to side and threw their popcorn around in the “I canna push her any harder cap’n” turbulence scenes. One of the warmest was the final scene of ‘Marley & Me’ when boxes of tissues were passed up and down the aisles. The beauty of seeing hundreds of outstretched hands trying to touch the floating parasol seeds in ‘Avatar 3D’ and the thrilled expressions of a few hundred children who are literally on the edge of their seats urging Harry Potter to get up again and fight on are magical times. It’s just not the same in your living room. And then there’s the pleasure of digital re-mastering which has given us the chance to see all those old movies as they were intended to be seen – huge, loud and in public.

It is still a treat – an affordable, special night (or day) out and one that the people of Exmoor and its surrounds can enjoy in many different ways – even the more conventional set-ups have some delightful quirks that only add to the experience.

First, the full-time cinemas...
Quirky certainly describes the stylish Art Deco Wellesley on Mantle Street in Wellington. It is unusual for a modern cinema, retaining the traditional theatre style of one auditorium divided into stalls and a circle. The façade is a monument to 1930s architecture and the striking interior has everything gracefully ageing film lovers hold dear, minus a person appearing out of the floorboards playing an organ during the interval. Offering a full programme of blockbusters and classics, the Wellesley is making an admirable effort to cater to all tastes with tickets almost half the price of a standard multiplex.

At the opposite end of the Exmoor catchment is another treasure from a bygone age, brought bang up to date with a two-million-pound refurbishment by owners Scott Cinemas. The Central Cinema in Barnstaple first opened its doors in 1931 as the Gaumont Palace and seated well over 1,000 people in a plush single auditorium with an East-meet-West blend of art deco and oriental soft furnishings. There followed a chequered journey through the century which included the Central being split in half with the stalls becoming... a bingo hall – and the circle remaining a cinema.  Today, the Central is a modern, stylish environment with four screens (soon to be six), a restyled foyer, contemporary café/bar and everything necessary for the optimum cinematic experience – new seats, new screens, perfect sound, etc. It is also the only one of our featured cinemas that currently shows films in 3D, although others are rapidly working their way towards providing this facility.

Along the coast, Ilfracombe is home to another remodelled period piece – the Embassy, prominently placed in the High Street and sporting an unmissable sky-blue façade. This small but perfectly-formed cinema boasts three screens and six films on show every week. It also has some wonderful little extras – a bar, a staff of film buffs who are not afraid to call a turkey a turkey and the sumptuous Screen 7, a lot of luxury in a little auditorium. Expect to find leather armchairs and sofas, a table for your cocktails and the opportunity to hire the whole thing and choose your own film. Possibly the perfect hybrid of home comforts and full-on cinema experience.

Last but certainly not least of our full-timers is the tiniest full-time cinema in the country and the smallest cinema in Devon. Continuing a tradition of film that began with silent movies in the Picturedome in 1916, Lynton is now home of the Lynton Cinema. Opened in 2001 on completion of a project to convert the former Methodist Chapel, this unique picture house has top-quality sound, full air conditioning and comfortable seats for 68 people and is especially noteworthy for allowing plenty of legroom. Films are up to the minute and change frequently, accommodating both children and adults during the summer months and providing a special Monday afternoon matinée in the winter along with nightly performances at 8pm. There is even parking right outside. Like most of the cinemas featured, the ticket prices are well below average.

Then there are the part-time cinemas or film societies.
Minehead’s meets monthly at the Regal in the Avenue, home of cinema in the town since 1934 with an exceptionally large screen and roomy traditional auditorium. It is the largest film society in the South West and the second largest in the UK. Co-organiser Victoria Thomas said its purposes include “giving exposure to films that might not get the coverage they deserve” and to “provide local people with more opportunities to view high-quality films”.

The society does not discriminate against box-office failures or successes. Commercial and non-commercial films in English and other languages are selected from both the British Federation of Film Societies and the Independent Cinema Office’s special screenings. The Regal Film Society goes from strength to strength, with over 300 in the audience to see Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer in ‘The Last Station’ at the end of the 2009/10 season. This year Victoria and her associates have spearheaded the formation of the Dulverton Film Society that launched its first season in the Town Hall (bring a cushion) in September with a healthy membership of over 100 people from the town and around. There is now dual membership available for both societies.

Smaller, but by no means less estimable, is Film South Molton where eight performances per year are screened on Sunday evenings in the sumptuous surroundings of The George in Broad Street, accompanied by drinks from the bar, hot chocolate and homemade cake. Alongside the usual itinerary there are also special events – a live pianist improvising the soundtracks to silent movies and films of particular local interest that help garner community support.

Such enthusiasm for film is evident across Exmoor and it is not restricted to places that have a sizeable population. The tiniest film society in the region meets year round on the second Thursday of the month in Brompton Regis where a good proportion of the population of around 450 head to the Village Hall (cushions again) for an interesting programme of diverse films complete with interval ice creams. If you think your community would enjoy something similar, there are options. One is to start your own film society. Another is to get in touch with Moviola, a South West organisation run by a bunch of terribly enthusiastic people who describe themselves as ‘evangelists for community cinema’. In a nutshell, Moviola will bring all things cinema to your village hall, school, church, etc; a large adjustable screen, a high-quality sound and vision system and the films you choose from their long and diverse lists. Most importantly, they bring a hassle-free community experience, their passion, expertise and friendliness. Established in 2001, attendances at their film shows have leapt from 2,528 in the first year to a staggering 46,486 last year.

Finally, to underline cinema’s newfound popularity, it is pertinent to mention the re-emergence of a cinematic sensation first experienced in the late sixties and restored today for our viewing pleasure. The Vintage Mobile Cinema is the beautifully eccentric and last surviving purpose-built Bedford mini cinema seating 22 in a sound-proofed, climate-controlled environment with both HD and surround sound. Based in North Devon, its history and the labour of love that saw its restoration reach a nail-biting but ultimately satisfying climax is itself a worthy subject for a movie. It is available for private hire, for public events and charity fundraisers. Capable of turning any reasonably accessible Exmoor location into a cinema venue, it is surely the ultimate gift for anyone who adores film.

Information (correct at January 2011)
The Central Cinema, Barnstaple, Tel: 0871 230 3200
Embasssy Cinema, Ilfracombe, Tel: 01271 862323
Film South Molton, The George Hotel, Tel: 01769 572514,
or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lynton Cinema, Tel: 01598 753397
Moviola, Yetminster, Dorset, Tel: 01935 872607
The Regal Film Society, Minehead and Dulverton Film Society
Ring Robert or Victoria on Tel: 01643 831343
The Tivoli, Tiverton, Tel: 01884 255554
Vintage Mobile Cinema
Wellesley, Wellington, Tel: 01823 666668
 

This article is taken from Issue 53, winter 2010