Electric Cinemas: the ABC Haymarket - Newcastle upon Tyne

GOING TO THE PICTURES ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON

The ABC Haymarket cinema is a special place for me. It was here back in 1976 that I saw the first ever summer blockbuster. That blockbuster was JAWS. I remember having to stand in a huge line for over an hour and wondering if there was going to be enough seats for all of the family or if we'd have to wait till the next showing three hours later. Fortunately we all got in and even had seats together. Phew. The cinema was packed and there was a sort of nervous expectation because we'd all read the stories in the newspapers of people having heart attacks, puking in the aisles, or running screaming from the building because the movie was so scary. JAWS came with a reputation as the ultimate shocker. And it was. Even 35 years later I still can't watch the first five minutes where the girl is attacked by the unseen shark. That freaked me out something serious that did. It's true that the scariest horror is best left to the imagination. Then there was the scene with the "head". When that popped out our whole row gave a sudden "holy shit" jolt and there was women shrieking, men swearing, kids clapping and popcorn everywhere.

THE HAYMARKET CIRCLE - UP IN THE LAP OF THE GODS

Saw many a blockbuster there. Everything from FLASH GORDON to STAR TREK: the slowmotionless picture. But by far the biggest was ET. That was one crazy day. ET was huge. The movie was smashing box-office records all over the world and was the must see movie of the summer. Huge crowds that zig zagged like a long snake all around the back of the building and then some. We got in but this time we had to sit apart and I was stuck right at the back in the upper section - see the above photo. That's just about the view I had. A great movie and a great experience even though I ended up stuck next to a girl who blubbed her eyes out. She was quite hot though. Maybe I should have asked her for a date...

THE ABC HAYMARKET CINEMA

Like the nearby classic ODEON on Pilgrim Street, the Haymarket is long gone now. Knocked down when multiplexes were becoming the fashion and another nail in the coffin for those of us who loved  the real cinematic experience. The cinema closed in 1984 and the last movie shown was "Purple Rain" with Prince -  which kind of makes it even more depressing come to think of it. All that's left are the memories and they're all bloody fantastic.

Electric Cinemas: the ODEON - Newcastle Upon Tyne.

MOVIE MAGIC - THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF.

There are places which during the course of one's life come to mean more than any other. These are places which hold special memories that will always be remembered at the end of days. Growing up during the sixties and seventies, the places I loved the most were cinemas. The excitement, anticipation and awe of going to see a movie on the "big screen" will never be matched in my book. Though I lived in a north eastern town that had two picture houses - the Wallaw and Regal, both much loved in their own way, there was nothing like travelling the 20 miles or so to the big city to see a movie at the biggest cinema in the region. 

This cinema was called the ODEON. It was on its 70mm screen that I first saw STAR WARS at its first showing in late 1977 with a packed cinema. An unforgettable experience somehow enhanced by the fact we had to stand in line for a couple of hours just to be able to get in.  I think I earned my Geek First Class badge that day and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

the ODEON circa 1960ish.

The ODEON was a lovely building with the decor done in art deco, with crystal lighting, and hued in deep rich comforting reds. To enter the auditorium you had to climb two flights of stairs which gave the impression that you were going to see something amazing once you'd reached the top. And you did as you can see in the top image. Sadly, the ODEON is no more. As with most things worthwhile it was closed down when a new multiplex was opened on the other side of town - which, as expected, is nothing more than a souless shell of rampant commercialism and spotlight blandness. The old building is now deserted, a mere derelict with the threat of demolition hanging over it. All very sad but I shall cherish the fantastic times and the pleasures it gave me and countless generations who sat spellbound at the moving images projected within its walls.