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Birmingham Cinemas

yes brian just over the road from the gothic pub...this cinema has been discussed on the forum and if memory serves me right i think an old photo was posted which showed the cinema...

lyn
 
Wonder if anyone recalls the old "Vic" on Victoria Road Aston. From memory and not positive think that was where I
used to go to the Saturday morning matinee in the 50s I remember seeing Batman in black and white and Roy Rodgers. It cost 6d in.
 
Paul MB said:
Wonder if anyone recalls the old "Vic" on Victoria Road Aston. From memory and not positive think that was where I
used to go to the Saturday morning matinee in the 50s I remember seeing Batman in black and white and Roy Rodgers. It cost 6d in.
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I used to live off Victoria Road in the 70's , the cinema was well gone by then . I've also seen those Batman serials and I'm pleased to say I have the entire series on dvd . Nothing can beat the original Batman in b&w
 
When I lived in Queens Rd Aston ages ago my 2 favourite local cinemas were the 'Vic' (Victoria Playhouse) and the Astoria, Aston Cross, never was keen on the Aston Cross cinema, only went if there was a particular film I wanted to see. Eric
 
what a little gem of a building the victoria playhouse was...does anyone know what happened to the land it was on....or was the playhouse demolished and the land left vacant ever since as so often we see..

lyn
 
Astoness said:
what a little gem of a building the victoria playhouse was...does anyone know what happened to the land it was on....or was the playhouse demolished and the land left vacant ever since as so often we see..

lyn
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I think the Aston Expressway runs through it
 
cba said:
Is this the picture house that became the Empress? Any idea of the year this photo was taken? As I said before, my uncle, Bernard Murphy was a projectionist there in the 1930's.
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Hi there my grandad was Bernard but due to circumstances beyond my control I never got to meet him, do you have any further details about him
 
DAVE BRICK said:
What was the name of the picture house which stood where Bristol street motors is. They seemed to show sexy type films, we went there to see the Yellow Teddy Bears in 1962 when I was 15.
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HI, That was the Cinimaphone (spelling can be corrected by others if wrong)
 
sylviasayers said:
Do you remember when an "A" film was on and you were too young to go in by yourself, you would hang around asking adults until someone took you in. Quite a scary thought today, but it was common practice then, and I never heard of anyone coming to any harm.
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Hi, Used to do that at the Atlas stechford 'Take one in please'
 
fletch1939 said:
HI, That was the Cinimaphone (spelling can be corrected by others if wrong)
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Dont think I ever went to see a film there but a few of us from The Birmingham Scooter Club used their coffee bar, situated under the balcony.
We had been evicted from The Midland Red Depot, Digbeth who explained they weren't going to keep their cafeteria open after 11pm to serve 7 coffees.
 
RobT said:
Cinephone

www.macearchive.org

Midlands News: 15.11.1963: Sex film at the Cinephone

School girls invited to see the sex film 'The Yellow Teddy Bears' at the Cinephone in Birmingham as part of their sex education lessons.
www.macearchive.org www.macearchive.org
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Interesting comments from the girls - I wonder what school they were from, they didn't have much of an accent so I guess one of the 'posh' schools!
I vaguely remember the film's title but didn't see it myself.
 
A Sparks said:
Interesting comments from the girls - I wonder what school they were from, they didn't have much of an accent so I guess one of the 'posh' schools!
I vaguely remember the film's title but didn't see it myself.
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I agree ASparks, Also their choice of words. I don’t remember or see the movie!
 
Hi,

I only went to the Cinephone on one occasion, to see a film called 'Love Variations'
which I was told was really funny.
They weren't wrong, It consisted of a couple in still poses who were obviously trying to
keep their balance while maintaining their modesty, with a white coated "doctor"
explaining what was going on. The highlight of the film was a particularly awkward
pose in which they tried in vain to maintain their balance but failed, and collapsed
in a heap on the floor.
All a bit tame by today's standards, but a good laugh anyway.

Kind regards
Dave
 
I must admit when I was around 16 went to a party, and was invited on a date to go to the Odeon cinema at Perry Barry.
Was stood up he must have got a better offer lol, but I never did see the inside which look impressiv.

In recent years have been to the Electric Cinema in the heart of Birmingham. Tickets were a gift, that was lovely inside.I do believe that it’s now closed for good not because of Covid, but something to do with the end if their lease its a shame.
 
Jerry said:
Another great memory was when I went to see "Forbidden Planet" at the Ritz in Bordesley Green. They had a full size model of Robby the robot in the foyer, I'm not sure if it actually worked or not, does anyone else remember seeing this at their local? it would have been 1956/7
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Yes I know the Ritz, The first X film I saw was 'Closhmerl" bad spelling a French film. Was not impressed very, very ordinary.
Ernie
 
Apart from the Ritz, there was The Era, Green Lane Cinema ( the bug hole),Kingston Cinema.All within walking distance.
 
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