The old Savoy cinema was class

jungleman · 19-03-2015 10:38pm #1

Felt compelled to share these pictures, they are of the Savoy cinema on O' Connell St before they decided to make the cinema decidedly more bland. Has anyone here ever been to the Savoy when it was like this?

image hosting 12mb

img host

hosting image

Chucken · 19-03-2015 10:41pm

What O' Connell street would that be?

19-03-2015 10:44pm

Chucken wrote: »

What O' Connell street would that be?

The one with the Savoy cinema on it.

Witcher · 19-03-2015 10:45pm

Chucken wrote: »

What O' Connell street would that be?

The one that's in town.

OU812 · 19-03-2015 10:45pm

I remember the Foyer like the first image from back in the 70s/80s.

If you consider the seating capacity was larger than the Grand Canal (with a smaller screen width than their stage), there's no way it would be sustainable, they had to break it up. Considering I've been in there (not recently) within a week of a movie opening & in screen one & it's less than a third full, I think we're lucky they've not broken it up further.

Eutow · 19-03-2015 10:46pm

Chucken wrote: »

What O' Connell street would that be?

Does the other O'Connell Street have a cinema called The Savoy on it?

19-03-2015 10:48pm

Chucken wrote: »

What O' Connell street would that be?

The one with a capital 'S'

Sheep Lover · 19-03-2015 10:48pm

Eutow wrote: »

Does the other O'Connell Street have a cinema called The Savoy on it?

There's multiple other O'Connell Streets?

Super-Rush · 19-03-2015 10:49pm

jungleman wrote: »

Felt compelled to share these pictures, they are of the Savoy cinema on O' Connell St before they decided to make the cinema decidedly more bland. Has anyone here ever been to the Savoy when it was like this?

image hosting 12mb

img host

hosting image

Were you ever in the old Coliseum cinema in Carlow?

Duff · 19-03-2015 10:50pm

Paul O'Connell?

The_Valeyard · 19-03-2015 10:51pm

Great pics OP. Cheers for sharing.

Chucken · 19-03-2015 10:54pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Were you ever in the old Coliseum cinema in Carlow?

Any pics?

jungleman · 19-03-2015 10:54pm

This is the old Metropole building, also O' Connell Street. Ya know, the one with the old Metropole on it.....

This was taken in 1923. It was knocked and replaced with that crappy Penneys. It's amazing the difference O' Connell St has been through. In it's hey-day it was opulent and had a bit of class about it. Now it's the go-to place for heroin.

Super-Rush · 19-03-2015 10:56pm

Chucken wrote: »

Any pics?

Old coliseum

jungleman · 19-03-2015 10:56pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Were you ever in the old Coliseum cinema in Carlow?

No, never was. Had a quick google of it there, it looks like it had a bit of charm!

circadian · 19-03-2015 10:57pm

Sheep Lover wrote: »

There's multiple other O'Connell Streets?

It works like parallel dimensions with your fuel being booze.

There are many, many iterations of O'Connell Street.

Lapin · 19-03-2015 10:57pm

But The Savoy was on Eglinton Street.

Filmer Paradise · 19-03-2015 10:57pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Were you ever in the old Coliseum cinema in Carlow?

Or The Ritz in Carlow?:pac::pac:

se conman · 19-03-2015 10:59pm

I've been in the basement and up through all of the Savoy as far as the roof. The back of house stairwells and staff changing rooms still give an old world feel to the place.

Super-Rush · 19-03-2015 11:00pm

Here's a picture of Tullow Street in Carlow from last Saturday.

Chucken · 19-03-2015 11:02pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Here's a picture of Tullow Street in Carlow from last Saturday.

:pac::pac::pac:

Filmer Paradise · 19-03-2015 11:03pm

Super-Rush wrote: »

Here's a picture of Tullow Street in Carlow from last Saturday.

Back to the Future. I saw that in the Col when it came out!

Lapin · 19-03-2015 11:07pm

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

jungleman · 19-03-2015 11:10pm

Lapin wrote: »

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

Wow. It's hard to believe that it's the same spot. The lack of city planning and political corruption down through the years has a lot to answer for.

Filmer Paradise · 19-03-2015 11:10pm

Lapin wrote: »

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

What-were-they-thinking??

Eutow · 19-03-2015 11:13pm

Lapin wrote: »

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

There was a lot of needless destruction of old buildings which could easily have been repaired and maintained, but were instead bulldozed to be replaced by ugly buildings. Those links above just prove it.

buried · 19-03-2015 11:14pm

My old home town cinema was built in that kind of style. I always remember seeing Tim Burton's 'Batman' in there and thinking the interior looked exactly like something out of the film itself. It closed in the late 90's then some celtic tiger wankbag property developer was allowed to gut the entire place and turn it into some generic, franchised, shiny outlet $hopping $hithole which is now boarded up.

NachoBusiness · 19-03-2015 11:14pm

I was all ready to open this thread and be confronted with pics of the Savoy cinema way back in 1991 or something. That's usually how these threads go, but no, proper classic pics.

Was in the Savoy last week, thought I was hallucinating when half way up the stairs I seen a door leading to a screen where there has always been a wall. Couldn't be I though as surely that's the Gresham in there, but nope a new screen in surely was, Screen 7. Must be fecking tiny.

Love the Savoy. Seen Superman in there when I was 5. Class thread, OP, cheers for posting.

Rhyme · 19-03-2015 11:15pm

Lapin wrote: »

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

As far as I know the 'Regal Room's site became The Screen cinema. The Theatre Royal became something even worse than The Screen; Hawkin's House

nokia69 · 19-03-2015 11:15pm

still the best cinema in Dublin IMO

I always try to see the blockbusters on screen 1

Dyr · 19-03-2015 11:20pm

Lapin wrote: »

The Theatre a Royal, Dublin c1910-30

Once one of the grandest theatres in Europe.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/social/M_TheatreRoyal_HawkinsSt_eas1700.html

Demolished for this piece of 'progress'.

http://archiseek.com/wp-content/gallery/ireland-buildings-dublin-south-t/screen_lge.jpg

It would be nice if we could shoot architects and city planners

buried · 19-03-2015 11:22pm

Bambi wrote: »

It would be nice if we could shoot architects and city planners

Be even nicer if we could hold them to some sort of account.

MRnotlob606 · 19-03-2015 11:23pm

Another "it's a Dublin thing thread" us outside the pale are clueless and are bewildered by such technology that can perform an act that can animate pictures in a chronological order to appear as though we are seeing something really moving before our eyes.

jungleman · 19-03-2015 11:23pm

Bambi wrote: »

It would be nice if we could shoot architects and city planners

Agreed. This monstrosity is quite possibly the worst offender of all.

AllGunsBlazing · 19-03-2015 11:26pm

Some of the buildings that were erected in this country in the second half of the twentieth century are absolute monstrosities. Grim, concrete boxes that would put you in mind of cold war eastern europe.

Mind you, some of the generic, pre-fab shi te that was thrown up during the tiger years isn't much better - and will probably age just as badly.

buried · 19-03-2015 11:31pm

The reason these old buildings and interiors look so well is because at the time the architects building these sctructures were using actual craftsmen, stonemasons, stonecutters, carpenters etc, employing them to do the required building and craft work, all under the watch of an actual clerk of works. Nowadays its just a bunch of cranedrivers and fitters literally stitching together bits of steel, concrete and glass.

nokia69 · 19-03-2015 11:33pm

jungleman wrote: »

Agreed. This monstrosity is quite possibly the worst offender of all.

its bad

but the department of health and children is a building that makes people sick just by looking at it

it really is amazing

nokia69 · 19-03-2015 11:34pm

buried wrote: »

The reason these old buildings and interiors look so well is because at the time the architects building these sctructures were using actual craftsmen, stonemasons, stonecutters, carpenters etc, employing them to do the required building and craft work, all under the watch of an actual clerk of works. Nowadays its just a bunch of cranedrivers and fitters literally stitching together bits of steel, concrete and glass.

its more than that

they got their proportions right which is something modern architects just don't care about, or understand

Smidge · 19-03-2015 11:40pm

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

Another "it's a Dublin thing thread" us outside the pale are clueless and are bewildered by such technology that can perform an act that can animate pictures in a chronological order to appear as though we are seeing something really moving before our eyes.

I thought it was a "look at this beautiful old building thread" no matter where in the country it is?

conorh91 · 19-03-2015 11:44pm

Anyone have any pics to the interior of the Savoy cinema today?

Or is it just your generic Dundrum-esque cinema?

One more question, does anyone know why cinemas and theatres were sometimes called 'the Savoy'?

Savoy was a statelet of the old Roman Empire, I know, but what's the relevance, if any?

bb1234567 · 19-03-2015 11:44pm

Chucken wrote: »

What O' Connell street would that be?

that street with that thing the gpo on it

Guy:Incognito · 19-03-2015 11:47pm

jungleman wrote: »

This is the old Metropole building, also O' Connell Street. Ya know, the one with the old Metropole on it.....

This was taken in 1923. It was knocked and replaced with that crappy Penneys. It's amazing the difference O' Connell St has been through. In it's hey-day it was opulent and had a bit of class about it. Now it's the go-to place for heroin.

Would it have made a difference? Did the old buildings have heroin repelling properties?

bb1234567 · 19-03-2015 11:47pm

Bambi wrote: »

It would be nice if we could shoot architects and city planners

As an architect I avoid any threads about Dublins beautiful old buildings because reading them has me close to tears sometimes..Dublin was quite literally one of the most beautiful cities in the world for a time but the planners saw to that

Its still a fine looking city, but what could have been...

bb1234567 · 19-03-2015 11:49pm

jungleman wrote: »

Agreed. This monstrosity is quite possibly the worst offender of all.

Ah could be worse. At least its an interesting building. It has a lot of merit, mightn't be a stunner but it is definitely different.

OU812 · 19-03-2015 11:56pm

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Love the Savoy. Seen Superman in there when I was 5. Class thread, OP, cheers for posting.

Superman (the original 1978 movie) was only shown in the Adelphi in Dublin. Back then each cinema had exclusive agreements with distributors to screen specific films before they became what was called "Second run" whereby the print used in Dublin (or other large city), would be moved out to the country, this would be months later, sometimes the following year. Movies didn't play in each cinema like they do now.

jungleman · 20-03-2015 12:04am

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Would it have made a difference? Did the old buildings have heroin repelling properties?

I don't believe they did, no. As far as I know, they didn't have heroin repellent buildings back then, although I could be wrong.

I was referring to the general affluence that imbued O' Connell St back in the early part of the 20th century. There were grand buildings - such as the Gresham (obviously still in use), the Rotunda Cinema (now the Ambassador), the Carlton cinema, the Metropole. O' Connell St used to be a landmark, a statement of grand Dublin.
Whereas now it has experienced great decline, and grand buildings have been replaced with inferior retail spaces. Wealth has been replaced by open drug dealing. My point was in regards to the gradual decline of a once great piece of Dublin.

ger vallely · 20-03-2015 12:14am

Jungleman- I remember being in the Savoy quite a bit. My uncle worked for the corporation and they used to have kids Christmas parties in there. We used to get crisps and Club Orange and watch a movie. I remember as a young kid , using the bathrooms and remarking on how beautiful they were. Love the pictures, thanks for sharing them.

jungleman · 20-03-2015 12:28am

ger vallely wrote: »

Jungleman- I remember being in the Savoy quite a bit. My uncle worked for the corporation and they used to have kids Christmas parties in there. We used to get crisps and Club Orange and watch a movie. I remember as a young kid , using the bathrooms and remarking on how beautiful they were. Love the pictures, thanks for sharing them.

I would have loved to have seen it in its old form.

Lapin · 20-03-2015 12:29am

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

Another "it's a Dublin thing thread" us outside the pale are clueless and are bewildered by such technology that can perform an act that can animate pictures in a chronological order to appear as though we are seeing something really moving before our eyes.

What are you raving about?

jungleman wrote: »

Agreed. This monstrosity is quite possibly the worst offender of all.

I really like the Central Bank I think it's actually quite a spectacular structure and well ahead of its time.

The location is all wrong though. It would look great in the docklands and even enhance the place.

It also deserves to be double the height to do it justice.

buried · 20-03-2015 12:37am

Lapin wrote: »

The location is all wrong though.

Yeah, That's the problem I have with it also. Its stuck on that street down the road from the trinity college area and that classic old building that now houses the BOI across from it. It's built and overshadows the cobbled streets of old Temple bar, it just doesn't suit the area. A Total psychogeography disaster.

FalconGirl · 20-03-2015 12:47am

Awful decisions by Dublin city planners over the years. The decision to plonk the new monstrosity that was ESB HQ in the middle of Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin in 1965 was arguably the worst of them all.

Fitzwilliam Street was the longest row of beautiful Georgian Houses in the world at the time. Absolutely criminal behaviour.

http://archiseek.com/2010/1965-esb-headquarters-fitzwilliam-street-dublin/

The old Savoy cinema was class

Comments