I’m not so sure about this language: “In Montreal, Canada, on August 31st 1907, the world’s first and largest cinema theatre, the OUIMETOSCOPE, was inaugurated.”
The Electric Theatre in California (purpose-built) predates it by 5 years.
The description mentions movie visitation as a “high-society” event. I would argue it was anything but — movie-going was, and still is, a democratic pursuit and at the time (as it is today) ticket prices were (are) much less than those granting admission to legitimate theaters. I agree, though, that audiences dressed up for the occasion, but only because of the inherent societal microcosm of a theater. People you know might see you and be impressed by your new hat. Also, it’s simple imitation by intimidation: the interiors were often elaborate, thus the audience tended to oblige.
Facade painted black? Cast stone and terra cotta originally, I’d imagine. Whatever they slapped over the facade has to be wrecking the integrity of the underlying material(s).
I’m not so sure about this language: “In Montreal, Canada, on August 31st 1907, the world’s first and largest cinema theatre, the OUIMETOSCOPE, was inaugurated.”
The Electric Theatre in California (purpose-built) predates it by 5 years.
The description mentions movie visitation as a “high-society” event. I would argue it was anything but — movie-going was, and still is, a democratic pursuit and at the time (as it is today) ticket prices were (are) much less than those granting admission to legitimate theaters. I agree, though, that audiences dressed up for the occasion, but only because of the inherent societal microcosm of a theater. People you know might see you and be impressed by your new hat. Also, it’s simple imitation by intimidation: the interiors were often elaborate, thus the audience tended to oblige.
Facade painted black? Cast stone and terra cotta originally, I’d imagine. Whatever they slapped over the facade has to be wrecking the integrity of the underlying material(s).