The Grosvenor in Glasgow

The Grosvenor Cinema situated on Ashton Lane is a great example of how small cinemas can still thrive without being in the main 'hub' of the city.

Here is a little bit of background on Glasgow's 'only remaining suburban cinema.' (Scottishcinemas.co.uk) 

The Grosvenor was opened by Glasgow Grosvenor Ltd in May of 1921. At this time it consisted of a single auditorium that seated 1337. The cinema was taken over by ABC in 1929 and they ran the cinema until 1976 where it was purchased by Caledonian Associated Cinemas. 2001, the cinema was sold to Glasgow based G1 Group who closed the cinema from 2002-2003 to undertake major refurbishments.

The Grosvenor is not that different from the GFT, it is a small cinema, struggling against the commercial chain cinemas yet still manages to hold its unique charm and individual experience. 

The cinema shows new releases, 'golden-oldies,' kids films and also some art-house material. 

For smaller cinemas to succeed an important word to note is 'diversification.' This is where the cinema would also have a bar, restaurant, movie nights and/or kids clubs. The Grosvenor is such a place that has managed to diversify down many different avenues. Each individual part of the Grosvenor will attract people to another part, people going to the bar for a drink may wish to go to a late night viewing of a film or the other way round.

Meal deals, kids easter movie deals and student deals are just a few of the ways The Grosvenor is utilizing all possible audiences to get more patrons to the cinema.

Opera Music is also shown at the cinema along with music concerts from acts such as the Foo-Fighters. This will no doubt draw in members of the public who may not normally have been interested in cinema-going due to its over commercialized nature nowadays. The cinema itself will come across as a culturally diverse place to come and enjoy different acts and performances, this is very different from the almost sterile feel of 'Cineworld' and other chain cinemas.

To finish the blog, a wee video of a marriage proposal taking place at the Grosvenor Cinema, with some lovely views of the foyer as well!

'Will you marry me?'-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmtY-jWWrIs

Art House Cinema

'Collins' defines an art-house cinema as one 'which specializes in showing films which are not part of the commercial mainstream.' 


Art house cinemas will no doubt be increasing in popularity as the public try to escape the over commercialized, and generally lacking in substance, films that can fill our cinema screens today.

The Glasgow Film Theatre or GFT, as its more commonly known, is Glasgow's very own art-house cinema. 


The cinema was opened as Cosmo cinema in May 1939, and was noted as being the first art house cinema opened outside of London. Seating 850, its design was the last work of architect James McKissack. The building does indeed catch your eye as you walk Sauchiehall Street and it is polar opposite to the modern monster that is the 'Cineworld' of Renfrew Street.


The GFT was advertised by the slogan, 'Entertainment for the Discriminating.' Another prominent piece of advertising was the popular, bowler-hatted, character of Mr Cosmo who graced the pages of newspapers and the like.

1973 saw the Scottish Film Council buy the Cosmo and after extensive refurbishment, reopened to the public as the Glasgow Film Theatre in 1974.


*Fun Fact* The GFT is the only remaining cinema in Western Scotland with the capability to show 70mm films.


The GFT became independant of the Scottish Film Council in 1986, and although many had thought the cinema would not survive the decline in cinema-going and recession, the cinema is still going strong today even with the major form of competition from 'Cineworld' and the DVD market for films.


Film goers today are now ready to embrace more of a cinema experience and through researching this particular type of cinema it is clear that art-house cinemas are what 'the people' are looking for. 

I find that most films today are made on the premise of other films before them. It is hard to find the same variety that there had once been. Not to say that every commercial film that is released is rubbish, but it does get a bit monotonous sitting through an hour and a half of Hugh Grant trying to 'woo' the woman but with no success and then finally in the last ten minutes she gives in to his charm and they all live happily ever after. Especially when he has released at least 4 films on this basic story line!


New films are pressured to break barriers and it could be this pressure that is their undoing..

'NEDS' - 'Non-Educated Delinquents'

          (prospectmagazine.co.uk)

The film 'NEDS' hit Glasgow's cinemas early this year and will no doubt reach cult status amongst the youths of the city.

The film is based in Glasgow during the 1970's where we meet a young boy by the name John McGill. He begins as an impressionable youngster who is class swot and lives under the shadow of his older, gang-leader brother and his abusive, alcoholic father.

                                                                           (indiewire.com)

It does not take long for this young boy to fall in with the wrong crowd, and he soon becomes involved in the 'ned' culture. He turns his back on education and family for a life terrorizing the community and being a threat to all those around him. His fiery temper seems to stem from a suppressive childhood where he has always had to dumb himself down to be accepted and had to endure his father beating his mother senseless every night without being able to stop it.

McGill ends up being more of a thug than the rest of the gang are willing to participate in, so he is out of the gang and is left to wallow in his own self-pity and anguish. This soon turns into rage.

His anger reaches a pinnacle when he decides to enact the same violence upon his father that he had done to his mother, it is not his first taste of blood and will certainly not be his last. In the film you can almost see his sanity unwinding, unravelling and this comes to a head when he is seen strapping knifes to his hands and going to look for a fight with a rival gang.

This fight is almost his last and prompts him to go back to school. He is put in a lower class with a boy he violently assaulted and left brain damaged. You can see the hurt in his expression at this point and it marks a change in his life for sure.

                                                                                    (snitchseeker.com)


Peter Mullan's interpretation of life in a gang in 70's Glasgow is gritty and overstated. The violence in it is so raw it seems to be unreal. Almost makes you glad the common 'Neds' we see and know today are a little more subdued than their counterparts.

A little bit about 'Cineworld'

You cannot think about the city of Glasgow today without thinking of the huge cinema that sits right in the heart and stretches to the sky. The 'Cineworld' on  Renfrew Street is an amazing 12 storeys tall and can seat 4,300 people! Now that is BIG!

The 'Cineworld' building is a wonderful piece of architucture and almost symbolises the regeneration of Glasgow and how it is turning into a more modern and vibrant city. It is far more of an experience to go to the cinema in Glasgow than it ever was back home. From the bright lights to the sweets and other treats, it is almost like a fantasy land..

It is little known that 'Cineworld' as it stands was built on the grounds of record-breaking cinema/theatre 'Green's Playhouse/Apollo.' This theatre could seat 4,368 people - it was the largest cinema in Europe. The Playhouse was demolished in 1987, 60 years after opening, to make way for the UGC cinema that became the 'Cineworld' we know today. In 2003, the UGC cinema was noted as the busiest cinema in Britain.

Before  the Second World War, Glasgow had more cinema seats per head than any other city in the world, 175,000 to be exact, which is quite impressive! It is said that at that time Glaswegians would visit the cinema at least 51 times a year!

Saying that, I thouroughly enjoy going to the cinema but more than 50 times a year seems incredible! Not to mention expensive!

Once known as 'Cinema City,' Glasgow now has only about 13 of the original 130 cinemas it once boasted.

It is a shame to see the decline as it would seem only thee smaller localised cinemas have been closed down. I imagine this is due to a decline in revenue from ticket sales as people arenot going to the cinema as much as they were before the war, and with the economic downturn it would be deemed more financially viable to sell the cinemas to other ventures; music venues;flats;shops and bingo halls.

You can find out more about the old cinemas of Glasgow;http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/index.html

Glasgow Cinema Scene

Over the next few weeks I am going blog to you all about the Glasgow Cinema Scene

                                                                                    (virginmedia.com)

I'll begin with an overview of cinema going today.

Going to the cinema is a popular pastime for young people. The cinema is a good way to make friends, (throw popcorn at them and see how your relationship blossom!) and it's a great location for a first date, (you don't have to talk to each other for a couple of hours and if he puts his arm around you, you go girl!). Mostly I think it gives us the opportunity to explore new, exciting worlds that let us escape from the mundane routines of our daily lives.

(forums.beclevergroup.com)

New films in 3D are making going to the cinema more exciting and are enticing in people who may never have been to the cinema before. With my 80p 3D glasses firmly on my face I am transported into a world of scary pop out monsters and punches being thrown right at your face!

I would have to say that my favourite kinds of films are comedies. This is for three main reasons; I like a good laugh; there's always that one person who talks too loudly that ends up choking on popcorn when the funny bits happen; there is always great 'one-liners' that get quoted non-stop for at least the next 24 hours!

 I think that going to the cinema nowadays is more of an experience that it used to be, take the 'Cineworld' in Glasgow for example, it is 12 storeys high, can seat 4,300 and is known to be one of the tallest cinemas in the world! Besides that, it's the anticipation of going up the escalators, finding your seat, eating the huge tub of popcorn and letting yourself be entertained for the next couple of hours with no distractions, (apart from that annoying person behind you who keeps kicking your chair!)

My next blog; A little bit about 'Cineworld.'