Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Premier Electric 100th Anniversary - Help Needed
Following up leads on local history stuff, I've come into contact with quite a few folk. Amongst them is a chap called Jeremy Buck who sent me the following email today:
What do you think? Fancy coming along? Fancy helping Jeremy to organise?
Hi Hugh,
I think I mentioned to you some while back that the former Premier Cinema in Frobisher Road celebrates the 100th anniversary of it's opening on April 16th this year, and I feel the event ought to be celebrated. I have in mind showing a film (on DVD) on the nearest Saturday which would be April 17th. A possible film would be "The Smallest Show on Earth" because it concerns an old fleapit cinema (it was shown on the 90th anniversary in 2000). The church has a screen and maybe they have a DVD projector which could be used.
Do you think this would be a good idea? I am rather tied up at the moment finishing the Haringey Cinemas book so can't devote much time to it. Is there anybody else around who might do some of the organising?
Of course, the Church may not be at all interested in letting someone show a film, I haven't asked them yet, and if they are interested they may want a huge hire fee! I could make the initial approach to them if you like...
Perhaps you could let me know your views...or float it on Harringay Online for discussion?
Best wishes
Jeremy Buck
What do you think? Fancy coming along? Fancy helping Jeremy to organise?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by james walsh on
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I'd love to be involved with this !
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Permalink Reply by Jeremyb on
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Thanks for your interest. The first thing to establish is if the church is willing to hire the place at all--- I'll try and ask them as soon as possible. I probably should have started planning this months ago, not with 3 months to go!. I'll let you know of their response. Then a licence to show the film needs to be obtained, which I believe is not a difficult process for a one-off show and would cost around £100. If anyone has special knowledge of this area let me know. I can get hold of a DVD copy of the film, and can probably arrange for a colleague from the Cinema Theatre Association to give an introductory talk about the cinema/ early cinemas and add in some trailers and old adverts. I'll keep you posted!
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Great idea. Love to help get this off the ground. I could probably arrange any sound equipment required.
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Permalink Reply by Olympia Harvey on
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We've had to organise hiring films to show at my work (the Royal Institution) - we showed classic science fiction films on our big screen. I'm pretty sure there wasn't really a fee per se, just a percentage of the box office which if you're screening it free is nil! I'm happy to investigate what we did further if you'd like.
One thing though: while I like the symmetry of showing something that was shown on the 90th anniversary, would it not be slightly better to show a film that people might want to see? (she said tentatively, not wishing to offend anyone that loves that film...). How about something that has been filmed in or near Harringay? Like that Bollywood film that was shot above the Old Ale Emporium?
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The Kids Collective Community Film Group have lots of experience of organising local screenings at indoor and outdoor venues, we might be able to help.
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Hi, I have phoned Liberty Church and outlined the filmshow plan, but their reaction was not very encouraging. They do seem aware that the building is 100 years old soon, but they said that they use it on Saturdays- I had assumed they did not. I left my phone number and asked them to think it over. I have followed this up with an email but the email address I have bounces back. So no progresss at present I'm afraid. I will keep you posted.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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Ring them up and ask them for their church service days & times (as a prospective worshiper of course). Once you have those details you'll know which days are possibly available. Then when you ring back again as the film organiser ....
Maybe a weekday (evening) is the only option.
Failing that you could offer to show that Monty Python film on a Sunday and we could all sing along together.
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Thanks Matt. The times of the services are advertised outside. I did go along one Sunday some months ago just as one was finishing, there was general confusion and no-one seemed to be in charge. They did let me and a friend have a look inside though. I have written to the church's office in Tottenham about the film show . BTW, they have applied for, and got, planning permission to build an extension to the old cinema, to fill the passage between it and the Queens Head. I imagine this may replace their Tottenham office.
On a historical note, during my research for the Haringey Cinemas book I discovered that next to the Queens Head were once some pleasure grounds called Olympia Gardens, and these were one of the first places in the Borough where films were shown- around 1899- in a marquee or large tent we presume. This area is now a used car lot I think. The Premier Electric Cinema must have been built on part of the gardens I presume, so it's cinema roots go even further back!
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It comes from a Weekly Herald newspaper article in 1936 which states that "Mr Will Day gave a lecture recalling how he gave the first cinema shows more than 30 years ago at the Wood Green Assembly Rooms, the Olympia Gardens and the Hornsey Wood Tavern". Then on the website victoriancinema.net , Will Day has an entry and it states that his first film show was in early 1899 at the Assembly Rooms Wood Green. I subsequently found a newspaper advert for this show, but haven't seen any definite advertising or dates for films at Olympia Gardens. More research needed, but it slightly falls outside the area of my book, which is really concerned with permanent cinema buildings rather than temporary shows, but it will get a mention!
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