Edinburgh captivates with its cultural diversity, which manifests in myriad ways. From incredible architecture and fascinating people to masterpieces of music, art, and cinema – all these elements combine to form the city’s unique charm. Find out more on edinburgh-trend.
However, when we delve into Edinburgh’s cinematic history, it’s impossible not to mention its iconic venues. These are the places that, throughout the city’s past, have been responsible for bringing the best films to the public.
It’s no surprise, then, that many cinemas in the city have a long and storied past, making them all the more intriguing. This applies both to their architectural significance and their primary purpose – screening films.
In this article, readers will have the unique opportunity to get acquainted with one of Edinburgh’s oldest establishments.
A Historic Venue
The Cameo is one of Edinburgh’s oldest cinemas, with a history stretching back to 1914. Remarkably, despite its age, it continues to operate successfully today.
What makes this venue special is its focus on showing arthouse films. The cinema also had the honour of becoming a venue for the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Its Distinctive Look
When discussing this cinema, it’s crucial to highlight its architectural significance, especially given its venerable history.
It’s worth noting that the building’s current appearance retains many original features, particularly visible in the lobby and even the ticket booths.
The interior foyer is equally captivating. It essentially serves as the pathway to the main auditorium, which was built in the backyard of a tenement block.
This practice was common in many Scottish cities at the time, but only Edinburgh’s The Cameo has managed to endure and thrive to this day.
As for the screen itself, it was originally a mirror screen. This was quite incredible for its time, as no other city in Scotland boasted a similar feature.
Furthermore, the cinema had a separate hall where audiences could enjoy silent films, each screening, of course, accompanied by a live orchestra. The auditorium itself was quite large, seating 673 people.
Improvements
The year 1930 marked a new era for The Cameo, as it finally began showing sound films.
As for the auditorium, not much changed then. The only modification was an improved view for visitors, achieved by reducing the number of seats.
Otherwise, everything remained as it was. The incredible decorative stucco, with its numerous cornices and columns, truly symbolised the grandeur of the space and the entire building.
Renaming
Interestingly, the cinema didn’t acquire its famous name right away.
It was only in 1949 that it was renamed The Cameo, a change that coincided with a new owner, Jim Poole, taking the helm.
In the same year, the cinema’s repertoire was expanded to include arthouse films. Most importantly, this period marked the beginning of a valuable and promising collaboration with the Edinburgh Film Festival. Thanks to this partnership, audiences were treated to a screening of Jean-Paul Sartre’s film adaptation, Les jeux sont faits. It was a truly momentous event.
Changes
Naturally, with the arrival of a new owner, changes inevitably follow. The Cameo was no exception. Poole actively focused on renovations, as the building was, frankly, not in the best condition. He decided to undertake repairs, specifically addressing the badly leaking roof.
Later, Jim took another risk, becoming the manager of a shop located near the cinema. By the winter of 1963, he had transformed it into Edinburgh’s first cinema bar. He even secured a licence to sell alcoholic beverages.
Overall, it’s fair to say that the period of The Cameo’s history under Poole was quite successful. The building was refurbished, and audiences continued to enjoy film screenings. However, when Jim retired in 1982, everything changed abruptly, leading to the cinema’s closure.
A New Chapter
The hiatus in The Cameo’s existence lasted until 1986. A new owner then emerged, who decided to begin by acquiring adjacent shop premises. This was necessary to open two additional screens there, a plan successfully implemented in the early 1990s.
However, in 2005, an idea surfaced to convert the original auditorium into a bar and restaurant. Fortunately, common sense prevailed, and this plan wasn’t brought to fruition. The “Save the Cameo” campaign intervened, influencing the authorities. Ultimately, the proposed reconstruction never happened.
Standing Strong Against All Odds
After this, there was another attempt to alter The Cameo’s fate: the cinema was put up for sale. But once again, activists and concerned individuals couldn’t stand by. Specifically, The Cinema Theatre Association stepped in, especially since the building’s listed status had been upgraded in September 2006.
As a result, the cinema was taken off the market. Instead, it underwent reconstruction and renovation, which, of course, was made possible with the involvement of sponsors.
Thus, despite its venerable age, The Cameo cinema continues to thrive and even celebrates significant anniversaries from time to time.
For instance, in spring 2009, it celebrated its 60th anniversary. To mark this important occasion, audiences were treated to a screening of a rare version of the legendary film La Symphonie pastorale with English subtitles.
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