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Zurich offers an astonishing palette of cinematic experiences. Independent movies from all corners of the world. Theatres dedicated to old classics only. Hollywood mainstream. Film festivals. Everything in the original language with subtitles. The movie theatres themselves are a sight to behold. Everything from large multiplexes to tiny cinemas with wooden chairs, to theatres which remind one more of being in an opera house, due to the opulent surroundings.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been in love with cinema. For the full experience, it’s not enough for me to just watch a movie. The real joy comes from seeing it on the big screen.
Preferably in a movie theatre which still has velvet curtains, beautiful red seats with wide arm rests, and a high ceiling which allows for the perfect acoustic.
Add to the magnificence of this type of theatre the joys of modern surround sound, and I am in heaven.
Growing up in Germany, all I remember are minimalistic, rather bland movie theatres with uncomfortable fake-leather or plastic seats. Every movie was dubbed. And the choice of movies was limited to the latest Hollywood flicks. The floor was sticky from spilled Coke and popcorn. Only teenagers and kids ever went there. And parents who didn’t have a choice but to go with their children. It was rare to see older people enjoying a movie.
Then I moved to Zurich, Switzerland. And I was in awe of what I found. The only movie theatres that were similar to my experiences in Germany were the multiplex theatres.
But there were at least twenty more movie theatres distributed throughout the city. They were tastefully renovated and projected a magnificence and glory of movie days I thought were long gone.
Some of the movie theatres in town were tiny, with a screen not much bigger than a large plasma TV screen today. Some screens were huge – up to 100 square meters. Everywhere, the movie theatre foyers looked inviting. Some boasted stars on the ceiling. Some had marble floors.
What I found most astonishing of all were the crowds that went to see movies. Whereas in Germany I had never really seen a full cinema, in Zurich it was often impossible to get tickets on short notice.
Most movies were completely sold out. Especially the premiere. Which was often a gala event with red carpets, champagne, the works.
All age groups were inside the theatre. Most of them dressed smart casual for the occasion. Eighty-year-old grandmas came regularly to enjoy the latest science fiction or action film just as much as they did re-runs of Casablanca and old Ingrid Bergman movies.
One old theatre, Cinema Metropol, had an amazing feature. A ceiling which could be folded back so on warm summer nights the indoor cinema became open air.
Cinema Corso, one of the most glamourous theatres in town, had a screen which could be flipped up to reveal a beautiful wooden stage. Each summer, a theatre festival on that stage would enhance the cultural landscape of Zurich. Afterwards, the screen would flip back down. Movies would recommence.
I remember record weekends in Cinema Corso during the start of Titanic, for example, when we played the movie for a sold-out house many days in a row. In fact, Titanic ran for almost an entire year and the crowds just kept coming.
Most importantly, the Zurich Film Festival, which is now one of the largest international film festivals in Central Europe.
In addition to all the indoor movie theatres, many open-air cinemas sprouted all around town during the short Swiss summer. Every neighborhood organized their own open-air cinema. Then there was an official summer cinema set up at the river Limmat.
Another large open-air cinema took place at Cinema Xenix, with an eclectic program of rare cinematic pearls.
The largest open-air cinema was held for a whole month each summer at lake Zurich. Featuring a 100 square meter screen. Which, each night, rose out of the water to a medley of film music classics.
The weather was notoriously unpredictable, cold, and rainy even in the midst of summer. So, you’d often see a sold out open-air at the lake with 1’000 spectators huddled under rain coats, stubbornly watching the movie no matter what. I myself watched The Perfect Storm one night during a rainstorm. A night I’ll never forget.
Nowadays, the love for all things cinema is still big in Zurich. The city remains the only one in Switzerland where almost all movies are shown in the original language with subtitles in French and German.
But there are still remnants to be found which are as gorgeous as ever. My favorite to this day remains Cinema Le Paris. I love to sink into their comfortable plush, red seats and just escape into a different dimension.
If you are a cineaste then, if you ever come through Zurich, make it your mission to find all the old movie theatres. Try to get tickets for the open-air cinemas. Go to the film festivals. Enjoy a bit of the special atmosphere of watching a movie surrounded by people of all ages, making a night of it. There is nothing better than enjoying great storytelling from all around the world in the midst of an appreciative audience.
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Liam Klenk was born in Central Europe and has since lived on four continents. Liam has always been engaged in creative pursuits, ranging from photography and graphic design, to writing short stories and poetry, to working in theatre and shows. In 2016, Liam published his first book and memoir, 'Paralian'.
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