Ágnes Czakó Almost one hundred years
 

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The newly restored Örökmozgó can look back to almost ninety years' of history.

The cinema called Royal Nagymozgó (Grand Cinema), capable of housing 145 people, was opened in 1912 on the corner of Erzsébet Boulevard and Dob Street - after rebuilding an original fashion shop. Its founder and owner was one of the pioneers of Hungarian cinematography, József Radó.

Just a couple of blocks away, on 31 October, 1915, in the former ballroom and concert hall of the famous hotel, Royal Apollo Cinema was opened, hosting 1.000 people. The movie theatre, which was renamed Vörös Csillag (Red Star) after 1948, was a major rival to the smaller cinemas on the Budapest Grand Boulevard, already at the end of the 1910es. The Royal Nagymozgó (Grand Cinema) and Olympia (today's Hunnia), the cinema opposite, received their decade-long 'second-' and 'third-week' status in this period. This meant that new films were projected in these movies only one or two weeks after the premier. József Radó welcomed a typical audience of small means in Royal Nagymozgó where one week after the premier, spectators could see the latest adventure or cowboy films at half the prize of neighbouring Royal Apollo.

The movie was 'christened' Vesta in 1925, while in 1942 it was renamed Erzsébet. Later, from 1945 until when it was taken into state ownership, the cinema once again worked under the name Vesta. For a couple of years following this period, it bore the name Pentele, while at the end of the 1950es it was given the name Mátra. In 1958 it was slightly refurbished, but only the redecoration in 1983 really changed its 'looks': it was somewhat 'shortened' and the engine room enlarged. Following the grand opening in 1984, it operated as Mátra Youth Cinema until 1991.

The first black-walled cinema of Pest, with the special program of the Hungarian Film Institute, was opened on 3 October, 1991, under the name Örökmozgó.

The movie was closed in the summer of 2000 only to open its doors again for the autumn season. No architectural tricks were able to alter the 'tube'-like original structure, although the soundproofing could be improved, with the noise of the bustling box office and buffet (along with that of the trams) locked out of the auditorium. The sound devices of the cinema were also replaced, and the video room on the floor was closed, so maybe the interpreters can also stretch their legs in their room.

Why don't you come and see the other improvements in the cinema yourselves?

Translated by Andrea Danyi

 

 
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