Discover the most beautiful old cinemas in the world. Where to enjoy vintage cinema: The first film in history

For the purist who loves to enjoy the simplest things in all their essence, watching a good film is not merely a matter of entertainment, but rather an act of connection between you and the film and what it conveys; modern mindfulness, but in the same way that you have always done.

In a long year without cinemas, the desire to enjoy the seventh art is coming to the surface more than ever and if we have to go back, why not do it accompanied by all the magic that surrounded the first cinemas?

Do you want to know which are the most beautiful old cinemas in the world? We have reserved a ticket for you to discover them.

• Doré Cinema (Madrid)

This magnificent cinema located in the heart of Madrid dates back to 1923, and is iconic for being a modernist-style building of great beauty that has also been maintained over time.

It is now considered one of the pillars of auteur cinema in Spain and is the current home of the Filmoteca Española.

• The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood (Los Angeles)

The emblematic theatre began its construction in 1920 for which a large outlay was made, but its first screening did not take place until 1922, with the first silent film version of Robin Hood.

Today, it is still the home of the American Cinematheque.

• Electric Cinema (London)

One of the oldest cinemas in the UK, dating back to 1910 and built in the Edwardian baroque style.

The curious thing about this cinema is that it remained active even during the bomber raids that ravaged the island during World War II.

• Grand Rex (Paris)

We are talking about the great classic art deco jewel. It’s impossible not to feel like a star as you enter the hall, in fact, today it remains an iconic gala location and venue for world premieres.

It was built between 1931 and 1932, in Paris during the Nazi occupation, and its screenings were reserved exclusively for German hosts.  

The first film in history

The first ever screening took place in Paris in 1895; after many rejections, the Lumiére brothers got a chance in the Indian Room of the Grand Café du Boulevard – a small café in Paris – to show their work “Arrival of a Train at the Station” to the public for the first time.

The style of the short film was more like a documentary and lasted only a few seconds, but it was a great success and made a big impression on the audience, who even left the screening or hugged each other when they thought that a train was really coming at them.

The first film in history as such, and a pioneer in its style, was the French film (1902), “Journey to the Moon” of the musical comedy genre, it breaks with the documentary concept of the Lumiére brothers to tell a story.

The world’s first cinema

At first, works began to be shown in small venues such as cafés, exhibition halls or cabarets. However, the Nickelodeon cinemas were the first cinemas intended solely for the projection of films as such. They were built in 1905 in Pennsylvania (USA) and cost only 5 cents!

Smile fan…! Can you imagine having been in the first steps of cinema? Would you have been a true pioneer, or would you have missed out on the experience? If you liked this post, dedicate us your most Oscar-worthy smile and stay tuned to the most vintage blog. See you soon!