Published: Thursday, 4th September, 2008 4:25pm

Alhambra theatre to host cinema nostalgia night

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IT may have lacked the wide screens, surround sound and modern-day computer-generated visual effects, but there"s something about the golden age of 1950s cinema that modern multiplexes simply cannot capture.

And the romance of the movie experience as it used to be is recaptured for Dunfermline cinema goers this month.

The Alhambra theatre is hosting a silver-screen nostalgia night on Friday 12th September, complete with Pathe News reels, ice-cream vendors and commissionaires.

There will even be a smoke machine to recreate the dull fug of cigarette haze.

Bill Fletcher, managing director of Linklever, the company which owns the Alhambra, is running the one-off special event in conjunction with Film Mobile Scotland, who travel the country screening films in areas that are without a nearby cinema.

He said, 'The venue has a strong connection with classic cinema so our idea is to recreate the cinema experience from its golden era.

'The first-ever film screened at the Alhambra was a silent movie called Over the Hill – and this was way back in the era of piano accompaniment, in 1922. The last was The Bond film Dr No.'

'The first film I ever saw at the Alhambra was The Voyage of Sinbad. I"m sure a lot of older people have similar memories so I"d encourage them to come along on the night.'

He added, 'It was a huge form of popular entertainment and we want the people of Dunfermline to sample that.

'I think at one time Dunfermline had six cinemas running seven nights a week, all operating to capacity. Of course, it was such a powerful medium then when there was no TV.

'So here"s a chance for young people to experience it as it was, while older people can take a walk down memory lane.'

The Abba-esque summer hit Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep, is to be shown on the night 'to temper the old with the new'.

It will also link in with the following night"s West End performance of Abba Mania, a recreation of a 1970s Abba Concert.

Bill added, 'We"ve already had KT Tunstall, Roy Chubby Brown and classical music performed here, so it"s been an eclectic programme. It"s about seeing what the people of Dunfermline want and trying to respond to that.

'Film Mobile have told me they"d like to do this 12 times a year. If there"s a market for it then we"d be delighted.'

Andrew Goodwin, of Lanarkshire-based Film Mobile Scotland, said, 'The Alhambra is an absolutely brilliant venue for showing film – it will really blow your socks off.

'I think it"s a sleeping giant. If it wasn"t for Bill Fletcher it might have been lost forever.

'In my opinion it"s a great, vintage venue and we complement it with quality cinema. We"re extending an invitation to anyone who wants to see quality cinema to come along and support it.

'The magic of the movies is not lost.'

Doors for the screening of Mamma Mia! open at 7pm. Tickets cost £6 and can be bought on the night.