The closest cinema to my brother’s house, and it’s pretty dreamy. It’s a converted theatre with an in-house record shop!
The building opened in 1913 as the La Bonita, a nickelodeon (early cinemas that charged a nickel), and still has its large main hall, stage, and beautiful decorative details. It felt really special being in this space and It was a treat to see Aftersun favourite David Lynch on the big screen. They screened Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (the prequel to the series) followed by Eraserhead.
I loved the animated in-house titles showing what’s coming up next. The seats were super comfy, and the sound was so good I couldn’t even tell where the speakers were. It did get pretty cold because of the huge space, and my lack of thermal planning. The tea wasn’t great (powdered milk…), but maybe I’m the only person who orders tea at a cinema.
The record shop was a perfect pairing, selling vinyl, posters, and T-shirts, and everyone hung out there before the film – I’m sure leading to extra sales. The programme itself was a great mix of classics and contemporary films, clearly carefully curated. I’d happily have stayed longer for a coffee or drink if there’d been a cosy café.
Check out 4 Star cinema and its sister theatres, Balboa and The Vogue here
*A Nickelodeon was an early type of movie theater in the U.S., usually a converted storefront, that charged a nickel (five cents) for admission to see short, silent films in continuous shows, making cinema accessible to the masses and paving the way for modern movie theaters. The name combines “nickel” (admission price) and “odeon” (Greek for theater).
Blog by Kerry
Aftersun Cinema & cafe 
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