Lighthouse

I believe it will be in the Smithfield Market development, next to the 14 storey residential tower.

Here’s the article from RTE with a small picture:

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0307/lighthousecinema.html

Yes it was announced nearly two years ago. It’ll be predominantly Underground at Smithfield Market.

They’ll never recreate the daytime atmosphere of the original Lighthouse. That was pre-IFC (or IFI?) and pre-internet DVD. The only other source of interesting film then was on video through the Metropole on Baggot St. Alternatively, if you didn’t have a video player and if you’d two quid you could go to Abbey St. for the weekday matinee and experience the bored but friendly staff and the cinema occupied by not much more than a handful of patrons – either the unemployed or students. Smoking was allowed back then. The likes of a Greenaway movie was considered unmissable and couldn’t be seen anywhere else.

I remember killing time watching some awful French arthouse shite when some exasperated and bored patron started flicking peanuts or sweets at the screen. The wave pattern which spread from the point of impact was sufficiently more interesting than the film itself to prevent any vocal complaints from the rest of the audience. We watched and when a particularly well struck peanut hit there was a small cheer. It’s just not going to work nowadays.

jimg: if you can’t tell the difference between live cinema and watching a DVD on the net, then you’ve lost your soul! As for smoking in the cinema – thank f**k it’s gone! Yes, the ‘new’ Lighthouse will work and more power to its elbow (cf. the GFT in Glasgow – still going strong)!

I’ve not lost my soul, johnglas and I hate smoke. 🙂 … these days. It’s just that the old Lighthouse operated in a very different environment and the unique atmosphere was definitely a product of its time. It was the only source of arthouse film back then and I don’t think the old atmosphere of the lighthouse can be recreated now. I’ve as nostalgic as anyone but with the IFI at one end and the Screen at the other, it’ll be difficult for it to find a niche particularly with the wider availability of non-mainstream movies these days.

jimg: fair comment; you know the local scene better than me. I must confess to being very disappointed on my one attendance at a film in the IFI (Pandora’s Labyrinth – magic!). The interior in no way matches the imaginative revamp of the entrance and foyer area; it seemed to me to be a very basic job. It seemed to have trashed the fittings of the old Quaker meeting-house; were my impressions correct? I get the feeling the whole thing now needs a re-revamp. What do you think?

can anyone remember what the abbey st version was called before it was the Lighthouse – I’m wracking my brain but can’t remember (it only became the Lighthouse in the late 80s).

@shweeney wrote:

can anyone remember what the abbey st version was called before it was the Lighthouse – I’m wracking my brain but can’t remember (it only became the Lighthouse in the late 80s).

Feeling dreadfully ancient now but it was the Curzon and across the road was the equally forgettable Cameo cinema which is where the Academy/Spirit/Hot Press hall of Fame/What’s it called this week is.

Hi all!

I’ve just posted some up to date info about the re-opening of the Light House Cinema in another thread. You can find it here:
https://archiseek.com/content/showpost.php?p=79250&postcount=160

You as architecture aficionados might be particularly interested in the images of the work in progress on the site at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lighthousecinema/

Oh and jimg – Light House Cinema were health and safety pioneers too back then because they never allowed smoking! 🙂 It was just all the smoking onscreen…

johnglas – I have a strong feeling that the new Light House Cinema is going to be at least as good as GFT. I spent many a memorable evening in the GFT – funnily enough the film I most remember seeing there was “Smoke” the film of the Paul Auster movie. Now there was a movie with smokin’ in it!! 🙂

Enjoy and hopefully see you at the cinema soon for more memorable movies!

LHC

Thanks for the comments – there’s a whole world of difference between smoking in films and smoking in the cinema. Here’s lookin’ at you, kid!