Let the looting of memories of yesterday commece.

Well it's been a while since anything has made me want to write, but here goes...(and also blogger now works on an iPad)

What has made me want to blog, a simple trip to the cinema, not any cinema, but a proper cinema.

One where the sense of wonder and awe has not been lost to the over packed and over priced 'front room'.

The place is The Plaza in Stockport.  Built in the 1930's and one of the only surviving cinemas of it's kind.

I'd been before and kind of knew what experience awaited. What made me think this time, I was alone and having recently been to the 'big local cinema' to see a film I wanted to see on my own also, I compared the differences.

The big cinema, walk in through automatic doors, pay at the till, all the workers dressing in bright colours and dark pants, up the escalator, over priced food, then into the cavernous room, comfortable seats, which you could fall asleep in, sticky floor, film, end then leave.  But stuck in the carpark, due to ignorance and foolish people.

Mostly a soulless experience

The Plaza experience is completely different.

Firstly I can walk freely to the Plaza, as being built in the age it was access was only by foot or bus to the town centre.

Drawing close, you can see the top over the A6, it's neon green and red, bright in the sky atop of one of the tallest building around (unfortunately at the min the z and a are broken, but it doesn't dull the experience, I nearly walked in front of a bus in my eagerness to get there).

It's not a faceless building, like it's newer sibling, it stands tall and white, containing it's wonder and glory.  The whole design drips in nostalgia and beauty of one of the beautiful ages of man, that of art deco.

The wooden, glass door, angled and etch simply to form a piece of art itself, the shiny furniture sparkling from every edge, then it is opened by a man dress in a black suit and bow tie, greeting you with a friendly 'good evening'.  The lobby is dressed in wood panelling, the old box office, like a big fish tank in the middle, two sets of beautiful doors lead off from the left and right.
The small gathering point has more contains  double doors into the lower seats, the right side a small confectionery counter, which is manned by more smartly dress people and reasonably priced too.

From here you can go to the gods, the stairs seem to go up and up, never ending, one thing that would add to the experience, classic movie posters, at the top another suited and booted volunteer takes your ticket and guides you to the auditorium.  Once the seal is broken, the sound of the Wurlitzer fills the air and round the next corner you enter the lavishly decorated cavern, the the endless stairs have brought you too.

The interior opens out, like a cave, immersing you in neon light, architecture and show tunes on the Wurlitzer, a glory to all senses... Let the show commence...

Onward to part 2.... (When it's done)..