An Art Deco cinema in Sheerness

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton collects, preserves, catalogues and provides public access to its collection of films and magic lantern slides. The collection charts the rise of screen culture in the region and the nation and captures many aspects of life, work and creativity in the South East from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available for research, screenings, creative re-use and commercial access.

An Art Deco cinema in Sheerness

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
Sheerness
1988-01-01
Sound
1m

Alan Stingemore's short film captures the final years of the Rio Cinema at 27 Broadway, Sheerness.

Looking like a vision from the film Metropolis, this extraordinary Art Deco-style building seems at odds with its surroundings. There are dramatic views of the cinema’s white stuccoed edifice with its sculptural forms and surfaces before tilting down to the neglected looking foyer and canopy. 'Save the Rio' graffiti can be seen on the walls as the traffic passes by.

Sheerness' Rio Cinema was designed by George Coles and opened in June 1937. Originally built as part of the Kay Brothers' cinema chain before being taken over by Gaumont British Theatres, the Rio could seat 1600 patrons. It also had a large foyer which could accommodate a further 500 waiting customers. This meant that cinema-goers could wait in air-conditioned comfort inside the building rather than queue outside. After the Rio closed in June 1958, the building became a factory for the production of Lilliput toys until it was abandoned in 1987. Efforts to preserve the building were unsuccessful and it was demolished in 1988. A residential blocks of flats now stands on the site.

Alan Stingemore's short film captures the final years of the Rio Cinema at 27 Broadway, Sheerness. Looking like a vision from the film Metropolis, this extraordinary Art Deco-style building seems at odds with its surroundings. There are dramatic views of the cinema’s white stuccoed edifice with its sculptural forms and surfaces before tilting down to the neglected looking foyer and canopy. 'Save the Rio' graffiti can be seen on the walls as the traffic passes by.

Silver Screens: A Century of Cinemagoing

From the picture palaces of the past to modern multiplexes...

The cinema has always been so much more than just a place to watch films. At the heights of its powers, the silver screen stood for spectacle, sophistication, electricity and elegance as well as entertainment, and the very venues themselves were star attractions. These architectural marvels stood proud in cities and towns up and down the country, enthralling audiences in their thousands in the days when "going to the pictures" was a national pastime.

For over a century, cinema has endured, and cinemas have changed with the times. The rise of television, video and home cinemas may have splintered the cultural dominance of the movies while bringing films to smaller and more convenient screens, but the thrill of the communal experience remains - as do many of the monumental structures themselves, whether they have been converted into bingo halls, renovated into plush modern picture houses, or left to loom over the high street.

This collection celebrates the cinema as both a cultural icon and a haven for generations of starry-eyed dreamers, and documents the changing face of filmgoing from the bygone bioscopes and the lavish picture palaces of yesteryear to the sticky-floored multiplexes of today. So dim the lights, grab your popcorn, and lose yourself in the magic of the silver screen.