Grand

My Dear Fellow,

Like many Edinburgh cinema-goers, I love the Dominion. It is nearly, but not quite as grand as the Odeon back in Scarborough that I used to visit when I were a nipper.

Built in the 1930's the Odeon was a true art-deco beauty, that had fabulously over-decorated walls - it was some sort of jungle design with huge plaster leaves and thick vines as I recall. Of course, the seats were horrible and there was chewing gum everywhere, but you can't have everything. Smoking patrons had to sit on the left hand side of the auditorium in those days. If the film was dull, I would look over to the left and watch the billowing smoke curling up through the projector light.

Cinemas back then also had curtains, like in the theatre. Goodness knows why. They would swish back and forth pointlessly about half a dozen times. "Here's the adverts!" swish swish. "And now Telly Savalas narrates a documentary about Portsmouth!" swish. 

I realise now that I've been cinema-lucky to have such places to visit. The Odeon nearly closed for good in the 80's but it was saved by that lovely man Alan Ayckbourn. It is still the best reason to visit Scarborough.

So yesterday's film was "The Nice Guys" in plush leather sofas. It was a good, funny film and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Still, it wouldn't have mattered even if the film was of indifferent quality. Like when I was a kid, I just enjoy going to the pictures and can enjoy pretty much anything on a big screen, sitting in the dark. I still draw the line at "Telly Savalas on Portsmouth" though.

After the movie, Lisa came back to the flat with Er Indoors and myself where we discovered that something has upset Punky's stomach. He let us know by leaving a coded message in the catbox. I shall draw a discreet line under that story though.

El Parsones