The Prince Charles Cinema is an arts venue very much worth saving

London's iconic Prince Charles Cinema is at risk of being forced to leave its home in Leicester Square. That would be a terrible tragedy in the world of UK film culture.

The Prince Charles Cinema is an arts venue very much worth saving

There aren’t many arts venues like the Prince Charles Cinema. Located deep in the heart of glamorous Leicester Square, in amongst the flashy cinemas beloved of Hollywood stars for their red carpet premieres, there’s a movie house devoted to a very different approach. 

I invite you to head on over to the listings pages for a few of your local multiplexes. They’ll all be showing the same four or five new releases on a constant loop. At the Prince Charles, however, the next seven days include such varied delights as: The Godfather, several nightmarish thrillers by the late David Lynch, Oscar-nominated horror movie The Substance, a three-hour Japanese war documentary, Apocalypse Now, Harmony Korine’s controversial experimental film Gummo… and a sing-along screening of The Greatest Showman.

That’s the sort of variety that few multiplexes can match. It’s not just that they lack the financial bravery to do so; it’s that they simply don’t have the breadth of affection for cinema as an art form. To Londoners and tourists alike, the PCC is an oasis of the arts – a temple to the entire spectrum of the movies.

Sadly, though, the Prince Charles Cinema finds itself under threat. In a petition posted to 38Degrees, the cinema’s management wrote: “We are beyond disappointed that our landlords, Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their ultimate parent company Criterion Capital, have demanded the inclusion of a break clause in our new lease. This could leave us homeless with only 6 months’ notice should they receive planning permission to redevelop the cinema.”

In just 24 hours earlier this week, more than 100,000 people signed the petition. Filmmakers such as Edgar Wright and Jason Reitman made their love for the venue clear, along with stars like Paul Mescal, Clara Amfo, Rose Matafeo, and Brett Goldstein. In a heartfelt statement on Instagram, the cinema’s team said: “A thank you to the people who have taken a moment out of their day to sign a petition letting the world know they want us to exist. That they want culture and community to exist. That they want a city that’s worth living in to exist. And knowing that we play a role in that desire is something we don’t take for granted.”

To anybody who has ever visited the Prince Charles, this outpouring of affection makes complete sense. There’s nowhere quite like it. A visit to either one of the PCC’s two screens is a singular experience. When so many multiplex chains feel designed to squeeze you in and out as quickly as possible, flogging bucket-sized pick n mix servings before showing you the film in a battered viewing room with a dim projector and crackly sound, the PCC is a breath of popcorn-scented fresh air.

I’ve spent many happy hours in the PCC, both in its more intimate upstairs screen and its bizarrely-shaped main room. I’ve cried my way through a festive showing of It’s a Wonderful Life, been wowed by Nicolas Cage’s performance in Pig, yelled quotes at the screen during Elf, and experienced something like a religious experience at a sing-along showing of comedy musical Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping

As a movie lover, I truly treasure the existence of the PCC. Even though I don't live in London any more, I'm still a regular visitor whenever I make a stop in the capital. Even on my most fleeting trips to London, I find myself drawn to walking past its doors, as if to pay my respects for the great memories I've had. It truly feels like a shrine to cinema as an art, in all of its forms.

The PCC is at the heart of the UK’s film culture, standing firm as one of the few truly independent cinemas in the capital. It’s willing to let its freak flag fly in order to show off the good, the bad, and the ugly of cinema past and present. If those doors were to shut forever, it would be a tragedy of truly Hollywood proportions.

You can sign the petition to save the Prince Charles Cinema here.

Author

Tom Beasley

Tom Beasley Editor

Tom is the editor of Voice and a freelance entertainment journalist. He has been a film critic and showbiz reporter for more than seven years and is dedicated to helping young people enter the world of entertainment journalism. He loves horror movies, musicals, and pro wrestling — but not normally at the same time.

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