Exhibition HistoryExhibition History

What is the nature of movie-going, and the What is the nature of movie-going, and the movie-going experience?movie-going experience?

Under what conditions do people Under what conditions do people encounter motion pictures, and what is encounter motion pictures, and what is significant about these conditions?significant about these conditions?

Do people go to a movie or do they go to Do people go to a movie or do they go to the movies?the movies?

““Public movie performances are occasions for eating, for Public movie performances are occasions for eating, for disregarding one’s usual dietary strictures, for knowingly disregarding one’s usual dietary strictures, for knowingly overpaying too much for food, for sneaking snacks and drinks, overpaying too much for food, for sneaking snacks and drinks, for both planned and impromptu socializing, for working, for for both planned and impromptu socializing, for working, for flirting, for sexual play, for gossiping, for staking out territory flirting, for sexual play, for gossiping, for staking out territory in theatre seats, for threatening noisy spectators, for being in theatre seats, for threatening noisy spectators, for being threatened, for arguments, for reading, for talking about threatened, for arguments, for reading, for talking about future moviegoing, for relaxing, for sharing in the experience future moviegoing, for relaxing, for sharing in the experience of the screening with other audience members, for fleeting of the screening with other audience members, for fleeting glimpses at possible allegiances and alliances of taste, for glimpses at possible allegiances and alliances of taste, for being too close to strangers, for being crowded in your winter being too close to strangers, for being crowded in your winter clothes, for being frozen by over-active air-conditioning, for clothes, for being frozen by over-active air-conditioning, for being bored, for sleeping, for disappointment, for joy, for being bored, for sleeping, for disappointment, for joy, for arousal, for disgust, for slouching, for hand-holding, for drug arousal, for disgust, for slouching, for hand-holding, for drug taking, for standing in lines, for making phone calls, for the taking, for standing in lines, for making phone calls, for the evaluation of trailers, and for both remembering and evaluation of trailers, and for both remembering and forgetting oneself.”forgetting oneself.”Charles Acland, Charles Acland, Screen TrafficScreen Traffic (Durham: Duke UP 2003), p. (Durham: Duke UP 2003), p.

5858. .

The Movie Palace (exteriors)The Movie Palace (exteriors)

Grand design often with an exotic name and Grand design often with an exotic name and decorative motifs including Egyptian, decorative motifs including Egyptian, Chinese, baroque, renaissance, and classical Chinese, baroque, renaissance, and classical elements built into every facet structure and elements built into every facet structure and creating an impression of awesome grandeur creating an impression of awesome grandeur and exoticism.and exoticism.

The Movie Palace (Interiors)The Movie Palace (Interiors)

Features included enormous lobbys, huge and Features included enormous lobbys, huge and opulent bathrooms, on-site nurses and opulent bathrooms, on-site nurses and nurseries for kids, with sandboxes and toys nurseries for kids, with sandboxes and toys and free child minding, armies of uniformed and free child minding, armies of uniformed staff, and very significantly, air conditioningstaff, and very significantly, air conditioning

The Movie Palace (Auditoria)The Movie Palace (Auditoria)

Very grand auditoria seating thousands Very grand auditoria seating thousands of patrons, with painted ceilings, of patrons, with painted ceilings, plasterwork details, heavy drapery and plasterwork details, heavy drapery and opulent textures and colours in opulent textures and colours in upholstery fittings, furniture etc.upholstery fittings, furniture etc.

Selling the movie-going experienceSelling the movie-going experience

““People want primarily to feel that it is People want primarily to feel that it is theirtheir theatre…One cannot overemphasize the theatre…One cannot overemphasize the importance of “atmosphere”…Fresh flowers are importance of “atmosphere”…Fresh flowers are placed daily in the lobbies and promenades of the placed daily in the lobbies and promenades of the theatre, on which one item alone are spent theatre, on which one item alone are spent several thousands dollars a year…By creating this several thousands dollars a year…By creating this atmosphere, and making the patron feel he is our atmosphere, and making the patron feel he is our special guest and that nothing for his comfort and special guest and that nothing for his comfort and convenience has been overlooked, we have won convenience has been overlooked, we have won the first battle; after this, everything is much the first battle; after this, everything is much easier.” easier.”

Samuel L. “Roxy” Rothafel, proprietor of the 6214-seat Samuel L. “Roxy” Rothafel, proprietor of the 6214-seat Roxy Theatre, New York, in Roxy Theatre, New York, in Architectural ForumArchitectural Forum, June 1925. , June 1925.

Be King for a DayBe King for a Day

No palace of Prince or Princess, no mansion of millionaire No palace of Prince or Princess, no mansion of millionaire could offer the same pleasure, delight, and relaxation to could offer the same pleasure, delight, and relaxation to those who seek escape from the work-a-day world, than this, those who seek escape from the work-a-day world, than this, the Arcady where delicate dreams of youth are spun...Here the Arcady where delicate dreams of youth are spun...Here in this Fox dreamcastle, dedicated to the entertainment of in this Fox dreamcastle, dedicated to the entertainment of all California, is the Utopian Symphony of the Beautiful, all California, is the Utopian Symphony of the Beautiful, attuned to the Cultural and Practical...No King...No attuned to the Cultural and Practical...No King...No Queen...had ever such luxury, such varied array of singing, Queen...had ever such luxury, such varied array of singing, dancing, talking magic, such complete fulfillment of joy. The dancing, talking magic, such complete fulfillment of joy. The power of this Purple we give to you...for your entertainment. power of this Purple we give to you...for your entertainment. You are the monarch while the play is on!" You are the monarch while the play is on!"

Ad from the Ad from the San Francisco CallSan Francisco Call, June 30 1929 promoting , June 30 1929 promoting the opening of San Francisco Fox movie palace the opening of San Francisco Fox movie palace

Consumer Society:Consumer Society:The movie palace and the department The movie palace and the department

storestore Both are public spaces in which grandeur and leisure are Both are public spaces in which grandeur and leisure are

available to a large section of the population.available to a large section of the population.

Both spaces exhibit a sense of exoticism and Both spaces exhibit a sense of exoticism and ‘classiness’, transporting people from their quotidian ‘classiness’, transporting people from their quotidian lives to more interesting, more comfortable places.lives to more interesting, more comfortable places.

There is recognition of something called the ‘mass There is recognition of something called the ‘mass audience’, which in many important ways crossed class audience’, which in many important ways crossed class boundariesboundaries