Prince Charles Cinema

What a fab old-school cinema! We came from Brighton to see 2001: A Space Odyssey in 70mm at the Prince Charles Cinema and were so impressed by the charm of this cinema; like stepping back in time to the way cinemas used to be. The 1968 print was old and had all the markings and distortions you'd expect but it was also incredibly sharp, with rich blacks, deep contrast and sumptuous colours that really popped off the screen. I have watched 2001 since childhood, over and over, but have never experienced the film in that way. Seeing things I'd never noticed before, hearing things in that original mix that I think have been subdued in home releases. I loved that at the intermission the lights came up, the curtains drew closed across the screen and the audience took the opportunity to make a trip to the toilet, grab another beer. It made it more of an event and I do wish modern movies were able to factor an intermission into the experience. After all, how often do we pause movies at home to go flick the kettle or smoke a quick cigarette? I think this cinema is a little gem and deserves to be in operation for many years to come. The opportunity to see an original 70mm print of a film like 2001 is a real treat if you are somebody who enjoys film and can appreciate it as an art form. I will be back, for sure. I didn't want to leave. Movie theatres like The Prince Charles Cinema feel like coming home.
Tony Healey - 2 months ago

Such an amazing cinema. They show tons of great films for really great prices. The memberships are cheap and come with so many perks. The staff are nice, the snacks are well priced and they have a good selection of drinks. Both screens are very comfy and I love the variety of events they put on. They do movie marathons, sing a longs and they are diverse with the showings. Would recommend!!
lilly everett - 5 months ago

I'm a huge fan of this cinema, with some reservations, but first the (overwhelming) positives: the owners truly love cinema and exhibit classic films you won't get to see on the big screen anywhere else. I'll keep coming back as there's always something remarkable to discover here. Some words of caution: Screen 1 downstairs has a relatively small screen for the size of the theatre and probably the strangest seating arrangements you will ever see. The seats slope backwards and good luck seeing the film if a tall person sits directly in front of you. I always sit in the front row, but this involves craning your neck up. Oh well, I'd still rather see the full picture and be able to read the subtitles! I prefer upstairs (screen 2), which is smaller, but fares better in terms of tiered seating arrangements. The only issue here is a technical one - you can see the projector's individual pixels, but once you get into the film, it's less of a problem. Finally, a mixed impression: the clientele this cinema attracts. Based on my experience so far, this largely depends on the film you see. Most cinemagoers are respectful and good audience members, but unfortunately you do get the occasional crowd of 'smart' folk who like to laugh performatively at older films. I made the mistake of seeing Halloween (1978) recently and the amount of talking and laughing definitely interfered with my appreciation of this horror classic. To be fair to The Prince Charles management, they are aware of this tendency and have tried to 'educate' these reprobates by screening a cinema etiquette video, but on this occasion it didn't work. Just choose your films wisely!
Mark Jepson - a week ago

Went here to watch 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affaire', which was great. A nice theater with the oldschool vibes. Service was excellent, and snacks/drinks are cheap. The Walter White lookalike was seated next to us in the theater, fully dressed as Heisenberg, as one does. It's true, he exists. Look it up. I am not joking.
Robbe Dobbe - 7 months ago