Hyde Park Picturehouse
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Hyde Park Picturehouse
Originally built as a hotel in 1908 the Hyde Park Picture House is a Leeds landmark. The building was converted in to a cinema in 1914 and is now one of the only surviving picture houses in the UK. With original features such as old gas lighting and a decorative Edwardian balcony visitors come not only to watch films but to take in the atmosphere and history of the old-style Picture Palace.
Every night the Hyde Park Picture House shows a selection of art house and foreign movies as well as classic old films from the birth of cinema onwards. More recently the cinema has started to show a handful of mainstream films but these are more often the critically acclaimed award winners rather than the latest Vin Diesel action adventure or Jennifer Aniston rom-com. Dedicated followers of film flock here to catch the latest Palm D’or winner or Arabian export while young and old alike experience their favourite old films as they should be seen.
Right in the heart of Leeds’ student area, the Picture House has survived 90 years of expansion and development and while Leeds has become the picture of modern urbanity it has remained unchanged as a shrine to early 20th century West Yorkshire. This, of course, means that the Picture House is not the most comfortable of places to spend two hours but every pin and every needle in your rear is worth it to experience cinema as it should be. And, lets not forget, while we might give up our supersized cokes and comfortable seats to come here we’re also missing out on whispering teenagers, overpriced popcorn and kids kicking the back of the seat.
It may not be to everybody’s taste - we know there are some days when you just can’t face subtitles or worthy messages and would rather settle down to some CGI or a far fetched love story - but there’s no denying that the Hyde Park Picture House is a part of Leeds’ history that can’t be missed and a film buff’s dream venue.
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Recently they’ve started putting on BYOB screenings (Bring Your Own Baby!) which I imagine would be a relief for parents who are fed up getting evil eyes from people when their baby cries.
Queues start early but you aren’t allowed in until around 15 minutes before the film starts as the seats aren’t allocated. It’s a lovely experience quite different from a modern cinema and in it’s unique way it’s the best cinema in Leeds. It’s somewhere you can just show up and buy a ticket, I’ve certainly never seen a dud film being shown.
