Former Futurist Cinema

Summary

Cinema of 1919 designed by Arthur Stockwell, altered in the late C20 and the early C21.

Reasons for Designation

The Futurist Cinema, constructed in 1919 to the designs of Arthur Stockwell, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* the former cinema is an accomplished example of early cinema architecture, with well-executed classical elements and quality stone detailing;
* though the interior of the cinema has seen some alteration, the plan form remains legible and the exterior of the building survives remarkably well.

Historic interest:

* as a particularly early example of cinema design and on an impressively large scale during this early period of film;
* as one of the first cinemas in England to show ‘talkies’ with the film ‘The Singing Fool’ screened in March 1929.

History

The former Futurist Cinema was designed in 1914 by the Newcastle upon Tyne based architect, Arthur Stockwell. Construction of the building was delayed by the First World War and the designs were eventually simplified by Birmingham architectural practice Essex and Goodman. At this point the project was taken over by Mr A Hollander who brought on board businessman Sol Levy, who had already established a number of Scala cinemas across the country. The builders were H Dorse and Son of Cradley Heath with the building’s metal work produced by Peyton & Peyton of Bordesley Works. The cinema opened on 30 July 1919 and could house over 1200 patrons in total, with seating for 360 at gallery level, with a further 870 seats at ground floor. On opening, the cinema was noted to have a first floor with ‘cosily furnished’ tea rooms and a lounge. The building was also described as having a decorative scheme created by Val Prince who was given free rein to create designs which were in keeping with the Futurist title of the cinema. The first film to be screened at the cinema was D W Griffith’s war drama ‘The Great Love’.

In March 1929, The Futurist Cinema was the first in Birmingham to show ‘talkies’, with the film ‘The Singing Fool’ chosen as the first screening. By 1934 the cinema’s decorative murals had fallen out of fashion and as a result they were painted over in a phase of redecoration. The cinema was damaged during an air raid in November 1940, later reopening in April 1943. A 1937 Ordnance Survey map shows that the building once had a covered passageway at its north-west end, with the passage originally linking Hill Street and John Bright Street. It appears that this covered passageway was replaced by a single storey, flat-roofed extension in this location after the Second World War. In the later C20 the building was known as the Cannon Cinema and it was altered to create two separate screens. The cinema eventually closed in September 1991. In subsequent years, the building was converted into a night club. Internal photographs from the 1990s show a number of surviving fittings including decorative plaster cornicing, a marble staircase within the lobby, panelling and pilasters within the screen. It is understood that the marble staircase has since been removed as has the screen’s panelling and gallery, while some areas of cornicing appear to survive.

In 2016 the west end of the building, fronting onto John Bright Street, was opened as a bar and restaurant. The interior of the building was modernised as part of these works. At an unknown date the cinema’s proscenium arch was lost. During the mid-2010s, glass screens were installed to the top of the balustrade of the arcade on the principal elevation, to raise its height.

Details

Cinema of 1919 designed by Arthur Stockwell, altered in the late C20 and the early C21.

MATERIALS: constructed of brick with stone and terracotta dressings and stucco ground floor.

PLAN: the cinema’s principal façade faces onto John Bright Street with the cinema’s screen forming a rectangular range to the rear (east).

EXTERIOR: the building is classical in design, with an Ionic arcade over the first floor of the principal elevation (west). The arcade has a balcony with squat stone balusters and capitals with splayed volutes adorned with swags of carved fruit. The two-storey entrance façade has a rusticated ground floor, with rusticated piers delineating the seven bays. The central three bays on the ground floor are open and are the former cinema’s principal entrance. There is an additional entrance to the north, within an original opening, with a slim six light window immediately to the south with original glazing. To the south of the cinema’s principal entrance are two further bays which have inserted modern glazing and C21 metal roller shutters. There are transom lights immediately above the ground floor with eight panes, which also feature above the north two bays. The five bays at the south end of the building have had modern facias applied beneath the projecting cornice between the ground and first floors. At first floor, to either side of the arcade is a window within each bay with surround, cornice and key stone supporting a moulded pediment. The two bays containing windows to the north and south are framed by rusticated stone quoins which have carved scroll details at the base and top. Above the pairs of windows is a central oculus window, both of which are currently boarded up. Above the first floor there is a large projecting cornice with dentil detail beneath a stone parapet with anthemion finials. The parapet is solid with the exception of the entrance bays, which feature the same stone balusters as the arcade below.

The rear (east) elevation is tall, with a gable end fronting Hill Street. The building has stone cornices above the ground and first floors, with the first-floor cornice having dentil detailing. There are recessed brick panels with terracotta borders at first floor and roof level. There are also recessed panels and a string course at ground floor, between rusticated piers which match those on the principal façade. A large entrance at both the north and south ends of the building is under a semi-circular arch with exaggerated keystones and featuring a round circular plaque with moulded edge and swag detail. The centre of the plaque has been altered. Beneath the arch, both of the entrances have double doors which have been replaced with C21 metal roller shutters.

To the north of the cinema on the east elevation is the mid-C20 extension, replacing an earlier covered passageway. The building is single storey and stepped back from the rest of the façade, with details intended to match the earlier building. There are rusticated piers between the two bays on the ground floor with a concrete plat band between the ground and first floors. At first floor level there are two windows with concrete sills and windows, above is a brick parapet.

The north elevation of the building is partially visible with the section joining John Bright Street matching the details on the principal façade, with rusticated, rendered ground floor and brick first floor. The ground floor has two window openings between rusticated piers which have been boarded up. Above is a single window opening at the centre of the elevation with surround and pediment to match those on John Bright Street. The rusticated quoins and dentilled cornice also continue to this elevation, with the stone parapet framed by further acanthus pinnacles. To the east, the building continues in a plainer style, with a three-storey section, with window openings on each of the floors. The first-floor window is now obscured by a C21 building. This section of the building also has a moulded cornice at roof level. The cinema’s screen is situated to the rear (east) and is a tall brick building with few openings, though there are two circular window openings at the east end.

To the south, the building is adjoined by another building on both John Bright Street and Hill Street.

INTERIOR: the entrance to the cinema on John Bright Street features predominately C21 fittings and finishes. Areas of decorative plaster cornicing appear to survive on the first-floor tea rooms and within the cinema’s screen to the rear. The screen also appears to retain pilasters and has an inserted modern gallery and balustrade.

Sources

Books and journals
Clegg, C & R, The Dream Palaces of Birmingham (1983),

Websites
The Futurist, accessed 20 November 2024 from https://www.wonderlandbirmingham.co.uk/cinemas/the-futurist/

Other
Ordnance Survey map, 1937.
Birmingham Gazette, Wednesday 30 July 1919, p 7.
Birmingham Gazette, Saturday 2 March 1929, p 5.
Birmingham Gazette, Tuesday 20th April 1943.
'Sol Levy, Midlands Pioneer’, A Eyles, Picture House, vol 8, 1986, pp 3-11.

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