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Story Has It's avatar

Got to love a 'take-it-easy raid', the best kind. My favourite part of that is that cinemas were once rich enough to have safes, and gangs who wanted to rob them! Bring back the good old days.

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Jodie Chapman's avatar

Weirdly I was trying to find out the original cinema snack just the other day through my old Film A Level books, as I have a distinct memory of reading what it was and being so surprised. Yet I can't for the life of me remember what it was...helpful, I know. I've always been fascinated by the industry side of cinema though. When I was working at Cineworld as a student, I would be the only one religiously reading Screen International and comparing box office takings each week. Good times!

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Gareth Bradwick's avatar

Ah amazing. If you do ever find out let me know! From my research so far I’ve found that people would generally bring things in with them like nuts and oranges. But cafes were common, selling teas and sandwiches. Posh chocolates and then ice creams in the 30’s, along with boiled sweets.

I really should have gotten a job at a cinema as a student. Ideal!

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Jodie Chapman's avatar

It was the best job. Digital hadn't yet happened (early 2000s) so lots of tinkering about with film negatives and all the free movies I wanted!

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Gareth Bradwick's avatar

Beyond jealous!

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Tom's avatar

Sabotage is a 1936 Hitchcock film set in a cinema (really good early Hitchcock you should watch on YouTube). I just scanned through but nobody is eating anything that I can see... But it might be worth looking up some more films set in cinemas. The Smallest Show on Earth is also good, starring Peter Sellers from 1957. Both are good portrayals of the flea pit cinemas that once existed everywhere.

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Gareth Bradwick's avatar

Interesting. Thanks Tom. I’ll get looking at these and see if I can find some more

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