Little Bit Ritzy Case Study

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The landmark cinema of south London – Ritzy is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas that operate up until today. The venue began its life in 1911 under the name Electric Pavilion. It was a silent cinema, equipped with organs and moved to sound in 1929. Through its long history it had many name and owner changes, survived the Blitz and Brixton riots, faced demolition and today is a bustling, cultural venue of Brixton. In late 1970s Ritzy even operated as porn cinema before it closed down and was left forlorn. After a two year period of abandonment, a local film editor and cinema enthusiast Pat Foster decided to take action to rescue the cinema. When the necessary financial resources and the co-workers’ team where gathered, the venue reopened in 1978 under the name The Little Bit Ritzy. That initiated the cinema’s heyday as a politically and culturally bold art house. Alongside the diverse repertory programming, Little Bit Ritzy was also committed to screening more radical content with left-wing agenda, LGBT, feminist’s issues, equal rights, environmental matters and …show more content…

Things like pop-up screens, Secret Cinema, hot tub or pillow cinemas are on the rise. Ritzy embraces this trend entirely. In house through preparing deals such as bottomless brunch or theme events combined with film screenings and through adding sixth screen – Pop Ritzy. Pop Ritzy is located nearby the cinema in a shipping container and is a venue for alternative screenings – from local artists’ works to classic films with live music. Ritzy’s manager James van Dyke stresses the venue’s transformation to an important cultural hub of Brixton that with its broad offer of events and facilities is targeting not only cinema goers. The new term that is applicable to how Ritzy operates nowadays is “Cultureplex” meaning it is something more than a cinema – a multidisciplinary facility, event and art space all in

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