The exterior of the Louxor in 1930 – ivanartdeco.wordpress.com
Egypt was all the rage when the Louxor – Palais de Cinema, flagship of the Pathe cinema chain was opened in October 1921 in the Barbès district of Paris. The design of it, the creation of architect Henry Zipcy, was inspired by the film Cleopatra, a 1917 blockbuster starring the lucious Theda Bara. Unfortunately this film is, for the moment at least, lost – the last known remaining copies of it destroyed by fire.
Theda Bara as Cleopatra
The interior of the cinema included Egyptian-style seating, a blue ceiling to depict the sky, Egyptian-inspired murals, hieroglyphs and papyrus columns. There was an orchestra pit and pipe organ. The facade, thankfully protected, can still be seen on this building which sits opposite the bargain clothes chain Tati at the Barbès-Rochechouart metro stop in a rough and ready part of town. Blue, gold and black columns and scarabs decorate the outside but since the 1980s much of it was covered in posters advertising the latest music gigs.
Interior in 1954 – cinematreasures.org
The decline of the Louxor began in the mid-1950s when cinema audience numbers were in decline worldwide, largely due to the onslaught of television. By the 1970s, mainly Indian and Arab films were being shown to a growing immigrant population. The building ceased to function as a cinema when it was sold to the Tati chain in 1983. Thankfully an attempt by this company to pull it down and erect a clothing store failed, and it was briefly a nightclub in the late 1980s. In 1990 the Louxor closed and remained closed until purchased by the City of Paris in 2003.
How the salle Youssef Chahine will look in 2013 – paris.fr
The future is looking great for the Louxor and its restoration is part of the ongoing work to regenerate this area of Paris. Work has started on the renovation, and there are plans to re-open it in 2013. There will be three cinemas within and much of the original Egyptian decoration will have been restored. There will also be an exhibition gallery and catering facilities.
Born in Belfast and now living in London, Julie McNamee is involved in internet marketing as a day job and blogging as a hobby. She’s interested in all things quirky and Fortean, as well as art, photography and theatre. Her blog Quirky Travel, specializes in London and Paris top tips and off the beaten path information with subjects such as London film locations and unusual Paris museums.
