The Kinema in the Woods: The Lincolnshire cinema keeping retro movie-going alive
Movie-going has changed dramatically since the early days of cinema.
While patrons were once able to watch movies in lavish theatres, many of which could hold a large capacity of movie-goers, these days you’re more likely to end up in a rather clinical chain cinema lacking in ornate decor, unless you seek out a retro independent cinema that has managed to survive despite the advent of companies like Vue and Cineworld, desperately clinging onto the magic that defined movie-watching of the past.
Going to a chain cinema is expensive, and while you’ve got overpriced chocolate, popcorn, and hot dogs readily available, admittedly great reclining chairs, and pretty perfect surround sound, it doesn’t ever feel that special, because you’re also more likely to run into the worst kinds of movie-goers there, for they’re the obvious choice for people seeking out a quick trip to see a film.
Yet, if you make a conscious effort to visit an indie cinema with a long history behind it, you might be able to grasp a sense of what going to see a movie was once like, and sure, you might not be able to see a film while fully reclining in front of an IMAX screen with Dolby Atmos sound, but immersing yourself in a an experience that feels severed from the present day is a truly transporting endeavour that shines a whole new light on watching a movie.
There are still some classic old cinema houses spread across the UK, but they’re not as common, with nothing communicating cinema’s depressing commercialism more than the dying breed of beautiful old-fashioned establishments being overtaken by impersonal multiplex theatres; however if you’re in Leeds, Hyde Park Picture House stands as the only remaining gaslit cinema in the world, while London’s art deco Rio Cinema in Dalston, has attracted movie-lovers since 1909, and then of course, there’s the lesser-known Kinema in the Woods, located in the Lincolnshire village of Woodhall Spa.
The Victorian-esque village was once better known for its RAF ties, but these days its most impressive feature is its cinema, which is keeping the spirit of retro movie-going firmly alive, located just off the main street that runs through the village and surrounded by lush greenery, you can also find quaint bakeries, ice cream shops, bookshops, and even ‘Britain’s smallest shoe shop’ there.
Standing in front of the cinema, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been swept back in time, with its Art Deco font and various pointed roofs, but step inside, and you’ll find a cosy foyer lined with framed photos and classic movie posters, a life-sized Dalek and, of course, sumptuous red decor. Initially, a sports and entertainment pavilion that stood as part of the Victoria Hotel, drastic changes were made to the area when the hotel burned down.
It was then decided that the pavilion would become a cinema, and it first screened a Charlie Chaplin movie when it opened its doors in 1922. Much of the cinema’s original charm still stands, with movies typically shown with an intermission, and if you’re lucky, there’ll be a performance from an organist while you wait for the film to resume.
The Kinema is also believed to be the only cinema in the UK to use rear projection, something utilised as a result of the building’s low ceilings. Showing classics (sometimes with sing-along screenings) and new releases on a regular basis, watching a movie here truly feels like going back 100 years and experiencing a time when the concept was completely new and exciting. That magic is hard to come by nowadays, but you can find it in this rather unsuspecting Lincolnshire village.
