Ever left the cinema wanting more? Why not spend the entire night at London’s hidden gem for film buffs.
While the rest of Leicester Square and its surrounding areas begin to shut down for the evening, one place on certain evenings remains open, showing cult films all the way until the early morning.
The Prince Charles Cinema has become well known for hosting a plethora of cult film classics, director showcases, musical sing-alongs, and most importantly, the all-night movie marathons. These marathons have become quite the pilgrimage for the hardcore film fan, with the website for the cinema sporting a list of all-nighter rules, and an album of ‘marathon survivor photos’ – group photos taken of the exhausted consumers after an experience stretching around 12 or so hours.
These marathons range in themes, some are mystery marathons playing a random selection of both classics and modern films, others are based on a specific franchise or series such as The Dark Knight or The Lord of the Rings, and others are based on critically acclaimed directors and their filmographies such as Wong Kar Wai or Bong Joon Ho.
I attended one of these marathons, themed around the 90’s Batman film series, and sought to document the experience and talk to both attendees and staff to hear about their late-night cinema stories and experiences.
I arrived outside the cinema around 8PM on an especially freezing Tuesday evening. Groups of people queued up together from the main door all the way around the building and down further into Chinatown. You could tell immediately that, for many there, this wasn’t their first rodeo.
Reuniting and reminiscing with previous compatriots or joking with the staff, there was an immediate sense of community. I was already quite familiar with this cinema, having attended screenings before but, despite this, I had never experienced this communal vibe that comes from these elongated cinematic experiences.
Various people in the queue shared with me about their previous experiences and what keeps bringing them back for more. One cinephile, a university film student named Nicholas, shared his affection for the cinema, “there’s a difference between here and the other cinemas out there, this place really listens to their audience you know, they have suggestion boards, they take in every piece of feedback, and the positive effects show clearly.”
As the door opened, the queue slowly progressed, phone screens lit up with digital tickets on display as they were being scanned on the door one by one. Once past this hurdle, a flood of bodies progressed to the snack and drinks bars, and in the other direction, a line of excited faces made their exit from the previous screening. At this time, I aspired to talk to more people, but the crowds were overwhelming within the small venue.
I prepared myself for the first screening and got accustomed to my seat before a series of trailers and comedic PCC branded idents played. The attention to detail in these idents and the usage of cinema greats made the experience feel that bit more special. The rest of the crowd poured in before the lights went dark and Batman began. The 1989 Batman film and its sequels are questionable in the ranking of Batman adaptations, but again that’s the point of this, giving alternative chances. So many cinemas rescreen The Dark Knight trilogy, but how many screen its lesser-known older brother?
As a bit of history, The Prince Charles Cinema, originally opened in the 1960s, has undergone many changes and transformations in its over half a century’s worth of experience of operations. Originally opening as a theatre, it transformed into a porn cinema sometime during the 70’s, and then shifted gears to focus on Indie and Foreign film in the 80’s and 90’s. After this transformation the cinema quickly gained a loyal following, opening the possibilities for larger and possibly more unconventional events.
After the first film was over, I tried to make a quick exit to beat the incoming crowd and get first dibs on the restrooms. Most staff were still scrambling to prepare for the masses, but I managed to have brief conversations in which the staff reflected on the communal aspect of this night time ritual, and how they often build friendships with regular customers.
They told me, “At first you see a face once, then maybe the next week, then maybe the week after, and suddenly you have inside jokes, banter, that sort of thing.” I also asked about the trouble of running events such as these, and it was a combination of exhaustion and burnout from staff and audiences. “When an event is this long, staff members are working full night shifts rushing about to keep everything under control, audiences are slogging through almost a day’s worth of cinema, it’s not for everyone. The strict rules are there for a reason – it’s to help all of us together.”
Before long the first film had fully ended, and the audience poured out into the concessions area once again. By this point, it was around 11PM and we still had three more films to go. It was beginning to look like a long night. I suddenly understood the comments about these events only being for the most hardcore of cinema fans. My legs were beginning to cramp, and I felt a tiredness developing, but I continued to my bat-filled fate, re-entering the screening room and preparing for another two hours of bat-themed superhero antics.
By the time the second instalment had ended it was already reaching 1AM. For a newbie like me exhaustion was easily setting in, but for veterans, this was a walk in the park. I spoke to more cinema goers in the concession area as the crowds diminished, a group of film students who described their experiences at a similar marathon a few months prior, playing the almost entire filmography of acclaimed Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai.
They described the events as like an immersive art exhibition, being lost in the colours and aesthetics of his curated world and held high praise for the cinema for providing events like this that would not happen elsewhere nearby. “Wong Kar-Wai is known for his foggy colours and vivid cinematography, and I feel like the event made perfect use of this, from the order of screenings to the arranged times. It felt like a portal from London’s nightlife into his own beautiful neon world.”
Regardless of any fatigue I felt, feeling the passion of those around me prevented me from ever considering calling it quits. I was refreshed and ready to tackle the third and final film on the programme, and stormed onwards back into the screening room for the last time that evening. Villains were squashed, bladders were held, and my hunger was torn but ultimately the credits rolled, I felt a sense of accomplishment and the night of film was wrapping up.
It was around 4am as the zombie-like remains of the audience poured out into the lobby and eventually onto the street. Before leaving I spoke to a staff member about my exhaustion, and he just said, “I’m sure I’ll still see you next time.” And you know what, maybe he was right. It’s an experience that, like a rollercoaster ride, or some other thrill-seeking activity where your body tells you no, your mind and emotion crave the adrenaline.
My night of film was a complete mixture of emotions but trust me, listen to the veterans and their tips, The Prince Charles Cinema website has a whole list of itinerary – maybe a toothbrush, some more comfortable clothes or a quick walk could have been a lifesaver.
You can find out more about the cinema at https://princecharlescinema.com
What is your ideal movie marathon? Let us know at @nox.magazine