Always pick a good film .................

As picture houses go the Multisala Impero Varese  looks pretty ordinary, and if you wanted to be a tad unfair you might describe it as a box with windows.

But that is to compare it with that golden age of cinema design where the elaborate exterior was part of the experience on offer.

I always judged it to have been built in the 1960s, but only yesterday I turned up an old picture postcard from the 1940s, and after a bit of research I now know it was built as the Impero Cinema Theater in 1940, and remained the only picture house in Varese until the New Cinema, in 1959 and the Cinema Teatro Vela in 1966.

So, with that in mind and never wanting to be unfair I looked at it again, and yes,  it has more going for it.

It has a simplicity of design and fits with the surrounding  buildings and those in the much grander Monte Grappa square, directly behind it which dates from 1934.

The choice of films was a mix of Italian and English language, with the Birds of Prey, 1917 and Dolittle competing with Odio l’estate.

Now despite my very poor Italian the choice had to be Odio l’estate, which translates as I hate summer and involves three families in a holiday home.

What attracted us were the three lead actors, Aldo Baglio, Giacomo Poretti, and Giovanni Storti, who have been turning out films for decades.

Added to which the soundtrack included "Odio l'estate" by Bruno Martino.  The song dates from 1960, and was very popular.*

So that is it.

Location Varese

Pictures, Multisala Impero Varese , Via Giuseppe Bernascone, 2020, from the collection of Balzano

* Odio l'estate" by Bruno Martino https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4waIeADlZ80

Today ......the classic Italian film .......Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves .......

Now, this is one of those stories that combines my membership of the Dante Society, with my passion for films and where I live.*

And along the way highlights the work of our own Chorlton Film Institute.**

So that just leaves me to announce that on December 19th, here in Chorlton is a showing of that powerful Italian film  Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves.

“This landmark 1948 Italian film is widely regarded as among the best films of all time. Ricci, an unemployed man in post-WWII Italy, finally gets a good job - for which he needs a bicycle. But soon his bicycle is stolen…...

In 1950 it won a special Academy Honorary Award as ‘most outstanding foreign language film’ six years before the category was added to the Awards.

The film is presented in association with Societa’ Dante Alighieri, with a short introduction in English by Dr Silvana Serra, PhD in Cinema, Event Organiser for Societa' Dante Alighieri, and Member of the Selection Committee for International Short Film Festivals. 

Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves is in Italian with English subtitles and has a running time of  time 1 hour and 35 minutes approx.”.*

So that is it.

Venue: St Clement's Church, Edge Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, M21 9AE

Date; Thursday December 19

 Tickets are £5 - on the door only, no pre-booking or reservations.

Refreshments available including Panettone.

 Doors open at 20:10 – Introduction and Film starts at 20:30; film certificate is U


Location; Chorlton



Pictures; Scenes from the film, 1947, and the Dante Society in the Square, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*SOCIETA' DANTE ALIGHIERI – MANCHESTER
Il mondo in italiano – Promoting Italian Culture in the world since 1889

Email: dante@newfuture.org   

Website: www.dantemanchester.org.uk



**Chorlton Film Institute  www.chorltonfilminstitute.co.uk     

The classic Italian film .......Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves ....... coming soon

Now, this is one of those stories that combines my membership of the Dante Society, with my passion for films and where I live.*

And along the way highlights the work of our own Chorlton Film Institute.**

So that just leaves me to announce that on December 19th, here in Chorlton is a showing of that powerful Italian film  Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves.

“This landmark 1948 Italian film is widely regarded as among the best films of all time. Ricci, an unemployed man in post-WWII Italy, finally gets a good job - for which he needs a bicycle. But soon his bicycle is stolen…...

In 1950 it won a special Academy Honorary Award as ‘most outstanding foreign language film’ six years before the category was added to the Awards.

The film is presented in association with Societa’ Dante Alighieri, with a short introduction in English by Dr Silvana Serra, PhD in Cinema, Event Organiser for Societa' Dante Alighieri, and Member of the Selection Committee for International Short Film Festivals. 

Ladri di biciclette / Bicycle Thieves is in Italian with English subtitles and has a running time of  time 1 hour and 35 minutes approx.”.*

So that is it.

Venue: St Clement's Church, Edge Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, M21 9AE

Date; Thursday December 19

 Tickets are £5 - on the door only, no pre-booking or reservations.

Refreshments available including Panettone.

 Doors open at 20:10 – Introduction and Film starts at 20:30; film certificate is U


Location; Chorlton



Pictures; Scenes from the film, 1947, and the Dante Society in the Square, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*SOCIETA' DANTE ALIGHIERI – MANCHESTER
Il mondo in italiano – Promoting Italian Culture in the world since 1889

Email: dante@newfuture.org   

Website: www.dantemanchester.org.uk



**Chorlton Film Institute  www.chorltonfilminstitute.co.uk