The Filmumentaries Podcast

135 - Inside the Carlton Cinema with historian Nigel Smith

The Filmumentaries Podcast

Show Notes

Cinema historian Nigel Smith joins Jamie to explore the hidden history of London’s picture houses. In particular the Egyptian-style Carlton in Islington. Nigel brings these spaces back to life through stories, archives, and first-hand recollections. In this episode, Nigel and Jamie discuss: How London’s old cinemas became coffee shops, bingo halls, and churches The difference between “going to the pictures” in the 1930s–50s and cinema-going today How local archives, trade papers, and oral histories help piece together forgotten stories Why repertory and community cinemas may hold the key to the future of film-going Nigel’s Memory Palaces project, documenting almost 100 cinema buildings with photos and stories Find more from Nigel: memorypalaces.co.uk and Instagram @nigelsmithwalks.

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