Cinema? Paradise!

Yesterday, Sunday, I did something I'd not done since before this health crisis: I went to the cinema.

As a lot of new releases are being held back, cinemas large and small are seizing the opportunity to show some favourites again, such as Amelie and, my favourite, The Lord of the Rings.

As of yesterday, the big cinema next to the main station stared showing each part of LOTR and The Hobbit (which I hated) over consecutive weekends.

Now you might think that sitting in an enclosed space with other people in these crazy times is the height of madness, but since the films are already 19 to 17 years old and there had been about 4 showings in German before this final one in the original English this weekend, I didn't think the room would be too crowded. And I was right. In a space that could seat 273 people, there were about 40 of us. I didn't have anyone near me.

By heck, it was wonderful to sit back with a the smallest possible portion of popcorn, in a velvet double seat, in the dark, knowing that there were like-minded people in the same room, and enjoy the marvellous sound system and one of the best films ever on a large, large screen. The film is as good and fresh now as it was when I first saw it - and I saw each part of LOTR at least 24 times in the cinema when it first came out and every year on my small computer screen ever since.

I recently read a comment by a newspaper reader who couldn't understand why anyone would go to the cinema when large TV screens are now available for home viewing. And I can't understand why anyone would want to watch a magnificent - or as my mother described LOTR 'bombastic' - film on a large TV screen when a full-sized cinema screen is available.

As I watched The Fellowship of the Ring again yesterday, I couldn't help but marvel at all the details that were once again noticeable on such a large screen. And I almost squealed with delight when I realised that the lovely people in the cinema had decided to show the extended version of the film. That's about 30 minutes more than the usual version!! I was a bit rusty with some of the lines, getting only some of them word perfect. Other lines I spoke as the actor was speaking them had a word wrong.

Now a lot of newspaper readers in the UK say how badly people behave in cinemas there: talking, loud eating, texting, fidgeting...and I have to say that apart from two grown women who should have had better control over themselves talking too much during a Harry Potter marathon (all 8 films on one day - I walked out in the middle of film 7), I've never had any reason to complain about my fellow cinema-goers. Not even when viewing children's films  with my god-daughter when she was very small.

Yesterday, when I left the auditorium, I looked at the others that had sat there for the full 3 hours and 20 minutes of the film and I think I was probably the oldest person there. I think a lot of them had been small children when the films had first come out.

As soon as the film started, there had been complete and utter silence. I heard nothing from anyone. No lights from mobile phones either. And when the film finished and the credits came up and the song started, no-one stirred. There was no rush for the doors. No talking. Nothing. Perfect behaviour.

For me, the cinema constitutes one of my three favourite habitats, along with libraries and any place where I can swim.

And it's also a constituent part of my idea of paradise, which is also made up of the sixth floor of the Berlin department store called KaDeWe (the food section), a large park or garden, a swimming pool and a library. Food, swimming, reading, nature and films - what more could one wish for in paradise? Being back in the cinema yesterday was, therefore, sheer heaven.