Cannon Birmingham
A bold gesture in Birmingham’s early film landscape, the Futurist opened in 1919 after a long gestation period with delays in construction caused by the war.
Its proprietor Sol Levy – who also owned the Scala – was passionate about good design and music, and both were important selling points for the cinema during the 1920s.
In March 1929 it was the first Birmingham picture-house to show ‘talkies’, leading to queues around the block and the loss of the Futurist’s in-house orchestra.
Split into two screens during the early 80s and later became a Cannon, finally closing with Robin Hood Prince of Thieves in 1991.
81-91 John Bright St, Birmingham B1 1BL
Get your own mini Futurist cinema, created by Spaceplay. Visit the shop.
Click any image to open lightbox
“Little more than a decade ago few people regarded the moving picture as a possible permanency in our sphere of entertainment.
But ‘the few’ who did were right, and to-day the scepticism which then existed is no more.”
Saw Morons from outer space here. Cinema after closure was a gentlemans club for a short while. Building is still standing currently disused.