An architectural and social analysis of 20th century cinemas in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

"The cinema is one of the newest building types. With only a little over a century of history, it has rapidly become ingrained in our consciousness as one of the indispensable places in our culture. It is also one of the few building types that are truly universal - cinemas are accessible to and enjoyed by almost everybody, regardless of class or culture. Unlike museums or theatres, cinemas are cultural centres which exclude no one. Each of us has a relationship with certain cinema buildings which are redolent with memories of dates and Saturday nights, of films that have engraved themselves on our minds and become part of our lives. Perhaps more than any other building, the cinema is a repository of nostalgia and of memories (Heathcote, 2001)." During the twentieth century, Malta witnessed the opening of many cinemas in various localities - sometimes one village had even more than one cinema. This dissertation tackles two main aspects that are linked to the cinema. The first part is in relation to the social aspect of cinema going, in turn showing why this medium of expression played such an important role in the everyday life of many people. The second part of this dissertation deals with the architecture of twentieth century Malta and consecutively with the architecture of the cinemas that were built during that period. Following these two sections, it comes naturally to see what is currently being done to the cinemas that are still standing. By taking two local case studies, the Rialto in Bormla and the Adelphi in Rabat, Malta, and seeing what is being done to them in order to keep the authenticity, a discussion on the future of cinemas in Malta concludes this dissertation.