Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Performance
16 G3
Left-Bank Cinemas
film buff's heaven
Beyond the clusters of chain cinemas around Odéon
and Montparnasse, the 5th and 6th arrondissements
arguably offer the richest variety of art-house cinemas
in the world. Some 20 - with a total of 39 screens
between them - are located around boulevard St-Michel
and form a cinephile's paradise. All films are shown
in their original language (VO or
version originale
) with
French subtitles where necessary, and the diversity is
truly staggering. The tiny rue Champollion alone is
home to three such cinemas. Film aficionados have a
special affection for Le Champo Llion, a regular haunt
of
Nouvelle Vague
directors Jean-Luc Godard and
François Truffaut, who nurtured their encyclopedic
knowledge of cinema here. The entrance is adorned
with memorabilia dedicated to Jacques Tati, while the
main screen has Europe's only “periscope” projector,
so-called because the projection room is situated
below the screen. Known for its retrospective seasons
(think Alain Resnais and Tim Burton), Le Champo Llion
also organizes debates in the presence of famed
directors. Just down the road, the Reflet Medicis
specializes in major classics and retrospectives,
while the Quartier Latin (which accommodates just
70 people) prides itself on exclusive premieres.
For classic American films, try the three Action
cinemas. The Grand Action dreams up inventive
seasons that span careers, themes and genres such
as Love-Hate, Gangsters and The 100 Best Films. The
Action Ecole treats viewers to diverse retrospectives
(from Buster Keaton to Blake Edwards), while the
Action Christine Odeon favours 1950s movies. Other
popular venues include Images d'Ailleurs (black
cinema), Racine Odeon (legendary all-night sessions),
Studio Galande (weekend screenings of
The Rocky
Horror Picture Show
) and St-André-des-Arts, where
contemporary
auteurs
are just as likely to be in the
audience as they are to be screened.
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