Screen Cinema

Screen Cinema was a Dublin cinema located at the junction of Hawkins Street and Townsend Street. It began operations in 1972 as a single-screen venue called The New Metropole, built on the site associated with the former Regal cinema. The name referred to the better-known Metropole Cinema on O’Connell Street; after that cinema closed in 1973, the Hawkins Street venue adopted the shorter Metropole name. In 1982, the original auditorium was divided to create two additional screens. The unusual conversion suspended the new auditoria from the ceiling, allowing the principal auditorium to retain its scale. The venue was renamed Screen Cinema in 1984 and became a sister venue to the Savoy Cinema on O’Connell Street within the same cinema group. From the mid-1980s onward, Screen Cinema developed a distinctive programming identity. Rather than concentrating on mainstream Hollywood releases, it presented world cinema, independent productions, Irish films, foreign-language titles and other films that had limited exposure in multiplexes. Its willingness to retain successful art-house releases for extended runs helped it build a loyal, sometimes described as cult, audience. This positioning made the cinema an important specialist venue in Dublin, particularly for viewers seeking films outside the mainstream circuit. The cinema also became closely associated with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, hosting the festival from its beginning in 2002. Its role as a festival venue brought a broad range of international and Irish cinema to the building and gave it a platform for visiting filmmakers and actors. Festival guests associated with screenings at the venue included Wim Wenders, Julie Walters, John Boorman and Eduardo Noriega. In 2007, the festival used Screen Cinema for 48 screenings across six days. Screen Cinema supplemented its regular specialist programme with themed seasons and retrospective events. A 2009 classic-film season included titles such as All About Eve, Casablanca, The Apartment, Brief Encounter, Guys and Dolls and The Great Escape. Its Halloween programming, presented as the “Scream Cinema Monster Mash,” focused on horror films including Ghost, Child’s Play, The Shining, Evil Dead II, The Thing and Night of the Living Dead. A later “Ministry of Musicals” series combined classic Hollywood musicals with contemporary cult titles, including Oklahoma!, Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Last Waltz, Labyrinth, This Is Spinal Tap and Cry-Baby. The venue underwent an interior refurbishment between 2004 and 2005. The work modernised the interior but removed the original marquee and neon sign, replacing them with an electronic programme board. Despite its distinctive layout and specialist reputation, the cinema experienced a significant decline in attendance. Reports in 2012 indicated that annual audience numbers had fallen from approximately 200,000 to 60,000 over the preceding decade. Dublin City Council planning discussions also contemplated demolition as part of wider regeneration around the southeast inner city and the possibility of a replacement cinema within a future Hawkins Street development. On 19 February 2016, closure was announced because of falling ticket sales. Staff were initially associated with proposed redundancy arrangements, but the operating group later offered transfers to the Savoy Cinema instead. Screen Cinema subsequently closed to the public in 2016, after decades of operation, and the building was demolished during 2018. The exterior sculpture known as “Mr. Screen,” created in 1988 by Vincent Browne, survived the demolition and was relocated to the lobby of the Savoy Cinema. Screen Cinema therefore remains significant less as a surviving commercial brand than as a remembered Dublin venue that supported independent exhibition, repertory programming and film-festival culture.

Screen Cinema opened on 16 March 1972 at the corner of Hawkins Street and Townsend Street in Dublin. It was initially a single-screen venue named The New Metropole, a name connected with the Metropole Cinema formerly located on O’Connell Street. That older cinema closed in 1973, after which the Hawkins Street venue became known as the Metropole. The auditorium was substantially reconfigured in 1982. Two additional auditoria were created by suspending them from the ceiling, preserving the size of the original main screen while turning the building into a three-screen cinema. In 1984, the venue was renamed Screen Cinema and became a sister cinema to the Savoy Cinema on O’Connell Street. Its most important business and cultural distinction was its programming. Screen Cinema concentrated on world cinema, independent productions, Irish films and foreign-language releases, developing an audience for films that were not typical mainstream multiplex fare. It also hosted the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival from the festival’s launch in 2002. The venue was used for screenings attended by international film figures and, in 2007, accommodated 48 festival films over six days. The cinema maintained its specialist identity through curated seasons. These included a 2009 selection of classic films, a Halloween horror programme called Scream Cinema Monster Mash, and the Ministry of Musicals series. Between 2004 and 2005, the interior was refurbished, although the original marquee and neon sign were removed and replaced by electronic signage. A sculpture of a cinema usher, Mr. Screen, was installed outside in 1988; it was created by Vincent Browne and later transferred to the Savoy. By the early 2010s, the venue faced commercial pressure. Reports cited a decline in annual attendance from roughly 200,000 to 60,000 over the preceding decade. Dublin City Council regeneration planning raised the possibility that the building would be demolished and that cinema facilities might be incorporated into a future development. On 19 February 2016, closure was announced because of falling ticket sales. Staff were offered transfers to the Savoy Cinema after proposed redundancy arrangements changed. Screen Cinema closed in 2016, and its building was demolished in 2018.

1. 2018Building demolished

   The former Screen Cinema building is demolished; Mr. Screen is relocated to the Savoy Cinema.

   Source
2. 2016Cinema closes

   Closure is announced in February because of falling ticket sales, and the venue ceases public operations during the year.

   Source
3. 2009Specialist retrospective seasons continue

   The cinema presents a classic-film season and the Scream Cinema Monster Mash Halloween programme.

   Source
4. 2002Festival partnership begins

   Screen Cinema begins hosting the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

   Source
5. 1988Mr. Screen sculpture created

   Sculptor Vincent Browne creates the cinema-usher caricature later known as Mr. Screen.

   Source
6. 1984Screen Cinema name introduced

   The cinema is renamed Screen Cinema and becomes associated with the Savoy Cinema as a sister venue.

   Source
7. 1982Auditorium converted into three screens

   The original auditorium is subdivided to create two additional screens, producing the venue’s distinctive three-screen layout.

   Source
8. 1973Venue adopts the Metropole name

   Following the closure of the older Metropole Cinema on O’Connell Street, the Hawkins Street venue becomes known as the Metropole.

   Source
9. 1972The New Metropole opens

   A single-screen cinema opens on Hawkins Street in Dublin on 16 March under the name The New Metropole.

   Source

A specialist Dublin cinema focused on independent, Irish, world, foreign-language, repertory and festival films rather than mainstream multiplex programming.

• Cinema exhibitionCinema1972

  Screen Cinema’s core offering was film exhibition across three auditoria. The venue’s programming concentrated on independent, Irish, world and foreign-language films, with selected successful releases often retained for extended runs.

• Jameson Dublin International Film Festival screeningsFilm festival2002

  The cinema hosted the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival from its beginning in 2002. Festival use strengthened its role as a specialist venue and brought international filmmakers, performers and non-mainstream films to Dublin audiences.

• Themed and repertory seasonsSpecial programming2009

  Screen Cinema supplemented first-run specialist releases with retrospective and themed programmes, including classic Hollywood films, horror screenings for Halloween and the Ministry of Musicals series.

• 2009Scream Cinema Monster Mash

  Ireland

  A Halloween season built around horror and genre films, including Ghost, Child’s Play, The Shining, Evil Dead II, The Thing and Night of the Living Dead.

  Outcome. The programme extended the venue’s cult and repertory identity beyond regular art-house releases.

  Source
• 2002Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

  Ireland

  Screen Cinema served as a principal festival venue from the event’s inception, presenting international and Irish films and supporting filmmaker and actor appearances.

  Outcome. The partnership reinforced the cinema’s position as a Dublin destination for independent and international film.

  Source
• Ministry of Musicals

  Ireland

  A curated series combining classic Hollywood musicals with later musical and cult films such as Oklahoma!, Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, Labyrinth and Cry-Baby.

  Outcome. The season demonstrated the cinema’s use of themed repertory programming to complement its specialist film schedule.

  Source

• 2016Closure and staff transfersStrategy

  Falling ticket sales and declining audience numbers made continued operation unsustainable.

  What changed. The venue closed, and staff were offered transfers to the Savoy Cinema after proposed redundancy arrangements were revised.

  Aftermath. Screen Cinema ceased trading and the building was later demolished.

  Source
• 1984Repositioning as Screen CinemaStrategy

  The venue sought a distinct identity within its relationship with the Savoy Cinema.

  What changed. The cinema was renamed Screen Cinema and developed a stronger focus on independent, Irish, world and foreign-language films.

  Aftermath. It built a loyal specialist audience and became associated with art-house and cult programming in Dublin.

  Source
• 1982Conversion to a three-screen cinemaGeneration change

  The original single-screen layout was modified to expand the venue’s screening capacity without materially reducing the main auditorium.

  What changed. Two additional auditoria were suspended from the ceiling and incorporated into the building.

  Aftermath. The unusual three-screen configuration became one of the venue’s defining physical characteristics.

  Source

• 2018Screen Cinema building was demolished

  The former cinema building was demolished after the venue had ceased operating. The Mr. Screen sculpture was moved to the Savoy Cinema.

  Other
  Source
• 2016Screen Cinema announced its closure

  Closure was announced on 19 February 2016 after falling ticket sales. Staff were ultimately offered transfers to the Savoy Cinema within the same group rather than the originally discussed redundancy route.

  Leadership changeOther
  Source
• 2012Attendance decline put Screen Cinema’s future under review

  Reports linked the cinema’s difficulties to a substantial fall in annual attendance, while Dublin planning proposals considered demolition and possible replacement accommodation within redevelopment of the Hawkins Street area.

  Other
  Source
• 2005Screen Cinema received an interior refurbishment

  An upgrade carried out between 2004 and 2005 modernised the interior and replaced the venue’s original marquee and neon signage with an electronic programme board.

  Other
  Source
• 2002Screen Cinema hosted Jameson Dublin International Film Festival programming

  Screen Cinema served as a venue for the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival from the festival’s inception, helping establish the cinema as a Dublin location for international and independent film.

  Campaign
  Source

1. Screen Cinema