Sam Mills has investigated some of these links in a series of new posts for the site and, moreover, has created a map highlighting some of the key locations and movements in the cinematic history of St Andrews. You can visit the map here.

This week (Wednesday 4th December) marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of  St Andrews’ first purpose-built cinema, The Cinema House. If you wanted to watch films in town at this point, you would have to go to the ‘tin tabernacle’ – a former Roman Catholic Church that was literally dragged a mile across town from The Scores and repositioned in less civilised surroundings next to the slaughter house off James Street – and which since 1910 had shown films three nights a week (and had roller skating the other nights!).

The screening will reproduce a film show from The Cinema House in 1963, which marked the 50^th anniversary of the cinema’s opening. A further fifty years on (and with The Cinema House now a block of flats), we will mark the centenary of St Andrews’ first purpose built cinema by recreating this commemorative show. The show brings together historical footage of St Andrews with Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, a tale of terror and peril in a remote coastal town.

On Sunday 21 April the New Picture House will host a free screening of The Misfits, starting at 4pm. This classic film features the last screen performances of both Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable (and one of the last from Montgomery Clift). The screening recreates a showing of the film at the NPH almost 50 years ago, as on 12 December 1965 the long-running St Andrews Film Society screened The Misfits as part of its 202nd meeting. Written by Arthur Miller (for his then-wife Marilyn Monroe) and directed by John Huston, the film provides a fascinating snapshot of a lost era, both in Hollywood and, through recollections of the film society, in St Andrews.

A few days later, on Thursday 25 April (7pm) there will be a free screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds in School 3, St Salvator’s Quad. The screening will reproduce a film show from The Cinema House in 1963, which marked the 50th anniversary of the cinema’s opening. A further fifty years on (and with The Cinema House now a block of flats), we will mark the centenary of St Andrews’ first purpose built cinema by recreating this commemorative show. The screening brings together historical footage of St Andrews with Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, a tale of terror and peril in a remote coastal town.

After our first screening in a church, we are now moving to a school to show the classic Ealing police drama, The Blue Lamp, which was co-written by a lifelong resident and University graduate of St Andrews, Jan Read. The Blue Lamp was the most attended film in the UK in 1950 and stars Dirk Bogarde, who was awarded an honorary degree from the University in 1985. The film is perhaps best remembered now for spawning the popular TV series Dixon of Dock Green.

This special event will also introduce rare footage of St Leonards School filmed by Jan Read in 1937. The event is free and open to all. 

The season  is intended as a way of celebrating the town’s rich film heritage and of bringing film to different audiences. In staging the events at a variety of venues – including a church and a school – we will be recreating and recalling significant screenings from the last century.  Our first screening next Tuesday (5th February at 7pm) will be held at the Hope Park and Martyrs Church, St Mary’s Place (opposite the bus station). A number of the earliest film showings took place in churches. Indeed, the first cinema in St Andrews, the so-called Tin Tabernacle, was a converted church, which was transported across town in 1909. It seems particular fitting therefore that our first screening, which recalls the earliest days of cinemagoing, should be held in such a venue.

The screening of the Buster Keaton comedy Sherlock Jr will include live piano accompaniment from Jane Gardner and will also feature early footage of St Andrews from the Scottish Screen Archive. The event is free and open to all and we look forward to seeing many of you there!

Details of all the screenings are listed below. The venues for the later screenings are still to be confirmed, so please come back for further information.

Tuesday 5 February 2013: Sherlock Jr (1924) and footage from St Andrews. (with live piano accompaniment). 7PM at Hope Park and Martyrs Church.

‘Silent cinema’ is a common misnomer used to describe the early years of film. In reality, screenings were often raucous affairs with live music, performances and, in the case of Sherlock Jr, audience laughter accompanying the films. We will celebrate this era by screening this classic Buster Keaton comedy with live piano accompaniment. The screening will also include 20 minutes of early footage of St Andrews from the Scottish Screen Archive.

19 February 2013: The Blue Lamp (1950). 7pm at St Leonards School.

The most attended film in the UK in 1950, The Blue Lamp, was co-written by a lifelong resident and University graduate of St Andrews, Jan Read. As well as showing this Ealing police drama, which spawned the popular TV series Dixon of Dock Green, the screening will introduce rare footage filmed by Read in St Andrews and selected clips from other celebrated St Andrews filmmakers.

12 March 2013: The Misfits (1961) Venue tbc

On 12 December 1965, the long-running St Andrews Film Society screened The Misfits at the New Picture House as part of its 202^nd meeting. Written by Arthur Miller (for his then-wife Marilyn Monroe), directed by John Huston and with the last screen performance of both Clark Gable and Monroe, the film provides a fascinating snapshot of a lost era, both in Hollywood and, through recollections of the film society, in St Andrews. Dr Elisabetta Girelli, a leading expert on one of the film’s stars, Montgomery Clift, will introduce the film.

2 April 2013: The Brothers (1947) Venue tbc

From Laurel and Hardy to Bill Murray, stars have frequently visited St Andrews, establishing the town as a ‘star site’ and contributing to its culture, heritage and economy. An early example of a ‘star’ visit saw Will Fyffe and Patricia Roc spend time at the Rusacks Hotel after filming the historical melodrama The Brothers in the Hebrides. Fyffe had recently bought a share in the hotel and a few months later would meet his death after falling from one of its windows.

23 April 2013: The Birds (1963) Venue tbc

Our screening this week will reproduce a film show from The Cinema House in 1963, which marked the 50^th anniversary of the cinema’s opening. A further fifty years on (and with The Cinema House now a block of flats), we will mark the centenary of St Andrews’ first purpose built cinema by recreating this commemorative show. The screening brings together historical footage of St Andrews with Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, a tale of terror and peril in a remote coastal town.

[See image gallery at cinemastandrews.org.uk]

This week, as part of a collaboration between Dunhill and Cinema St Andrews, we are celebrating this history through a small exhibition at the Old Course Hotel. The exhibition, entitled ‘From Silver Screen to the 18th Green’ is located just off the main reception area and contains images of stars including Bob Hope and Rita Hayworth.

For more information on this, you can visit the University’s Development blog.