Having survived a vivid history of turmoil, civil war, developers, and assassination attempts, the building that was saved by a horde of passionate cineastes backed by [English-American philanthropist and passionate movie lover] John Paul Getty Junior is celebrating 60 years as an Odeon and one of world cinema’s most iconic and beautiful cinemas.

The Odeon Cinema on New Canal Street, Salisbury, UK, reopened its doors to cinemagoers in 1964 after entertainment company The Rank Organisation took control, with the iconic cinema having previously been operated by The Gaumont Group as the Gaumont Palace Theatre since 1931.

The striking building now containing the Odeon was originally constructed in 1470 by wealthy wool merchant and politician, John Halle. As the Medieval period was drawing to a close and Henry VI began his second spell as King of England, Halle was already renowned as a colourful local character. He served as both Member of Parliament for the ancient cathedral city and as its mayor for four terms.

Councillor Sven Hocking, the current Mayor of Salisbury, fondly remembers the first film he saw at the iconic venue; 1979’s “Mad Max.”

“The Odeon, like any other business, has faced challenges before, and while other venues have closed, Salisbury Odeon has adapted and survived, so they must be doing something right.” He added, “There are some movies that just have to be seen on the big screen! Watching “Top Gun: Maverick” is not the same at home.” 

Just a few short miles from Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wiltshire landmark reopened in the swinging sixties during a golden era for cinema in the UK, with that year seeing millions drawn to iconic productions such as “Mary Poppins”, “Goldfinger”, “Dr Strangelove”, and “The Pink Panther”. As well as titanic cinema titles, the venue also hosted some of the biggest names in music, including The Rolling Stones, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers and Bo Diddley, with the stage they played on still prominently featured below the screen in the main hall, Screen 1.

The Odeon chain was famous for its luxurious, Art Deco-inspired cinemas that dotted the country. However, The Odeon in Salisbury stood out even among this forward-looking group due to a costly and spectacular overhaul in 1963 by noted cinema architect, Robert Bullivant. The Odeon’s radical-yet-sympathetic design and the decade’s groundswell in cinema attendance after the relative doldrums of the 1950s meant the building quickly became a lodestar in the city, not just for its function as a movie theatre and concert venue but also for its striking design. 

Nick Kendrick of Stonehenge Guided Tours said that John Halle’s Hall is one of the best-loved highlights for many of his clients, “It’s a focal point, purely for the architecture. Americans and Europeans, they’re absolutely amazed that it houses a cinema. Where it’s been converted, it’s an amazing reaction when they walk in. The exterior is beautiful, then they walk through and it’s like ‘Wow!’”

Added in 1840, the oak and stained-glass fascia was designed by famed architect, Augustus Pugin, and was part of a larger restoration undertaken in 1834. Renowned for championing the gothic revival style, Pugin is most famous for designing the interior of the Palace of Westminster, including the tower that houses Big Ben. Pugin moved to Salisbury with his second wife in 1833, before building St Marie’s Grange in Alderbury while still overseeing the extensive work on John Halle’s Hall.

When the cinemagoer enters through the stunning Pugin-designed portico of colourful glass and dark beams, they are immediately met with a rich blend of epochs; broadswords hang above a vast stone fireplace surrounded by oak panelling and vintage movie cameras line the staircase into the lobby. The ceiling, beflecked by stone angels, soars three storeys skywards, before spiral staircases and darkened corridors whisk you into ancient banqueting halls and kitchens, repurposed for film since its previous iteration as an inn.

The Hon. John Glen, recently re-elected as Salisbury’s Member of Parliament, told Celluloid Junkie, “Salisbury is hugely privileged to watch films in such historic surroundings. Although we are blessed with many wonderful and listed buildings of national and international importance, the Odeon has a particular place in people’s hearts.” Speaking of his finest memory of the Odeon, Mr Glen recalled, “I specially remember attending a James Bond charity gala screening there, and the building certainly lent the event an added sense of occasion.”

Jeremy ‘Frogg’ Moody, the local historian who co-authored ‘Projected Passions: A History of Cinemas in Salisbury’ alongside Richard Nash, vividly recalls the battle to save the building fought in the 1980s. When developers attempted to demolish much of what existed behind John Halle’s Hall, the campaign, begun in 1984 and spearheaded by Alan Richardson, soon garnered a groundswell of local, national, and international support,

The campaign eventually reached the ears of renowned art collectors and philanthropists, the Getty family in America, with Anglophile John Paul Getty Jr adding his considerable weight to the petition. Eventually declaring victory in 1986, Richardson’s Getty-backed campaign not only further protected the Hall, first listed in 1951, but also saw the remaining structure granted Grade 1 Listed status. 

As it celebrates 60 years in business, the Odeon in Salisbury continues to be a beacon of the city’s rich cultural tapestry, standing as a reminder of the enduring appeal of cinema and the importance of preserving our architectural heritage. In an age where many historic buildings are lost to redevelopment and the multiplex is king, the Odeon remains a proud symbol of Salisbury’s past, present, and future. In this vein, Mayor Hocking concluded; “Will it survive as an Odeon for another 60 years? That’s the million-dollar question.”

The Odeon in Salisbury has always been more than just the celebration of a building and its ability to adapt; it is all at once a place of intrigue and mystery, of history and heritage, a masterpiece of cinematic architecture, and a testament to the cultural import of this charming city. This cinema isn’t merely a place to watch films; it’s a stunning piece of lived-in history, a visual marvel, and an enduring asset to the community.