Inauguration of the Rex cinema 1932 (≈ 1932)
Opening as atmospheric cinema in Bordeaux.
1976
Closure and partial protection
Closure and partial protection 1976 (≈ 1976)
Classification of interior decoration before demolition.
2001
Write-off of inventory
Write-off of inventory 2001 (≈ 2001)
Withdrawal of the protection of Historical Monuments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Former cinema, including interior decoration (Case B 1706): entry by order of 17 June 1976, deleted from the supplementary inventory by order of 10 December 2001
Key figures
Émile Couzinet - Film producer
Head of the company operating the Rex.
Auguste Bluysen - Architect
Designed the Rex Parisian cinema, a source of inspiration.
Origin and history
The former Rex cinema, located in Bordeaux, was inaugurated in 1932 as an atmospheric cinema, an innovative architectural concept for the time. Built on the site of the former halls of the Medoc barrier, it was operated by the company of Émile Couzinet, filmmaker-producer and director. With its eight hundred seats and decors inspired by the Parisian cinema Rex (work by architect Auguste Bluysen), he embodied the luxury and innovation of the theatres of the 1930s. Its name and interior design, including marouflé canvases, reflected this Parisian influence.
The Rex cinema ran until 1976, the date of its closure, followed shortly after by its demolition. Despite the destruction of the building, its interior decor was preserved, testifying to its heritage importance. Filed with the additional inventory of Historic Monuments in 1976, it was finally removed in 2001. The site, located at 163 Croix-de-Seguey Street, remains a symbol of the golden age of Bordeaux cinemas, marked by unique architecture and atmosphere.
The establishment was part of a dynamic cultural context, where cinema became a major popular leisure. Bordeaux, a city undergoing modernization, saw the flourishing of rooms designed to entertain an urban population in search of distractions. The Rex, with its atmospheric style, offered an immersive experience, carrying spectators into a dreamlike universe, away from the economic and social realities of the interwar period.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review