Illustrated Talk Egyptomania: Egyptian Style Cinema in Britain, the USA and France - Bill Douglas Centre

Egyptomania: Egyptian Style Cinema in Britain, the USA and France

Step into a world of sphinxes, scarabs and spectacular architecture with Richard Gray in this richly illustrated lecture exploring the enduring fascination with ancient Egypt and its remarkable influence on cinema design. Egyptomania traces the roots of the Egyptian Revival far beyond the silver screen, reaching back to motifs found in surviving buildings from ancient Rome, before charting the surge of interest that followed Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1798 invasion of Egypt.

As Egypt captured the Western imagination - fuelled by archaeological discoveries and the opening of the Suez Canal -its imagery found bold new expression in architecture. The lecture highlights early landmarks in London, Devonport and Penzance, before turning to the golden age of picture palaces. From the pioneering Louxor Palace in Paris to Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, Egyptian-style cinemas became dazzling symbols of glamour and escapism across the 1920s. British examples, including the lost Carlton of Upton Park, London and the Riviera in Manchester and the surviving treasure of the Carlton in Islington reveal a uniquely local interpretation of the style. The story even extends to modern multiplexes in the United States.

Engaging and visually captivating, this lecture uncovers a global architectural phenomenon where the ancient world met modern entertainment.

Many of the themes are covered in our current exhibition Land of the Pharaohs: Egypt on Screen where you can see memorabilia from some of the cinemas mentioned in the lecture. Book here