Londons best outdoor cinemas
Among Londons treats in the (hopefully) warm months are the seasonal outdoor cinemas that pop up across the city. Inventive programming and inspired locations make watching a move by starlight one of the capitals unmissable experiences.
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The Nomad
In venues scattered around London, The Nomad cinema fuses together location and film to great effect. This year, the season begins circus-style in a Big Top as part of the Ealing Summer Festival; expect raucous comedy including This Is Spinal Tap and School of Rock. The Nomad programme takes a whimsical turn with a series of screenings in the secret garden that belongs to childrens charity Coram. There, a four-week series titled Childhood, Lost and Found will include childhood-evoking classics such as The NeverEnding Story, The Kid, The Lost Boys, and Where the Wild Things Are. Nomads inspired programming is backed up by good works - 100% of its profits go to The Sustainability Institute in South Africa. Whats not to love?
Various locations; Tickets from £8.50-£16.50; July 14- Sept 21, screenings at various times; http://www.whereisthenomad.com
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Dalston Roof Park Film4Free
The Dalston Roof Park is worth a visit in its own right. A surreal explosion of bright green Astroturf, flowers and picnic chairs atop former factory, the Print House, its an Alice In Wonderland-like escape from Dalstons grubby charms. On Tuesday nights during the summer, films are screened for free (you just pay a one-off fee of £3 to join the Roof Park) but youll have to wait until the night to find out what will be shown. The fact that this is run by the people behind Long Table means the accompanying street food vendors will also be top notch.
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Rooftop Film Club, Queen of Hoxton
The Rooftop Film club host outdoor film screenings in a number of venues: Queen of Hoxton, Shoreditch, The Roof Gardens, Kensington, Netil House, London Fields and the Bussey Building, Peckham. The Queen of Hoxton, however, is pretty hard to beat with its edgy, urban views of the glittery city towers and its proximity to after-film nightlife. You can watch films sitting in comfy director-style chairs, tucked in with blankets when needed and sipping a beer or cocktail. The price of your ticket includes something from the coal-fired barbecue. Films this season include Labyrinth, The Lost Boys and The Big Lebowski. Tuesday is chick flick night.
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The Luna
The Luna cinema will set up camp in some of Londons most spectacular settings this summer and, on a fine evening (we can only pray), watching a film under the stars in an iconic venue ideally with a bottle of wine is magical. This years especially sumptuous locations include Warwick Castle, Kew Gardens, Kensington Palace, Regents Park and Hampton Court Palace. The programme is mainly composed of trusted favourites such as Grease, Casablanca, Mamma Mia and Breakfast At Tiffanys and there are state- of -the art sound and projection systems, so even if your picnic blanket isnt in a prime spot, youll be able to enjoy the film.
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Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House
The 18th Century courtyard of Somerset House is an elegant, romantic place to watch outdoor cinema, albeit not a particularly comfortable one (bring a cushion, theres no grass!). Being surrounded on all sides by the grand old buildings lends a certain mystique to whatever is shown but the line-up is anyway impressive. On opening night (August 8th) the premiere of Richard Curtiss new film, About Time, will be shown and the programme includes two other premieres. Other films on offer range from landmark British flicks like Kes and The Red Shoes to Americana faves like Mean Girls and Carrie. There will also be early evening DJs, live introductions to the films and food and drink.
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The Scoop at More London
Outdoor screenings are just part of whats on offer at the More London Free Festival. Sitting alongside fringe theatre, comedy, dance and music, the film series will include classic, cult and contemporary films such as Skyfall, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Back to the Future, Les Miserables, Amour and The Birds. The Scoop is a dazzling venue; a sunken riverside amphitheatre overlooked by City Hall and opposite the Tower of London. Best of all, its free, you dont have to book and, with a capacity of 1000, you can just turn up and watch.
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Hot Tub Cinema, Shoreditch
Depending on how happy you are to don a bikini in public, Hot Tub Cinema could be your heaven or hell. The concept was born at a private party which featured a solitary hot tub; now there are 20. You can either rent an entire inflatable tub with a group of friends or buy a single ticket and take your chances as to bathing company. Two screens and surround sound mean that everyone gets a decent viewing experience and, this year, movies include Monty Pythons Life of Brian, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Withnail and I and The Full Monty. Tub-side waiters serve film-inspired cocktails and barbeque snacks.
