I believe myself to be enchanted. I have certainly experienced cinema at its most effortlessly magical…
Abroad in Brittany, in the North of France, last week I chanced upon an ‘en plein air’ cinema series that was ongoing at the nearby Chateau de la Hunaudaye.
A semi-restored castle, first constructed in the early 13th Century, De la Hunaudaye presents to visitors both a beautiful architectural structure and hidden monument to centuries of destructive conflict in France. Its well worth a visit, located by the little town of Plédéliac, and very reasonably priced on entry.
Equally reasonably priced was a nocturnal screening – in the open air courtyard of the Chateau itself – of La Belle et la Bête, Jean Cocteau’s dreamy and spellbound 1946 adaption of the Beauty and the Beast story. You know the one: a tale as old time…
Recruiting my (surprisingly willing!) family to join me, I booked four tickets to the 21.30 screening and wrapped up warm for the night’s event. The excitement was real.
Oh my…
The courtyard had been lined with chairs each pointed towards a large, inflatable screen at the far end, between Hunaudaye’s ‘Black Tower’ and ‘Renaissance Staircase’. As crowds milled into the castle, to the floor space once host to extravagant banquets and festivities for the royalties and nobility of France, blankets were distributed by attendants, each twinkling with the upper hand of knowing just how wonderful the night would prove.
Darkness fell in due accordance with a rise in tangibly buzzing expectation.
Cocteau’s classic remains a treasure on the smallest of screens to this day; indeed, it is a film that can be found on YouTube with little difficulty. However, to experience the beguiling beauty of this peerless French fairytale within a location that could easily have been summoned from the pages of the story itself is something that will not early be forgotten.
C’était magique!
The Film Blog 
Wow, what a great setting for a screening of a classic film like that. Must’ve been awesome, I love visiting castles and old buildings like this. As for my magical memory of cinema, well, nothing as exciting as this. I’d say Independence Day, odd choice I know. But the cinema was packed, the atmosphere was electric, everyone cheering at the action scenes, in awe of the amazing effects, laughing at the jokes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film where the whole audience was enjoying a film so much, and you all felt a part of it. It was a very special experience I’ll never forget.
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That does sound great! I had a similar experience to that with Toy Story 3 – it’s amazing when you get a good audience!
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Agreed, it makes the memory of the film seem even more special 🙂
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Wow, what a treat! My outdoor memories are U.S. Drive-in theaters. Nothing like watching a movie outside–yours is a memory I bet you remember for a long time.
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That looks so amazing. What will always stick out to me are two experiences. First going to a grand theater that had a balcony when I was 8 to watch The Little Mermaid. Second watching Up with my family on a projector and screen set up on a campout under the stars
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Those both sound lovely – especially with such wonderful films!
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