The Cinema That's Always Deserted
March 13, 2014 11:42 PM Subscribe
"On a sunny day at the very beginning of this millenniums, a crazy frenchman found himself in the desert of Sinai. After some puffs of a magic smoke he wondered - how come that there are no cinemas in the middle of the desert...?"
There's something about the writing style that makes you wonder if the "frenchman" and "sabotage" and "never showed a movie" stuff is just the photographer having had a bit too much magic smoke himself, and this is actually just around the corner from a combination Pizza Hut and KFC, but he's effectively polluted the internet with his version so it's hard to find any references to this that don't originate from the same source.
However, I found this article that points to the location on Google maps, one (!) earlier photo from someone else, and a guided tour that apparently takes you past the location, so at least the place exists.
posted by effbot at 12:48 AM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
However, I found this article that points to the location on Google maps, one (!) earlier photo from someone else, and a guided tour that apparently takes you past the location, so at least the place exists.
posted by effbot at 12:48 AM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
Just wait until Fitzcarraldo hears about this.
posted by muckster at 12:50 AM on March 14, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by muckster at 12:50 AM on March 14, 2014 [6 favorites]
That really would be a great place for a cinema, if your patrons are rich enough to get in and out by helicopter.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:10 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by Kevin Street at 1:10 AM on March 14, 2014
Just wanted to say welcome back to the blue after your long absence, miss lynnster.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:38 AM on March 14, 2014 [10 favorites]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:38 AM on March 14, 2014 [10 favorites]
Yes. Nice to see miss lynnster. I thought "haven't seen that familar name in ages". Welcome back.
posted by three blind mice at 4:30 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by three blind mice at 4:30 AM on March 14, 2014
This place seems excellent, well done crazy rich frenchman.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:31 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by Meatbomb at 4:31 AM on March 14, 2014
I didn't know the Egyptian authorities were ever against cinema per se. I'm inclined to think cock-up rather than conspiracy.
Another one to mess with the minds of future archaeologists, anyway.
posted by Segundus at 4:45 AM on March 14, 2014
Another one to mess with the minds of future archaeologists, anyway.
posted by Segundus at 4:45 AM on March 14, 2014
It's like floor seats to the Apocalypse.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:25 AM on March 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 5:25 AM on March 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Why is it that 'crazy' and 'Frenchman' make up a popular bigram? We just want to be mesmerized, is all.
posted by IgorCarron at 5:47 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by IgorCarron at 5:47 AM on March 14, 2014
I can only hope they were planning to screen Lawrence of Arabia on that first night. That would have been awesome.
posted by Aznable at 5:53 AM on March 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Aznable at 5:53 AM on March 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
You just know that some rich loon is going to see this and decide to spend whatever it takes to hold some fête there.
mefi meetup anyone?
posted by Riton at 6:45 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
mefi meetup anyone?
posted by Riton at 6:45 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
Looks like this is just a few miles by off-road vehicle from the modernly accoutered resort town of Sharm el Sheikh, so not as terribly remote as it might first seem.
posted by gubo at 7:05 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by gubo at 7:05 AM on March 14, 2014
Why is it that 'crazy' and 'Frenchman' make up a popular bigram? We just want to be mesmerized, is all.
I am not sure "mesmerized Frenchman" is all that much better. At least most Americans no longer believe that you are all mimes....
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:09 AM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
I am not sure "mesmerized Frenchman" is all that much better. At least most Americans no longer believe that you are all mimes....
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:09 AM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't think Egyptians are against cinema. I think they're against crazy Frenchmen building stuff in Egypt.
Or non-crazy Frenchmen, for that matter.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:38 AM on March 14, 2014
Or non-crazy Frenchmen, for that matter.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:38 AM on March 14, 2014
I think they're against crazy Frenchmen building stuff in Egypt.
Man, it's like the French can't do anything in Egypt! You put stuff up, people complain. You take stuff away, people complain. You shoot the nose of the Sphinx, people complain. You show up with an army, people complain. It was like on long 19th C of complaining! Give the French a break!
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:45 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
Man, it's like the French can't do anything in Egypt! You put stuff up, people complain. You take stuff away, people complain. You shoot the nose of the Sphinx, people complain. You show up with an army, people complain. It was like on long 19th C of complaining! Give the French a break!
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:45 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
What will they screen. Beau Geste of course.
posted by stbalbach at 9:57 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by stbalbach at 9:57 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
I guess there’s going to be a new Pink Floyd album since the cover photo is already together.
posted by bongo_x at 10:41 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by bongo_x at 10:41 AM on March 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
So, did I miss the part where the reporter found the name of the Frenchman who funded this, tracked him down, and interviewed him?
Journalism!
posted by Dr-Baa at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2014 [4 favorites]
Journalism!
posted by Dr-Baa at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2014 [4 favorites]
According to the article in effbot's link, the premiere film was going to be David Lynch's Dune. Not even a French movie!
posted by Kevin Street at 11:37 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by Kevin Street at 11:37 AM on March 14, 2014
Someone should do this in a marginally more politically stable desert, like Arizona.
posted by LiteOpera at 11:57 AM on March 14, 2014
posted by LiteOpera at 11:57 AM on March 14, 2014
(bongo_x is right: this does looks a lot like Storm Thorgerson, who died last year. There's a good documentary on him, too.)
posted by muckster at 12:02 PM on March 14, 2014
posted by muckster at 12:02 PM on March 14, 2014
This is the kind of thing I would expect to find at Burning Man. I am delighted to learn that there are similar crazy artist people doing similar crazy art things in other deserts around the world.
posted by Mars Saxman at 12:51 PM on March 14, 2014
posted by Mars Saxman at 12:51 PM on March 14, 2014
Someone should do this in a marginally more politically stable desert, like Arizona.
You've seen what happens to signs in remote rural areas of America, haven't you? With nobody minding it it would be shot full of holes in no time. Say what you like about politically unstable areas, but at least they conserve their ammunition for important things, like firing into the air in public squares while the Al Jazeera cameras are on them.
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:35 PM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
You've seen what happens to signs in remote rural areas of America, haven't you? With nobody minding it it would be shot full of holes in no time. Say what you like about politically unstable areas, but at least they conserve their ammunition for important things, like firing into the air in public squares while the Al Jazeera cameras are on them.
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:35 PM on March 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
According to the article in effbot's link, the premiere film was going to be David Lynch's Dune. Not even a French movie!
But it is a desert movie.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:51 PM on March 14, 2014
But it is a desert movie.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:51 PM on March 14, 2014
This is the kind of thing I would expect to find at Burning Man
Black Rock Bijou. (more pictures)
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:56 PM on March 14, 2014
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You just know that some rich loon is going to see this and decide to spend whatever it takes to hold some fête there. There's whole cohort of one-percenters who spend half their time trying to think of oneuppish things to spend their money on, with particular emphasis on exclusivity and exotic locales.
posted by George_Spiggott at 12:30 AM on March 14, 2014 [1 favorite]