To spot the Odyssey Cinema, look along London Road for a striking cream-colored Art Deco building with bold vertical lines and the word “Odyssey” written tall on both the walls facing the street; its sleek, geometric style and deep doorway make it stand out among the surrounding shops and houses.
Now, step right up for a ticket to the past-no popcorn required! Picture yourself about 120 years ago, and this very spot was buzzing with excitement, not with cars or buses, but with the crackle of one of England’s first true cinema dreams. Here, in 1904, Arthur Melbourne-Cooper-a real movie pioneer from right here on London Road-opened the Alpha Picture Palace. It’s hard to imagine, but Arthur wasn’t just showing films, he was making them in town too. Back then, moving pictures were pure magic. People walked inside, probably wide-eyed, and settled into seats in a building boasting a hairdressing salon and even a swimming pool! Just wait for the double feature: a dip and a flick!
Arthur got swept up in the early days of cinema, inspired by the legendary Birt Acres, and soon started his own Alpha Trading Company. People visiting St Albans in those days might have caught “Dreams of Toyland,” one of the first-ever animation fantasies. The Alpha Picture Palace didn’t just show films-it buzzed with life and ambition. But you know how it goes… In 1910, new safety laws came in, and, uh-oh, the place didn’t pass inspection. It was sold off, and then, in a twist worthy of any movie, became known as The Poly, showing films every night until disaster struck: fire! A dropped cigarette brought a blazing end to the original cinema in 1927.
Not to be beaten, the people of St Albans rebuilt-bigger and brighter every time! By 1931, this dazzling Art Deco building opened as The Capitol Cinema. Seats for over 1,600 eager viewers, a sparkling 20-foot-deep stage, and a grand organ that could rattle your bones. The builders got clever, too-thanks to the slope of the land, you walked in at the balcony and headed down to your seats below. It was the height of fashion! Catch a film, have a coffee, maybe even meet up for a bit of a dance in the new hall downstairs. Over the years, the cinema’s name changed more times than a secret agent-The Regent, the Poly Picture Palace, the Odeon-and ownership flitted from person to company like characters in a farce.
Wartime arrived, but movie magic continued, and crowds packed in for the glitz of Cinemascope features each week. On 30 October 1963, the walls here shook to a different beat-The Rolling Stones, The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley, and Little Richard all played right where you're standing. Imagine the sound: This wasn’t just a cinema; it was a slice of living music history!
Still, as television took over people’s living rooms, cinema crowds shrank. To stay alive, the cinema split itself into three screens in the ‘70s, showing funky new films like “A Clockwork Orange.” But by the 1990s, the golden age seemed over. New, modern multiplexes outside of town were drawing everyone away, and in 1995, after almost 65 years of stories, the cinema flickered out for what seemed the very last time. The final film? The watery spectacle of “Waterworld.” Talk about a dramatic exit!
But the Odyssey isn’t just a place for dramatic endings-oh no! For years, it stood lonely, silent, and nearly forgotten. Property developers planned flats, councilors scoffed, and the beautiful cream Art Deco façade began to wear away. Then, like a hero in the nick of time, a local entrepreneur named James Hannaway swept in. With his experience reviving other classic cinemas and local kids shaking collection tins, the restoration began. People voted for a new name, inspired by the legendary “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the fact Stanley Kubrick himself had family roots here in St Albans.
The cinema’s grand re-opening in 2014 was something special. The Odyssey was reborn-an independent, single-screen haven for film lovers with 500 plush seats, a stylish café and bar, and a touch of that 1930s glamour that’ll never fade. Today, you don’t just watch movies here-you live part of a local legend, surrounded by the ghosts of jazz, swirling projectors, and the wild dreams that first brought cinema to Hertfordshire. So, whether you’re in the mood for a blockbuster or an indie gem, remember-every seat has a story, and you’re now a part of it. Ready for the next reel?
