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Today on English Bites we visit a cinema with a difference. It’s an outdoor cinema, and it’s having its tenth birthday.

MAN: The location, the films, the fact that you can have a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette up the back, quietly. That's all, they're all great things about the Deckchair.

WOMAN: Sitting outdoor to watch a movie is much nicer than sitting in an air-conditioned room. It's really cold and really sterile.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Movie buffs, tourists, lovers of the great outdoors and their furry friends, this week made the annual pilgrimage to the opening of the Deckchair Cinema to be part of the celebration of 10 years of cinema under the stars.

There was a hint of opening night nerves as projectionists prepared for the first screening of the season.

The Deckchair Cinema was established on the shores of Darwin Harbour in 1994, following in the tradition of its Top End predecessor, the Star Cinema.

The Territory Government came to the party in 1994 and provided the Darwin Film Society with a temporary site for the cinema next to the old Darwin power station.

Di Koser was among those who spent six months building the cinema in time for its official opening on the first of June.

DI KOSER: A lot of things were done for nothing, you know, people volunteered their labour or their time and so, yeah, it was pretty much a whirlwind but on opening night everything was ready. On opening afternoon it wasn't, but by opening night it was.

Everything at the other place was homemade, home done, because we just didn't have any money to do things at any other standard than just doing it ourselves and a lot of the work was done by volunteers back then.

MICHAEL COGGAN: The Deckchair survived years of uncertainty at the old power-station site. On a number of occasions the government gave it 6-month's notice to move.

The uncertainty ended when the Deckchair moved into new expanded premises last year with government support.

The cinema is already reaping the benefits with audience numbers up by about 20 per cent.

DI KOSER: We've now got a full-time manager and we've got, I think, about eight other staff who work on different shifts but the amount of people that we can fit has increased and our audiences numbers are much bigger now.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What's great about the Deckchair experience?

MAN: These lovely Darwin evenings. Starlit night, yeah, beautiful, this is what Darwin's all about, hey, outside entertainment.

WOMAN: For me, the opening of the Deckchair is the beginning of the dry season and that's a really great feeling. Cooler weather, beautiful evenings, it's great.

MICHAEL COGGAN: The Deckchair experience is much more than just a movie, the sights, sounds and smells creating a festive atmosphere.

movie
Words to do with movies and the cinema are the subject of today's spotlight.

movie buffs
people who love movies

Here, movie is being used as an adjective.

Words to do with movies and the cinema are the subject of today's spotlight.

tourists
people who are travelling or touring

lovers of the great outdoors
people who love being outside

furry friends
pets

annual pilgrimage
journey to a special place, made once a year

Deckchair Cinema
A cinema is place where they show films.

A deckchair is an outdoor, folding chair, usually made out of a strong material like canvas.

projectionists
Projectionists are the people who show the films in a cinema.

They operate the machine that projects the film onto the screen.

Words to do with movies and the cinema are the subject of today's spotlight.

screening
showing on a cinema screen

Words to do with movies and the cinema are the subject of today's spotlight.

whirlwind
A whirlwind is a small, strong wind that spins around very fast.

Here it is used to describe an event that happens very quickly, with lots of activity.

festive atmosphere
feeling of fun and celebration

cinema words

The words film,
The location, the films, the fact that you can have a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette up the back, quietly.
movie
Sitting outdoor to watch a movie is much nicer than sitting in an air-conditioned room.
and picture can all mean the same thing.
This picture is too long.

Film can also be used as a verb.
You are not allowed to film here.

Film and movie can be used as adjectives.
She’s a film star.
Movie buffs, tourists, lovers of the great outdoors and their furry friends,

A cinema is the place where films are shown. .
Di Koser was among those who spent six months building the cinema in time for its official opening on the first of June.

It can also be called a picture theatre.

We also use the word cinema as a general term for movies and showing movies.
Movie buffs, tourists, lovers of the great outdoors and their furry friends, this week made the annual pilgrimage to the opening of the Deckchair Cinema to be part of the celebration of 10 years of cinema under the stars.

There are a number of ways of saying that you are going to the cinema to see a movie.
You can say:
I’m going to the cinema.
or
I’m going to the movies.
or
I’m going to the pictures.
or
I’m going to see a film.
or even
I’m going to the flicks.

The place where you buy tickets at a cinema is called the box off ice.

Saying that something or someone in a film attracts good box office means that they sell a lot of tickets.
We need a star to attract good box office.

Films are shown on screens.
Movies that are shown at the cinema are big-screen movies.
A small-screen movie is only shown on TV.
We call the playing of a film in a cinema a screening.
There was a hint of opening night nerves as projectionists prepared for the first screening of the season.

Screen is also used as a general term for the movies.
He’s a star of stage and screen.

The silver screen is an old fashioned term for the movies.
She was one of the legends of the silver screen.


		spotlight cinema words The words film, The location, the films, the fact that you can have a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette up the back, quietly. movie Sitting outdoor to watch a movie is much nicer than sitting in an air-conditioned room. and picture can all mean the same thing. This picture is too long. Film can also be used as a verb. You are not allowed to film here. Film and movie can be used as adjectives. She’s a film star. Movie buffs, tourists, lovers of the great outdoors and their furry friends, A cinema is the place where films are shown. . Di Koser was among those who spent six months building the cinema in time for its official opening on the first of June. It can also be called a picture theatre. We also use the word cinema as a general term for movies and showing movies. Movie buffs, tourists, lovers of the great outdoors and their furry friends, this week made the annual pilgrimage to the opening of the Deckchair Cinema to be part of the celebration of 10 years of cinema under the stars. There are a number of ways of saying that you are going to the cinema to see a movie. You can say: I’m going to the cinema. or I’m going to the movies. or I’m going to the pictures. or I’m going to see a film. or even I’m going to the flicks. The place where you buy tickets at a cinema is called the box off ice. Saying that something or someone in a film attracts good box office means that they sell a lot of tickets. We need a star to attract good box office. Films are shown on screens. Movies that are shown at the cinema are big-screen movies. A small-screen movie is only shown on TV. We call the playing of a film in a cinema a screening. There was a hint of opening night nerves as projectionists prepared for the first screening of the season. Screen is also used as a general term for the movies. He’s a star of stage and screen. The silver screen is an old fashioned term for the movies. She was one of the legends of the silver screen.			communicate with us Join our mailing list Chat in the Learn English forum Contact us