The Village Screen: ’80s Cinema Weekend at Victoria Baths, Manchester
Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Anybody who has visited the stunning Grade II listed Victoria Baths knows that it’s a treat just to wander around; with recent restorations having brought the 110 year-old public swimming complex back to something resembling its former glory. But the pool is no longer just for swimming – oh no. Pop up cinema specialists, The Village Screen, fill the pool with deck chairs and plonk a giant screen at one end, in order to transform the location into a very memorable (and unique!) cinema space.
Following previous sold out events, The Village Screen return to the baths this month for weekend featuring two of the most beloved films of the ’80s. First up on Friday 28th July, it’s Robert Zemeckis’ slick, peppy time-travel caper Back to the Future. This ’80s staple charms as Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly, the cool all-American teenager who is accidentally sent back to the ’50s by the eccentric Doc Brown. Next, on Saturday 29th July, is the iconic, retro-sixties dance-drama Dirty Dancing. Another sure-fire crowd-pleaser, the film memorably features Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in one of cinema’s most famous romances.
Apart from the films, DJ Matt Hydes will be on hand to spin era-appropriate tunes, whilst street food traders Proove Pizza, The Blue Caribou Canteen, Fat Annies and Ginger’s Comfort Emporium provide top quality refreshments. Walkmans, perms and skateboards are all highly encouraged.
