Cinema, also known as the seventh art, can be defined as the art and technique of cinematography. It was created by the Lumière brothers and had its debut in 1895, with the film titled "La Sortie de L'usine Lumière à Lyon" (in Portuguese, "A saída da Fábrica Lumière em Lyon"), which recorded precisely the exit of employees from inside the Lumière company, in the city of Lyon, France.
In the neighborhood of Marechal Hermes, in Rio, a cinema called Cine Lux, also known as bolhinha, appeared in 1934. It was located at Praça Montese, No. 3. This entertainment venue, whose owner was known as Jorge, was inaugurated with the screening of the film Viva Villa (directed by Jack Conway, Howard Hawks, and William A. Wellman). On that occasion, several authorities were present, such as the Ministers of Labor and Education, the interventor Pedro Ernesto, the director of Central do Brasil, and the president of the INP (currently INSS).
Cine Lux in 1934. Source: Melhora Marechal Page (Facebook)
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a building with a prominent dome. Starting from the left, we see houses and a fence surrounding the cinema complex. In the center, there is a rounded structure with a metal dome. In front of the building, there are trees and a square with a few people walking. In the background, we see more houses and a curved road. At the bottom of the image, there is a logo that reads "www.facebook.com/memoriaschalamachalhermes".After this event, other films of various genres were shown: horror, science fiction, crime drama, pornographic content, among others. Brazilian films such as "A morte comanda o cangaço," "Quem matou Lúcio Flavio?," and "Assim era a Atlântida" were also shown at the Lux, which had some staff members who were "attractions" in their own right: the box-office clerk, known as Carlos, and the ushers nicknamed Tarzan and Montanha, for having a slender appearance.
The Marechal Hermes neighborhood seen from above, in the 1930s. Cine Lux in the spotlight. Source: Marechal Hermes Antigo (Facebook)
Image description: This is a black-and-white aerial photograph of an urban area. On the left side, we see a series of row houses, with parallel streets running between them. In the center, there is a large filled-in circle, highlighting a specific area. On the right, there are more buildings and intersecting streets. In the background, we see larger buildings and a structure that appears to be a cinema, as mentioned in the context.Cine Lux Through the Eyes of Its Customers
Arlindo Henriques Batista (59 years old) - former military man
Em 22 de dezembro de 1988, quando eu ainda trabalhava no Exército, decidi abrir uma barraca de cachorro quente para obter uma renda extra, minha barraca se localiza em frente ao antigo Cine Lux. Este cinema era bastante frequentado por moradores do bairro de Marechal e nele só havia uma sala grande. Um dos filmes que eu lembro de ter visto foi Kung Fu
Cine Lux in 1990. Source: O Rio Antigo page (Twitter)
Image description: The image is a photograph of a movie theater called "Cine Lux". The building's facade is gray with large windows and a main entrance. On the left, there is a shop called "Bomboniere", where several framed movie posters are displayed. The posters are colorful, showing different scenes from films. On the right, inside Cine Lux, we see a person sitting behind the ticket booth counter, wearing yellow clothing. The name "Cine Lux" is written in colorful letters above the entrance.Jorge Luis Lopes (54 years old)
He reported that at the time he first came to know Cine Lux he was around 7 or 8 years old and used to go there alone or with his family. Documenting his experiences at the cinema over approximately 10 years, he said he clearly remembers that upon entering, he would smell a strong scent of insecticide: the interviewee reports that there were fleas in the place, due to the humidity and lack of ventilation. The place was also very stuffy, and Jorge remembers the wooden chairs facing the movie screen. Some films he watched there include: "O marujo trapalhão," "Simba," "Loucademia de polícia," and "Dois tiras fora de ordem." It's worth noting that he showed great gratitude and nostalgia for the moments he experienced there and for being able to bring back memories that had faded over time.
Vangelita Lopes Barbosa Soares (49 years old)
She got to know Cine Lux when she was 16 years old. She studied in Anchieta and, on an outing organized by her municipal school, the class visited the cinema.
This was her first contact with cinema. That's why, even with the years going by, she remembers exactly the name of the movie she watched: "Vidas Secas" - based on the book by Graciliano Ramos. On her second visit to Cine Lux, she was accompanied by her sister (now deceased), and the movie they watched was "Stallone Cobra." Since these are memories she cherishes very much, she even remembers the clothes she wore on the day she visited Cine Lux: a blue dress with black stripes and a black belt.
Cine Lux was a place that captured moments and memories. Its importance was unique for each individual. Being able to bring them to light is very important, because in this way, we have direct contact with the history of the establishment and of the people who had access to it.
