The Guardian · US news · Original story
Fade to black: inside grand abandoned cinemas in the US and Canada
The grand music halls and theatres of the 1920s gave way to the era of the moving image, prompting the acquisition and conversion of lavish cinemas across the US – many of which became enduring cultural landmarks. From the rise of television in the 1950s to today’s streaming platforms and smartphone screens, media consumption has become individualised. As a result, many of these once-grand movie theatres have been abandoned, repurposed or left suspended as hybrid ruins. Photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre have documented these early 20th-century relics and the haunting beauty of their decline
Exhibited at Kyotogrophie 2026 in Japan until 17 May
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Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre · Mon, May 11, 2026, 12:32 AM
US news | The Guardian
The grand music halls and theatres of the 1920s gave way to the era of the moving image, prompting the acquisition and conversion of lavish cinemas across the US – many of which became enduring cultural landmarks. From the rise of television in the 1950s to today’s streaming platforms and smartphone screens, media consumption has become individualised. As a result, many of these once-grand movie theatres have been abandoned, repurposed or left suspended as hybrid ruins. Photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre have documented these early 20th-century relics and the haunting beauty of their decline
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