The Princess Original Cinema, a staple of the Uptown Waterloo community, celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday with a free showing of the classic movie Casablanca, and a lively block party. Over 200 people were present to celebrate the milestone.
Founded and owned by John Tutt, the cinema has long been a beloved and unique place where members from across the Waterloo community, including UW students, have gone to enjoy a different kind of movie experience. Princess Cinema’s programming does not include mainstream Hollywood blockbusters, but has always gravitated towards cult classics, foreign movies, vintage horror and other types of film not usually shown at chain movie theatres such as Cineplex.
Mathieu Desroches and Audrey Kramer, both third year UW students who attended the celebration, explained how while it may feel that there are not many things to do in Waterloo, Princess Cinemas is a great place to go that is set apart from what you get at a regular movie theatre. “I’d for sure say that [Princess Cinema] is better than Cineplex. I think it’s a more comfortable experience,” Desroches explained, echoing Kramer’s statement that she “[didn’t] want to go back to Cineplex.”
The event started with the annual showing of the first film they played at the cinema back in 1985, Casablanca. Moviegoers lined up down the street to get into the full-house showing of the classic film, some having been regulars at the cinema for years, while others were checking it out for the first time.
UW students were well represented in the attendees as many, with a love for Princess Cinema, had come out to see the showing. “I’ve been going to their Casablanca showing for the last three years… it’s always a fun way to start off the fall term for me,” said Andie Kaiser, a grad student at UW.
Other students waiting in line discussed how much they appreciate having something like Princess Cinema so close to campus. Laura Gracie, another UW student, said, “I live pretty close to campus, so [I’m] able to… just walk over to be able to see a movie and walk back, a spur of the moment thing.”
With Princess Cinema being a primarily family-run business, John Tutt was running the event alongside his wife, Wendy Tutt, his son, Jacob Tutt and his daughter-in-law, Emily Dixon. It was all hands on deck during the Casablanca showing and the block party afterwards, as everyone was making sure everything ran smoothly for the attendees.
Gracie went on to discuss how her experience with the staff and how nice everyone at Princess Cinema is makes visiting the cinema even more special.
After the Casablanca showing, moviegoers made their way to Princess Street for the outdoor, big-screen showing of Stop Making Sense, a widely popular movie that Jacob Tutt described as being “considered the most popular concert show ever.” People also had the opportunity to sit out on the patio of Jane Bond, the bar across the street, and enjoy drinks as the show played.
More people arrived for the block party as the night went on, reaching over 200 people in attendance, dancing, laughing and having fun. Jacob Tutt commented on the incredible turnout, and explained that this is the first time they have hosted a block party as well as the Casablanca showing for an anniversary event. However, he said, based on the reception and number of people who came out to be a part of the celebration, this might be something Princess Cinema looks more at doing in the future.
