1954–1981
In 1952, the old theatre building was renovated and somewhat reconfigured. The façade was remodelled, the centrally positioned main entrance was removed, a projection room with a separate entrance was constructed high in the galleries, and the image of Apollo with the lyre was removed from the proscenium arch. A new signboard was added, as were wrought iron lamps modelled on those in Warsaw’s Old Town. The Rialto Cinema had disappeared, along with its pre-war history: from 22 July 1954 on, the renovated venue would be known as the Old Town Cinema.
Many, including Juliusz Machulski, look back on those times with nostalgia:
I became a cinephile in Lublin, and a very, very long time ago. Primarily, this was because of the Old Town Cinema, and probably because it had a charm and a soul, and a mystery about it like no other. My parents would take me there to see Sunday ‘matinees’. These were selections of animated shorts from all over the world.
