Adult Movie Theatres

[blackoutFOB]

It seems the AMTs have gone the way of all the recent failed retailers. The internet killed them. I remember there was one growing up (actually infamous for a certain adult kids show TV star getting kicked out). The place was knocked down ages ago but I always wondered. This is for our oldtimers on the boards. What was it like at these establishments during the glory years?

[seany65]

There used to be one in Chnatown in Manchester. They always had a stripper on as well as the films. There was another one on Oxford road, (near oxford Road train station) also in Manchester, which was called 'the VIP cinema club'which usually had two strippers on.

I used to go on a sunday when the 'sunday rover' bus ticket was introduced. You could spend all day going anywhere in greater Manchester and go on as many busses as you wanted.

The VIP club had a 'lounge' in which you could get tea and coffee.

I remember one stripper there who had quite long blonde hair. She a jaw-dropper. I watched the films and then watched her show. I stayed and went to the lounge for a cup of tea and then went back to watch her again. Of course, this meant sitting through the part of the films I'd already seen, but I think that blonde goddes was worth it.

[pisshead_steve]

"There used to be one in Chnatown in Manchester. They always had a stripper on as well as the films. There was another one on Oxford road, (near oxford Road train station) also in Manchester, which was called 'the VIP cinema club'which usually had two strippers on."

Oh God, the amount of time I wasted in those...

The one in Chinatown was called Glamour Cinema, on George Street. I used to prefer going there over the VIP as it was on a much quieter back street, less chance of being observed going in or out. It seemed slightly less run-down and seedy too. Plus the Glamour was underground, down a short flight of steps, which felt more appropriate somehow...

Both of them were members only, you had to pay a couple of quid for membership, they gave you a little membership card, and then you had to pay again to get in. Happily they had a student discount, and equally happily they didn't cross-check the real name on your student ID card against the false name you'd just given them on the membership application (I went through several aliases...).

The VIP had 2 screens (I think "auditoria" would be stretching it...), both showing different films, you had to pay extra to see both, the Glamour had only one. The films were shown on what was back then a pretty big TV screen.

The films back then (early 1990s) were cut to buggery. This was way before the internet, R18 certification, or any liberalisation when it came to hardcore porn. They were basically hardcore films that had had anything remotely hardcore taken out. So, plenty of tits, the odd flash of bush, absolutely no penetration of any kind, no erections, no ejaculation... BBC1 shows stronger stuff nowadays.

The main draw for me was the strippers. Every two hours the films paused and usually two (but occasionally, disappointingly, only one) strippers came out on the stage (another reason for preferring the Glamour; much better lines if sight to the stage). I still remember that the strippers at the Glamour came on at 12 and then every 2 hours afterwards, while at the VIP they started at 1. Surprisingly I never tried dashing between the 2 clubs to see if it was the same strippers in both; you could quite often see the strippers relaxing in the "lounge" when off-duty, so I suspect probably not.

Some of the strippers had seen better days, and some had never had better days to begin with, but some of them I can still remember quite vividly over 20 years later. In particular a very pretty Indian girl who as the years have gone by I've convinced myself was a young Sahara Knite.

The VIP apparently offered regular couples evenings, but I was never there for one of those. Only once I remember in the Glamour that a customer came in with his wife, a very attractive women wearing a long coat and, I suspect, not a lot underneath it. They didn't stick around for long, nothing happened while they were in there, and it was just the 2 of them who left together. Maybe just fulfilling a fantasy but one of them got cold feet, or maybe they just didn't see anyone else they liked the look of (obviously it was fairly dark in there so maybe they missed me ).

[tygrkhat40]

Originally Posted by blackoutFOB

It seems the AMTs have gone the way of all the recent failed retailers. The internet killed them.

No, adult movie theaters were already dead by the time the internet came around. VCRs and VHS cassettes did the deed. Why go to a theater to see a porn flick when you could bring it into the comfort of your home. In fact, the success of porn videotapes convinced mainstream Hollywood that there was gold in them thar tapes.

[Pomodoro]

I remember one good theatre in Soho, just opposite Leicester square tube, I think on the corner of Little Newport street. It was always busy, often customers would bring in "ladies" so added action! There was a glass ticket booth just inside the entrance with a young lady selling tickets. Inside it had comfy and clean cinema seats, red I recall. Usually 2 doorstaff to ensure no problems. I "believe" several members of the law society used to visit.. It was closed and redeveloped early 1980s.

[royalbros2]

Good thread idea.

I was a member of the beautifully named Climax Cine Club in Newcastle, England. It showed Super 8 uncut hardcore films. Some American, some european. It was run by 2 guys who were like the British equivalent of the Furry Freak Brothers. When the loop ended we'd sit in darkness until someone could be arsed to get up and tell them to change the reel!

This was in I think the early 80s. In fact one afternoon I went the Rolling Stones were playing in Newcastle and the club was packed with giggers filling in time. I remember one shouting "wankers" as he left with his mates lol. You could date that with a Google. Hold on...it was 1982 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ro...pean_Tour_1982

There was also the Penthouse Club or Penthouse Suite (I forget the exact name) which was a members only wing of a known cinema chain off Westgate road, Newcastle - but they showed cut movies. I remember one of the usherettes mouthing out loud "Oh my god" in an Irish accent when a particular cut hadn't been done quick enough and a *very* quick flash on cock in cunt was seen.

One of these clubs had strippers but I can't remember which. The CCC I would think.

[Grouchy]

I recall two from London... The Fantasy Chapter 2 in City Road and the Albatross in Plashet Grove. Always tried to get a couple of hours there when down that way.

I also remember one in the heart of Soho on Wardour Street. Can't remember the name of it but it was decent place that didn't rip you off as so many of the "tourist trap" places did in the early seventies.

[royalbros2]

Originally Posted by Grouchy

I recall two from London... The Fantasy Chapter 2 in City Road and the Albatross in Plashet Grove. Always tried to get a couple of hours there when down that way.

I also remember one in the heart of Soho on Wardour Street. Can't remember the name of it but it was decent place that didn't rip you off as so many of the "tourist trap" places did in the early seventies.

I think I joined the Albatross. I'd forgot all about it. I just googled the area and it is where i remember. The guy said to me look through that window and there was a door I think with a small window and there was hardcore videos playing on big-ish screen. I had to wait 24 hrs or whatever before i could go in though. I mustn't have gone much. A mix of distance and getting 2 x vcrs.

[seany65]

@pisshead steve,

Have you ever been to the one that used to be a couple of doors away fom the Glamour club? I can't remember it's name, but it had closed down by the time I started going to the Glamour club,though the sign was still there.

I forgot to mention the multi-screen cinema that was a few yards further down Oxford Street that the VIP Club.

They showed 'adult' films on one screen. They were very censored. I remember 4 things from there:

1) Seeing 'Insatiable', but not actually seeing much at all.

2) I Vaguely remember a film in which there was a woman wshign in a tub outisde her house (!?) and there was a cycle race going past.

3) A film in which a young man and a 'milf' are on the run from some bikers and the hole up in a building and have sex instead of running any further. The manage to blow up the motorbike of at least one of the baddies.

4) After the set of films finished and before they would run them again, they'd have a sort of 'Lava Lamp' effect on the screen.

[LuvDeb'stits]

Back in 70's & 80's I used to frequent a couple of places in the Los Angeles, CA area. They were part of a chain of adult theaters known as "The Pussycat Theaters". There was about seven or eight of them spread around southern California. They would show first run XXX movies, changing them every few weeks or so. And unlike some of the previously mentioned entries on this page, they weren't censored in any way. Those films left little to the imagination. And one time I got to meet in person one of my all time favorite porn actress, Marylin Chambers. She was making a personal appearance at the Pussycat Theater in West Hollywood, which was located on Santa Monica Blvd. She was in the lobby, signing autographs and selling a 8x10 black and white photo of herself. Although she was nude in the photo, it was not very pornographic, rather it was erotic in that she was in profile, exposing only her right breast. And she had a very sexy but smile on her face. Ah, for the good old days of the "Golden Age of Porn".