Bagni di Lucca and Beyond

In Australia foreign films are shown in their original language with English sublitles.  This doesn’t happen in Italy.  All films are dubbed in Italian.  Unless your Italian is very good it is rather pointless going to the cinema.  It might help with your Italian pronunciation, but it hardly makes for enjoyable viewing.

The Odeon

Happily, I have discovered in Florence a theatre that shows films in their original language.    The Odeon in Piazza Strozzi shows Original Sound, as they call it, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and occasionally on Wednesdays and weekends.

The theatre itself is lovely.  Palazzo Strozzini, where the cinema is located, was built in 1462.  It was renovated at the beginning of the 20th century by architect Piacenti, who transformed it into an elegant art nouveau theatre – cinema.  It opened in 1922 and still has the original sculptures, tapestries and stained glass cupola.

www.odeon.intoscana.it

To receive information about the Odeon Original Sound programme via email, send an email to cinehall@cinehall.it

I’m sure most large cities would offer this facility.  If you know of them, please tell me.