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A Film Lover’s Guide to Liverpool

No city outside of London has such an identifiable film culture as Liverpool. With its long history of picture palaces and its modern legacy as one of the most filmed cities in the UK, Liverpool is well and truly a city with cinema at its heart. If you’re a movie buff or an avid film fan, there’s no better city to visit than Liverpool. Here we give you some top tips on where to go and what to see to satisfy your cinemania, including historic picture houses, famed film locations, and alternative movie-watching experiences.

A grand, ornate hall with arched ceilings, stained glass windows, and large chandeliers. The space features a decorative organ and elaborate architectural details, creating an opulent and historic atmosphere.

Woolton Picture House

Celebrated for being Liverpool’s oldest single-screen cinema, Woolton Picture House is an important piece of the city’s cinematic history. Built in 1927, it’s an enchanting relic of Art Deco design and was once one of over a hundred picture houses that served as entertainment to the people of Merseyside in the Golden Age of cinema. Remaining open throughout the war years and surviving the bombing raids of WW2, the Picture House provided a vital window to the front line for the local community. Today, the magic of this historic gem lives on and continues to enchant visitors with its ageless charm and its programme of both mainstream and classic films. Woolton Picture House is truly a treasured piece of Liverpool’s cinema history, and a must-visit for film fanatics and history enthusiasts alike.

Woolton Picture House: Image Credit via WooltonPicutreHouse.com

Woolton Picture House is located at 3 Mason Street, Liverpool L25 5JH. For full details of their current programme and to book tickets, visit them online.

Liverpool Film Locations

Liverpool is the most popular filming locations in Britain, and its blend of architecture with cultural landmarks make it ideal for portraying a number of different periods and places in history - from 1940s New York City to Victorian-era London. Take a ramble around this gorgeous city and walk in the footsteps of some of your favourite actors as you spot the various film locations that have featured in countless noteworthy productions. Don’t miss the gorgeous, neoclassical Liverpool Town Hall (featured in Chariots of Fire and The Hunt for Red October), St. George’s Hall (see in this year’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Stanley Dock (used in Captain America: The First Avenger and Sherlock Holmes), and Birkenhead Tunnel (filmed for Fast and Furious 6 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One) among many others.

St.George's Hall (c) Brian Mason

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

For an alternative cinema experience and a true antidote to the multiplex, visit the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and enjoy a film in the plush splendour of its great Art Deco concert hall. Boasting the last remaining Walturdaw cinema screen in the world which raises out of the stage before every screening and accompanied by their resident organist, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic truly puts the magic back into movie-watching. Screening current and classic releases, this venue often has accompanying live music to its films, and provides a truly unique cinema experience that you won’t forget.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (c) Bob Edwards

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is located on Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BP. For more information and to book tickets, visit them online.

Arthouse Hotel Bar and Pizzeria

If you love classic film and dream of being transported back to your favourite movie set, then Arthouse Hotel Bar and Pizzeria is the place for you. Serving delicious movie-inspired cocktails and food and paying homage to classics of the silver screen with its impressive black and white decor, this bar and eatery is a cinema lover’s haven. It even has old classics playing on big projectors to further immerse you in the glitz and glamour of the bar’s Hollywood atmosphere. For a real treat, why not book a night or two in one of the Arthouse Hotel’s cinema-inspired rooms? Each of the hotel’s themed rooms is decorated with a specific film in mind, including Grease, Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz, and even a Psycho room!

Phantom of the Opera Room (c) ArtshouseHotelLiverpool.co.uk

The Arthouse Hotel Bar and Pizzeria is located at 61 Seel Street, Liverpool L1 4AZ. For bookings and further details, visit them online.

FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology)

FACT is the UK’s leading organisation for the support and exhibition of film, art, and new media, and is a treasured institution in the heart of Liverpool. Offering a unique programme of exhibitions, film, and art projects, FACT is a driving force for inspiring people to use creative technologies to express themselves and enrich their lives in doing so. This is truly a hub for showcasing creative expression where film is at the core of creative expression. FACT prides itself on showcasing ground-breaking new media projects by global artists, and you’ll be astounded by the array and quality of the works on show. FACT also houses a four-screen Picturehouse cinema, so when you’re done exploring the new and exciting exhibitions, films, and art on offer, you can sit down and relax an enticing selection of mainstream and arthouse films in their impressive screening rooms.

FACT (c) Lara Salinas

FACT is located at 88 Wood St, Liverpool L1 4DQ. For more information on what’s on, visit them online.