Tuschinski Cinema

Tuschinski Cinema Review

Although officially the architect of this "Plum Cake"—as it was described when it first opened in 1921—was H. L. De Jong, the financial and spiritual force was undoubtedly Abram Icek Tuschinski (1886-1942), a Polish Jew who after World War I decided to build a theater that was "unique." And because interior designers Pieter de Besten, Jaap Gidding, and Chris Bartels came up with a dizzying and dense mixture of Baroque, Art Nouveau, Amsterdamse School, Jugendstil, and Asian influences, it is safe to say that he achieved his goal. The frescoes of elegant women by Pieter Den Besten were only discovered in 2000 under layers of paint. It began as a variety theater welcoming such stars as Marlene Dietrich, but it soon became a cinema, and to this day watching movies from one of the extravagant private balconies remains an unforgettable experience—especially if you are in the "love seats" with champagne. Sobering note: Tuschinski died in Auschwitz.