Film News

Hot Tub Cinema

• 15th Aug 2013

Do you like cinema?  Do you like hot tubs?  Do you like being in the company of hipsters?  If you answered yes to at least two of those questions then by golly you should immediately click on this website http://www.hottubcinema.com/ and do yourself a favour by booking a ticket to a Hot Tub Cinema screening.  At the moment pop-up cinema events are de rigueur and your various social media timelines are no doubt littered with thousands of photos of people dressed up like Baby from Dirty Dancing or Rick from Casablanca. What you’ve probably not seen are photos of your friends frolicking with strangers in hot tubs, while a “classic” film plays against the sun setting over a London skyline.  But I imagine that will soon change.

Hot Tub Cinema is still relatively new to the pop-up cinema market, barely a year old, and still finding its feet.  Last night a group of friends and I went along to a showing of The Hangover, which was being held on a rooftop in London’s Shoreditch.  Everything about the event was well thought out and executed, from the free cloakroom, to the tokens-instead-of-cash system, to the tub-side bar service.  There were changing facilities and a “dry bin” next to each hot tub to store your towel/wrap/dressing gown.  It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve never been to an event with nicer staff.  Every single person working there was utterly charming.

We had worried that, with autumn closing in, it would be a bit too chilly to be at an open air cinema event (or worse that it might rain).  Fortunately those fears were completely unfounded as the water, maintained at a lovely 40 degrees, kept you both perfectly snug and made you incredibly relaxed. With hindsight I would say that even if it had rained the experience would have been as good, if not better. It’s all about keeping your sense of humour after all!

Don’t get me wrong, this is not the best place to go to see a film you’ve never seen before.  The code of conduct will absolutely not be obeyed.  People are chatting all around you, moving around, getting drunk and generally having a good time.  So if you’re a stickler for silence while you enjoy a film, then Hot Tub Cinema is not for you.  But if you’re up for something quirky and fun and are willing to go with the flow then you’ll love Hot Tub Cinema as much as I did.

Film: ***

Event: *****

Suzie King