Berlin
That's entertainment: Zoo Palast and the show before the show
It's a 1950s architectural icon and one of Berlin's plushest cinemas besides. But did you know there's yet another reason to catch a movie at the legendary Zoo Palast?
It all began in the 1990s when audiences were treated to a pre-show laser spectacle - a jaw-dropping display which often proved more exciting than the film itself.
Now, a recently refurbished Zoo-Palast has revived the tradition of extra entertainment by combining live performances with nifty special effects.
The star attraction is a high-tech 'rain-curtain' that douses the stage in a watery deluge - particularly useful for a rousing rendition of Singin' in the Rain (above).
Image credit:s zoopalast/image.net
And visitors to a recent James Bond premiere were treated to the sight of 007 dodging bullets before breaking into a rather uncharacteristic tap routine.
It's enough to make you choke on your popcorn... albeit in the best possible way. Who said the romance of cinema was dead?
See also:
German theatre for English speakers
A 1920s cinema
Bikini Berlin and its 1920s twins
The world's smallest discos
Zoo Palast cinema: Hardenbergstraße 29A, 10623 Berlin.
Note that movies are shown in German without subtitles, and the 'rain curtain' and pre-show entertainment are exclusive to the largest screening room.
