Page 174 - Consuming Media

01Consuming Media 10/4/07 11:17 am Page 161

but only to the generalized world of contemporary film in all its transnational
dimensions.
Sagittarius (Skytten), the small film theatre in the mall, might have been such a
place. 34 Shopping and going to the movies have much in common, and for over a
hundred years cinema has had a place in the major spaces of consumption. Early
department stores often included movie theatres, at first to attract customers and
35
eventually where children could be entertained while their mothers shopped. It was
not until cinemas began to establish independent viewing palaces that the connec-
tion was severed, but then only temporarily, as we have seen with the resurgence in
the 1980s of film complexes in close proximity to shopping centres, even under the
same roof. Sagittarius was built some time around 1965 and thus can date its origins
to the early years of Solna Centre. It was part of the community centre
(Medborgarhuset) and included, in addition to the theatre itself, five conference
rooms of various sizes and a number of additional smaller areas. The theatre itself also
functioned as the town stage, and theatre performances and meetings of various kinds
were held there. SF (Svensk Filmindustri), which ran the theatre followed the
possibly unique practice of not showing films on Wednesdays and Thursdays, in
order for theatre and other events to be held there. In other words, Sagittarius func-
tioned as a kind of open house for local citizens where a variety of public events,
including film showings, were held.
In early 1983, Eurostar took over the rental contract from SF. Sagittarius thus
became part of this smaller chain, one of twenty-two cinemas located mostly in small
towns and suburbs of larger cities. Popular current films were shown three days a
week, with family film outweighing action film and thrillers, and a children’s matinee
on Sundays. On the other weekdays the facilities continued to be used for a variety
of community activities. Because it was open only in the evenings, when the rest of
the shopping centre was closed, the community centre and its cinema had little
contact with the rest of the mall. When Rodamco purchased the shopping centre, the
community centre was included in the purchase. The conference rooms were remod-
elled as office space for businesses, leaving only Sagittarius, which Eurostar now
rented from Rodamco. The hotel was responsible for booking film showings as well
as other community and business activities in the theatre on evenings when films
were not shown. This arrangement continued for several years, but Sagittarius’s visi-
bility in Solna Centre continued to decline. In the last few years the only entrance to
the cinema was through the bookstore, and it became increasingly difficult to find
information about the film programme. Eurostar was aware of SF’s plans to open a
new cinema in the old Film City, which would reduce Sagittarius’s customers by at
least 30 per cent. The local cinema/community centre was caught in a downward
spiral.
Solna Centre’s local manager said he was interested in the advantages a larger
cinema would have for the shopping centre. But it was difficult to find a solution to
the impractical location and an area that prohibited any expansion. In addition,
Solna Centre and its owner Rodamco were in need of more office space. By 2001,

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