"My Fair Lady" at the Royal
Free screening on the largest screen in Sweden

A real gentleman  and 70mm fan, Mr. Sebastian Rosacker. Image by Thomas Hauerslev

In 1998 I started, together with SF Bio AB, "Classics at the Royal". The first film was my favourite “Doctor Zhivago” in the spring. We were 531 happy souls enjoying David Leans masterpiece in the best film format: 70mm.

Then, during 1998-1999 we showed "The Sound of Music", "Star!", "Gone With the Wind" (in 35mm) and "Funny Girl". 1999-2000: "Ben-Hur", "That's Entertainment", "Waterloo Bridge" (35mm) and "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". 2000-2001: "Cleopatra", "West Side Story", "Gone With The Wind" (35mm) and "Oliver!".

I was also lucky to arrange the 40th anniversary of the Royal in March 2001 in the presence of the brain behind Royal: Sten Löfberg (at the age of 95). For this we thought, why not show the film that opened the theater in 1961: "Windjammer". And it would only be fitting to charge the same price as 1961: SEK 4, 6 & 8. (about 30, 45 & 60 cents). Also attending was the film's director, Louis de Rochemont.

Happy to be at the Royal, he said that most movie makers never get a chance to experience their films 40 years later, and in a sold out theatre (682 people). One of the finest Swedish actors, Göran Stangertz read the inaugural speech from 1961. It surely was an evening to remember.