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To fully appreciate just how seriously
Hungarians take their cinema pop down to Uránia on a Friday night. Just make sure you get
there early though, as otherwise you'll find yourself at the wrong end of a queue snaking off into the
Budapest night! It's much the same elsewhere in Budapest, with the small foyers of the city's
oldest and grandest theatres bursting at the seams with punters keen to see the latest blockbusters
from Hollywood or Europe. While US, British and French productions make for the bulk of what's
shown here, anything vaguely Bohemian or art house also has an appreciative audience (above left:
Puskin cinema).
The domestic scene also enjoys a good reputation for high quality, innovative
film making, with the heyday of Hungarian cinema often being touted as the 60s - a time where film
was one of the few media where free expression and mild subversion were tolerated. Although there's
arguably less home grown talent about today, a steady flow of interesting material still comes out
of Hungary.
New multiplexes cater for those after the widest screens and thumping Dolby
surround sound (with the renovated Corvin and UCI's Mom Park being among the best examples),
although for a grand night out it's still difficult to beat venues like Müvész and
Broadway. English language movies are usually subtitled (feliratos) rather than dubbed (szinkronizát), which is obviously a blessing for foreign tourists. As with cinemas at home,
advanced bookings can be made in most venues.
Finding your seat is arguably the most difficult part of going to the movies
in Budapest. As well as showing seat (szék) and row (sor) numbers, tickets also designate
the side of the theatre your sitting on; left is "bal oldalon", right
"jobb oldalon" and the middle "közép".
For cinema listings, est.hu, www.mozinet.hu
(both in Hungarian) www.budapestsun.com
and www.kulturinfo.hu give the low-down on
new releases and films playing around the city.
Popular Budapest Cinemas:
II. kerület 1024, Margit
körút 55, Tel: 212 5398, Metro: M2 Batthyány
tér
Large single screen cinema located on the Margit körút,
one of Buda's main thoroughfares. Mainstream Hollywood movies shown.
Bem Mozi
II. Margit krt. 5/b, Tel: 316 8708, Tram 4, 6 to Margit utca
Hungarian, art house and independent cinema, plus critically acclaimed US movies. Also focuses upon
domestic releases from the 60s and 70s and French cinema.
VII. Károly krt 3, Tel: 322 0230, Tram 47, 49, Metro: M2 Astoria
Large, circa 1930 auditorium, providing the right sort of atmosphere for the French art house
movies shown here. Hollywood films also screened.
Campona (UCI Palace Cinema)
XXII. Campona Bevásárlóközpont,
Nagytétényi út 37-45, Tickets: 424 3333, Websites: www.palacecinemas.hu and www.campona.hu, Bus 3 to
Nagytétény
Housed on the first-floor of the Campona Shopping Center, the 11 screen UCI Palace Cinema may be a
bit soulless, but nonetheless offers a good-range of reduced rate tickets for children, students
and senior citizens, as well as being open from midday Monday-Friday and 10am on Saturday and
Sunday. With free parking.
Cinema City Csepel Plaza
XXI. Rákóczi F. út 154-170, Csepel Plaza, Tel: 425 8111,
Website: www.csepelplaza.net, HÉV
to Szent Imre tér
Hollywood releases to a thumping Dolby Digital sound system. A bit out of the way (being within the
Plaza shopping centre on Csepel Island) but easily accessible on the suburban HÉV
railway.
Cinema City Új Udvar
Új Udvar Bevásárló és
Szérakoztató Központ. III. Bécsi út 38-44, Tel: 437 8383, Tram 17
to Kolosy tér
Another successful opening from the ever-expanding Israeli Cinema City group, with a strict diet of
Hollywood and mainstream releases.
Corvin Budapest Filmpalota
VIII. Corvin-köz 1, Tickets: 459 5050, Film info: 459 5059, Website: www.corvin.hu, Tram 4, 6 to Ferenc krt, Metro: M3 Ferenc körút
Historic cinema, which has benefited enormously from a recent overhaul. Now the second largest
multiplex in town. Comfortable seating, the very latest projection equipment and accurate sound
staging make the Corvin hugely enjoyable. Hard to believe that the square in which it stands was
damaged terribly during the 1956 revolution.
Duna Plaza (Hollywood Multiplex)
XIII. Váci út 178, Tickets: 467 4267, Website: www.hmplx.hu, Metro: M3 Gyöngyösi utca
Located in the Duna Plaza shopping mall (which looks uncannily like something from the set of
Logan's Run) this nine-screen multiplex is as modern as they come. Despite the fact that you could
be anywhere, screens are among the best in town. 20% discount for students if you have a Hollywood
Multi-card, but also very popular with local Britney clones though, so beware...
Hunnia Cinema
VII. Erzsebet krt. 26, Tel: 322 3741, Tram 4, 6 to Wesselényi
utca
Often re-runs popular English language movies, most of which are already on sale as DVD or video
releases.
XIII. Váci út 14, Tel: 349 3771, Metro: M3 Nyugati pu.
Independent films, with European and art house releases, feature alongside Hollywood
blockbusters.
IX. Kinizsi u. 28. Tel: 476 0116, 215-3388, Metro: M3 Ferenc körút
Half-price tickets (compared to other venues listed on this page) and new European/Hollywood
releases make the small, but likeable Kultiplex worth seeking out. Open film festivals also staged
here.
Mammut Budai Moziközpont
II. Lövőház u 2-6, Tel: 345 8140, 345 8160, Website: www.mammutmozik.hu, Tram 4, 6 to Széna
tér
As well as a rather swanky bowling alley, the Mammut II shopping mall also boasts a 13 screen
cinema with state-of-the-art sound (Dolby Digital/DTS) and free car parking for 3 hours (handy in
this part of town). What's more, as Mammut II is actually one of Budapest's nicer malls, a trip
here can be combined with a daytime shopping spree!!
MOM Park
XII, Alkotás út 53, Tickets: 487 5670, Websites: www.palacecinemas.hu and www.mompark.hu, Tram 59, 61, Bus 8, 139
Arguably the best new cinema in Hungary, the nine-screen UCI Palace (housed within Mom Park
Shopping Center) features all the latest digital technology, over 2,500 seats, wall-to-wall
screens, an amazing sound system, comfy seating and a lobby snack bar. Free parking for three
hours, providing you get your ticket validated at the cinema's box office. Recommended!!
VI. Teréz krt 30, Tel: 332 6726, Tram 4, 6 to Király
utca,
Website: www.artmozi.hu, Metro: M3 Nyugati pu.
Upmarket cinema showing mainly art house and classic movies (including European film weeks). Five
screens ensure a good selection for even the pickiest of movie goers. The in-house restaurant is a
nice enough distraction, particular as it helps avoid the pre-match squash in the lobby. Offers a
20% reduction if you sign up for a Budapest Film Klubkártya.
Pólus Center (Hollywood Multiplex)
XV. Szentmihályi út 131, Tel: 467 4627, Websites: www.hmplx.hu and www.polus.com, Tram 69, Bus 173 to final stop
A bit out of the way, but nonetheless a decent venue that comes under the Hollywood Multiplex
chain of cinemas. 20% discount for students if you have a Hollywood Multi-card.
V. Kossuth L. utca 18, Tel: 429 6080, Website: www.artmozi.hu, Metro: M2 Astoria
Central location makes this an ideal venue to unwind in after a hard day's sightseeing. Two screens
show Hollywood and (art house) Hungarian releases. Offers a 20% reduction if you sign up for a
Budapest Film Klubkártya.
XIII. Szent Istvan krt. 16, Tel: 349 2773, Website: www.artmozi.hu, Metro: M3 Nyugati pu
Along with the Muvész, Puskin and Taban cinemas (see below) this is the fourth of Budapest's
Art Mozi venues. Offers a 20% reduction if you sign up for a Budapest Film Klubkártya.
Tabán Cinema
I. Krisztina krt. 87-89, Tel: 356-8162, Website: www.artmozi.hu, Tram 18 to Krisztina
tér
Although we've yet to visit the Taban, it's yet another historic venue that comes under the Art
Mozi group. Offering a good mix of European and Hollywood films, the cinema has also been upgraded
to offer good quality projection and sound. 20% reduction if you sign up for a Budapest Film
Klubkártya.
Toldi Studio Cinema
V. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut 36-38, Tel: 311 2809, Metro: M3 Arany János u.
Art house cinema that frequently stages film festivals and independent releases not shown
elsewhere in Budapest.
VIII. Rákóczi út 21, Tickets: 486 3400, Website: www.urania-nf.hu, Bus 7, 7A, Metro: M2 Astoria
Difficult to beat from a fun night out and undoubtedly the most charming venue in Budapest. Huge
700 seater auditorium provides for a lively atmosphere at weekends. Particularly good when
Hollywood blockbusters first hit town.
VIII. Üllői út 4, Tel: 311 4542, Metro: M3 to Kálvin tér
Although only Dolby Stereo is offered here, a good choice of European/American movies, plus a
downtown location and cheap prices make the Vörösmarty a good choice for a movie in
Budapest.
WestEnd (UCI Palace Cinema)
VI, WestEnd City Center, Váci út 1-3, Tickets: 238 7222,
Website: www.palacecinemas.hu, Tram 4, 6,
Metro: M3 Nyugati pu
One of Budapest's best multiplex venues, appropriately housed within the city's best shopping mall
(the Westend City Center). A large auditorium, along with Dolby Digital Surround make it perfect
for Hollywood fare, while afterwards enjoy a drink/meal in one the center's many bars and
restaurants. Free parking for three hours, providing you get your ticket validated at the cinema's
box office.
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