Save The Cinema, With Dinosaurs

A summary of the story from, New Movie Tells Story of Steven Spielberg ‘Jurassic Park’ Premiere… in Wales:

In the 1980s, Carmarthen’s Lyric Cinema was ready to be demolished but local drama volunteer Liz Evans thought the theater would be perfect for staging shows and decided to mount a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Evans soon realised the potential was there to keep it as a venue.

How to follow Jesus? Jurassic Park, of course! According to reports, a premiere of Jurassic Park was initially arranged, only to be canceled for unspecified reasons, however her cause was taken up by friend Richard Goodridge, the mayor at the time. He wrote directly to Steven Spielberg complaining about the aborted premiere.

Goodridge was then contacted by Spielberg’s reps and the show was back on. This screening took place at the same time as the Royal premiere in London. Upping the ante, Evans apparently pipped their projectionist to the post, ensuring Wales got it shown first by mere minutes.