CINEMA CHEZ SOI

PATHÉ-BABY 9.5MM "LE CINÉMA CHEZ SOI" MAGAZINES
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by Grahame L. Newnham B.Sc. MIEE

In the same way that Pathéscope in the UK issued a regular magazine - "The Pathéscope Monthly" and later "Pathéscope Gazette" giving details of the latest films and equipment plus general articles about filming etc. - in France the parent company - Pathé-Baby published a regular magazine "Le Cinéma Chez Soi" - ("My Home Cinema"). The first issue was dated February 1926.

The French magazine only mentioned the 9.5mm cine gauge and once it had settled down (earlier issues seemed to feature government ministers etc. supposedly to give some status to home movies); the Cinéma Chez Soi magazine concentrated mainly on the latest 9.5mm printed film releases, together with mention of the 9.5mm cine equipment produced by the Pathé-Baby company. Most film releases included an illustration and description of the film. Sadly often the title was changed from the original, sometimes with the names of the actors also changed - possibly because there was some worry about the copyright of the subject matter!

Year	'26	'27	'28	'29	'30	'31	'32	'33	'34	'35	'36	'37	'38	'39	'40
Jan		9	18	27	36	45	54	63	72	81	90	99	108		118
Feb	1	10	19	28	37	46	55	64	73	82	91	100	109	115
Mar	2	11	20	29	38	47	56	65	74	83	92	101	110
A/M	3	12	21	30	39	48	57	66	75	84	93	102	111	116
Ju/J	4	13	22	31	40	49	58	67	76	85	94	103	112
A/S	5	14	23	32	41	50	59	68	77	86	95	104	113	117
Oct	6	15	24	33	42	51	60	69	78	87	96	105
Nov	7	16	25	34	43	52	61	70	79	88	97	106	114
Dec	8	17	26	35	44	53	62	71	80	89	98	107

Table of "Le Cinéma Chez Soi" magazines, showing issue numbers against year/month

The above table, an original idea by 9.5mm enthusiast Peter Foreman, shows the issue numbers and the dates they were issued. During winter months (when more film shows took place), the magazines were monthly, whilst in the summer months they dropped to bi-monthly. Sadly publication was reduced and finally stopped by the German Nazi invasion of France. Issues 114 and 115 were marked for three months each, with issue 117 dated June / July / August / September 1939. Number 118 was dated January 1940 and was the last war-time edition published. Maybe out of belated patriotism, my wartime copies have been overstamped "Printed in France" although the last edition, number 118, has one film title totally struck out, presumably by the German censors.

"Le Cinéma Chez Soi" first edition - February 1926 and the last war-time edition January 1940

Things were slow to recover after the war, but in 1952 a quarterly magazine appeared "Pathé Cine Review" finally replaced by a commercial newstand "Cinéma Chez Soi" magazine which still contained a single page of Pathé 9.5mm film releases, plus other advertisements for Pathé 9.5mm cine equipment.