Would These 5 Iconic Movie Bars Work in Real Life? | Architectural Digest

TL;DR

An architect analyzes the architecture of famous movie bars, including Gaston's Tavern, the Mos Eisley Cantina, the Gold Room in The Shining, and the hot tracks in Boogie Nights.

Transcript

I'm Richard Weiss and I've been an architect for over 20 years and today I'm going to talk about the architecture of some famous movie bars this is Gaston's Tavern from Beauty and the Beast here's what jumps out to me this is obviously a French provincial country style and you can tell because all of the standards of that period are represented inc... Read More

Key Insights

• 😘 Taverns and pubs often have low ceilings, decorative corbels, and wood sticking on the walls.
• 🔅 Dive bars typically have low slung ceilings, dim lighting, and a clientele associated with questionable activities.
• 🤣 Disco bars have a prominent dance floor, a DJ booth, and lounge areas with seating.
• 🤢 The architecture of movie bars often reflects the setting, such as the sand-inspired design in the Mos Eisley Cantina.
• 🙂 The Gold Room in The Shining showcases a tiered ceiling and elaborate light coffers.
• 🤢 The layout of a bar can impact its functionality and customer experience.
• 🤢 Movie bars often pay attention to detail in creating an authentic and visually appealing space.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some characteristics of Gaston's Tavern in Beauty and the Beast?

Gaston's Tavern has a French provincial country style, with wood sticking on the walls, low ceilings, and decorative corbels. It also has a functional chair rail and a fireplace hearth.

Q: What makes the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars a dive bar?

The Mos Eisley Cantina has low slung ceilings, dim lighting, a curved Horseshoe Bar, and a clientele described as the "wretched Hive of scum and villainy" by Obi-Wan Kenobi. It also features an intergalactic glycol system for alcohol distribution.

Q: What are the key design elements of the Gold Room in The Shining?

The Gold Room has a tiered ceiling with light coffers, small mirror tiles on the walls, a well-equipped bar, and an emphasis on liquor. It is ergonomically designed for bartenders and features an up light created by cutting a channel into the wood bar.

Q: How is hot tracks in Boogie Nights laid out?

Hot tracks is a rectangular space with a recessed entry vestibule. It has a DJ booth and dance floor as the central elements, flanked by lounge areas with wraparound seating. The bar is located near the center of the space.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Gaston's Tavern from Beauty and the Beast has a French provincial country style, with low ceilings, wood sticking on the walls, and decorative corbels.

• The Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars is a dive bar with low slung ceilings, dim lighting, a curved Horseshoe Bar, and an intergalactic glycol system.

• The Gold Room in The Shining has a tiered ceiling, small mirror tiles, a well-designed bar, and an emphasis on liquor.

• Hot tracks in Boogie Nights is a disco with a dance floor, DJ booth, lounge area, and wraparound seating.