THE longest-running feature at Brynaman Cinema is facing the closing credits.

Brian Harries, who has been a driving force at the cinema for the past 44 years, has retired as manager.

The 67-year-old said multi-tasking was getting too much.

“To be honest it was getting beyond me,” he said.

“Although I enjoyed every minute of it, I needed more help.

“But although I’m not doing any more office work, I am still a trustee and a member of the committee.

“I’ll continue to look after films and the projection.

Brian, whose father, John Moy Harries was a projectionist before him, began as a 15-year-old projectionist at Cwmllynfell cinema in 1957.

“Although I was employed as a projectionist for the first couple of weeks, all I did was wash and brush the floor,” he said.

“In those days almost every village had its own cinema open six days a week. When TV and videos arrived, numbers began to drop off.

“It was much harder work then. We used to go to Cardiff to pick up films and do all the maintenance ourselves.

“I don’t like these modern films full of blood and guts, I’ve always liked a good western with John Wayne in.

“I really enjoyed watching The Sons of Katie Elder the other day – that’s the kind of film you can watch again and again.”

Brian vividly remembers the impact the 1977 musical Grease had in the Amman Valley.

“We had a 900 capacity at that time, were packed out for two weeks solid and were turning people away,” he remembered.

He has also experienced the lean times when local cinemas disappeared.

“A lot of them turned to bingo one day a week but the committee here in Brynaman decided to struggle on,” he said.

“We’re the only cinema left in the valley now.

“Back then we had people like the manager Harry Jones and Heulwyn Morgan.

“Those kind of characters are irreplaceable.

“One of the reasons we’re still here is that we have a strong committee.

“We also expect cinemagoers to behave themselves – if you don’t you’re out.”