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ci'ne';Da n. cinematography, moving pictures; pro-
ductiOn of these as an art or industry; theatre where
these arc shown; "-'-goer, one who frequents such
showings;"" organ, (Mus.) kind with extra stops and
effects; cmeDJa-verite (-vc'rita) [Fl, documentary
films avoiding artificiality; hence cinemi'tiC a.,
relating to or having the qualities characteristic of the
cinema. (f. F cinbna, abbr.; sec foil. J

(The Concise Oxford Dictionary)

Clearly the kinetograph (cinecamera) and kinetoscope (viewer) make use of the phenomena of persistence of
vision, which is the basis of all moving picture apparatus, and incorporates the principles of cinematography
which deserve the celebrations centred on them, but from the CATHS-V Inc. perspective our celebrations are
focused on cinemas i.e. picture halls and the technical equipment that makes them function, rather than the
primitive cinematic equipment which was developed as scientific experiments.

The Paris event of 1895, its' Australian equivalent at the Opera House (later Tivoli) Melbourne, on 22 August,
1896, and the inauguration of Australia's first cinema (all projected film program), the Salon Lumiere in Sydney
on 28 September, 1896 are the centre of that focus.

Another view of the 1996 celebrations is being taken by those who are emphasising the importance of the
racing films taken at Flemington in November 1 00 years earlier.

There are some who will be critical of CATHS-V Inc. and others for not giving a higher profile to the kinetoscope
as a medium for conveying filmed information. Our celebrations do not deny the importance of the kinetoscope
for it possesses all the elements common with film presentation, except projection to a mass audience. It is
therefore seen in the context of an important amusement parlour machine in contrast to projected films which
offer an alternative to live theatre which cinema is to this day. What might be called a successor to the
kinetoscope is "virtual reality" television which is similar in that what you see is an individual experience.

It is true to say that most of the first films to be projected were originally made for the kinetoscope; it is equally
true to say that, in many cases, those same films were screened in a live theatre as a "tum" replacing live
performers.

If the centenary we are celebrating had have occurred prior to television, it could have been called "The
Centenary of the Picture Theatre", the only movie theatres in Melbourne at that time known as cinemas were
the Australia Cinema, City; the Kinema, Albert Park and the Cinema, Richmond; the rest were simply known as
theatres or picture theatres.

Victoria can't claim to have a cinema (i.e. exclusive film theatre) celebrating 100 years, but we do have a
purpose built venue in Melbourne specifically designed for both live and film shows - The Comedy. This
theatre alternated between live and film shows in the 1930s and was last used as a cinema in the late 1980s
when it screened "The Railway Children".

This is an example of the importance of celebrating film projection as a commercial alternative to or combina-
tion with live shows and it is this phenomenim which commenced in Paris in 1895. Reverting to the 1896 racing
films. Some of these were show at the Princess Theatre shortly after they were taken in November of that year.
Given support from its' members, CATHS-V Inc. will celebrate the centenary of projected moving Picture In
Australia starting in April 1995 with a further high profile event in August 1996 and will probably be involved
with the celebrations connected with the start of Australian film making in November of the same year.

Note: The CATHS-V Inc Committee has approved this article as representing its' views relevant to the Cente-
nary of Cinema celebrations.

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