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New Screen At Rosalie Unique Dive-in Theatre St Kilda’s Love-Hate Triangle
The Blue Room Boutique Cinemas No, not a misprint, but a way to Argument continues over what sort
at Rosalie are adding a third screen to watch new release movies while sitting of development the St Kilda triangle
seat 60. poolside at the Macquarie Waters Hotel needs to be to retain ‘St Kilda-ness’.
and Apartments, Port Macquarie. Although its future seems assured,
New Six-Plex
The screen is on one wall of the the Palais theatre is not without its
Palace Cinemas will open their new
indoor pool - not actually underwater - critics. Journalist Julie Szego in The
complex in September, while retaining
so diving in will break your Age (10 May 2007) says it is no global
their four-plex in James Street.
concentration, but the gimmick is said landmark. ‘We love the old dame
NEW SOUTH WALES to be a hit with the kids. simply because she holds our
New Reading Cinemas memories’.
A nine-screen Reading complex VICTORIA The Linden Contemporary Art
opened 9April in the Sydney suburb of Reprieve For La Mama Gallery is earmarked for the Palais
At the eleventh hour shopkeepers
Rouse Hill. forecourt and will feature the word ‘St
and residents chipped in with donations Kilda’ in brickwork styled on the
The complex has the first 3D Dolby
to help the quirky playhouse La Mama facade of Leo’s spaghetti bar in Fitzroy
Digital system in Australia in one
in Faraday Street Carlton raise the Street.
cinema. Another first for this part of
deposit to buy the freehold.
Sydney is three Gold Lounge cinemas. The boutique hotel earmarked for
The theatre company, which for the rear wall of the Palais will carry a
Beverly Hills: Six For St James forty years has work-shopped plays and sculpture of a Sidney Nolan sketch of
The St James, in operation since ideas, some of which became great Luna Park in black rolled steel.
1940, is being converted to a complex theatre and films - Lantana, The Club, A late and welcome idea is an open-
of six cinemas. The additional screens Dons Party - has a loyal following. air skating rink to be located on the
will be built next door.
When lawyers acting for the late Upper Esplanade, reviving memories of
Cinemeccanica projection will be owner gave the artistic director Liz the St Moritz.
installed in three separate bio boxes. Jones first rights to purchase, even the
Tamworth: A New Cinema deposit was beyond the company's TASMANIA
A new cinema complex is planned means, but publicity about the theatre's Albert Hall Rocks
for this north-west town. In what is plight brought results.
now an almost standard approach to The theatre must deliver the deposit
entertainment facilities, the plans ($127,000) by May 28 and then has
include provision for live theatre and 120 days to pay the balance.
concerts in one of the auditoriums. From Cinemas to Lecture
Similar features were built into the Theatres
Paramount at Echuca, in Colac and
The former Lumiere Lonsdale
other regional towns. After a nervous period in which its
Street - once the most adventurous of
future seemed uncertain, Launceston’s
Sydney’s Regent Remembered the city’s art-house cinemas - opened Albert Hall has been the venue for
The Regent, demolished some 18 on 3 April as lecture theatres for the three big shows in a row.
years ago, was fondly remembered in Central Queensland University's The lighting demands for modern
an historic event held in the Sydney Melbourne campus. The three-screen concerts show-up deficiencies that need
suburb of Hurstville. cinema closed in 2005 and the attention if the building is to have a
John Atkinson purchased the university took over in 2006. secure future.
Wurlitzer organ in the 1960s, fully A $1.4m. refurbishment has For the Joe Cocker show, two arc
restored the instrument and had it transformed the three auditoriums by plants were brought in to supply power.
incorporated it into his specially built way of light and bright colours, a far
house. cry from the old days. Upgrade at the Princess
A large crowd was entertained in Rado Crowd Move On The installation of reverse cycle air-
John’s theatrette, where the organ is the Theatre groups left without a conditioning in the foyers and
prime attraction. The concert included a meeting place after closure of the the auditorium at Launceston’s Princess
power point presentation about the Erwin Rado Theatre (see page 8) has solved a problem that dogged the
former Regent. This home theatrette is didn't let moss grow under their feet. theatre for years. At the same time a
also a fully equipped cinema. Thanks to the efforts of Ross new roof was put over the auditorium.
Part two of the project will be
Regional Losses Campbell, the Rado Room upstairs at
At Forbes the Parkview Cinema Mama Vittoria restaurant, hosts the undertaken next summer when air-
closed on 4 March 2008. The building International Film Society, Australian conditioning will be installed
backstage.
is for sale. Bing Crosby Society, Al Jolson Society
and the Richard Wagner Society.
At Glen Innes, word on the
grapevine is that the former Roxy is
marked for demolition to make way for
a McDonalds restaurant. The Roxy
hasn’t operated as a cinema for years.

CINEMARECORD 2008 5