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Projectionist John Koutsoumis alongside
the Toshiba, Dec. 2007 Photo – Ross King.

Ross set about to equip the cinema,
purchasing a pair of 1970s vintage
Toshiba 35mm projectors from
Jindabyne, NSW, and eventually
upgraded the sound system for Dolby
stereo reproduction. The equipment
retained the Peerless carbon arc lamps
that breathed new life into the screening
of original three-strip Technicolor prints
presented from time to time.
A multi-format screen masking
system was donated and installed by
Michael Smith of the Sun Theatre Stardust memories: The Dietrich gaze may be about to meet her own image
Yarraville. Equipped to screen all
aspect ratios (and more recently, DVD),
The ‘Rado’ had a unique atmosphere: Almost to the day, fourteen years
the donation of a Bauer 16mm Selecton
music, comfort, good sightlines, effects after opening, the theatre was stripped.
Xenon arc machine from RMIT
lighting, and a big screen for the room The sound system and video projection
completed the comprehensive bio-box
size. Picture and sound quality was facilities were re-located to the Rado
fit-out.
scrupulously monitored. The foyer and Room, the banquet room above
After an intensive six-week building
vestibule featured numerous framed Mamma Vittoria Restaurant around the
program, the theatre was ready for
portraits and posters celebrating the art corner in Smith Street, a move which
business. Aptly named after the late
and technology of film. Guest speakers has continued the life of several film
Erwin Rado - the longest- serving
introduced many screenings. Ross used societies. The 35mm equipment is now
director of the Melbourne International
his own print collection to run Starry stored in Trentham, in the hope that
Film Festival - the ‘Rado’ opened in
Nights Cinema and Silver Screen suitable premises can be found to re-
February 1994.
Sundays. establish an all-format facility.
Seating sixty, it became a much
Ultimately the owner of the building The Astor and the ‘Rado’ were a
sought-after venue for regular film
was not prepared to renew the lease to world apart in ambition and much of
industry previews, student screenings,
MIFF, one effect of the ongoing their programming, but the world of
Film Festival previews, lectures, live
gentrification of Fitzroy. A much cinema is so broad and deep that the
theatre, stand-up comedy, audio
greater rental could be obtained for the casual film lover, the cineaste, the
recordings, and private functions, and
floor area as retail space. MIFF was cinephile and whatever other category
was home to eight film societies. It also
required to vacate the ground floor of film student exists, could feel at
hosted a few CATHS’ meetings after
theatre area at the end of 2007. A final home in either. ★
the closure of the Carlton Movie
35mm screening of Robert Altman’s A
House in June 1999. Rather than
Prairie Home Companion was held for
operating as a profit-making venture,
friends and guests on Saturday 8
the MIFF regarded the low-rental
December.
cinema as a contribution to
Melbourne’s film culture.
CINEMARECORD 2008 9