Page 6 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

TASMANIA
Historic Restorations
The Gaiety at Zeehan on the west
coast, is ready for a lessee after years of
neglect and a four-year restoration. The
developers hope that the 1898 building
will stage live theatre again. Zeehan was
once Tasmania’s third biggest town and
the Gaiety was the social hub,
important enough to rate on the J.C.
Williamson touring circuit. Performers
would come in by steamer or train and
then go on to Launceston and Hobart.
The Paragon Queenstown re-
opened 1 January 2009 after three years
of restoration by Dr. Alex Stevenson,
formerly from Zimbabwe. A large The Gaiety, extreme left c.1910
Indian community in the town ensures
that the Paragon will be screening NEW ZEALAND CORRECTIONS
some Bollywood films.
Plaudits for Allan Webb Metro Twin Drive-In
Village Plans Upgrades The stated location of the holding
Launceston’s Village Cinemas in yard at the Metro Twin Clayton was
Brisbane Street could double in size as incorrect (CR61, caption, p 17). It was
part of an overhaul to provide digital in the immediate foreground of the
and 3D technology. Council’s planning photo.
scheme prevents Village from building GU Hindley Street, Adelaide
above its existing height, but Village is
Cinema5 Hindley Street showed its
exploring other options. One is to buy
last film on Sunday 24 August to
next door and extend the existing four-
enable the largest auditorium to be
screen complex eastwards. Another was
prepared for a church service on
a move to a greenfields site, possibly
Sunday 7 September. The remainder of
the old Inveresk bike track.
In January 2009 Allan Webb, the complex closed on Wednesday 17
South Australia proprietor of the Regent Te Awamutu, September.
Wallis Glenelg Closes the Waikato’s only surviving provincial
The biggest and best-known cinema, clocked up 35 years as sole Reporting By:
landmark at the city end of Jetty Road exhibitor, manager and projectionist. Qld: Steve Maggs
closed on Sunday 1 February 2009. In a widely distributed e-mail, Allan Vic: Brian Hunt, David Kilderry.
While Cinemas 2 and 3 went dark after thanked ‘all of you good people that Tas: Ray Peck, Roderick Smith
normal sessions, Cinema 1 hosted a helped make this possible, especially SA: Brian Pearson, Colin Flint
free screening of Gone With The Wind. when things have been very precarious, NZ: Tony Froude, David Lascelles
The theatre opened as Waterman’s for without your co-operation and
Ozone on 5 November 1937 with, assistance I wouldn't have made it.’ NEW MEMBERS
appropriately, A Star Is Born, since it Allan’s longevity in the cinema business The CATHS Committee and
immediately became the premier is thought to be a record for NZ. members welcome:
cinema of this holiday and festive The Regent will be 77 in March. It David Bliss
precinct. The symmetry of first and last is now a five-screen complex, with the
film will be obvious to CATHS readers latest projection and sound systems. Ken Boucher
- both David O. Selznick productions More DVD Venues Anthony Buckley
from the golden years. Gavin Cowern
Shoreline at Waikanae, opened on Stephen Dench
Cloud Over Chelsea Cinema 22 January 09. The bigger cinema is a
A closed-door meeting of the 44-seater with 35mm projection. The Paul Dickinson
Burnside Council on 27 January other has couch seating for 25 and uses Graeme McCoubrie
debated selling the 84 year-old commercial DVD. The venture is Kail Nathan
heritage-listed site. Clearly sensitive popcorn free. Phillip Snider
about public opinion, the proposal took Keith Stevens
Shoreline came into existence
cinema insiders by surprise.
because Reading, with four-screens at Colin Wiseman
Wallis Cinemas lease the single- Paraparaumu initially refused to show
screen venue. Plans to extend to three art-house films, but the big company
screens, on the books since 2000, wasn’t caught napping; it started DVD
always get deferred. The view is that if screenings of ‘smaller’ films in late
put on the market, Wallis would not be October.
a prospective buyer.

6 2009 CINEMARECORD