Page 7 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41
P. 7

Swansea Town Hall is an average
                                            wooden country hall with a bio-box no
                                            longer in use. The hall screens movies
                                            occasionally, according to locals, but
                                            always from portable digital projection
                                            set up within the body of the hall.
                                               The Forum Cinema St Helens is a
                                            newish, single-screen operation seating
                                            75. Owner Andrew Ward also runs an
                                            upholstery business for additional
                                            income. The upholstery business is
                                            booming, while the cinema struggles.
                                            Andrew does it all: selling the tickets
          TASMANIA - Brian Mier, Ray Peck,
                                            and confectionary, then projecting.
          Cameron Hall
                                               When Brian was there in April the
            To an interstate visitor the theatre
                                            cinema was screening five days a week,
          and cinema scene looks alive and well.
                                            Tuesday to Saturday, (14 sessions)
          Larger regional cinemas such as the
                                            including a Kids’ Club on  Saturdays
          Metro complex at Burnie and CMax at
                                            from 11am to 1pm.
          Devonport were busy, as was the New  Albert Hall Shows Its Age
          Town Cinemas (five screens) in                                       Honour For A Local Legend
                                               Imagine a crack appearing in the
          suburban Hobart. The inner-city scene                                   Latrobe identity John Reisz (above)
                                            balcony of the Melbourne Town Hall
          in both Hobart and Launceston was                                    has finally retired at the age of 87. A
                                            and the need to support a section of
          also positive.                                                       cinema man for most of his working
                                            balcony with a prop! That indignity has
            The Theatre Royal Hobart was, as                                   life, with an interruption for war service,
                                            befallen Launceston’s 118-year old
          expected, resplendent in all its glory.                              John worked for Star Theatres at
                                            Albert Hall. The split in the support
          The Upper Circle - has wooden, padded                                Latrobe and Devonport. He ran the last
                                            where the balcony extends along one
          bench seats with panelled wood                                       drive-in show at Devonport as well as an
                                            wall became evident during the warm-
          backing along each row, reminiscent of                               electrical business - radio and televison
                                            up for a rock concert, when 80 youths
          the chapel in the Model Prison at Port                               repairs - specialising in public address
                                            were sitting (more likely jumping) in
          Arthur. At least at the Royal the                                    systems. On top of that John was so
                                            the seats above.
          individual seats weren’t partitioned                                 active in community work that Latrobe
                                               The need for more repairs came on
          from one another.                                                    Council hosted a special afternoon tea
                                            the heels of news that the vision to
                                                                               for him in recognition of his many and
                                            secure the hall as northern home to the
                                                                               varied services to the town.
                                            Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra may
                                            be a step closer: Launceston Council  Risque Future For A Cinema?
                                            has secured $160,000 of federal       Here’s an application unlikely to get
                                            funding towards an upgrade.        through council. The former Avalon
                                               In 2007 a $2.8m. plan was launched  cinema in Melville Street Hobart has
                                            to upgrade the building over ten years  been proposed as the location for a strip
                                            to meet the requirements of the TSO.  club. Built in 1890 as a temperance
                                            With problems like a sagging balcony  hall, then switching to films, the
                                            this seems to be a case of one step  Avalon lasted until 1977, when it was
                                            forward and two back.              converted to a white goods store.
                                                                                  What makes this proposal a tough
                                                                               sell? The building is next door to the
                                                                               Wesley Uniting Church.
                                                                               SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Colin Flint
            The Princess Launceston, now part                                  Chelsea Cinema Thrown A Life
          of Theatre North, has been through a                                 Line
          protracted upgrade to bring it to current                               Burnside Council, which had
          standards for live performance and                                   seemed steadfast in its decision to sell
          audience comfort. Effective though this                              the Kensington Road cinema, has
          has been, the Princess (opposite) just                               reversed the ruling. Instead, the council
          doesn’t sparkle like the Theatre Royal,                              has accepted an offer of $25,000 in
          the interior not helped by a dark colour                             funding from the State Government to
          scheme and unimpressive chandelier-                                  help the council retain ownership and
          type lights, which don't cast much light.                            keep it operating as a cinema. Under
          However, sight lines and acoustics                                   the agreement the council would have
          were good.                                                           tp pay back the money it it were to sell
                                                                               the building within the next ten years.


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