Page 6 - CinemaRecord #82

NEWSREEL
Deluxe as the Esquire
Palace – plaster decor
Palace – balcony wall
Palace – dome and proscenium top
Palace – 1914 �ling
6 2 0 1 4 C I N E M A R E C O R D
Lorne Theatre
LORNE: The iconic, single screen Lorne
Theatre was passed in at auction for $2.35
million on May 14th, but has since been sold
for an undisclosed lower price to a Melbourne
investor who plans to continue to restore and
MELBOURNE: The Melbourne Heritage continue operating the cinema.
Action group is calling for 1970s cladding to
be removed from the façade of the 1915 former MELBOURNE: Amid much controversy, the
Hoyts Deluxe (Esquire) building in Bourke Heritage Council of Victoria has found the
Street. Whilst the auditorium was gutted, the (1965) Total House car park in Russell Street, a
original double-arched Edwardian façade place of cultural heritage significance, and has
survives behind the Target frontage. added it to the heritage register. The complex
once housed the Total Cinema.
CARLTON: The former Carlton Movie
House building was recently advertised for ST.KILDA: Mooted for conversion to
lease with the opportunity for use including apartments, and closed since the expiry of a
office, retail, food or theatre. short-term lease in February, reports are that
the George Cinemas are again for sale.
GEELONG: The Village Cinema Complex
has been offered for sale with a current 12 year MELBOURNE: Village Crown Cinemas
lease, returning $1,214,981 pa. This could be opened their VMAX screen with Dolby Atmos
th
purchased individually or with their Albury sound on 18 April.
complex. Tenders closed May 8.
CHADSTONE: The Hoyts Complex closed
ST.KILDA: Amid the ongoing dispute with on 11th June to enable a major rebuild and
the lesee of the Astor Theatre, the new owner extension to the shopping centre. A new 13
has completed repairs to the verandah but screen cinema for Hoyts will open in 2016.
in doing so has installed unsympathic LED
lighting spots and strips, and original tiles CASTLEMAINE: The historic Theatre
imported from London in the 1930s have been Royal has been sold again with new owners
removed and walls rendered. taking possession in May.
WARRAGUL: The former Twilight Drive-In ASCOT VALE: The former New Ascot
site was sold in April for $742,000. Theatre has been offered for sale for $6million.
All remnants of its cinema days are long gone
MELBOURNE: The government has ruled and the building has been used as a reception
out purchasing the threatened Palace Theatre. centre for many years. Conversion to, or
Unable to procure a longer lease as a concert replacement by apartments is highly likely.
venue, the operator closed the theatre on 17 th
May handing back the keys on May 31. Despite
ongoing planning disputes, the Chinese
property developers are keen to demolish
the 100 year old theatre for a high rise hotel/
apartment complex – now halved in size due to
height limitations, but as yet still unapproved.
AT LEFT: With only the stage boxes removed from
the installa�on of CinemaScope and so much s�ll
intact, it is unfathomable why the historic Palace is
not heritage listed and saved from demoli�on. -Ed Ascot Vale