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NEW ZEALAND NEWS

" Magic of the motion picture keeps the Regent owner also closed, butTe Awamutu continued to do well. [t hit the
going" by Dean Taylor. (Allan Webb is a CATHS-V me_m- lowest ebb in the mid-1980's, but the closure of the Embassy
ber, and was instmmen.tal in arranging many of the cinema and Regent in Hamilton brougl1t some business this way.
inspections for the recent CATHS-V N. Z. tour). The Village complex took some of that business away, but
Mr. Webb not only continued to operate, but expanded.
By his own admission, Regent 3 owner Allan Webb should
not be in the cinema business. Te Awamutu is the only His own interest in cinema history is obvious. He says he
regional town in the Waikato, and one of few in New Zea- saw cinema owners trying to modernise buildings and fit-
land, which bas a theatre, and we are lucky to have one tings and always thought it was better to preserve.
screen, let alone three. Mr. Webb says the industry guide-
line is one screen for every LO,OOO residents. Mr. Webb never let an opportunity pass by to collect items
from these refurbishments and has many on display in Re-
But his persistence to continue bringing movies to Te gent 3, making it almost a working museum. Many older
Awamutu means we have a proud and almost unparalleled seats are used in the theatres because their quality cannot be
history of having continuous movies here since about 1913 matched today at a reasonable cost. Mr. Webb also belongs
when they were shown in the Town Hall. The Empire Thea- to cinema hist01ical societies in New Zealand and Australia
tre was built in 1916 a11d the Regent Theatre in 1932. Not and has written over a dozen books on the hjstory oftheatres.
only do we have three screens, but Mr. Webb has always He currently has three on the go, one on his theatre, a follow
tried to incorporate up-to-date technology and thean·e de- up to The Empire and one on Waikato cinemas. And he sri! I
sign principals within traditional movie house opulence. He enjoys finding the time, occasionally, to sit down and watch
says coming to the theatre should be an experience, not just a good movie.
the film itself, but the whole surroundings should add to the
occasion. Reproduced with tile permission of the author and the Te Awamulll
Cow·ie1: JL appeared on December 16, 1999.
Recent alterations to tb.eatres one and three have been de-
signed to enhance this experience. Mr. Webb had noted com- ************
ments about number three, the smallest theatre, and was The owner of Auckland's lMAX Cinema is confident a deal
never fully satisfied with the design. He says he knew it wiU be struck within a few days to keep tbevenh1re operat-
was possible to enjoy full theatre comfort and enjoyment, ing. The 460-seat theatre, a key tenant in the Force Enter-
even in a smaller venue if it was done correctly. It has un- tainment Centre in the central city, has been under a cloud
dergone a complete rebuild. ReaJTanging the seating in a since its Australian manager Cinema Plus, revealed, eight
stadium design now ensures all seats have an equally good weeks ago that it had debts of nearly $200 million.
view. The front row is further away from the screen and
effectively a row bas been removed to make more legroom. Under a deal struck in Australia tl1is week, the United States
The theatre has Dolby SR sound. based 1MAX Corporation will take over the management
of the four IMAX cinemas in Australia. This does not cover
Number one theatre bas undergone a major rebuild to create the Auckland cinema. which bas a different owner.
stadium seating. The entire front section of seats has been
removed and the back half has new floors to create steeper Liquidator Stephen Lawrence, of accounting firm FeJTier
tiers. Seating bas been reduced to 1 58, but Mr. Webb says all Hodgson, would say yesterday only that negotiations were
the sight lines are great and there is more legroom. All the continuing over the Auckland cinemas future and a dead-
seats have been refurbished. Mr. Webb got the idea for the line of next Monday had been set for any deal. "There's
new design while visiting anew complex in Broadway, Sydney. every possibility that if a deal is not stluck it will have to
Theatre one and two both have Dolby digital sound. close."

The latest work reflects Mr. Webb's love of the theatre. He But the deadline was played down by the building's owner,
started in theatre selling tickets in Auckland theatres 40 years Force Corporation. Chairman Peter Francis said last night
ago and later was a doorman at St James, then one of the that Force might run the Cinema in cooperation with IMAX.
finest theatres in the country. In January he completes 26 "The only thing I'm certain of is the cinema will remain
years in Te Awamutu. His business began when he was open".
school teaching in Auckland, but also owned a theatre in Te
Aroha. During those early years he went on to run theatres An Ausn·alian property tmst, MTM Entertainment, owns
in Te Kuiti, Te Awamutu and Taumarunui before giving up the four LMAX cinemas in Australia. It was due to buy the
teaching when he got the Pukekohe Theatre. Auckland cinema this year, has been locked in a dispute
with Force over the deaL
He says video all but ki lied movie theatres in some centres.
Mr. Webb sold Pukekobe and Taumarunui and closed Te [t is understood Force is at present, allowing the cinema to
Kuiti. Other regional theatres in Moninsville and Cambridge operate rent-free. Ka1yn Scherer NZ. Herald 27.7.2000