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Australia •• CINEMA, THEATRE & ••
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The aims of CATHS are: to record the MGM Presentation QUEENSLAND
history of cinemas and theatres, and to MGM were the right people when it How Much Regent Can Be
promote interest in theatre heritage and came to presenting movies that were Saved?
architecture, and other related areas.
intended as a full program (When Ben Premier Anna Bligh has weighed in
Patrons: Hur Came To Albury - CR56). When to the Save The Regent controversy
Frank Van Straten OAM Peter Smith OAM Gone With The Wind played in MGM
Philip Brady insisting that any redevelopment of the
theatres they did away with using any building must include the cinemas if
Committee: music, slide or film advertising that the heritage value of the site is to have
President: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 would in any way distract the audience
Vice President: Peter Wolfenden 9744 2570 any meaning. Her proposal is to use a
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 from the full enjoyment of the film. provision in the Integrated Planning
Treasurer: Barrie Wraith 9435 9785 With the exception of Hoyts, who Act, never before invoked, to stop plans
Rodney Bendix 9563 2927 did so for some big 70mm or Cinerama for an office tower on the Queen Street
Shane Moore 9859 5126 presentations, can you imagine any site.
★ other group prepared to forego Developers want to close the 80-
Qld. Convenor: advertising revenue just for the sake of year-old cinema but the Regent’s
Steve Maggs 0413 805 320 a film's importance? In country centres heritage-listed facade, foyer and marble
★ most projectionists just lopped off any staircase would remain.
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 overtures. Not good enough says Ms Bligh.
Events Co-ordinator: William Gray, Sydney
Brian Miller 9557 7446 “Part of its charm and part of what
Film Buffs Group: Fog and Fact the Regent is, is that it is a working
Mike Trickett 5278 1986 Wally Perkins seemingly outrageous theatre and unless you have got people
Publications Sales: going in and buying tickets and getting
Garry Saunders 9812 7227 fog story (CR57 p.13) can be popcorn it really will lose something of
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly corroborated. In The Miracle Of The its significance.”
PO Box 476 Bentleigh Vic. 3204 Movies (1947) Leslie Wood tells how a
CinemaRecord Editor: pea-souper enveloped the London The theatre was saved in the 1970s
Ian Smith Coliseum in about 1915, making it by a compromise which kept the foyer
iansmith8@bigpond.com impossible to show the advertised film and allowed a new four-cinema
CATHS website: complex (the existing cinemas).
www.caths.org.au program for two or three days.
Postal address: Fred Page, Bendigo The Industry Superannuation
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204. Property Trust has proposed an $800
★ million redevelopment of three
Membership adjoining properties. While the
Annual membership subscription is $40, development may still proceed, much
(overseas subscribers $50) and of it will have to be re-written if the
members receive four copies of Premier has her way.
CinemaRecord, notification of events, The bittersweet truth is that the
and copies of the agenda and minutes ‘real’ Regent Brisbane, a true rival to
of all meetings. There is no joining fee.
Melbourne’s Regent, was lost in the
Meetings carve-up 30 years ago.
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of
February, April, June, August, October & Mt Tambourine Closes
November. Taken over by the council, the
Archive theatre has failed to pass safety
The Archive is located in the Prahran requirements. Whether the cost of the
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street upgrade is to go into next year's budget
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will
be open between 9.30am and 12.30pm estimates remains to be seen
on the Saturday before each meeting Luxury At Loganholme
(see above), and at other times by Loganholme Cinemas closed one
appointment with the archivist.
regular cinema to covert it to a Star
Publications Cinema (their version of Gold Class).
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other This means they now have ten regular
publications, CDs and videos are
available at meetings. Items are also screens and two Star Cinemas.
available by mail. Please contact Garry
Saunders on 9812 7227 for details.

4 2008 CINEMARECORD