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Sam made almost daily trips from About AEG Projectors
Velden to Munich to negotiate with the The projectors which Sam Cylich
Bavarian government for the purchase brought to Melbourne had some
of the projectors and other equipment. advanced design features.
The negotiations were long and The image (below) is a left-hand
protracted. Removal of anything from operated AEG projector. Left and right
Germany was virtually prohibited, since hand machines, suitable for a one-man
post-war reparation was exacting a operation in confined spaces, were
huge burden. common in European cinemas. The
Eventually Sam succeeded, at idea was only seen in Australia with
substantial financial cost, in bringing European machines.
two tons of cinema equipment to Other German brands in Australia,
Australia. Much of this weight was the some imported pre-World War 1, were
projection equipment, complete with Bauer, Ernemann, Hahn Goerz and
arc rectifiers. Other items included Zeiss. During the War years some
35mm motion picture cameras, one of brands were re-badged and came into
which was a hand-cranked Ernemann. the country via ‘the back door.’
Sam set sail from Germany in
1951with his precious gear, aboard the
Floto Lauro liner Sydney on its second
voyage to Australia. When the ship When Sam ventured into the centre of
arrived at Port Melbourne, and Sam
ventured into the city centre he was
aghast at the standard of the picture Melbourne he was aghast at the standard
theatres. “The Americans have beaten
me!” he exclaimed. of the picture theatres. “The Americans
Sam’s next plan was to open a
cinema-cabaret in Rathdowne Street, have beaten me!”
North Carlton. Although nitrate film
was on the way out by this time, the
Victorian Health Department public
building regulations still prohibited
such a venture. This, along with the
rigid and constraining film distribution
system, which had been the subject of a
Royal Commission as far back as 1927,
somewhat shattered Sam's dream.
Instead, he set up a photographic
studio in St.Kilda, where he made the
occasional 16mm training and
promotional film.
Sam attended Cinema Pioneers
meetings for many years and
photographed many now long deceased
members, thereby leaving us an
important photographic record.
I would see him from time to time,
often at the Camberwell Photographic
Fair where he and his wife had a stall.
After Sam’s wife died in the late
90s, Sam moved into a nursing home in
Caulfield. I last visited him at the end
of 2000. Sam passed away early in
2003, retaining his interest in cinema
and photography till the very end. ★

CINEMARECORD 2008 9