Page 7 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

A Lifeline For Star Eaglehawk
Running a community cinema, even
with volunteers, isn’t easy. The Star,in
the former Eaglehawk town hall has
received a financial boost from the City
of Greater Bendigo
Council agreed to provide an
interest-free loan of $20,000 to the
Association and waive an outstanding
rental fee of $18,000.
Established in September 1999, the
Star offers independent, and cross-over
releases, most of which would not
otherwise get screen time in Bendigo.
In an effort to attract a larger
audience, The Star Community Cinema
Association has developed a marketing
partnership with the city’s Capital
Theatre, which has a well -oiled
publicity machine.
Mansfield Tries Community
Cinema Sleek from the outside, the Chelsea foyer makes a feature of rich timbers. John Thiele
When the Mansfield cinema closed
to make way for a supermarket, a not
for profit trust raised $350,000 to build A remote control expert had the Chelsea Sale Protests Continue
and run a 50-seat community cinema answer, and it wasn’t a poltergeist. In a last-ditch attempt to stall or
within two former squash courts. The Underground near the Princess,a overturn the Burnside Council decision
cinema is open, but the preferred next power cable junction was emitting high to sell the single screen Chelsea, the
step, a liquor licence, seems out of levels of electromagnetic radiation, Save The Chelsea Cinema Action Group
reach. jamming the remotes. meeting on October 12 heard a strong
As the law now stands, the cost of a SOUTH AUSTRALIA case for council to retain ownership.
licence would be the same as for a No Heritage Protection For A Wallis Cinemas spokesperson
night-club; an exhorbitant sum for so Glenelg Cinema said that the company remains prepared
small a venture. Some tinkering with to honour the original agreement: if
In a setback to the Holdfast Bay
the legislation is surely needed. council was to build the additional
Council which wanted the former
The Shaft Deflates. Ozone, later Wallis Cinemas preserved, screens on adjacent land, Wallis would
run the cinemas, and retain the original
The Shaft porn cinema and strip the Department of Environment and
as a single screen.
show in Swanston Street closed on 20 Heritage (DEH) judged that the 72-year
Previously, councillors sympathetic
September. Although probably old building did not warrant listing.
to CCAG, had put to council that some
dismissed by CATHS’ members as a The Wallis Group closed the cinema
venue unworthy of the name ‘cinema’, in February 2009 and is still exploring motions passed in earlier meetings
such establishments are part of our options for the site. Wallis has council relating to the sale should have been
social history. permission to either convert the declared invalid, based on legal advice.
Since this process had not been
The Shaft operated for some 32 building into mixed restaurant/office
followed, they argued, the legality of any
years, but could not compete with space or, if conversion is not feasible,
sale was now questionable. A motion to
‘advances’ in porn technology. Two to demolish it.
abandon the sale for this reason failed;
similar venues continue to operate in Wallis spokesman Philip Roberts
the Melbourne CBD. said that the company “...will make a four councillors voted in favour, six
voted against, and two were absent.
full investigation of all the relevant
TASMANIA Meanwhile, Burnside Council will
options and decide which one is best
The Ghost Goes Wild conduct a study to see how much
for it.”
The Princess Launceston, like fundraising money community groups
A DEH spokeswoman said that
many theatres, has a ghost story or two, will lose if there is no Chelsea cinema.
although the building was the first Art
but this time the ghost seemed to be One view is that, regardless of the
Deco cinema built in Adelaide, many of
loose on the street. Car owners who result of the study, it is unlikely to hold
its significant features had been lost.
parked anywhere near the building up the sale process.
Changes had compromised the extent to
often couldn’t start them again, yet A packed hall unanimously
which the theatre could be said to
parking and restarting anywhere else in supported a motion demanding that
represent an Art Deco cinema.
the city was no problem. council defer any sale until after
Guardian Messenger 16 August 2009
November 2010 - the date of the next
council election.
CINEMARECORD 2009 7