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THE FILM TRAIN THEATRE:

Another early day's entertainment was the "Film Train Theatre" (circa 1911) situated at 202 Bourke St.; later the
site of the Star Theatre.
My memory is that I was about eight when my father took me to see (and experience) this most unusual show,
so this would be about 1911 . The same day we also visited the Waxworks and Museum, which I seem to recall
after these eighty-odd years, was close by in Bourks Street.
The interior and seating of the theatre simulated the interior of a "pullman" railway carriage. From the sight of
the projected film of the train and the passing country side, the sound effects and a slight swaying of the seating,
one got a most realistic impression of actually being a passenger on the train. I know this from personal "small
boy " experience. This film, by a French company, ran for many months, after which Pathe acquired the theatre
and switched over to screening "newsreels".

My current Sands and McDougal Directory searches at the Public Library show 202 Bourke Street as the address
of both the Waxworks/Museum and the Star Theatre in the 1912 and 1920 issues. Due to the vandalised condition
of most of these annual directories, and the lack of many oft he earlier years, I regretfully have been unsuccessful
in finding any mention of the "Film Train" but in view of the above close location and my age then, it was possibly
either a "Star Theatre" special long running show, or as I think more likely, a precursor of the "Star''.

The following is an extract from "The Advocate" dated the 2nd of August, 1944

"The Old Film Train". A dim, elusive memory of childhood was brought into focus by Mr. Bert Gunn, speaking
on "Fifty And Over" on Sunday evening, when he mentioned 'The Old Film Train' in Bourke Street.

It was constructed like a U.S.A. railway carriage. You took your seat, the guard or conductor came along and
took your fare, the engine whistled, the 'carriage' began to rock and spring, and on the screen you saw - as
photographed from the train- the sleepers and rails racing towards you and the scenery flashing by. Mr. Gunn,
whose biograph projected the scenes, said "It was one of the most popular shows in the city".

Many other interesting reminiscences of the early picture shows were recounted by the speaker who, with his
father, was a pioneer in this field of entertainment. The name of'Gunn', he said, is familiar today (1944) with their
slides shown on cinema screens. He also spoke of the first films in the Town Hall, the Exhibition, the M.C.C. and
in a number of country towns.

Tl1e following extract is from "The Advocate", dated 25th of September, 1909:

"The Australian Picture Company commenced its metropolitan season at Brunswick Town Hall last Wednesday
night, the 22nd. There will be an entire change of programme this Thursday evening. The venture is financed
by a few of the Federal Parliamentary Party, and the main object is to advance the Labour movement by means
of a cinematographic propaganda. Also to be screened at Richmond, South Melbourne, Collingwood, Fitzroy
and Williamstown on succeeding evenings"

(It is assumed that these other screenings were also in the respective. Town Halls).