Page 4 - CinemaRecord #10R.pdf

HAPPENINGS by Garry Saunders

At our last normal meeting in August it was sad to hear from our visitor Caro.lyn Benson that the Cameo
Theatre might be demolished and replaced by a triple complex. If this does happen we hope that they will use
as much of the equipment and fittings from the old Cameo as they can in one of the new theatres.

Then came Alan Windley's films on the theatres of Melbourne, especially the old Padua. Good to see the old
Hoyts sign flashing again, but sad to see it all come down. If only we had the people, the Societies and the
Heritage Listings then that we have now, things might have been so different.

Then came the swap meeting in September. Sorry you were not able to attend Fred, approximately 45 at-
tended. Perhaps we should make it twice a year as nearly everyone went home with a new goodie of some sort.

After morning tea an excellent assortment of films were shown, including our serial (how does Spy Smasher
get into these predicaments)? Our resident projectionist Rod did not want to stop, he was having such a ball.

We had a new country member attend, Michael Purdon from the Capri in Shepparton, who really enjoyed
himself. We also had some visitors as well, one who rates a special mention is David Elfick, a well known
Australian film producer, of "Newsfront", A.B.C, and B.B.C. fame.

Other Items of news are that over the last four weeks on Monday afternoons at the Performing Arts Museum
there have been a series of appearances by Ken Tulloch - 16mm silent movies accompanied by organfst David
Johnston, Maurice Scott- wonderful tales including the days when he was Metro Theatre manager, Fred Page
giving CATHS-V a size 12 sell, as usual, and casting pearls about the 100 years of cinema, and Denzil Howson
explaining the Vitaphone sound system. Not a bad representation of CATHS-V people over four weeks.

That picture-show man, Alan Windley, appeared again and was seen lurking about in the vicinity of the Doncaster-
Templestowe Historical Society. It was reported in their September newsletter that Mr. Windley spoke on
"Picture Palaces and Flea Pits" as follows:

Our August meeting was for many a nostalgic evening. Alan Windley, a member of The Cinema and
Theatre Historical Society started his talk with a question from C.R. Cerams "ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE
CINEMA": "The motion picture was not the product of our age nor the invention of a single man, but the
culmination of technical research and experiment pursued for more than a hundred years".

Starting with early experiments involving the stroboscopic effect by Ferdinand Plateau, Professor Ritter
von Stampfer, and others, Mr. Windley traced the development of Australian film. He mentioned , in
particular, "Soldiers of the Cross" (1900), a Salvation Army feature incorporating interrelated film, slides,
music and spoken text, and "The Kelly Gang" (1906) probably the first feature film, at 6 reels in length.
"Out of the Shadows" (1930) was the first full length feature film using sound on disk. Frank Thring Snr's
"Diggers" (1931) was the first viable commercial sound feature. A.R. Harwood added sound on film in
"Spur of the Moment" and "Isle of Intrigue".· Toll of the Sea (1923) was the first full length colour film,
"Becky Sharp" the first in Technicolor", and "Jedda" was the first Australian film in Technicolor.

Mr. Windley then went on to an illustrated talk on picture theatres. Two early ones were the Athenaeum,
built in 1870, showing films from 1920 to 1960, and the Memorial Hall (1880) that showed silent films for
a period too. Three major theatres were: The Capitol (1924) Architect Walter Burley Griffin, its 4000
lamp ceiling was organised by Trevor Headberg. The Regent currently being restored, The State with its
"night sky" ceiling and cloud effects. The latter is a sister of the Sydney Capitol, and its organ is now in
the Moorabbin Town Hall.

The film that accompanied this part of Mr. Windleys talk showed shots of many of the suburban picture
theatres, both as they were and as they are now, or in some cases prior to demolition. And how many of
OUR audience "Brillcreamed" their hair and added to the shine on the panelling behind the back row?
The follies at the interval were a happy thought. Thank you, whoever added that touch.
Author Joan Ray

Perhaps it was Alan. Keep up your good work spreading the CATHS-V "gospel". We are a historical society.