Page 14 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

65. Central Hall (formerly Cathedral Hall)

The following information is presented with the kind permission of the Melbourne Diocesan Historical Commission
- The Advocate Index 1901-1927 Vol.17.

Central Hall, whose name was changed in fairly recent years, has stood at 20 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, between
Victoria Parade and Gertrude Street, since 1903 and is part of the Roman Catholic Trust Properties. It is one of
several halls built at a time when the church was finding difficulty in renting public venues. Early records from
1902 show a hall was proposed for the cathedral grounds but this was dropped, as the Albert Street view of St.
Patrick's would have been obscured.

A former boot factory in Brunswick Street was purchased and converted with new additions. Sir Samuel Gillott,
Chief Secretary, officially opened the building on 1Oth April, 1904. It is built on the lines of a Victorian-style town
hall with a U-shaped balcony, relatively few posts and a flat stalls floor. This large auditorium was designed
before films became popular and there is no evidence of a projection room.

The high ceiling is mostly flat and curves down at the sides to meet the walls, a design used in the former
Esquire and Lyceum cinemas in Bourke Street. The ornate plaster decoration of the ceiling and prescenium is
a tribute to the master craftsmen of another era. A well known television commercial of a workman urgently
telephoning for medical insurance gives a glimpse of Central Hall's interior.

A moderate-size raked stage, dressing rooms, meeting room, catering facilities, offices and basic entry foyer
are included. The building has been used mostly for concerts, meetings and dances and it's "sprung" dance
floor is still considered one of Melbourne's best. 50-50 dances and a dancing school continue to this day,
completing a picture of a remarkable old complex that has served our city so well for almost a century.

IMAX - The Big Picture

Since it premiered at Washington DC'S Smithsonian Museum in 1970, IMAX has been touted as cinema's
"Next Big Thing".

It is inching towards realising its huge - 70mm film projected on to 24m-high screens - potential at last. Over the
past few years, the Toronto-based I MAX Corporation has built dozens of cinemas, including the biggest screen
in the world (29m high, 38m wide) at Sydney's Darling Harbour, to bring its total to 153 (a number expected to
double in five years). Of those, 27 show off I MAX's razzle-dazzle 3D format. "That's what people want- the
'wow' factor," says industry consultant Glenn Berggren. Darling Harbour goes 3D in October, to be followed by
Adelaide, Auckland and Melbourne.

IMAX films have tended to be museum-friendly documentaries or stomach-churners such as Thrill Ride, a
virtual tour of theme-park attractions. Though IMAX won an Oscar for tecihnological achievement this year,
Hollywood has shied away from its bulky cameras and undersize box office. That may change. "Our business
is very strong," says Brian Hall, managing director of Cinema Plus, owner of the JMAX rights in Australasia.
"The last six months have been ahead of where we projected." A 3D Star Trek is in development at Paramount,
"with operators like myself cheering very boldly from the sideline", says Hall- and I MAX is at work on a dino
film, a sci-fi flick and a gargantuan version of The Nutcracker. Watch out for those six-storey Sugar Plum
Fairies.
Jeffrey Wells and John Barker- WHO Magazine 28!1/97

Obituary

Jan McDonald, a CATHS-V member, passed away peacefully at his home in Melbourne in October this year.

Jan came to Australia from New Zealand about twenty years ago and worked for Greater Union as both Assistant
Manager and Manager in various theatres. He also travelled Australia as a relieving manager of G.U.'s hotels.
Jan also worked for Mike Walsh at the Capitol theatre and recently was manager at the Brighton Bay. He retired
early this year due to health problems. He was described as a very private person outside working hours.