Page 6 - CR31R.pdf

• Checkout the Astor website at
NEWSREEL • www.astor-theatre.com Also visit The
•• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • • •
•
American Widescreen Museum site at
••
•
••
continued from page 5 • www.widescreenmuseum.com for
• • • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • • information on Technicolor and
•
••
widescreen systems.
Above: The former Melton Cinema — eventually saw the demise of the
Centre 3 (although the signage still dye-transfer process New screens for Palace Balwyn
said “Twin”) in 2000. But no “modern” process can Work has begun on construction of an
Below: One of the auditoriums of the completely match the grainless image additional 2 screens for the Palace
former Melton Cinema Centre. of dye-transfer and the system has been Balwyn 3 complex. The new screens
Photos: Kevin Adams. revived for special releases such as the will be built on the site next to the
re-edited version of Apocalypse Now – cinema. A building housing Palace
Redux and the superb restoration of Cinemas’ headquarters previously
Funny Girl. occupied the site.
It is perhaps ironic to see such an old
process making a comeback but that is
nothing unusual in the world of film.
CinemaScope and other widescreen
processes were developed in an attempt
to stave-off the threat from television in
the 1950s. But the basic technology
The cinema is programming had been around for years before that.
mainstream movies that are out of their Even 70mm film had been used in the
initial release seasons, and is offering old Fox “Grandeur” process earlier in
budget tickets at a flat rate of $6 for all. the 20th Century. The Palace Balwyn Cinema. The new
The cinema plans to program 3 or 4 Sometimes the latest is not the greatest! cinemas will be located on the right.
movies per week with staggered Funny Girl will screen from Photo: Kevin Adams.
session times, operating 6 days per December 9 to December 22 (except
week and 7 days during holiday times. Wednesday, December 19). Session Anderson cinemas for Melton
The Agora Cinema is located at times are 2pm and 7.30pm on Sundays Ballarat based Anderson Multiplex
43 McKenzie Street, Melton. and Saturdays and 7.30pm nightly on Cinemas are to build a 5 screen cinema
Tel: 03 9747 0671. Monday to Friday. complex at Melton and is due to open

Technicolor makes a comeback! Omnimax Theatre closed
An interesting item received from the The Omnimax Theatre at the Great Information from Omnimax Fact Sheets.
Astor Theatre... Barrier Reef Wonderland in Townsville,
Seating
If you have seen Apocalypse Now – Queensland, has closed.
Redux you will know just how stunning The Omnimax Theatre featured a Screen
a film can look. And the same visual domed screen and specially angled
treat is in store for you when the seats (196) for patrons to comfortably Exit
restored version of Funny Girl starts a view the screen.
two-week season at the theatre on The 25mm Leitz Fish Eye lens used
December 9. Both films are in the projector was specially made and Projection
Room
Technicolor “dye-transfer” prints — a provided horizontal cover of 180 Entrance
Lower
system that's about 70 years old but degrees, and vertically 130 degrees. Level
which still looks better than any other Omnimax uses 70mm film and runs
colour process you can see on a screen! through the projector at 102.6 metres Below: An operator threads up the
Technicolor dye-transfer was the per minute. Normal film runs at 27.4 Townsville Omnimax projector.
first successful “full-colour” film and, metres per minute. Photo: Beryl Adams.
in a process that is, in many ways, The projector head/lens unit is Courtesy Kevin Adams Collection.
analogous to modern printing on paper, threaded up in a projection box below
the three primary colour layers that and then the unit travels up an angled
made up the image were printed onto beam to the correct position to project
clear film stock. The film receiving the the film.
image would already have a sound The key design feature of the
track which would have been exposed Omnimax projector — the continuous
in the conventional manner and there “rolling loop” film mechanism — was
was sometimes a faint black & white invented by an Australian, the late Mr
image as well to improve contrast. Ron Jones of Brisbane. This feature is
Improvements in multiple-layer also used in Imax projectors, another
colour films — where each of the large format film system — Imax using
primary colours has its own emulsion a rectangular screen.

6 Spring 2001 CINEMARECORD