Page 9 - CR31R.pdf

Australia.
REDEVELOPMENT & PROGRESS
Natalie Miller’s wish was to create
a cinema which
(i) actively promoted Australian films
and gave them a chance to be screened
to the public,
(ii) sourced overseas films of merit
which were unlikely to be screened on
the big circuits, and
(iii) retained the role of being a
producers’ cinema where products
could be tested, previewed and
reviewed. The Longford carried out
these roles successfully until its (L-R) Terry Brown, Natalie Miller and Kevin Morrison on the closing night. Between them they represent
demise in 2001. 48 years of Longford Cinema. Photo: Brian Mier.
Having acquired the lease of the bombs at 9.00 a.m., and the Exhibition Street. (Although
cinema, Natalie engaged staff and devastation and loss of life on busy predominantly a “live” venue, the
planned for the reopening. The first Toorak Road and surrounds would Playbox was occasionally used as a
Manager was Mark Gooder. Terry have been horrific if it had succeeded. cinema – including AFI screenings).
Brown (the final Manager) was an Moreover, the bomb went off only an The lamphouses were Xenon verticals
Operator/Projectionist – casual at first, hour after the cinema had closed at – somewhat unusual in Australia.
then full time from March 1985. 1.00 a.m., following the screening of a The original lamps were 1.6 Kw
Another Operator in the beginning late night movie. Xenon verticals with 70 amp Irem
was Geoff Davies. As it was, the shock waves of the rectifiers. In 1986 they were replaced
The Longford reopened as a truly explosion extensively damaged the with 2.5 Kw Xenon verticals, driven
commercial cinema on the 8th of cinema. The premises was not affected by fan-cooled Kneisler 120 rectifiers –
November 1984. Its first feature film by fire, but the fire doors (which these being much quieter and more
was the Russian version of ‘War and opened outwards), were blown well stable in operation. These lamps run
Peace’, which ran for several weeks. into the auditorium; the rear wall for up to 9,500 hours before
The Longford has screened films behind the screen looked like a pile of replacement is needed.
continuously since then, except for big building blocks; the roof and Also in 1986 the old Sankor lenses
three weeks in 1986 when it was ceiling had caved in over much of the were replaced with a full set of
ostensibly closed for renovations, but cinema; the speakers were blown off Schneider lenses: 60 mm – 1.85:1, 70
in fact it had to undergo significant their stands into the screen; and the mm – 1.66:1, 80 mm Academy 1.35:1,
partial rebuilding after suffering toilet areas were a mess. The electrical 90 mm Cinemascope backing lenses
extensive damage caused by the circuitry was a shambles, but with Schneider anamorphics; the latter
bombing of the Turkish High miraculously the bio box remained lenses alone cost $7,000 for two.
Commission located just behind the intact. These improvements were required to
In view of the history of the bring the light and sound up to
premises which had suffered three SMPTE standards for production test
fires in its past, it was decided not to screenings.
publicize the bomb damage but A notable event in the life of The
merely to close the cinema ‘for Longford was when it pioneered the
renovations’. Reconstruction work first “ long-throw Single Lens Video”
was expedited, and The Longford to screen in cinema in Australia. The
resumed screening only three weeks first projector was a Sharp 100 ANSI
later, on 13 December 1986. lumins LCD machine – now
PROJECTION EQUIPMENT
The screen size in 1984 was 9 ft x
21 ft. but this was replaced in 1986 as
a result of the bomb damage with a
cinema.
new screen of size 11 ft x 26 ft.
1986 – THE BOMB When the cinema reopened in
When one of the three bombs November 1984, equipment included
destined for the Turkish Ambassador’s 2 x Bauer U3 35mm projectors
destruction exploded prematurely in capable of screening 35 mm and 70
the early morning of 21 November mm (but never used subsequently for
1986, it was a miracle that only the the latter), plus a Selectron 16mm
person planting the bombs was killed. projector. The original equipment had
The intention was to detonate three been used in and brought across by
the AFI from the Playbox Theatre in

CINEMARECORD 2002 9