Page 5 - CinemaRecord Cover Section # 45

The cinemas operated from 1964
under Stardawn Investments until a
partnership with Village Theatres
around 1973 saw them refurbished and
renamed East End Cinemas 1 and 2.
East End One opened with A
Clockwork Orange. It had
Cinemeccanica 35/70 machines and
xenons throughout its life and Cinema
Two originally had Kalee 21’s and
carbon arcs, which Village changed to
Bauer U3 and platter.
Later, a third cinema (East End
Three) was carved out of the lower
foyer area (this seated about 150). It
was also equipped with a Bauer U3
machine and platter, and mainly ran
move-overs.
I believe Stardawn maintained an
interest in the cinemas (and certainly A hint of the opulence that was the Uptown.
continued to own the property),
I’m inviting historians and movie
although operationally they were under •
palace fans from around the world to •
•• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • • •
the guidance of the Village banner. •• NEWSREEL
read and sign our petition and to pass it ••
The site was sold in the mid-1980s along through their email lists. It does • •
and is now the Paramount retail and •• CINEMA, THEATRE & ••
apartment complex. not matter if you are a Chicago resident • •
or not.
George Florence, Astor Theatre I’m interested in including • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• •
SHOWBUSINESS NEWS •
••
statements on the importance of
preserving historic movie-theatre Bouquet for Rivoli
architecture, as well as success stories The Rivoli, in Camberwell Road
from communities that were able to Hawthorn has been named one of the
restore their own theatres. world’s best cinemas. No surprise to
Melbourne picture-goers, but
The petition can be found at:
interesting to learn that the Top Ten
www.petitiononline.com/uptown04/peti
includes:
tion.html
Egyptian (USA), Rival (Sweden)
Joanne Asala, Chicago
Grand Rex (France) and Labia (S.
Africa).
Fitting out of the East End 2 The colour Leon Forde, who came up with the
scheme was red, orange and black. list for Screen International, explained
Image: G. Florence. that the best cinemas are about
location, design and history. A film
Uptown Theatre, Chicago watched in one of them becomes
I came across your Web site while something more, as if it should be
researching historic movie palaces. judged against all the
classic films that
Compass Rose Cultural Crossroads
have been projected
is a not-for-profit publishing company,
on those screens.
of which I am editor. We are sponsoring
Village spent
a signature drive to increase awareness
$16m on the Rivoli
about the re-use potential of an
in 2000 to refurbish
important historic landmark – the
and add six screens.
Uptown Theatre - and to document
The theatre opened
public support for it as an
in 1940, designed by
entertainment venue.
Melbourne’s leading
The Uptown is the largest
exponents of the
freestanding movie palace in the
moderne style for
country - bigger than Radio City - a
cinemas, the
stunning example of 1920s Spanish
partnership of Taylor,
Baroque architecture. Unfortunately, it
Soilleux and
has been closed for twenty years and
Overend.
still awaits a re-use plan.
Cinema 1 Rivoli, Hawthorn
CINEMARECORD 2004 5