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Hoyts Now 50:50 Ownership
Kerry Packer’s Publishing and
Broadcasting Limited has formed a
joint venture with West Australian
Newspapers Holdings to buy the Hoyts
Group from Packer’s privately owned
Rivoli Acknowledged. Consolidated Press Holdings.
I was interested to read in CR 45 • NEWSREEL • PBL and WAN will each pay
•• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • • •
that the Rivoli in Camberwell Road ••
••
$173.5 million for a half share in
•
Hawthorn has been named by Screen •• CINEMA, THEATRE & • Hoyts. The Hoyts Group includes
International as one of the world’s best • ••
Hoyts Exhibition; 377 screens across
cinemas. •• SHOWBUSINESS NEWS • 47 multiplexes in Australasia; Hoyts
•
This is pleasing to me because I • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • •• • Distribution and Val Morgan, the
was the Honorary Heritage Officer for IMAX Thinks Big largest cinema-advertising group in
the Art Deco Society Inc. and a
The Toronto-based IMAX Australasia.
member of its Preservation Committee.
Corporation is pinning expansion plans PBL and WAN have ambitions to
The committee provided heritage and
on two developments. boost Hoyts earnings by more than 50
architectural advice for the
No longer is it necessary to build a percent in 20005-06. Twelve cinemas
redevelopment of this significant
dedicated cinema, which costs at least will be refurbished and three opened,
project.
$US 5 million. Instead, it is possible to but analysts have expressed doubts
My responsibility started with
retro-fit a multiplex for $1.7 million, in about one thrust of the plan – to
advice to Boroondara Council at
a makeover called MPX. increase ticket and snack bar prices. In
hearings on architectural and planning Australia, 65 percent of cinema revenue
matters, and evolved to working as a Second, IMAX Corp. is now able to is from ticket sales, but in the U.S.
heritage consultant with the Village release film in its IMAX format at the where outside snacks are banned at
Roadshow architects and designers. same time as the main release. Using a
process called DMR, it takes about four most cinemas, food sales sometimes
I must compliment Village account for the bulk of profits.
weeks to ‘blow-up’ a film at a cost of
Roadshow on their positive attitude to
$5 million, which is shared between the Greater Union has banned patrons
heritage matters on this major project.
company and the relevant studio. The from bringing in food from outside.
They listened carefully to our requests
company can also turn an animated Hoyts has said that it will not do the
submitted on behalf of the Art Deco
picture into a 3-D movie for $10 same. In Australia Hoyts has 23 per
Society and were prepared to amend
million and do it just as quickly. cent of gross box office revenue.
their plans to ensure that the integrity
Polar Express, which was released -Business Review Weekly
of the building was maintained. They
on traditional screens and in IMAX, 10 March 05, and later issues.
were a splendid company to deal with.
was the first major animated feature A Gloomy Forecast
Cliff Skinner, Elwood
film in 3-D. In an era where the time Unless the new Hoyts is holding
Cliff Skinner has a background in between a film’s release and its some aces close, their optimism for
Town Planning, Architecture and Land appearance on TV is getting ever 2005 seems unrealistic, according to an
Economics. He is a Fellow of the Town shorter, IMAX seems to give a film a assessment of Melbourne exhibition
Planning Institute of Australia and a longer life because it is a spectacle that trends by CATHS member and industry
Life Member of the Art Deco Society cannot be replicated at home. insider David Kilderry.
Inc. There are 46 IMAX cinemas across In an on-line editorial, David points
Cliff has had a long time interest in Europe, out of 240 worldwide, and the out the folly of the push for more
international cinema designs and has company reckons it can double its screens in Melbourne when the
inspected many inter-war cinema European presence over the next few overseas experience has been dire: in
complexes in the United States, Canada years. It has 16 under development 2000 in the USA, eight out of the top
and Britain. across the continent and there are 13 ten exhibitors were forced to file for
possible sites in Britain - on top of the bankruptcy protection.
nine already there.
CINEMARECORD 2005 5