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Letters

Australia
ABN 37 195 378 179 The Electric Cinema more to the late 1960s/70s phenomenon
Reg A0020747R I enjoyed Bill Chew’s story on the of the cinema club (members only
Electric (CinemaRecord 48). I was admission) - a sometimes questionable
The aims of CATHS are: to record the only discussing this theatre the other initiative by the anti-censorship lobby
history of cinemas and theatres, and to day with a friend, Eric Clarke who lives to find a way to screen films that would
promote interest in theatre heritage and have been rejected by the censorship
architecture, and other related areas. at Paraparaumu Beach.
Patrons: Eric has a long history as a code of the time. The first screening of
Frank Van Straten OAM Peter Smith OAM projectionist and theatre manager, both the Electric Cinema Club (in the late
Elaine Marriner Philip Brady here and in the UK. He was manager at 60s) was Luis Bunuel’s The Criminal
Committee: the Electric in the 1950s, and in his Life of Archibaido de la Cruz.
President: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 retirement runs a theatre in his In an article in Sight and Sound in
Vice President: Peter Wolfenden 9744 2570 basement. Like so many theatre people 1981 correspondent John Pym
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 he started it as an ‘after work’ hobby, commented on the run-down condition
Treasurer: Barrie Wraith 9435 9785 with a 35mm projector. Most of the Electric at the start of the 1970s
projectionists seem to do this. when the Cinema Club stepped in and
H
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 When Eric started here there were aided the survival of the cinema: ‘The
Central Victoria Co-ordinator: no cinemas on the Kapiti Coast, and he heating was non-existent, if you sat on
Fred Page 5444 0428 (Bendigo) ran films for charity. His main charity the wrong seat the whole row would
Gippsland Co-ordinator: is Wellington Free Ambulance, a collapse; when it rained half the cinema
Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 (Traralgon) had to be roped off, the projection was
Events Co-ordinator: unique service in NZ, in that it relies on erratic and the old clientele apparently
Brian Miller 9557 7446 donations.
Film Buffs Group: Eric’s theatre of 40 seats has raised impervious to anything. The club
Mike Trickett 5278 1986 many thousands of dollars for the prospered and in 1970 assumed overall
Publications Sales: Ambulance, and he was awarded an control.’
Garry Saunders 9812 7227 At this time the Electric apparently
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly OBE for community service.
See postal address Tony Froude, Paraparaumu Beach (N.Z.) charged threepence (three cents), and a
CinemaRecord Editor: bun and an orange were served free.
Ian Smith Saving the Electric Roger Seccombe, Mitcham
ijsmith@impulse.net.au It is always interesting to see
CATHS website: occasional articles on overseas cinemas Twilight Memories
www.caths.org.au as a contrast with the normal Australian I enjoyed the story on the Twilight
Postal address: Drive-In (CR 48). I was lucky enough
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204. content. However, I feel a few
comments are possible on the subject of to be its first Assistant Projectionist
H back in 1957 at the age of 17 to work
the Electric’s chequered history.
Membership alongside Projectionist Percy
Annual membership subscription is $35, The main article gives the Woodyard, who came from the Astor
impression that the cinema’s fight for
(overseas subscribers $45) and Theatre St Kilda and later went to
members receive four copies of survival is a relatively recent Benalla and Wangarratta Drive ins.
phenomenon. In fact, the claim that the
CinemaRecord, notification of events, In the few weeks leading up to the
and copies of the agenda and minutes Electric was ‘run down’ in 1993 is opening of the Twilight I worked with
of all meetings. There is no joining fee. contradicted by the British Film
Meetings Institute in their annual report for 1991 Jack Tuckett (who has been a good
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of where they say, ‘An even more friend since), making sure that the field
February, April, June, August, October & welcome appearance was made by one and speakers were in pristine condition
November. of Britain’s oldest cinemas after the for the opening night. Jack was
Archive failure of attempts to turn it into an employed as the groundsman, and was
The Archive is located in the Prahran antiques market. London’s Electric the longest serving employee of the
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street Cinema ... opened its doors for the first drive in.
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will time in two and a half years in January The place soon became the
be open between 9.30am and 12.30pm 1990, beautifully restored with its entertainment hub of Shepparton, the
on the Saturday before each meeting original proscenium arch brought back place to be with carloads of your
(see above), and at other times by into view. An imaginative mix of live friends and family. On a busy summers
appointment with the archivist. shows (on slackest nights of the week) night there was nothing more enjoyable
Publications than to leave the bio box, look over the
and repertory double-bills deserves to
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other succeed.’ field of cars and listen to the response
publications, CDs and videos are of the audience to the movie.
At the risk of labouring detail, I
available at meetings. Items are also
available by mail. Please contact Garry believe the saving of the Electric goes
back much further. It owes its survival
Saunders on 9812 7227 for details.

4 2005 CINEMARECORD