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SOUTH AUSTRALIA Australian Museum of Motion Hoyts Leave Lower Hutt
Glenelg For Sale Picture Technology Hoyts 5 Cinemas shut its doors on
Wallis Cinemas complex at Glenelg 10 March after a rent increase by the
is on the market with an asking price of buildings new owners. The closure of
$7.5. The cinemas remain open. the 960-seat venue came 15 years to the
month after it first opened. The
Hopes Dashed for Windsor
property is now on the market after
One year ago the Windsor, which
lease attempts failed.
operates in the Magill Institute, was on
the verge of closing. Residents rallied Dendy Wants Out
to save what one described as a “nice Australian company Dendy has put
little theatre,” the council which owns its New Zealand exhibition interests up
the hall reduced the rent, and a month for sale.
later patronage was up 40 percent.
SkyCity Assets Written Down
Alas, good intentions may give a
SkyCity Cinemas has had its assets
fillip to attendances, but consistency for
written down from a book value of
the long-haul is harder to achieve. The
$108 Million to some $63 million. At
Windsor closed 28 May
this new figure SkyCity Entertainment
Bordertown Movies Retired electrician Daryl Binning is hopes that its 94 screens in N. Z. and
Additional projectionists are in on a mission to document and preserve ten in Fiji will attract a buyer.
training so that more films can be the evolution of Australia’s moving Reading are in the final stages of
shown at the Bordertown Civic Centre. image industry. Three years ago he set negotiation with SkyCity Cinemas for a
Four local movie enthusiasts have up a national volunteer group to complete buyout. This purchase would
undertaken training sessions with the establish a Museum of Motion Picture put them in locations where they are
local projectionist to boost the skills Technology. At the moment they have a not now represented.
pool. Tatiara District Council wants to range of equipment stored in member's More Reading Plans
increase the use of the Civic theatre and homes around the country.
Regent Centre Wellington has been
provide different entertainment options. AMMPT circulates a newsletter and
sold and Reading have re-activated a
Border Chronicle March 20 2008 as part of its national charter
plan to build a five-screen art-house at
communicates regularly with CATHS
WESTERN AUSTRALIA Secretary Mike Trickett. the back of the main Wellington
East Meets West Their goal seems complementary to Complex.
CATHS’ Queensland Convenor both CATHS and ACTS, with an In a surprise move and without
Steve Maggs teamed up with emphasis on collecting and promoting giving reasons, Reading announced that
CinemaRecord’s WA correspondent the history of the equipment that made they would no longer sell Jaffas in their
Peter Jackson for some theatre possible motion pictures and television, theatres.
inspections and industry news. This with an emphasis ‘to recognize the Whither St James Auckland?
included lunch at His Majestys many unheralded Aussie inventions and Developers working around the
Theatre Perth, followed by a tour of innovations that have changed the face historic St James, closed since a fire
the building with a volunteer guide. At of international motion picture and last year, have proposed a compromise
the Picadilly Cinemas, the only one left television industries’. that would leave the protected section
in the city centre - the chains have intact and restore the Queen Street
According to the AMMPT brochure,
departed the inner city - they talked tower enclosed in cladding since 1953.
the long-term goal is to ‘establish
with owner Cyril Jackson, who came
permanent displays in all regions to Part of the 1928 building and the
out of retirement to save the theatre. He
exhibit and demonstrate the evolving existing three cinemas below would be
was interested to learn of CATHS and
technologies and to tell the stories of demolished, although significant
has offered the use of his theatre for a
the pioneers who shaped our social heritage items would be salvaged.
function.
culture through moving images’. Bridgeway For Sale
Later, Steve inspected the art deco
The website is www.ammpt.asn.au. On the market is 50 percent of
Cygnet in suburban Como, which
Auckland’s Bridgeway and their silent
celebrated its 70th on 9 March. The NEW ZEALAND
Cygnet is the only single screen Box Office Not So Bad shareholding in the Rialto Tauranga
surviving in Perth, thanks to the efforts The New Zealand box office for which will probably be bought by
of South African immigrant Eddie 2007 was better than expected with a Rialto Entertainment.
Herbert who has run it for the past 25 total take of $151m., up nearly $5m. Rialto 3 Wellington Closed
years. from the previous year, despite the fact Final screenings were at the end of
Steve’s guides on the tour of the that audience numbers were down. March. The building is to be replaced
Cygnet were George Robinson and Picture-goers still prefer to open by apartments. Rialto had promised to
Daryl Binning who run Classics of the their wallets or purses at the window - relocate, but to date there is no
Silver Screen on a monthly basis there credit card transactions accounted for indication of where or when.
to raise funds for a cinema museum only $12m. of the total.
(see next story).

6 2008 CINEMARECORD