Page 4 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Letters

Australia
ABN 37 195 378 179
Reg A0020747R
The aims of CATHS are: to record the More DIY Memories
history of cinemas and theatres, and to I thoroughly enjoyed CinemaRecord better still, over-lapped a weekend.
promote interest in theatre heritage and 62 because of its broad range of subject Schools never used films over the
architecture, and other related areas.
matter, particularly Ross Thorne on weekend, did they?
Patrons: H.Vivian Taylor and Fred Page’s
Frank Van Straten OAM Preston Boys Mad About Movies. Of course, silent films could be
Peter Smith OAM shown on my old machine at home, but
About a decade later and a couple of they didn’t go down too well at school
Committee: suburbs away, I lived much the same where everyone wanted talkies. I
President: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 experiences.
Vice President: Peter Wolfenden 9744 2570 figured out that if I filed off the
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 Like Fred, my mates and I set up a sprocket teeth from the side opposite
Treasurer: Rodney Bendix 9563 2927 cinema in our garage using 35mm the pull down claw on my projector
nitrate film - much to my father’s (silent 16mm projectors had teeth on
Qld. Convenor: consternation. Mind you, he wasn’t both sides of the feed sprockets, since
Steve Maggs 0413 805 320 really surprised, as a student he’d had a silent film had perforation holes along
similar interest. both edges), it would be possible to
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 A hand-cranked Pathe projector show the sound film as a silent movie
Events Co-ordinator: illuminated by means of a car tail-lamp in my cinema. My audiences then had
Les Auld 9689 2765 enabled us to get a dim 2m wide many entertaining hours making up
Film Buffs Group: picture onto an old sheet which served their own dialogue and sound track
Mike Trickett 5278 1986 noises as the show proceeded.
Publications Sales: as a screen. The limited number of
James Barrand 0418 520 315 suitable 35mm films in ‘the library’ I should add that the image on the
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly meant poor attendances after a few screen was reversed because the pull-
PO Box 476 Bentleigh Vic. 3204 months. down claw was on the opposite side of
CinemaRecord Editor: the gate to where it was located in a
Ian Smith After telling my parents that I was
iansmith8@bigpond.com on the lookout for more films, an old sound machine, so all titles were
CATHS website: Bell and Howell 16mm silent projector ‘flipped’. This caused a lot of hooting
www.caths.org.au mysteriously appeared. That solved the and derision until the audience became
Postal address: nitrate problem, but it still meant used to it.
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204.
programming difficulties, as only a Like Fred’s gang, we later made

couple of short cartoons accompanied some 8mm movies - ours usually
Membership the projector. This problem was culminated in at least one ‘actor’
Annual membership subscription is $45, partially solved once I discovered that I ending up in the Moonee Ponds Creek!
(overseas subscribers $50) and
members receive four copies of could hire films from the Carr Camera Peter Wolfenden, Sunbury
CinemaRecord, notification of events, Co. Cost was a problem, but a little Circle Preston Struck Gold.
and copies of the agenda and minutes lateral thinking helped. The Circle at Preston
of all meetings. There is no joining fee. My secondary school had just (CinemaRecord 62) was a fine example
Meetings received a new B&H 16mm sound of the most attractive style of suburban
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of projector, and the staff were quite
February, April, June, August, October & happy for an ‘expert’ student to wrestle cinema, from an era sadly short-lived.
November. with the ‘wretched device’! It did not Another great loss.
Archive take long for me to work out how to I cannot agree though that the
The Archive is located in the Prahran run it and carry out basic maintenance, opening program was ‘an unexceptional
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street and so I was appointed ‘Projector double from Warner Bros.’ The feature,
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will Gold Is Where You Find It was also
be open between 9.30am and 12.30pm monitor’ - I don’t think Australian chosen by Hoyts to open the Century
on the Saturday before each meeting schools had many of them! in Sydney, built inside the old Crystal
(see above), and at other times by I soon offered to arrange for ‘non- Palace. One of the early Technicolor
appointment with the archivist. educational’ films to be supplied by films, the story of the damage done to
Publications Carr Camera Co., and of course farmers in California by gold mining
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other suggested they be sent to the railway
publications, CDs and videos are station near my home so that the interests was superbly directed by
available at meetings. Items are also teachers would not have to go out of Michael Curtiz, and has an exceptional
available by mail. Please contact James their way to pick up the new supply of score by Max Steiner.
Barrand on 0418 520 315 for details. William Gray, North Parramatta
film. Timing was also important so that
the hire period was on either side, or

4 2009 CINEMARECORD