Page 29 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

With two screens, more product was
available to the public, seven days a
week. The opportunity came to close
Cinema 1 for a repaint, new seat covers
and new carpets - while Cinema 2
stayed open. The foyer was changed
too; red carpet now covered the marble
stairways and a new ticket box was
installed at the top of the staircase
entrance.
The original entrance doors from
the street were eventually removed and
replaced with supermarket-style hand
pulls. The distinct lead-light panels
above the entrance were replaced with
a backlit surface which advertised the
film titles in bold plastic letters; easily
read from across the street.
All the original foyer ceiling frieze
was roughly clawed off and dumped in The bold Regent sky-sign.
the roof garden area - now permanently
closed. The display boards for movie The structure was always visible The sign was used by approaching
stills were pulled from the walls and from the street. By day it was a strange aircraft as a visual bearing to mark the
thrown out to the back of the building. grey-cement attachment to the upper east end of the main street.
Arriving for work one night I walked walls, by night another singular One morning, in the early hours, a
my bike across what had been a mud- attraction of Albury. At the top of the giant crane removed the sign before
soaked path, to find some of these waterfall was a castle; below it rock anyone realised anything was amiss.
display boards roughly thrown along it formations chanelled water down the Where it went is still a mystery. Ironic,
to serve as the new path. spillway. Visitors to Albury would often that after years of name changes,
ask questions about this slightly ‘Regent’ is again in favour, but where is
One of the projectionists tipped me
ominous version of Mount Rushmore. the sign to go with it? Is it possible that
off to go and see what was in the junk
The dilapidated waterfall was finally it could be returned, to tower once
pile accumulating in the former roof
removed when the theatre became a again over Dean Street? Or is it lost
garden. I’m glad that I did. Set for
true multiplex. forever, with so many other pieces of
delivery to the tip the next day was the
original block ticket container, some Another distinctive feature was the what was, and still is, a remarkable
foyer mouldings, the downstairs ticket neon sign atop the building. This was achievement for a rural city? ★
box, even one of the cement frogs that no simple sign attached to the side of
were part of the roof garden display - the façade, but a bold statement John Stevens has a family
all useful and integral to the personality thrusting upward from the parapet roof connection to the Regent. Two aunts
of the theatre for 50 years - until now. supported in a pyramid frame; a design were hostesses, greeting patrons at the
meant to maximize attention, by day or
These artifacts, as well as the 1927 top of the marble staircase, and a third
night. At the top was a crown beneath
power board, which listed all the stitched the red front-of-house curtain.
which each letter blinked from top to
electrical outlets across the theatre, I
bottom, one at a time - then blinked
managed to save. They are now
again to form the complete word -
preserved in the new Albury Museum. I
Regent - emblazoned for all to see.
might have saved more; some of the
display boards, even the complete
downstairs ticket booth, had I been
given notice that they were to go.
The roof garden waterfall had been REEL DEALS
a great attraction - absolute escapism at
night with its running water and a
multitude of lights. Whether the cost of KEEPING FILM COLLECTORS IN TOUCH
repairs to the pump sealed its fate or
whether this was an excuse to forget a ENQUIRIES:
feature now viewed as passé, who MIKE TRICKETT
knows? The sign to the roof garden was 25 Fairlie Street
removed, and the door permanently North Geelong Vic. 3216
closed.
Phone: AH 03 5278 1986
Fax: 03 5278 3545
Email: filmman@ncable.net.au

CINEMARECORD 2009 29