Page 6 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Screen Worlds Opens at ACMI
Long promised, Screen Worlds: The
Story of Film, Television and Digital
Culture, has opened as a permanent
exhibition at the Australian Centre For
the Moving Image (ACMI) at
Federation Square.
Although a sign informs that it is
Three images: A new
still a work in progress, it is likely to
purpose for the former Hoyts
have wide appeal. Three-quarters of the
Cinema Centre. Look
exhibition is taken up with cinema, TV
closely for tell-tale reminders
games and digital with-all-the-
of its cinema history.
trappings; a magnet for the young. One
Colin Flint
quarter is given over to pre and early
cinema. Allow yourself two or three
visits to take it all in.
From Cinemas To New Leisure
Watching the conversion options for
once high-profile cinemas could
become a hobby in itself. On
Melbourne’s Bourke Street, the exterior
of the former Village City has changed
as a $110m. re-development to offices
and retail nears completion.
Further east, the former Hoyts
Cinema Centre is now a Virgin Active
Health Club, occupying the full area of
the former cinemas.
The centre has a 25 metre indoor
pool, spa, a cold plunge pool and
saunas. One wall still shows the
portholes, a reminder of previous use.
Hardest to adjust to is the Virgin logo
high on the east and west walls of the
most distinctive building in the block.
Nhill Community Theatre
Upgrade
This former picture theatre, also
designed by Charles Bohringer, and
renovated in the 1990s to performing
arts standard has been upgraded again.
The theatre now boasts the biggest
stage of any town between Ballarat and
Adelaide. Other improvements include
changes to the foyer and acoustics.

More than a facelift: The Nhill
Community Centre has an upgraded
stage and back-stage facilities.

6 2009 CINEMARECORD