Page 26 - CR

The Civic, a Hoyts Theatre and the
Strand (Greater Union) were the other
two major theatres in town. The Civic,
with its 1600+ seats turned over films
much quicker than the Royal, with runs
of 1-2 weeks common then. It played
most of the James Bond films and
many of the big blockbusters of that
time like Planet of the Apes and Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Double
features and re-issues were still
common well into the 1960s.
I was a frequent Saturday morning
regular at the Civic. I had taken to
buying tickets for the Lounge area
upstairs, closest to the screen. On a
Saturday morning there wasn’t much
competition for seats, regardless of the
The Civic had a long refreshment I saw a lot of forgettable films at the
film, it was a bit too early in the day
bar on the ground floor, with my Civic, but I always enjoyed my
for most filmgoers. The Lounge gave
favourite fare being Smiths potato chips experience there. The 1929 vintage
me the best viewing angle: I liked to be
and a (cordial) drink, no postmix drinks Civic was still in pretty good nick when
close to the action and not have to
for quite some years to come. Hoyts pulled out in 1973, though a lot
strain my neck, as in the stalls. Perhaps
During school holidays the Civic of the little features that I remember are
I was a bit of a snob, I had quickly
still had lolly boys plying their trade in no longer: the ticket office with the gold
cottoned on that the stalls could attract
the theatre at intermission, but I don’t lettering on frosted glass price signs in a
a rough element!
recall them at other theatres. This was a timber frame; the original Hunter Street
Memories that come easily to mind
time of forced intermissions, purely to entrance with the array of lobby cards
include seeing the 1968 Planet of the
increase food and beverage sales, for current and coming attractions; the
Apes and some idiot in the audience
whereby an intermission would be stage curtains with the gold fringe and
yelling out “It’s the Statue of Liberty”
inserted at some arbitrary spot the scalloped valance. I like to
at just the right moment, thus spoiling
completely alien to the intent of the remember the Civic as it was then.
the surprise. And of being taken by
makers or distributors of the film. Today the Civic has been
family friends to see the R-rated Straw
Sometimes, the intermission would beautifully and sympathetically restored
Dogs when I was only 16. I was
occur seemingly just minutes into the as a live theatre and function centre.
shaking in my boots at the thought of
feature, coming as it did after film ads, Many features are better than they have
either being refused a ticket or being
trailers, newsreels, cartoons and shorts. ever been: the seating with air
found out, but the ticket seller happily
conditioning ducted through the seats;
sold me a ticket. (The film wasn’t worth
the bars, the restaurant, the stage
the worry.)
equipment, the professional
management of the venue. I guess my
PHOTOS - Above and Below: The Civic Theatre. problem with it is that it’s just not a
cinema anymore.

26 2011 CINEMARECORD