Page 30 - CR

In a repeat of the full-house episode
as a child, I took a friend to see E.T.
there but the session was sold out. The
only alternative was the film version of
the Broadway musical The Best Little
Whorehouse in Texas, two more
different films would be hard to
imagine. I loved it then, but time has
not been kind to that film.
One memory was quite special: I
took a work colleague to the Tower to
see The Terminator, she would later
The biggest thing to happen to
become my wife. I remember nothing
Newcastle city theatres in decades was
much about the movie, but I recall the
the opening of the three-screen Greater
nerves and excitement of what in
Union Tower Cinemas in 1976. It was
hindsight, turned out to be our first date.
Newcastle’s first cinema complex,
It’s interesting to chart the changes
(Cinema 3 seating 408 on the lower
in the location and the cinema business
level, with Cinema 1 (732) and 2 (450)
Built out of a former storefront, and in the 35 years since the Tower
on the upper level.) on two levels.
seating just over 400 on one level, the Cinemas opened. The most obvious
Huge crowds flocked to it for months
Kensington was quite wide at the front one is the name change: Greater Union
after it opened, keen to see their first
and tapered to a very narrow rear. It long ago stopped referring to the
cinema complex and the strong product
was nicely appointed for its time, with location as the Tower Cinemas, it’s
line-up of the time.
well padded black-and-blue vinyl seats, now plain old “Greater Union
green screen curtains and a modern The opening attractions in April Newcastle”, but locals still refer to it as
theatre organ. Original hand-drawn 1976 were Jaws, Barry Lyndon and “The Tower” (Hoyts tried the same
banners hung either side of the screen Picnic at Hanging Rock. I saw all of thing when they twinned the Royal.
featuring sketches of the Eliza Doolittle them of course, catching Barry Lyndon Their plans to re-name the site “Hoyts
and Henry Higgins characters from My on its last night, at its last session, and Twin” were stymied by an outpouring
Fair Lady. Those banners remained an close to a full house. The classic film of opposition from locals, and it was
iconic feature in the cinema until its had been allowed to run for precisely referred to as “Hoyts Royal” until its
closure over 30 years later. two weeks before being pushed aside closure.)
so that the Best Picture winner of that
I was at the first (1.40 p.m.) session
year, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,
on the first ever Saturday, for what I
could open.
recall was close to a full house. Of
course I purchased the glossy souvenir The era of long runs wasn’t yet at a
programme and used it to create a close, however. In 1986, the year I left
music assignment at high school, on, to work and live in Sydney, Crocodile
what else, but My Fair Lady. There Dundee would run for nearly a year and
weren’t too many 13-year-old boys sell over 200,000 tickets in a city with a
there, the film attracted a typical population not much greater. That was
“theatre” matinee audience of mostly at the Royal, by that time a twin and
mature ladies. The Super Panavision 70 only a couple of years from closure.
picture was spectacular - the film ran I saw probably hundreds of films at The ticket box in the Tower’s lower
for many months and remains one of the Tower in the 10 years before I left foyer once had three cashier positions,
my favourites to this day. Newcastle for Sydney, in a period before which would all be manned at peak
The Kensington was a good multiplexes and saturation releases, times. Three queues would duly form
example of a cinema that could be where you still had to come to town to and snake out the doors. There were
operated with minimum staff if see the latest releases. The Tower candy bars on each level, both now
necessary, a concept not in vogue in the doesn’t hold many lasting memories for gone and replaced by one combined
1970s. The ticket seller could easily me though; I was an adult by the time it ticket/candy bar area where once the
turn around and sell food and drink and opened and while it was a pleasant place ticket box was. Thirty-five years on and
keep an eye on the compact foyer and to see a movie, it didn’t have the same the Tower Cinemas are the only
entry doors without moving more than magical atmosphere that enchanted me operating screens left in town. The three
a few steps. The projection room was when I was much younger. I do credit screens play a mix of what passes for
accessed from the rear of the the Tower with instilling in me a love of arthouse product when it can, but the
ticketing/candy bar area via a steep set Choc Top ice creams, however, bills need paying and so the site plays
of stairs hidden from public view. beautifully and consistently hand-made family films and blockbusters during
as they always were. holiday periods. The place is tired, the
screens aren’t big, the seats are small
PHOTOS- and uncomfortable but the picture on
Left: The Kensington Cinema – a derelict shell for sale in 2008. the screen is beautiful and at the end of
Centre: The Kensington auditorium. Right: Tower Cinemas in 1976. the day, that’s what we’ve come to see.

30 2011 CINEMARECORD