Page 5 - CinemaRecord #77C

ongratulations to Gerry Kennedy for the
Cexcellent story of Melbourne’s Palladium
Entertainment Centre (CR lssue 75).
Due to the extended seasons many films
enjoyed at the My Fair Lady/Palladium/
East End 1 screen, my visits to the original
sister theatre (Embassy) were far more
frequent, and, due to the eclectic mix of films
screened at this theatre in its early years,
deserves more recognition for some of the A random selection includes: Federico
ground-breaking programming for which it
is generally remembered. Fellini’s l Vitelloni and 8½, Jacques
Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Acknowledging the use of the Embassy as and The Young Girls Of Rocherfort, the
a “move over’ house from the much larger much acclaimed Japanese feature Woman
MFL/Palladium, for films such as Camelot, in The Dunes and William Wyler’s The
Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, ‘The Family Collector and the Dirk Bogarde film The
Way and Zeferelli’s Romeo and Juliet, the Servant, which to this day divides critics
Embassy also offered a few memorable and audiences alike.
return seasons (remember, this was long
before Video and DVD) of some remarkable Many more important foreign and
classics such as Exodus, The Sundowners, independent American films found a season
Flower Drum Song and The Great Race. at the Embassy, which otherwise may never
have secured a release in this country.
Without doubt, these seasons were probably
brought about by necessity due to a lack Despite entering the auditorium to the right
of suitable new product, but still provided of the screen, the oft-mentioned distraction
Melbourne audiences the chance to once this meant due to late-comers was kept to
again, or perhaps for the first time, experience a minimum due to a double set of black
these films on a cinema screen. curtains situated inside the entrance doors,
and to the best of my recollections, was
As mentioned in the previous article, Mary never a major problem, and the steps down
Poppins enjoyed a very successful “move over’ from the foyer enabled a good raked floor
season (at popular prices!) on a 4-session-a -day to the rear of the auditorium.
policy following its “roadshow engagement” at
the Metro Bourke Street. Encouraged by this The street level foyer, while narrow, was
success, Disney hoped for similar rewards very long and contained an intimate coffee
when they booked one of their major musical lounge at the Bourke Street end which
releases, The One and Only, Genuine, Original integrated well with the audiences attracted
Family Band, into the Embassy. to the art-house offerings. Stairwells to the
right of the box-office led down to toilets
You can be the judge as to whether this major and car-parking, while to the left, floor-
turkey was the blame of the venue or the to-ceiling gold anodized framed windows
movie itself! gave view to the adjacent entrance of the
Far more significant is the role this theatre Palladium cinema.
played in presenting many premieres of films
that stand today as classics of the European, While often dismissed as a basic screening
American and Asian cinema. With very little venue, I remember the Embassy as a
access to “foreign” films during the 1960’s, comfortable, well raked, and suitably
the Embassy became a beacon for students sized screen for a 400 seater, that would be
of world cinema at this time. considered as more than suitable compared
to the modern offerings provided by many
“multiple” screens of today and offered an
outstanding selection of film fare.
John Holloway.
Glen Waverley.VIC.

BELOW: Floor plan of the Embassy Theatre provided by Keith Davies.
Ads from collections of John Holloway and Dean Brandum.

CINEM AREC ORD 2013 5