Page 35 - CinemaRecord #79

Nearing completion in early April 1976.

The opening weeks, months and years were
very busy and presumably very profitable
for the Towers. The people of Newcastle and
surrounding areas flocked to the venue. It was
common soon after the opening to experience
long queues, full houses and the buzz that goes
with a successful venue. There was clearly a lot
of interest in seeing and experiencing this new,
for Newcastle, “multi-cinema” experience.
The three opening attractions were a dream
for a new cinema. Jaws, then the highest
grossing film of all time, Picnic at Hanging
Rock a critical success and, at the time the
most successful Australian film of all time,
and Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon one of
the most praised films for many years, fresh
from winning four Academy Awards.

Academy Awards and good reviews weren’t
enough to keep Barry Lyndon at the Towers
for more than two weeks, however as it was Upstairs foyer nearly finished. April 1976.
pushed aside for the opening of One Flew over
the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Located on Newcastle’s “second main street”
at 183-185 King Street, the cinemas were
named for the navigational signal beacon on
the hill immediately behind the site.

The Towers were typical of the Greater Union
style of the time such as Sydney’s Pitt Centre,
though they had a more contemporary feel via
the orange toned, geometric patterned carpet,
orange foyer light fittings and extensive
use of exposed handmade sandstock bricks
throughout the foyers and one auditorium.

The complex was built to replace the Strand
and on opening had a total capacity of 1,576:
Cinema 1 - 732, Cinema 2 - 436 and Cinema
3 - 408.

The beacon behind the cinemas
for which the complex was named. Opening celebrations.

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