Page 32 - CinemaRecord #79

Facade cladding as Village Twin.

Geelong Theatre bio box with Kalee projectors.

In 1995, after 2 years of construction, the
Village 11 opened with the James Bond movie,
Golden Eye. Projectionists for the new cinema
were Richard Twentyman, Ben Anderson and
David Lovell.

Former Cinemas 1 and 2 of the Village
Twin were re-numbered Cinemas 4 and 1,
respectively.
New cinemas 2, 3, 5 and 6 were constructed
Facade restored as Village 11. within the old Geelong Theatre stage area (2
and 3 at ground floor level, with 5 and 6 above
them, which gives some idea of the large size of
the stage house).

Cinemas 7, 8, 9 10 and 11 were located in a
new section erected behind the original stage
house. From a single projection room in the old
Geelong Theatre, to four separate projection
rooms scattered throughout the present building,
there have been many significant changes to the
old Geelong Theatre over the 100 years since
1913.
Strand ad November 1917.
On April 18 1914, a small Sun Picture Palace
opened at 74 Ryrie Street. Four films were
screened – Her Boy; Rival Airmen; Australian
Gazette and Fallen Idol. It was renamed The
Strand in 1920, and the resident pianist was
Dave Moreton, who had previously performed
Village 11 foyer. at the Exhibition Theatre.

No information is available about when that
theatre closed but, in recent years, it was used Former Sun/Strand.
as Toyne’s Golf Shop, but in 2013 stands empty.
The original stage still exists at the rear of
the building, and much of the interior ceiling
still exists, being strangely similar to that of
Geelong’s Regent Theatre in terms of colour
scheme and plaster relief work.

Sun/Strand rear.

32 2013 CINEM AREC ORD