Page 38 - CinemaRecord #83

The (Secret) Language of Love
he Language of Love was a sex education exchange spools. The house light dimmers were
Tfilm which screened for three nights at the along the back wall of the projection room. With
Coachline Drive–in (Casterton Vic.). I can’t only minutes to go I was standing by with my
remember much about the film except for back to the screen and head turned waiting to
‘clinicians’ in dust coats that looked very much bring up the lights when the credits rolled.
like raincoats.
As the closing scenes flashed through the
Actually, I do remember more. One scene projector, my peripheral vision picked up some
showed a male appendage that filled the whole short flashes on the screen. Not having noticed
screen. For three nights I had visions of a terrible them before, I thought it prudent to rewind this
road accident outside the drive-in. section of film and check for damage.

This was about the time that the South Australian To my surprise, over the last 300 feet or so of
government was considering legislating to have the film, there were five, 12 frame scenes – that’s
high fences built around drive-ins to protect the half a second each on screen – depicting what wondered how many other films with subliminal
unwary passer-by from just this sort of thing, could only be described as “explicit material”. inserts had escaped the eye of the censor. H
and worse! R K
This was the first time I had knowingly (Do other projectionists remember examples
On the last night, I was taking-up on the film encountered subliminal images in a film. I of subliminal inserts? – Editor)

CATHS VISITS BRIGHTON CINEMAS 26 July 2014

espite the inclement weather, a small group of members arrived at
Dthe Palace Brighton Bay Cinemas in Bay Street, which was the
first of the two Brighton venues to inspect.
Duty Manager Florence greeted us and gave us a little history of the
complex. The present cinemas were constructed within the shell of the
former Hoyts Theatre which closed in the mid 1950s. Cinemas 1 and 2
opened in the early 1990s, Cinemas 3 and 4 followed a few years later.

Florence also explained that Friday and Saturday night attendances are
usually very strong with the cinemas aiming more at the art house type
patron. Although all digital now, one 35 mm projector has been retained
for film festival screenings, in case a digital print is not available.
The Zeccola family’s influence was quite evident with the darkened
decor in both the auditoria and the upstairs foyer areas.

Next we were off to the nearby Dendy Cinemas in Church Street. There
we were greeted by Ian, the Duty Manager who gave us a run down on Dendy Cinemas - Cinema 4: The Wurlitzer organ in operation.
the complex and then acted as guide, taking us into each of the cinemas
and the projection rooms. Again, one 35 mm projector has been retained The Dendy complex received a major refurbishment during the early
for occasional use. 1990s when it was extended to five screens.
Two of the cinemas were in session with no audience present! This gave
us the opportunity to inspect the operation and the image quality without
disturbing patrons.

It was said some morning screenings run without a audience, but the
management is obliged to run the film anyway.

Cinema 4 provided the highlight of our visit, as the management had
arranged for the Wurlitzer theatre organ (ex Melbourne Capitol Theatre)
to be in operation. An enthusiastic group of members were taken behind
the screen for a look at the organ’s internal workings.

At both venues, organiser Shane Moore presented a CATHS plaque to
the Duty Managers, and both were thanked for their hospitality. CATHS
also thanks the Events Office at Palace Theatres for arranging these
visits. The members present also thanked Shane Moore for organising
the tour. H
Palace Brighton Bay Cinema Complex Text: Shane Moore Images: Mike Trickett

38 CINEMARECORD # 83