Page 35 - CinemaRecord #84

to pick up film Melbourne's first newsreel theatre, the
footage from the Times, beneath the Melba, always remained
different Olympic the Times while above, the Melba became
venues and rush it the Liberty then was rebuilt as the Odeon
back for processing, following a fire in 1950. The Odeon and the
so the Olympic Times closed in 1977. The former Times
events could be basement is still there and is now a retail
broadcast that night. space.
The immediacy of
television spelled Around the corner, the Century newsreel
the beginning of the became the Swanston Cinema then the
end for Australian Capitol 2 Cinema, before being converted
newsreels and the into the Hi-Fi Bar that operates there today.
newsreel theatres.
After time as a skin flick house, the Albany
disappeared under the development of the
By the mid 1960s, Sportsgirl Centre.
with falling demand
for newsreels, the When the Hotel Australia site was
redeveloped in c1989, the Tatler, (which by
initially used rear projection, but was soon then had been re-named the Curzon), and
altered to front projection so as to increase the Australia 2 also disappeared into the
seating capacity. demolisher's rubble.

At their peak in the late 1940s and early 50s, The least glamorous of all the newsreel
Melbourne had five newsreel theatres, Sydney theatres, the Star in Elizabeth Street, is the
had five and Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth each only one that remains as a type of theatre -
Image: Ian Sheen
had one. On a hot summer's day, the newsreel the Crazyhorse adult film venue.
shows were a great place to cool off for an hour,
or just the place to rest weary limbs at a time Right up until the demise of the Australian
when shopping expeditions to the city were an Newsreels, Movietone always filmed the
all-day affair, combined with a visit to Myers’, Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in
Mantons’ or Coles’ cafeteria. As the film November, the film then being rushed for
processing so as to appear on city screens
rival Australian newsreel companies, Fox the same night. ê
Movietone and Cinesound, amalgamated to
produce the Australian Movie Magazine. This Australian Newsreel Theatres:
replaced the long established Cinesound
Review and Australian Movietone News. Of the Melbourne:
international companies, Pathe pictorials 1934 - Times - 210 seats - G.U.
released through Warner Brothers would still 1939 - Albany - 268 - Proscenium Invest. P/L
appear from time to time. I can recommend the 1939 - Tatler - 225 - Tatler Theatres P/L
1978 classic Australian film Newsfront that 1940 - Century - 497 - Newsreel Theatre P/L
portrays these events although within a 1951 - Star - 185 - Virgona Family
shortened time frame.
By the end of the 1960s, the supply of short Sydney:
1940 - Globe Newsreel - 540 seats
subjects, cartoons and 2 reel comedies had also
1938 - Newsluxe - 311 - International News P/L
1931 - State Theatrette - 239 - G.U.
program was continuous, one would wait until 1941 - World News - 342
the show started to repeat before leaving, 1941 - Wynyard - 227 - G.U.
although you could sit and watch the program
all over again if you wished. The Times even Brisbane:
had an interval break complete with advertising 1938 - Carlton Theatrette - 332 seats
slides between each session.
Rockhampton:
Television arrived in 1956, coinciding with the 1943 - Victory Theatrette-300 seats
Melbourne Olympic Games. For many years, I
was a member of a Melbourne Motorcycle Club Adelaide:
- the Melbourne Scooter and Cycle Association. 1941 - Savoy-Newsluxe - 397 seats
The Club had its origins when motorcycle and
scooter riders were recruited by the TV channels Perth:
1947 - Mayfair - 380 seats
dried up, as the comedies and cartoons were,
and still are shown on TV (e.g. The Three Launceston:
1958 - Tatler/Cinema 1 - 341 seats
Stooges, Laurel & Hardy, etc.) The newsreel
theatres slowly changed over to feature films. Hobart:
Their smaller seating capacities were becoming 1955 - Tatler/Cinema 1 - 257 seats
the norm for modern day cinemas.
By the early 1970s, with changes to censorship Acknowledgements:
laws and the emergence of the 'skin flick', the
once popular hour show soon became the Images: CATHS Archive
domain of the raincoat brigade. Newsreel Frames: Mike Trickett collection

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