Page 6 - CinemaRecord #86

St. Kilda – Efforts to save the Astor Theatre, Melbourne – David Marriner's Forum Bright – After two years of planning, Matt and
may have been successful. In the Age Theatre project on Hosier Lane, is facing Shannon Price have opened their Cloud 9
Newspaper of 2 April, it was reported that the mounting legal challenges. A skyscraper Cinema in Bright, north-east Victoria. Located
Palace Cinemas Group has agreed to purchase planned to tower over Flinders Street's run- next door to the Bright Visitor Information
the business from the present tenant, George down Forum Theatre has led some of Centre in Gavan Street, the 60-seat Art Deco
Florence, who has operated the Astor since Melbourne's leading business and philanthropy cinema is proving to be a popular addition to
1982. The final screening was scheduled for figures to join a legal bid disputing the the town.
5 April 2015, with Palace announcing a re- Planning Minister's authority to approve it.
opening on 7 June 2015. Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, as Planning
Minister, last year approved a plan by
developer David Marriner to build a 32-storey
hotel and apartment tower on the site of the
former live venue, the Russell Street Theatre,
behind the heritage-listed Forum.

Construction started on 1 October 2014, and
the doors opened four weeks later on
CATHS’ Vice President, Royce Harris, 1 November. Bright’s cinema history dates
reports on the Astor's garage sale. back to 1913 when Victoria Hall (above)
opened in Ireland Street. One of our members,
After considerable drama, George Florence's Tiff Raynor, says that the first moving pictures
final screenings at St. Kilda's Art Deco Astor were shown at Victoria Hall when it was
theatre occurred on the weekend of 4th and known as Manning’s Victoria Hall (shown
5th April, with four screenings of "2001: A above).
Space Odyssey." The final Sunday night
screening was a sell out, with long queues in «
both directions along Chapel Street.
Melbourne – The fate of the Palace Theatre
could become a "major test case" to see if the
On Sunday April 19 , these queues were social history of old buildings could prevent
th
replicated for what was advertised as a The plan was bitterly opposed by Melbourne them being demolished. Andrew Walker, a
Garage Sale, clearing 32 years of "Melbourne City Council. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said lawyer representing the National Trust in a
movie history." I arrived ten minutes before it failed to respect the theatre's heritage and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
the advertised starting time to find the queues, significance. Mr. Doyle said the Forum was (VCAT) appeal, said the heritage significance
several people wide, snaking up and down an extremely important Melbourne building. of a building was generally measured by its
Chapel Street and around corners into the "I would hope that David [Marriner] and his architecture, and it was widely agreed that the
nearest side streets. I joined the back of the family treat this as a contribution to Melbourne Palace Theatre should not be protected on
nearest line in one of these streets, and it was and their reputation." this basis alone.
more than an hour before I had inched my way
into Chapel Street, in sight of the theatre. It «
took another half hour to get inside the door,
where they were only admitting new patrons Melbourne – Demolition of the former
when someone left, and people didn't seem to Greater Union Cinemas in Russell Street is
be in any hurry to do that. It was rather now complete. The cinemas will be replaced
disconcerting standing in the queue watching by yet another Melbourne hotel complex.
so many people leaving with posters, books,
film cans, empty reels, and even pieces of the
carpet! As I feared, by the time I finally got
into the theatre, the stock had been
significantly depleted. Only the stalls area
was open, with items displayed around the The matter is now before VCAT after
perimeter and large banners spread out on the Melbourne City Council failed to make a
seats. Most items with any age were long decision on a demolition within the allowed
gone, and recent posters were having no time period. The Developer wants to build a
trouble finding buyers at $15 each.
seven-storey hotel on the Bourke Street site.
In 2013 the Developer proposed first a 30-
The large crowds were evidence of the the level tower for the prime CBD address, with a
feelings cinema goers of Melbourne have for 205-room hotel and 145 apartments. But
their last operating single screen theatre from
former Planning Minister Matthew Guy
the Golden era. They would have been rejected this application, before taking the
heartened by the "Coming Soon" sign in the wrecking ball to plans to build a shorter
foyer, advising that the cinema would by
building by introducing mandatory height
reopening in June complete with all the controls in the area. The proposed hotel is now
features that have made it so popular. The Prior to commencement of construction, there so small the state government is no longer the
new operators, Palace Cinemas, have started is a window of opportunity to view the rear responsible planning authority and the new
including a line "The Astor opens in - days" in section of the former Cyclorama building (now decision makers, Melbourne City Council,
their press advertising. apartments) fronting Little Collins Street.
recently moved to strengthen heritage
protection for the site.
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6 CINEMARECORD # 86