Page 15 - CR-91

MGM also updated their newspaper
advertising. Gone were the stylised letters
Metro, replaced by solid block METRO. This
change was followed through on the vertical
neon signs on the front of their three
Melbourne theatres. Malvern’s was the last
sign to be installed and the biggest. It was out
of scale for the size of the building and the
streetscape. But what a sign! Its length was
defined by horizontal white bands of neon
tubing, within which the word Metro was
embedded. The permutations were
mesmerising. The red letters spelled out
METRO, expanding in size once the full
word was showing. At the same time the
horizontal lines were either full length (at
which time ‘Metro’ became a silhouette), or
cascading. This was the last inventive display
of the power of neon in Melbourne. It made
the Hoyts sign on the New Malvern at the
south end of Glenferrie Road look passé.

By the end of 21 years in Malvern as sole
owner, MGM’s influence on film exhibition
had waned. In 1971 it reduced its exposure by
signing a tenant-in-common agreement.
While the theatre continued to trade as the At a Glance
Metro (the expensive sign replaced by a Perspecta Stereophonic Sound The Embassy/Metro Malvern
simple one) the MGM magic had left the
building. Between 1971 and 1985 ownership For their early CinemaScope films, MGM Built for:
changed three times. Smaller audiences and used their version of stereo sound. It was a Edward Ambrose Riches
more eclectic films meant that only the failure when compared with the four track
balcony seating was in use. sound utilised by Twentieth Century-Fox. In Architect:
Melbourne it was only installed in the three Ron Morton Taylor
Metro theatres, the Palais St Kilda and the
Rivoli Hawthorn. Trading as:
Stanhope Theatres Pty. Ltd.
3D or Not 3D?
Seating:
Local memory of Kiss Me Kate is that it Stalls 855, Circle 507, Total 1362
screened at the Metro Collins Street as
MGM’s one and only feature entry into the Opened:
Australian 3D market. Hartley Davey’s story Monday 13 January 1936
about MGM pulling 3D back to 2D for
Malvern (CR#91), raises an interesting point. First Show:
Did Kate complete its full season at Collins Every Night at Eight - George Raft
Street before the result of the court case was Men Without Names - Fred McMurray
known? Yes it did.
MGM Control:
At Malvern, “Simultaneous with City” usually 1 June 1950
meant concurrent screenings with the
The theatre passed to the Dendy Group who Metro Bourke Street. With important films, Officially Metro Malvern:
successfully ran it as the Dendy Malvern into Metro Collins Street was often given a head 9 April 1952
the 1980s on a diet of Australian and start. This was the case with Kiss Me Kate An American in Paris - Gene Kelly
international films. ¬ which commenced at Metro Collins Street
on Thursday 17 December 1953 in Seating:
FOOTNOTES competition with the opening of The Robe at Front stalls 210, Back stalls 614,
the Regent Collins Street. Lounge 160, Dress Circle 352
On the Panoramic Screen Total 1336
Ads for Kate boldly proclaimed “In the New
MGM jump-started the move to widescreens Third Dimension”. The ‘new’ was true. MGM Panoramic Screen:
with their Panoramic Screen which debuted in was using a Polaroid process, far better than Monday 8 June 1953
Melbourne in mid-1953. No special optics the old red and green glasses. Kate ran for an Young Bess - Stewart Granger
were involved; just a topping and tailing of a eight week season at Metro Collins Street
standard image to fit the wider, curved screen. and was never seen in 3D anywhere else. First CinemaScope:
The trick played fast and loose with the Monday 14 June 1954
original composition of the image, but the Reference: Knights of the Round Table -
novelty was accepted until Fox’s Public Building File 8189, Units 956-57 Robert Taylor & Ava Gardner
CinemaScope, and Paramount’s high
definition VistaVision showed it up for the Images: MGM leaves:
gimmick it was. MGM’s first CinemaScope CATHS archive March 1983
feature Knights of the Round Table opened at Tom Vitale
Malvern on Monday 14 June 1954 with four Trove
sessions daily. Internet

CINEMARECORD # 91 15