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THE COMPANY IN NEW ZEALAND

By David Lascelles

oyts in Australia bought the distribution
Hrights to many films from many
countries. They also, when in negotiation,
would very often buy the Australasian rights,
the poor producer not realising that in selling
the Australasian rights, he was virtually
giving away his New Zealand market for
nothing. Many Australian distributors pursued
this method of film purchase. However, Hoyts
found it difficult to get an outlet for its product
in New Zealand. Amalgamated Distributors
were always short of films to supply its
cinemas and, at times, were being priced out
of the market. And so, in 1980, Hoyts joined
with Amalgamated Theatres in a jointly
owned company called Amalgamated Hoyts
Film Distributors Ltd. Hoyts obtained a
guaranteed outlet throughout New Zealand
and Amalgamated Theatres had a constant
supply of international films for their cinemas. Hoyts 5, Lower Hutt
In 1982, 20th Century Fox Film Corporation,
owners of Amalgamated Theatres, its Cinemas N.Z. Ltd. was not part of the deal - complexes helped. By 1990, Tony Murray
advertising company Dominion Screens this was later sold to Village Roadshow). In had replaced John Esson and, on
Advertising, and the distribution company September, John Esson, head of Hoyts in New 21 December, they opened two new screens
were sold to the Chase Corporation (a Zealand, told the press a name change to for arthouse films at their Mid-City Complex
property investment company). Chase Hoyts Theatres NZ Ltd. was imminent. This, Wellington, bringing the number of screens at
Nominees Ltd. became the holding company however, would not take place for some years. the location to five.
for Amalgamated Theatres Ltd. which Chase
Holdings Ltd. purchased in August for the Richard Weatherly, who for years toured a Pacer Kerridge Corporation, the main rival to
bargain price of $7 million. Amalgamated travelling International Film Festival around Hoyts, was in liquidation and had been asset
leased, rather than owned their theatres, but the country, jumped ship from Pacer Kerridge stripped with many theatres closed and the
what made the company so attractive to Chase to Amalgamated Hoyts, where he readily properties sold. Those assets that remained
was its daily cash flow across the box offices. found a warm welcome. So embodied into the were put up for sale by the liquidator. In May
However, the corporate crash of 1987 sent the social fabric of society and our way of life the 1991, Hoyts and Village Roadshow each
Chase Corporation bankrupt and, in August company, was still referred to as sought to purchase the remaining Pacer
1988, Hoyts Australia bought Amalgamated “Amalgamated” for years after its Hoyts Kerridge screens. The government refused to
Theatres from the receivers at a fire sale price. ownership. allow the transaction (the Pacer Kerridge
assets were later purchased by Everard
The company became known as It took some years for Hoyts to rebrand the Cinemas for around $1.4 million). A weak
Amalgamated Hoyts Theatres (NZ) Ltd. theatres and for the public to accept a name moment in July resulted in Hoyts Australia
(Amalgamated's 50% ownership of Skyline change, although the opening of new considering selling off its New Zealand
operation. However, when feelers were put
out, little interest was forthcoming.
Hoyts Octagon, Dunedin
A policy change at board level saw the firm
begin an expansion in New Zealand, and
slowly Hoyts began to stamp its mark on the
entertainment scene. In 1992, they launched
their first Multiplex in suburban Auckland -
the eight screen complex at Wairua Park.
That same year, the New Zealand operation
was re-organised and split into two
companies forming Hoyts New Zealand
Cinemas Ltd. This company was jointly
owned by the Hoyts Corporation of New
Zealand and Endeavour Multiplex Ltd., a
subsidiary of Endeavour Entertainment
Corporation. By August, Hoyts had 40
screens throughout the country.
On 26 March 1993, Hoyts 5 Lower Hutt was
opened, seating 960. This venture was a
Hoyts-Endeavour partnership costing some
$3 million. Much further south, on
24 September, the new six screen multiplex in
Dunedin's Octagon opened with the closure
by Hoyts of the old Century Theatre.

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