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a viable clientele and was shut down – amid
pointless protest from the art-house types –
1987. The premises became an Italian Club.
Memory is usually extreme when it comes to
childhood. We either idealise it or blame all
our misfortunes on it. But, yes, as far as
suburban cinemas are concerned, life was
more generous back then. I remember cinema
managers frequently giving out prizes of
lollies and free tickets and large promotional
cards featuring scenes from particular movies.
The latter are valuable collectors’ items today.
On the other hand, there was a condescending
and even disciplinarian attitude toward the
audiences that would never be tolerated today.
I recall a system of fines in operation at the
Padua which meant you had to pay an extra
sixpence – or was it threepence? – if you
wanted to be admitted after the film had
commenced. And I recall one cinema manager
stopping the film mid-way and storming down
to the stage in front of the screen to admonish
the young audience for our noisiness and
Progress Theatre, 236 Reynard St. Coburg c. 2015. Opened 1927; closed 1998 unruly behaviour.

The Alhambra and the Lygon both shut down demolished in 1982. I’m not sure what My first independent experience of cinema –
in 1959 after, respectively, 45 and 36 years in happened to the Plaza, but the Grand became independent of my parents, that is – was at the
the business. The other theatres survived a ten-pin bowling centre for a while and then Padua. With my next-door neighbour’s son,
television for varying periods but only because an Italian reception centre. Joe Tuccio, I walked along Albion Street to
they dropped their mainstream Anglo- Sydney Road to see a genuine, real-life, horror
American content and appealed to the main Perhaps the most interesting process of movie Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man. I
ethnic communities in the locality – the Greeks demise, reinvention and final decline was that recall the anticipation as dusk settled in over
and Italians – by specializing in imported of the Liberty. After experiencing dwindling the textile factories and brick works of my
Greek and Italian films. The Liberty, which clientele as a foreign language cinema in the suburb. Night almost beat us to the cinema and
had opened in 1935, would have gone the way 1960s, it was revived as a venue for soft core the walk back home, with our imaginations
of the Lygon and Alhambra were it not for its adult movies under the name the Galaxy. With running wild, was nearly scarier than the
adoption in 1958 of the name Theatro Liberty the advent of home video players in the early movie. I don’t recall the plot but the black-and-
and its decision to screen Italian movies. The 1980s, and the establishment of porn venues in white imagery was amazing. We saw an
Western closed its doors as an English the city, the Galaxy went out of business. The ordinary man transformed into a werewolf; a
language venue in 1960 and became the Liberty’s final decline again reflected close up of his face gradually changing as new
Marco Polo. The Empire, one of Melbourne’s changing times – and changing demographic layers were added – or stripped away? – to
oldest suburban cinemas, became a Greek factors. During the 1980s, Brunswick and reveal a monster. Frankenstein – really Baron
picture theatre after ceasing mainstream Coburg underwent a period of rapid Frankenstein’s monster – is always a
screenings in 1956 – after 44 years in gentrification. The former industrial working sympathetic character to anyone who has felt
existence. The Padua held back television’s class residents were being displaced by on the outer, and Joe and I supported him in his
challenge until 1968. Part of its endurance lay increasing numbers of professional, middle battle against Lon Chaney Junior.
in the fact that it was such a magnificent venue class newcomers. Concrete driveways and rose
and its management had kept up with gardens gave way to bicycles and native Sydney Road’s picture theatres were the most
technological advances, including the gardens. The Liberty became an art-house popular for the people of Coburg and
installation of CinemaScope. The Padua cinema. However, the Liberty failed to attract Brunswick in the 1950s and 1960s but, as
became the Metropole in 1969 and screened
Italian language films.

The adaptation to new multicultural realities
involved changes in management with Greek
and Italian businesses taking over from the
Australian old guard. But the pressure of
television was unrelenting and eventually the
Italians and the Greeks came to prefer sitting
in front of a little screen to a big one. It is
tempting to say that the advent of SBS-TV -
“ethnic television” – caused the demise of the
non-Anglo cinema but the reality is that their
decline was almost complete prior to the
establishment of SBS Channel 28 television
station in 1980. The Empire, for example,
screened its last Greek movie in 1975. Badly
damaged by fire the following year, the
building was renovated as a reception centre,
retaining its Greek clientele. The Western
became a club, “Estonia House” in 1972. The
Metropole (Padua) closed in 1981 and,
incredibly, the marvellous 1930s building was
Western, 43 Melville Rd. West Brunswick c 1995. Opened 1928; closed 1971

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