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PROSPECT - S. A.

Royce Harris
he recent opening of a new Art Deco
Tthemed Palace Nova cinema complex in
Adelaide’s inner north at Prospect will give the
suburb’s current generation of cinema goers a
taste of what their great grandparents
experienced in earlier times.
The imposing four storey building, the tallest
in the vicinity, is diagonally opposite the site
of the former Ozone Theatre, which was a
landmark in the area for almost 40 years.

It is interesting to compare the buildings as an
indication of how cinema going has changed
over the years. The Ozone seated up to 1263
patrons in one auditorium over two levels. The
Palace Nova contains 14 screens over two
floors, eight boutique screens each seating
25-30 people, and six larger screens, the largest
accommodating 144. The older theatre catered
for large crowds and was often fully booked,
especially on Saturday nights. The owners of
the new building have stated that their current
configuration will allow for greater film
distribution. Interestingly, in its first month The new Palace Nova complex. Images: Colin Flint
they were screening the new Star Wars movie renovated in the Hoyts style. Further renovation incorporates five independent cafes and
on 12 of its 14 screens. took place in 1955 for the introduction of restaurants on the ground floor, which will add
CinemaScope when a new screen was installed, new life to the area. The 14 cinemas are located
The Ozone, at 85 Prospect Road, was built as which necessitated the removal of seats from on the next two levels, with office
The National in 1923 and was taken over by the stalls. accommodation on the top level.
the Ozone circuit in 1928 when National
Theatres went into liquidation. The Ozone The introduction of television to Adelaide in The building’s developer, the Maras Group, has
circuit was owned by the Waterman brothers 1959 had an immediate effect on cinema designed the building to recall the glory of the
and consisted of a chain of 20 suburban and attendances. The Ozone limped along with Art Deco era. Curved lines on the building’s
country theatres when it was acquired by Hoyts reduced screenings until finally closing in edges and shopfronts draw memories of the
Theatres in 1951. An article from Film Weekly November 1961. At this time many of Cinemas of the 1930s, and the vertical
in 1953 described how it was extensively Adelaide’s suburban cinemas were being “Cinema” sign that runs down the building’s
converted to supermarkets and centre spine is also reminiscent of the era. The
the Prospect Ozone building entry also has a 1930s look with its wooden
continued life as a Tom The framed doors and brass handles.
Cheap supermarket until 1971. A
dramatic report in the Adelaide The 1930s comparisons end once inside the
Advertiser of 15 September theatre. The Film Weekly article refers to
describes how “a converted “patron comfort in every Dunlopillo seat” in
picture theatre collapsed in a the Ozone, whereas an Adelaide Advertiser
cloud of thick dust at Prospect report on the Palace Nova’s opening states
yesterday. People ran for their “Luxury is an internal theme throughout, with
lives as the roof and a huge wall wide leather seats in all cinemas and a cocktail
toppled, raining tons of bricks bar on hand to provide a greater than usual
and rubble down on to the house cinematic experience.”
of an elderly couple next door.”
It was thought that the building’s The building also contains references to other
structure had been compromised non cinematic uses of the site. One of the
by lowered ceilings and a demolished buildings had a mural painted in
mezzanine floor used for storage the 1980s for Prospect Transportation and this
became overburdened. The has been screen printed in vivid colours and
The Ozone c. 1930
remains of the building were used on the facade. Another of the former
demolished and a single storey buildings was the longstanding premises of
row of shops built in its place. A.S. Horne, glove manufacturers. Their name
is on the northern wall, together with a tribute
Almost across the road, at to the business.
98 Prospect Road, the new
building is carrying on the Palace Nova officially opened on Tuesday
suburb’s cinematic tradition after 12 December, 2017 but a “soft launch” took
a break of 56 years. It has place the previous Thursday. This indicates a
replaced a row of faded shops successful future for the enterprise, with 5500
and factory buildings, and people attending the cinema in its first four days.

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