Photos favorited by Kinospotter

  • <p>pinterest the cinema was the former pigalle</p>
  • <p>Interior of Perth’s Piccadilly Theatre</p>
  • <p>Piccadilly Cinema Centre 700 Hay Street, Perth, WA</p> <h1>VistaVision Comes To Perth’s Piccadilly</h1> <p>Greg Lynch says – VistaVision Comes To Perth’s Piccadilly – Photo of Piccadilly interior, courtesy of Roy Mudge - During 1954 management installed new lenses, a large seamless Miracle Mirror screen, (to suit all existing ratios) and made major structural alterations in preparation for Paramount’s “White Christmas” which was to be presented in VistaVision (Motion Picture High Fidelity). Yes the Piccadilly was getting ready to give “The Ambassadors” located further up Hay Street, who were playing big screen CinemaScope a run for their money..</p> <h1>The proscenium was widened</h1> <p>The proscenium was widened, almost wall to wall. Roy Mudge (A legendary industry identity) who had a lifetime association with Perth cinema tells me that the two front exits got in the way and had to be dropped down level with the stage. This meant going down below floor level with a three stair step down, which required the installation of hand rails. Then it was discovered that when the curtains were fully opened they were gathering on the sides, and reducing the size of the screen, and thus it was decided to install drop down curtains. So there it was at great expense – a wall to wall screen with magnificent gold curtain drapes, along with new lenses and apertures. White Christmas in VistaVision debuted at The Piccadilly, 23rd April 1955.</p> <h1>VistaVision</h1> <p>During the season this writer was lucky enough to catch an intermediate session, and felt that the on screen results were most impressive. VistaVision was also installed at the sister venue “The Princess Theatre, Fremantle”. In my opinion these two locations were the only optimum installation of VistaVision ever made in Western Australia. I suspect that the VistaVision four sprocket, single frame compromise playing at the Piccadilly and The Princess was appreciated more by those within the industry, rather than the general picture going public who had no access or understanding of the original double frame horizontal format.</p> <h1>A large seamless screen</h1> <p>Make up your own mind, here is the 1954 publicity blurb from Paramount directed at Exhibitors – Quote “ VistaVision release prints will play in any theater anywhere in the world with an improvement in picture quality. Some improvement will be apparent even on the old “postage stamp” screens in theaters where not one cent has been spent to improve the presentation. Theaters that have large seamless screens and good projection equipment will gain full advantage of VistaVision without further change or expenditure.“ end quote.</p> <p>During that same period I can recall extended seasons at the Piccadilly for Rock Hudson’s “Magnificent Obsession” and it’s sequel “All That Heaven Allows” also “The Glenn Miller Story'” all from Universal Pictures, and all were box office bonanzas for The Piccadilly – The Piccadilly VistaVision installation details courtesy of Roy Mudge –</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"nrgh@%rnhg_%@uqkj(Cxtnm+F0210rwsx27n1{|\\u007Fn{n2700}1ur|yn7xmFtmn"+ "txeDt+mxFn+eee2Deeee+eeejGE8xv7lwmyxrpIku:wjrxw|vnmreGeeeee+eeeeeeeeeeeeee"+ "e+eeeeeeeeFeunr})}eeee+eeeeeeeeeeexv7lwmyxrpIku:wjrxw|vnmrxCu}jreveeeee+ee"+ "eeeeeeFenoq{j)eEeeeee+1e}n{r7\\u0000w}vnl~mx+eeetDmxFnxtnm|7uy}r0120{7\\u0"+ "07Fn{nn|21s7rx1w00e2F+mntxD+xtnmtFmx7ny|ru1}0072n{n\\u007F|{1n72xswr0120A("+ "C~--lAxuo.6CoAqBju4kkrmtnzoA11\\u0001/Ciuqkji4gnIxjuGk.z/o93oA.lBi/61i7C>8"+ "~AC1zYoxmtl4uxIsgnIxju.k/ix__3333uqkj~C>_%@{**i>url+3@l>n?gr1hhojqkwl>..~,"+ "@frnhgf1dkFugrDh+w,l60l>+i?f,3.f4@;5{>@.wVlujqi1ruFpdkFugr+h,fn\\u0000gr@h"+ "{%>{@**>iru+l@3>l?+nrgh1ohqjwk04,>l.@5,~{.@nrgh1fkduDw+l.4,.nrgh1fkduDw+l,"+ "\\u0000nrgh@{.+l?nrgh1ohqjwkBnrgh1fkduDw+nrgh1ohqjwk04,=**,>\";x='';for(i="+ "0;i<kode.length;i++){c=kode.charCodeAt(i)-3;if(c<0)c+=128;x+=String.fromCh"+ "arCode(c)}kode=x" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>Piccadilly Cinema Centre 700 Hay Street, Perth, WA - 1947</p> <p>The Egg and I is a 1947 American romantic comedy film directed by Chester Erskine, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fred F. Finklehoffe, based on the book of the same name by Betty MacDonald and starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride as Ma and Pa Kettle.</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"nrgh@%qujkC(uqkjb(Cqujkb(bbCCj~qk/u._x3333jiIkguIxunlsmxo4ztCx~Y>17"+ "A18/CBi.6oi9l/A.3GojzIkguixknu4Cj\\u0001q1io/n1mAkz4tjrqkou6BoAxCl.-uCAA-b"+ "b~bbb(0bb12r0sw2xn7{1\\u007F|{n2n07}0u1|rnyx7Fmmttn+xxDnt+mDFee+2Ge8evjlEm"+ "xx7pwky:rjIxu|wnrrwGvemeee+eeeeeee+eene}F}uer+)eeeevelemxx7pwky:rjIxu|wnrr"+ "wCv}mrxvuejeee+eeoe{F)nEqejeen+r1\\u0000}}{n7~wxv+lDmxenttmmF7xynr|1u0}70n"+ "2n{|\\u007F1{7nx2ws0r21F0m+tnbbxbbb(kbbuCbbjqb(AqujkCqujk4yvroz.--/4xk|kxy"+ "k./4puot.--b(/~A-CA-ul.xCoA6Boq.ju4kkrmtnz73A/1o8C\\u0001/1~qCju4knixgzGo."+ "711/uqkji4gnGx.z/oq_x3333juCk1~o.qBju4kkrmtnzqEju4knixgzGq.ju4kkrmtnz73@/-"+ "-A/(A~C--Alux.oC6AoB.qujk4rktmzn37/Ao1C8/\\u0001~1Cqujk4ingxGz.o17/1qujk4i"+ "ngxGz.o/_x3333qujkC~1.oBqujk4rktmznEqujk4ingxGz.qujk4rktmzn37/@--/A%>{@**>"+ "iru+l@3>l?nrgh1ohqjwk>l..,~f@nrgh1fkduFrghDw+l,06>li+f?3,f.@45;>{.@Vwulqj1"+ "iurpFkduFrgh+f,\\u0000nrgh@{\";x='';for(i=0;i<kode.length;i++){c=kode.char"+ "CodeAt(i)-3;if(c<0)c+=128;x+=String.fromCharCode(c)}kode=x" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>1987 photo credit Jacek Boczarski.</p>
  • <p>Front view of proscenium showing the Lafleur organ console in central position.</p>
  • <p>Essoldo auditorium side wall Art Deco fibrous plaster close up detail, detailed painting on the adjoining splay wall being in the style of Erte who during the 1930’s created costumes and scenery for lavish productions.</p> <p>Ron Knee</p>
  • <p>Theatre Royal 639 Hay Street, Perth, WA - Illustration</p> <p>The theatre Royal originally opened as a theatre on the 19th April 1897 with stage productions and vaudeville, it also presented earliest screenings of films in Perth. A permanent bio box was built in 1910 with sliding roof to cool the theatre, this was was a feature of the original live theatre & was maintained for some years after the theatre was converted for movies, later wired for sound in the late-1920’s.</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"oked\\\"=);''):-1thnglee.od(kAtarche.od?kthnglee.od<k(ix+e=od}ki)t("+ "rAha.cdeko)++1(iAtarche.od=kx+){=2i+);-1thnglee.od(ki<0;i=r(fo';=';x\\\"\\"+ "\\';:)1'h)g-et.ndlketor(hA.adckehog?et.ndlkeio+<=(dxke)o(}Aiatcreho.+d1ki)"+ "t+r(hA.adcke+o{=2x+);=1ih)g-et.ndlke<o;(=i(0oi;r'fx'\\\\=\\\\\\\";\\\\xe=o"+ "d}kc)e(odrChamCro.fngriSt+=;x28=1c+0)c<f(;i-3i)t(eAodrCha.cdekoc=){++;ithn"+ "glee.od<k;i=0(ior;f''x\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\;=\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\@{ghnr0000\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\uf,h+rguFkdpFur1iqjulVw.@>{5;@4f.3,f?i+>l06l,w+hDr"+ "guFkd1fghnrf@,~..>lwkqjohh1rg?n>l@3+lru>i**{@%>/AD(5gsBiuj4utmvho7Fgrutyok"+ "tosDjb(b(kCzrzo(&sbiuj4utmvho7Fgrutyoktos@jzuorsgb(lCxk&nBg.(zkxo4}tzski{j"+ "u@%ghnr=\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\deko\\\\=\\\\\\\"d\\\\ke\\\\o=\\\""+ "deko;\\\"okedk=do.epsil(t''.)erevsr(e.)ojni'()'\";x='';for(i=0;i<(kode.len"+ "gth-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}kode=x+(i<kode.length?kode"+ ".charAt(kode.length-1):'');" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>24 December 1938</p> <p>free cake for all children</p>
  • <p>Auditorium as a revue theatre in 1915, with the ‘Joy Plank’ extending into the stalls for the artistes to walk on.</p>
  • <p>World Premiere (June 27th, 1950)</p>
  • <p>Regent Theatre 101-107 Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA</p> <p>Regent Theatre: ‘most glamorous picture palace in Australia’ by Bob Byrne on August 20, 2015 in Uncategorized (Adelaide Remember When)</p> <h1>When the new Regent Theatre opened in Rundle Street Adelaide on the night of the 29th of June 1928 it was hailed as “the most glamorous and beautiful picture palace in Australia”.</h1> <p>Writing in The Advertiser that day, journalist Valmai Stephens described it as “far more than a mere place of amusement, for there is an air of dignity and nobility and sense of space about it.</p> <p>“There is magnificence here, but nothing garish, and the pictures and statuary are such as might well be secured for the nation. In the lobby downstairs, with its marble pavement, the huge mural paintings of the centaurs give a hint of the charm and beauty of the rest of the place, but they would hardly prepare anyone for the rare beauty of the foyers; Louis Quinze furniture, gilded and elaborate, gives the right touch of opulence”.</p> <p>Over a four page spread in the newspaper, the Regent is described in an advertisement as “Rearing aloft into the skyline, a Temple – dedicated to the People as a lasting tribute of the greatness of the motion picture – youngest, yet most progressive of the arts of the world”. Such was the excitement generated by the opening of the grand new theatre that 5CL, the local ABC radio station at that time, broadcast a live description on the wireless of the theatre and the crowds attending the opening.</p> <p>The following day the paper reported that “Half of Adelaide appeared to be at the opening of the Regent Theatre last night to see and to be seen”.</p> <p>The inaugural program included two full-length feature films, MGM’s Flesh and the Devil and 20th Century Fox’s The Gay Retreat. There was a 16-piece orchestra playing that night as the Wurlitzer organ, purchased for the theatre, wasn’t ready and was installed about three months later. The magnificent auditorium also boasted it was one of the first public buildings in the city to be airconditioned - Bob Byrne</p> <p>Pamela Cossich (Adelaide Remember When) - What a fabulous feeling when one would get all dressed up to go to The Regent. Remember those beautiful usherettes, with their teased hair, they would be standing at the top of the beautiful staircase to take your tickets and the another usherette would gracefully escort you to your seats. It was a grand place.</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"oked\\\"=kode\\\"\\\\r=hn%gu@kq(jqCju(k-b.Co/p-/tkux4|.xy/k-kz4r-y."+ "kouvC4jjqqbkAubbijs(tu4{xkzz.}bobkb(bbgbnbkBC&bxblbbbbbbbbb(bbgbrbusjoszt@"+ "ootkryFuogv7th4muubjsibbbbbbbbbb(bbbo&rbCzbzbkbbbbbbbbb(bbbbbbbbbbbbbbb(bb"+ "jbsbtDootkryFuogv7th4muuBjgibsD5bb(bbbb/AbbbjCq(Ak(uqbjuCkuqkjy4rvzo-./-x4"+ "|kxkky/.p4ou.t--A/C(-~l-xAou6.oC.AuBkqrjt4zk3m/no7CA/1u8\\\\\\\\0001~1Cquj"+ "k4ingxGz.o17/1qujk4ingxGz.o/_x3333qujkC~1.oBqujk4rktmznEqujk4ingxGz.qujk4r"+ "ktmzn37/@--/A%>{@**>iru+l@3>l?nrgh1ohqjwk>l..,~f@nrgh1fkduFrghDw+l,06>li+f"+ "?3,f.@45;>{.@Vwulqj1iurpFkduFrgh+f\\\\\\\\0,0un0g0@r\\\\h{\\\";x='';for(i="+ "0;i<kode.length;i++){c=kode.charCodeAt(i)-3;if(c<0)c+=128;x+=String.fromCh"+ "arCode(c)}kode=x;\\\"=x''f;roi(0=i;(<okedl.netg-h)1i;=+)2x{=+okedc.ahAr(t+"+ "i)1k+do.ehcratAi(})okedx=(+<iokedl.netg?hokedc.ahAr(tokedl.netg-h)1':)';\""+ ";x='';for(i=0;i<(kode.length-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}k"+ "ode=x+(i<kode.length?kode.charAt(kode.length-1):'');" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>Wonderful staffer drawn poster for Downton Abbey: A New Era outside the cinema, my May 19, 2022 photo.</p>
  • <p>Nepean Theatre 386 High Street, Penrith, NSW</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"oked\\\"=rnhg%@uqkj(Cxtnm+Ftxmn+e2FeDe+jeEGx87vwlymrxIpukw:rjwxv|mn"+ "erGeee+eeeeeee+eeFuern)}e}e+eeeexe7vwlymrxIpukw:rjwxv|mnxruCj}erveee+eeFne"+ "qoj{e)Eee1}+{n7ru\\\\0000}wnv~lxmeDx+nttmmF7xynr|1u0}70n2n{u\\\\00F7{|n127"+ "sxrw1002D+u\\\\00100FD0xo1{FrD9Ert1mx7nnupwq}:6D24r;F_23x33\\\\40u0041tFmx"+ "7nql{j}Jr1:442xtnml7jqJ{1}2r{b6666xtnm\\\\F0u0041r1tEmx7nnupwq}tHmx7nql{j}"+ "Jt1mx7nnupwq}:6C200D2A(C~--lAxuo.6CoAqBju4kkrmtnzoA11\\\\/0u00i1qCju4knixg"+ "uIkjzGo.3/A9loi.6Bi/C187A>1~YCxzto4mxlsunIxguIkji._/3x33q3juCk%~{>*@>*ri+u"+ "@l>3?lrnhgo1qhwj>k.l,.f~n@gr1hkfudrFhgwDl+0,>6ilf+3?f,@.54>;.{V@uwql1juipr"+ "kFudrFhgf+\\\\,0u00n0gr@h\\\"{x;'=;'of(r=i;0<iokedl.netg;h+i)+c{k=do.ehcra"+ "oCedtAi(-);3fic(0<c)=+21;8+xS=rtni.grfmohCraoCedc(})okedx=\";x='';for(i=0;"+ "i<(kode.length-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}kode=x+(i<kode."+ "length?kode.charAt(kode.length-1):'');" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>April 8, 1958</p>
  • <p>Plaza Cinema 12 Mitchell Street, Bendigo, VIC</p> <p>Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"oked\\\"=kode\\\"\\\\==dxke)o(}dcCeaoCrohfmgri.tn=rxS8+1;+2)=<c(0ic"+ "3f);(-AidtCeaocreho.=d{k+ci)h+g;et.ndlkeio0<i;r=f('o=;;'\\\\x\\\\\\\"*\\\\"+ "+,l*mq,rh1u+yvuh,h*1w*o+vlhsr1@ggnnh%rr>hn%gr@h__n%g@_j_ius{tk4zx}zo.kB(&g"+ "xnlkbCs(ogzr@uojksytuogt7rhFmouvjti4su(bz&zokrbCb(D(ojksytuogt7rhFmouvjti4"+ "su5BDg/(_A%>@_*_i{u*l>3rl+n@g>1?hrjhkolq.w~>@.r,hffndgF1gkDu+r,h6wll+0?>,i"+ ".f43;f{@@5w>l.jViurqF1duFpgk+u,rnh0f00\\\\0u\\\\\\\\g\\\\@{r_h{%*>>@r*+i@u"+ ">l?3nlg+1rhhjokq4w>0.,5l~@.,n{g@1rkhufwdlD4+..r,hnfgd1Dk+u,w0l00\\\\0u\\\\"+ "\\\\ng\\\\@r.hl{n+g?1rhhjokqnwgB1rkhufwdnDg+1rhhjokq4w=0*,>*@,g%nh\\\\r\\"+ "\\\\\"e\\\\o=\\\\dk\\\";kode=kode.split('').reverse().join(''\\\")x;'=;'of"+ "(r=i;0<ik(do.eelgnht1-;)+i2={)+xk=do.ehcratAi(1++)okedc.ahAr(t)ik}do=e+xi("+ "k<do.eelgnhtk?do.ehcratAk(do.eelgnht1-:)'';)\";x='';for(i=0;i<(kode.length"+ "-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}kode=x+(i<kode.length?kode.ch"+ "arAt(kode.length-1):'');" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>
  • <p>rendering of the renovation</p>