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1959 and Hoyts chose the Esquire for the first Melbourne release of the prestigious musical South Pacific. It ran for a record number of performances and was the first 70mm production to screen in Melbourne.

The presentation of South Pacific required a new larger screen (with a reduced curve) and a new wall to wall proscenium.

A special stage curtain was installed featuring a motive of hibiscus flowers to give the theatre a feel of the South Pacific islands.

A record breaking season

South Pacific screened from (Feb 5, 1959 to Nov 22, 1961) that’s 146 weeks for a total of 1873 performances.

“The Miracle of Todd-AO"

Screening with South Pacific was a featurette called “The Miracle of Todd-AO". A short film demonstrating the new 70mm widescreen Todd-AO system. After a prologue that shows all that the eye can see through the Todd-AO wide angle lens, we take a ride in a roller-coaster, fly over the canyons of the Grand Teton Mountains, ski in Sun Valley, and follow a motorcycle chase through the San Francisco.

Todd-AO - Nothing better

In this writers opinion The roller-coaster ride in “The Miracle of Todd-AO" could be compared favourably to the one in “This is Cinerama”, because there are no join lines to cause distraction - In one word Exhilarating

Contributed by Greg Lynch -