BONZA - Australia & New Zealand Database

Reference Type

web

Title

eMelbourne: The city past and present

Chapter/Web article title

Cinemas

Author(s)

Daniel Catrice

Town

Melbourne

State

VIC

Country

Australia

Publication Date

00-06-2008

Citation Date

13-12-2011

Site URL

http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00347b.htm

Comments

This site looks into the public and how their experiences with entertainment changed over the years. It began acknowledging the 1890's, pre-federation as the beginning of Australian cinema in Melbourne. Although actual cinema venues were only established after 1907. Melbourne's first purpose-built cinema was opened in 1909 in South Melbourne on the corner of Sturt St and City Rd.

1909 was also the year when Arther Russell also began his Hoyts Pictures chain (which later would include the Lygon Theatre in 1926). Apart from giving a historical background of the progression of Melbourne cinema, the article also shed some insight regarding the introduction of television, stating that in 1956 Melbourne cinema attendees the rate fell by a staggering 52% in around 3 years only. and out of the 124 cinemas that were in operation during 1956, 57 had closed its doors by 1961. Those that closed were either demolished or used as factories and warehouses. Such became the state of the Lygon Hoyts, where up until a few years ago was used as a storage venue a technology centre and warehouse.

Those cinemas that endured the audience decline fought back with cinematic improvements such as Cinemascope and Cinerama and also looked into elaborate effects just as 3D and sensurround. (Rohan Mirchandaney)

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