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Reference Type The Argus newspaper
Title Art And Nature Attend The Filmgoer
Author(s)John Morris
Section The Argus Week-end Magazine
Town Melbourne
State VIC
Country Australia
Publication Date 24-12-1938
Citation Date
Page Number 6s
Comments (Comments by Jessica Eslick:)



John Morris approaches his review of the Hoyts Park Theatre as a story, telling a tale of old and new that is clearly designed to inspire feelings of wonder and act as an advertisement. He draws in the reader by creating a comparison between the “dim past”, and the “dazzle” and “lavishness” of the Park. The article is quite openly skewed towards advertising the theatre and drawing in clientele yet it is also a useful piece of insight into the role the Park theatre played in history as a part of the evolution of cinema. The article hails it as the latest development and goes so far as to praise Taylor and Soilleux for bringing “democracy into their buildings” by providing comfort to everyone. It is also interesting to look back and see that the article was written on the cusp of World War Two; how much of the theatre glamour was a ruse for distracting themselves from ghosts of World War One? This is furthered by the final sentence which elludes to competition within the world - "...the theatre-goers of Albert Park will know that even New York has not stolen the march on them."

Overall I found this article interesting in its content, but also intriguing because of the questions that looking further into it can raise. I found it mildly helpful, if only for the information it contains about a Hawaiian themed room which appears to be the South Sea Bar described in ‘Cinema’s of Australia via USA'.



(End Comments.)
Synopsis This newspaper article reviews the Park picture theatre when it was newly built. It approaches the subject as though they are about to create a documentary revealing the contrast it creates when viewed next to movies as ‘the flickers’. The accompanying picture is an image of the lighting system in the ceiling which appears abstractly artistic.

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