Picture this.
Local cinema history.
Of all the things that have been shut down during this
pandemic, I think the one I miss the
most is going to the local cinema to see a film. Netflix and the other thousand
streaming services are handy and serve a purpose but sitting in a comfy seat,
eyes fixed on a massive screen and surround sound so that your only focus is on
what’s in front of you. No other distractions, no phones, no interruptions or
talking. (that is if the other patrons are functioning humans) It’s no secret
that all the blockbuster films have been delayed and there has even been talk
of the death of cinema, which I highly doubt. If it survived TV, video and
YouTube, a pandemic caused closure for six months isn’t going to even bruise
it. I look forward to cinemas opening again. It figures that one of my
favourite places in Boronia is the Metro Cinema. We are lucky in Boronia to
have our own cinema and do you know that it has been operating off and on in
the same location for nearly 80 years?
So, if I couldn’t go there, I decided to delve into
the fascinating history of our local picture show joint.
It all started with The
Electra Theatre which was built on the site sometime in the late 1930s, it was
a fibro and brick building constructed on land owned by Charles Spalding who
had recently built the Loyalty theatre in Ferntree Gully next to his Bakery. I
can’t confirm if this is intentional as he is not listed as the owner or
operator in any early documents. The theatre stood out on the main drag that
was Dorset road in a prime position opposite the railway station.
In the area, the same time as the Electra originally operated were the Glen
Theatre in Sassafras, the Upwey Theatre, Belgrave’s Cameo
Cinemas and the aforementioned Loyalty
Theatre in Ferntree Gully. Going to the flicks was popular in this part of
town. Did you know that in January 1952 Olinda had its own Film Festival that
attracted 600 people?
Trying to pinpoint when the cinema first operated is a bit tricky.
According to the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia
(CATHS), the Electra theatre was opened on 14th October 1939, then
contradicts itself by saying it operated from 1943. Whether the 1939 date was
the commencement of construction as the Architect and Builder are listed with
dates 1939+40 respectively, isn’t made clear.. While the Cinema and Audience
Research Project (CAARP) lists its first opening as 1st January
1946. In his history of the Boronia Church of Christ David S Allen wrote: “At the Board meeting in mid-August, Mr Graham reported the arrangements
being made for a combined Churches Thanksgiving Service in the Electra Picture
Theatre, Boronia, on "V. P. (Victory in the Pacific) Day." World War
Two was over!” - VP day being held on the 15 August 1945.
The theatre was definitely up and running post-war as there are many
adverts in the local newspaper the Mountain District Free Press also
many stories of events held there, one notable one being the June 1952 public meetings over the outrage
following the railway crossing accident where 9 people died earlier that month,
demanding action on installing warning lights. Something that after nearly four
years of to-and-froing between the council and the Victorian Railways over
responsibility saw the installation of warning lights within months. The
Electra being an auditorium was also the venue for plays and concerts as well
as film.
Ken Barret, who
grew up locally during the 1950-60s and now lives in Kilsyth recalls some of
the physical and technological changes the theatre went through: “The
original entrance had double doors with a large foyer .there was display boards
which featured coming attractions advertised on them , there was also a ticket
box. The theatre was open on Saturday
mornings so you could book your seats for the evenings showing. Whenever there
was a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis movie on Saturday night the place was booked
out. The Saturday matinee was always full of kids. Mum would give me one
shilling each week 9 pence to get in and 3 pence for an icy pole. we got a
newsreel a cartoon a trailer and a main feature. Great memories”
“The
Farmers (owner-operators
during the 1960s) introduced cinemascope movies when they managed the
theatre”
“I can remember when they had an entrance down the sideway.
When TV started the theatre closed for a period of time. The theatre opened up
again and that when the entrance was up the side alley”. What is now the
Chandler Arcade.
With the success of the Boronia Mall when it opened three years earlier
Village Cinemas demolished the Electra in 1976 and constructed a more modern
brick building consisting of two cinemas. This operated as the Village Twin
from 1979. It ran until 1989 when in closed, along with a similar sized Twin
cinema in Knoxfield due to the major redevelopment at Knox Shopping Centre. It was then taken over by Century Cinemas and
expanded into 4-screens in around 1990, then Village Cinemas took over again as
the Knox cinemas were going through even larger expansions. It closed for a
while in 2002 when the redevelopment was complete, it then re-opened in 2004 as
the Regent Cinemas. This was short-lived as it was closed by Knox council in
October the same year, for breaching safety regulations.
This was taken over almost immediately by current owner-operators the
Schouten family in June 2005. Tom Schouten has theatre in his blood and has
been associated with it since he was seven years old. He parents were also
involved, working in some form or another either as an administration or a
musician in his hometown of Geelong.
Tom has long time links to Boronia, working as manager of the then
Village Twin back in 1985, the same year he married his wife Cynthia, who also
had a long working history in the cinema industry.
they would not keep over the duration of the closure. They were gone in hours. When the lockdown continued other stock that would run out of its use by dates such as lollies and chips were donated to Police stations in the area. When the lockdown ended and limited numbers were introduced, the family took the hard decision to wait. This proved to be the right decision as to the limited seating due to social distancing only last twelve days before compulsory closedown was reintroduced. Tom is optimistic that things will return to normal and with it some long-delayed blockbuster films.
I share Tom’s outlook and when things do return to normal, or what will
be considered normal, I look forward to sitting down with a Choc Top in one of
the four Metro’s theatres because I’m going to be spending my money locally,
just to help everyone get back on track.
As an endpiece I cannot recommend the Metro Cinema membership club
higher enough. For value for money it is unbeatable. $20 a year for $8 adult
entry (that’s TWO adults) for every session as well as two free passes. If you
love going to the flicks as much as I do, it pays for itself in a couple of months and nothing can beat $4 choc
tops.
A collection of old adverts and events over the years.
References:
A CELEBRATION OF THE 80th. ANNIVERSARY of the
CHURCH OF CHRIST at BORONIA and its PEOPLE 1921-2001 COMPILED
BY DAVID S. ALLEN
http://caarp.edu.au/venue/295/view
Boronia "Good Old days" Facebook pag-- https://www.facebook.com/groups/759569961240851
