In case the photo of the restored auditorium disappears, I had the photo archived at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240831111921/https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPCidfgG7BvpPqk9yCXWkNcapPvXf_dBW5Qdj2a=s864-w824-h864
I remember a school excursion to the theatre then known as the Richbrooke Theatre.
It was a religious school so the excursion was for performance Godspell.
The price of the ticket was $2.00.
It was a long walk from the entrance past the box office to the foyer of the theatre.
There were no curtains for the opening and end of the performance.
It was disappointing that the set was a cheap and nasty wire fence with the musicians above and behind the wire fence.
I was expecting to see a more elaborate set like a desert scene in Bethlehem or River Jordan or Mount Calvary where Jesus was crucified.
In the latter scene, the song had somber lyrics “…oh Lord I’m bleeding…oh Lord I’m dying…” with a slow mournful reprise of “Prepare Ye The Way Of The Lord”.
The performers and musicians more than made than enough for want of lack of sets.
In one scene the song was “Turn Back O Man”. The performer made her way into the audience and sat on a brother’s lap. The brother was one of the teachers accompanying us students.
The performer incorrectly called the brother “Father”, although he was wearing the same clerical clothing as a priest.
Even though the the auditorium had no curtains, here is a photo of the auditorium with curtains.
Photo of the auditorium curtains closed
https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/568870
Since the purchase in 1999 by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, the auditorium has been restored to its original historical status.
Gone are the wide proscenium and veneers of the side walls. The only modern additions are the green ‘Exit’ signs to the left and right exit doors.
Photo of auditorium restored to original
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPCidfgG7BvpPqk9yCXWkNcapPvXf_dBW5Qdj2a=s864-w824-h864 photo by Ramadevi Pepakayala
Please refer to the image from “The Love Bug” showing that the image must have been the 1960s equivalent of Photoshop. The alleged projected image occupies the whole screen including the bottom barrier. Projecting an image on a dark surface should be darker!
Referring to my comments on this page, I refer the reader to Field 2’s screen at https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/39920/photos/429998 where one should see the borfer under the screen. If a picture was projected on the whole screen as above, the image where the border under the screen is shpuld be darker.
Therefore the photo of the movie in this picture has been altered in a laboratory.
Here is a link to this image on this site:
https://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/430214/1707513553/large.jpg?1707513553
“Walk Into Paradise” was released in Australia on September 24, 1956. It was an Australian and French co-production starring Chips Rafferty and Françoise Christophe.
The movie was also marketed as “Walk Into Hell”.
Filmed in the then Australian-administered territory of PNG.
Film clips from the movie:
https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/walk-paradise/#undefined&ui-page=Video-clips-1
In order to work out the date of this photo, looking to the right of the main attraction advertised at the front of the theatre is an advertisement for another feature “The Naked Pray” produced and acted by Cornell Wilde". The movie was made in 1965 and released to the US market in March 1966.
At the end of the 2min55s movie featuring the interior of the theatre at
https://player.vimeo.com/video/676165226?h=51245a0f1a, if you wait to the end, you will see at the centre of the screen, “More from Paul Brennan”.
You will get the opportunity to see (1) curtains parting with and without the projected image from various viewing angles and (2) external view of the cinema starting from Summer Hill Station.
Apologies, typographical error in the 4th paragraph of my comment.
Where it says, “Mr Santos, film buff”, replace with “Mr Zantos, film buff”.
Thank you,
Anthony
Article from the SMH, 22-03-2022, about the history and CGI computer techniques re-creating the original appearance of the theatre on opening day in 1930:
If you cannot see the article, clear the browser cache of cookies then refresh page.
Article from the Inner West Review, 23-03-2022, Mr Brennan documentary maker and Mr Santos, film buff. Also includes a photo gallery and 2min55s CGI movie.
Many more pictures of the theatre can be found in a photo essay by Prof. Ross Thorne at http://www.rossthorne.com/downloads/Palace_theatre.pdf
Prior to “The Palace’s” demolition in 1970, it reverted to live theatre. This document gives an idea on other features of the theatre, https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/palace_theatre.
The last movie to be shown at “The Palace” was “Skippy and the Intruders” between the 12th December 1969 and 4th January, 1970, source: https://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/intruders.
A reasonable quality digitally restored movie of “Skippy and the Intruders” is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxohPSyJXGc
The Sydney Hilton occupies the space of the former “The Palace”.
OBSERVATION: Notice that the image of the gentleman on the right is blending in with the right proscenium’s column.
Why was the photo double-exposed? It seems that there was not enough light when the first exposure was taken. The woman facing the microphone must have been extremely still in order for the second exposure to take place and the gentleman moved in just before the second exposure in order for the double exposure to occur.
Another remark is that the antenna mast which replaced the Globe on the top of the building was 360 feet (110m) high.
Also the “Sheik” refers to a movie exhibited in 1922 called “The Sheik” starring Rudolph Valentino. The movie was the most popular exhibited movie when the building was known as “The Globe” theatre.
In addition to the above commentary, the Globe Theatre was remodelled in the 1940s as the studios for radio station 2UW.
Where there once a globe on the top of the theatre, it was replaced with the radio mast.
A link to Getty Images shows the radio tower above the Globe Theatre https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/radio-tower-in-george-street-cityartist-arrow-the-nest-in-the-mast-picture-id1080163538?s=2048x2048.
There are plans to redevelop the property as from 2019, even the National Trust is objecting to its redevelopment, https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/news/the-national-trust-opposes-the-proposed-demolition-of-the-former-globe-theatre-in-sydney/
Further evidence to support that the picture depicted of Field 2’s screen being altered is that the aspect ratio of “The Love Bug” is 1.75:1 while the aspect ratio of the screen is 2.20:1 (see reference to the ‘first page’ for this theatre.
This means that the projected image of the ‘feature’ should never had filled the screen as depicted in the photograph.
Many films exhibited at this drive in had aspect ratios that never filled the screen. “The Love Bug” was one of them. So too was Walt Disney’s “The Barefoot Executive” at 1.75:1, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066811/ The other film “Chariots Of The Gods” never filled the screen with an aspect ratio of 1.66:1.
It was Disney policy to shoot ‘widescreen’ with an aspect ratio of 1.75:1.
This is a photo of Field 2 with the houses behind the screen in Norfolk Rd.
I wish to remark about Field 2’s screen. This photo has been replicated on various sites.
As I recall, at the bottom of Field 2’s screen, there was a green border of “two panels height”. I believe that may have been designed to prevent light from the projection box ‘interfering’ with the amenity of those residents directly behind the screen.
The photo depicted from a scene in the movie “The Love Bug” shows what is purported to be the projected image over the green border.
Generally, there was hardly any projection of the image on the green border at the bottom of Field 2’s screen.
If there was a projection of part of the image on the green border at the bottom of Field 2’s screen, then that portion of the image would have been darker than the white surface of the screen above the green border.
Therefore I believe that the purported projected image from a scene in “The Love Bug” movie was altered for artistic purposes.
Recall there was a green border of two panels height at the bottom of the screen and that any portion of the image projected on a non-white surface would be darker than the image projected on the white portion of the screen.
It would have been more authentic if Field 2’s screen was shown with its green (grey for b/w photo).
Note the interior of the auditorium from the stalls to proscenium and from the proscenium to the stalls. Note well the biobox is at the rear of the stalls. Usually the biobox is at the rear of the dress circle.
NOTE: The links may look as if they are incomplete BUT you can still get the whole hyperlink.
How? Highlight the hyperlink with your mouse or touchpad. Copy by either (a) by right clicking what you highlighted and press CTRL+V = paste into a new browser tab OR (b) copy the highlighed hyperlink, by pressing CTRL+V then press CTRL+V into a new browser tab.
Don’t worry that you think that you only copied the partial link. In fact you copied the WHOLE link.
Alternatively the links do not work, “google” search terms: marina theatre pastlives of the near future or pastlivesofthenearfuture.
The Marina theatre at Gardener’s Rd Roseberry has its biobox at the rear of the stalls at:
https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2012/05/30/the-marina-picture-palacevideomaniafor-lease-rosebery-nsw/
In case the photo of the restored auditorium disappears, I had the photo archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20240831111921/https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPCidfgG7BvpPqk9yCXWkNcapPvXf_dBW5Qdj2a=s864-w824-h864
Thanks
I remember a school excursion to the theatre then known as the Richbrooke Theatre.
It was a religious school so the excursion was for performance Godspell.
The price of the ticket was $2.00.
It was a long walk from the entrance past the box office to the foyer of the theatre.
There were no curtains for the opening and end of the performance.
It was disappointing that the set was a cheap and nasty wire fence with the musicians above and behind the wire fence.
I was expecting to see a more elaborate set like a desert scene in Bethlehem or River Jordan or Mount Calvary where Jesus was crucified.
In the latter scene, the song had somber lyrics “…oh Lord I’m bleeding…oh Lord I’m dying…” with a slow mournful reprise of “Prepare Ye The Way Of The Lord”.
The performers and musicians more than made than enough for want of lack of sets.
In one scene the song was “Turn Back O Man”. The performer made her way into the audience and sat on a brother’s lap. The brother was one of the teachers accompanying us students.
The performer incorrectly called the brother “Father”, although he was wearing the same clerical clothing as a priest.
Even though the the auditorium had no curtains, here is a photo of the auditorium with curtains.
Photo of the auditorium curtains closed https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/568870
Since the purchase in 1999 by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, the auditorium has been restored to its original historical status.
Gone are the wide proscenium and veneers of the side walls. The only modern additions are the green ‘Exit’ signs to the left and right exit doors.
Photo of auditorium restored to original https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPCidfgG7BvpPqk9yCXWkNcapPvXf_dBW5Qdj2a=s864-w824-h864 photo by Ramadevi Pepakayala
Thanks
Advertisement for the exhibition of the movie “Walk Into Paradise” on both fields is on this website.
https://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/330550/1609656830/large.jpeg?1609656830
This is one of three box office booths below Field 1’s screen . Motorists enter from Waterloo Rd
On your left below Field 1’s screen and to the left of the towering sign, are three box office booths directly under Field 1’s screen.
Please refer to the image from “The Love Bug” showing that the image must have been the 1960s equivalent of Photoshop. The alleged projected image occupies the whole screen including the bottom barrier. Projecting an image on a dark surface should be darker!
https://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/294339/1577148024/large.jpg?1577148024
Referring to my comments on this page, I refer the reader to Field 2’s screen at https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/39920/photos/429998 where one should see the borfer under the screen. If a picture was projected on the whole screen as above, the image where the border under the screen is shpuld be darker.
Therefore the photo of the movie in this picture has been altered in a laboratory.
Here is a link to this image on this site: https://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/430214/1707513553/large.jpg?1707513553
The movie “Walk Into Paradise” also known as “Walk Into Hell” can be purchased as a DVD.
Alternatively the movie can be seen in either a 360p or 144p resolution on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4sB38dll00&t=1023
“Walk Into Paradise” was released in Australia on September 24, 1956. It was an Australian and French co-production starring Chips Rafferty and Françoise Christophe.
The movie was also marketed as “Walk Into Hell”.
Filmed in the then Australian-administered territory of PNG.
Film clips from the movie: https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/walk-paradise/#undefined&ui-page=Video-clips-1
Synopsis: https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/walk-paradise/notes/
Further details: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_Into_Paradise
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0049931/?ref_=m_tt_urv
To the left of the towering sign is the entrance to the box office booth.
Reference to “The Naked Prey” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Naked_Prey
In order to work out the date of this photo, looking to the right of the main attraction advertised at the front of the theatre is an advertisement for another feature “The Naked Pray” produced and acted by Cornell Wilde". The movie was made in 1965 and released to the US market in March 1966.
So we can date this photo to at least 1966.
At the end of the 2min55s movie featuring the interior of the theatre at
https://player.vimeo.com/video/676165226?h=51245a0f1a, if you wait to the end, you will see at the centre of the screen, “More from Paul Brennan”.
You will get the opportunity to see (1) curtains parting with and without the projected image from various viewing angles and (2) external view of the cinema starting from Summer Hill Station.
Thank you,
Anthony
Apologies, typographical error in the 4th paragraph of my comment. Where it says, “Mr Santos, film buff”, replace with “Mr Zantos, film buff”. Thank you, Anthony
Article from the SMH, 22-03-2022, about the history and CGI computer techniques re-creating the original appearance of the theatre on opening day in 1930:
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/lost-cinema-warns-of-fate-of-sydney-s-picture-palaces-20220311-p5a3u1.html
If you cannot see the article, clear the browser cache of cookies then refresh page.
Article from the Inner West Review, 23-03-2022, Mr Brennan documentary maker and Mr Santos, film buff. Also includes a photo gallery and 2min55s CGI movie.
https://www.innerwestreview.com.au/story/7662097/film-to-revive-lost- summer-hill-icon/?cs=23035#slide=0
In case the above article’s link does not exist, there is an archive of the website, but the 2min55s movie may not play.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220326055010/https://www.innerwestreview.com.au/story/7662097/film-to-revive-lost-summer-hill-icon/?cs=23035 .
Given that the movie may not play in the archived page, there is vimeo link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/676165226?h=51245a0f1a
In case the movie is not available, there is the archived link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220326055013/https://player.vimeo.com/video/676165226?h=51245a0f1a
Thank you,
Anthony
Many more pictures of the theatre can be found in a photo essay by Prof. Ross Thorne at http://www.rossthorne.com/downloads/Palace_theatre.pdf
Prior to “The Palace’s” demolition in 1970, it reverted to live theatre. This document gives an idea on other features of the theatre, https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/palace_theatre.
The last movie to be shown at “The Palace” was “Skippy and the Intruders” between the 12th December 1969 and 4th January, 1970, source: https://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/intruders.
A reasonable quality digitally restored movie of “Skippy and the Intruders” is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxohPSyJXGc
The Sydney Hilton occupies the space of the former “The Palace”.
Thank you,
Anthony of Sydney
OBSERVATION: Notice that the image of the gentleman on the right is blending in with the right proscenium’s column.
Why was the photo double-exposed? It seems that there was not enough light when the first exposure was taken. The woman facing the microphone must have been extremely still in order for the second exposure to take place and the gentleman moved in just before the second exposure in order for the double exposure to occur.
Thank you
Another remark is that the antenna mast which replaced the Globe on the top of the building was 360 feet (110m) high.
Also the “Sheik” refers to a movie exhibited in 1922 called “The Sheik” starring Rudolph Valentino. The movie was the most popular exhibited movie when the building was known as “The Globe” theatre.
This is the from the producer’s viewing box, where the producer sat with advertising agents and sponsors, watching audience
Taken in 1944
Call number:
Home and Away - 10839
IE number: IE1291220
File number:FL1291228
Source: https://digital.sl.nsw.gov.au/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?embedded=true&toolbar=false&dps_pid=IE1291220
In addition to the above commentary, the Globe Theatre was remodelled in the 1940s as the studios for radio station 2UW. Where there once a globe on the top of the theatre, it was replaced with the radio mast.
A link to Getty Images shows the radio tower above the Globe Theatre https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/radio-tower-in-george-street-cityartist-arrow-the-nest-in-the-mast-picture-id1080163538?s=2048x2048.
There are plans to redevelop the property as from 2019, even the National Trust is objecting to its redevelopment, https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/news/the-national-trust-opposes-the-proposed-demolition-of-the-former-globe-theatre-in-sydney/
Thank you,
Anthony
Further evidence to support that the picture depicted of Field 2’s screen being altered is that the aspect ratio of “The Love Bug” is 1.75:1 while the aspect ratio of the screen is 2.20:1 (see reference to the ‘first page’ for this theatre.
Reference https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064603/technical?ref_=ttfc_ql_6
This means that the projected image of the ‘feature’ should never had filled the screen as depicted in the photograph.
Many films exhibited at this drive in had aspect ratios that never filled the screen. “The Love Bug” was one of them. So too was Walt Disney’s “The Barefoot Executive” at 1.75:1, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066811/ The other film “Chariots Of The Gods” never filled the screen with an aspect ratio of 1.66:1.
It was Disney policy to shoot ‘widescreen’ with an aspect ratio of 1.75:1.
Thank you
Anthony of Belfield
This is a photo of Field 2 with the houses behind the screen in Norfolk Rd.
I wish to remark about Field 2’s screen. This photo has been replicated on various sites.
As I recall, at the bottom of Field 2’s screen, there was a green border of “two panels height”. I believe that may have been designed to prevent light from the projection box ‘interfering’ with the amenity of those residents directly behind the screen.
The photo depicted from a scene in the movie “The Love Bug” shows what is purported to be the projected image over the green border.
Generally, there was hardly any projection of the image on the green border at the bottom of Field 2’s screen.
If there was a projection of part of the image on the green border at the bottom of Field 2’s screen, then that portion of the image would have been darker than the white surface of the screen above the green border.
Therefore I believe that the purported projected image from a scene in “The Love Bug” movie was altered for artistic purposes.
Recall there was a green border of two panels height at the bottom of the screen and that any portion of the image projected on a non-white surface would be darker than the image projected on the white portion of the screen.
It would have been more authentic if Field 2’s screen was shown with its green (grey for b/w photo).
Thank you,
Anthony of Belfield
More photos at:
https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2012/05/30/the-marina-picture-palacevideomaniafor-lease-rosebery-nsw/
Note the interior of the auditorium from the stalls to proscenium and from the proscenium to the stalls. Note well the biobox is at the rear of the stalls. Usually the biobox is at the rear of the dress circle.
Also: https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2013/04/26/pastlives-flashback-4-videomania-rosebery-nsw/
and development application for the former cinema at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180331151558/http://www.botanybay.nsw.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/documents/council-amp-committees/business-papers/development-agenda/405-409-gardeners-road-rosebery-redevelopment-of-the-former-marina-theatre-site.pdf
NOTE: The links may look as if they are incomplete BUT you can still get the whole hyperlink. How? Highlight the hyperlink with your mouse or touchpad. Copy by either (a) by right clicking what you highlighted and press CTRL+V = paste into a new browser tab OR (b) copy the highlighed hyperlink, by pressing CTRL+V then press CTRL+V into a new browser tab.
Don’t worry that you think that you only copied the partial link. In fact you copied the WHOLE link.
Alternatively the links do not work, “google” search terms: marina theatre pastlives of the near future or pastlivesofthenearfuture.
Thank you
The Marina theatre at Gardener’s Rd Roseberry has its biobox at the rear of the stalls at: https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2012/05/30/the-marina-picture-palacevideomaniafor-lease-rosebery-nsw/