PITT CENTRE
VILLAGE CINEMA CITY
CENTRE ON GEORGE STREET
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
SYDNEY IN 70MM – PART 3
THE MULTIPLEX
The Hoyts Entertainment Centre was located at 505-525 George Street Sydney and was built on the site of
the Trocadero dance hall. The seven screen multiplex opened on the 16
th
December 1976 with The Pink
Panther Strikes Again, Silent Movie, Eliza Frazer, The Eagle Has Landed, Barney and The Omen. The
seventh screen [cinema 5] was delayed in opening due to fixtures not completed. Cousin Cousine opened
on 22
nd
December 1976 in cinema 1 and the print of The Pink Panther Strikes Again moved into cinema 5.
The Trocadero opened on the Friday 3
rd
April 1936.
Also known as the ‘Troc’, the ballroom weathered the
storm of the Depression, World War 2 and the advent
of television as a popular variety and big band venue. After entertaining Sydney for 35 years, the Trocadero
closed on 5
th
February 1971 and was demolished for construction of the Hoyts Entertainment Centre.
NOTEWORTHY: Originally the Hoyts Entertainment Centre was to include the
cinemas, offices and a hotel. This building height was reduced and plans for
the Cinema Centre altered due to the hotel concept not proceeding and the
finding during excavation of a section from a colonial tank stream and the
proximity of the railway underground branch line from Town Hall to Central.
The building alteration
included a subterranean
access platform below the
basement car park and the
inclusion of suspension
blocks to minimise the
verbration of the railway.
Hoyts Entertainment Centre
officially opened with The
Omen on 09/01/77 with
Gregory Peck in attendance.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE – PROJECTION CREW
OPENED – 16
th
December 1976
HEAD PROJECTIONIST – Tom Omaye
Seven screens equipped for 70mm with DP75
Les Marsh
Jack Murphy
Trevor Cotton
Graeme Greenaway
Robert Taylor
Greg Rooke
Bob Hamilton
Paul Scott [Relief]
David Orme [Relief]
Eddie Vassallo [Relief]
Robert Taylor
David Orme
HEC SEATING
CAPACITIES
CIN 1
355
CIN 2
355
CIN 3
873
CIN 4
389
CIN 5
950
CIN 6
471
CIN 7
940
TOTAL = 4333
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
The following table are the 70mm films released at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre which was renamed the Hoyts
Centre on the 25
th
September 1980 and then as George Street Cinemas on the 5
th
December 2005 …
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
OPENED
CLOSED
WEEKS
Star Wars
27/10/77
01/02/79
66
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
15/03/78
20/09/78
27
Capricorn One
26/07/78
06/12/78
19
Apocalypse Now
15/11/79
16/07/80
35
Alien
05/12/79
12/03/80
14
The Muppet Movie
13/12/79
20/02/80
10
The Rose
31/01/80
17/09/80
33
The Empire Strikes Back
06/08/80
04/02/81
26
Close Encounters Special Edition
22/01/81
11/03/81
7
Oliver! – reissue first time in 70mm
30/04/81
03/06/81
5
Apocalypse Now - reissue
01/10/81
25/11/81
8
Star Wars - reissue
29/04/82
16/06/82
7
Quest for Fire
10/06/82
28/07/82
7
Rocky III
11/08/82
26/01/83
24
Annie
09/12/82
02/03/83
12
The Empire Strikes Back
05/05/83
17/08/83
15
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial - reissue
30/06/83
13/07/83
2
The Return of the Jedi
26/10/83
11/04/84
24
Star Wars Trilogy – reissue
08/07/84
05/08/84
5
Raiders of the Lost Ark
29/11/84
12/12/84
2
Amadeus
14/02/85
20/11/85
40
Starman
06/06/85
21/08/85
11
Lifeforce
15/08/85
18/09/85
5
Cocoon
22/08/85
18/12/85
17
Star Wars Trilogy – reissue
26/10/85
03/11/85
2
Santa Claus
05/12/85
05/02/86
9
Silverado
12/12/85
15/01/86
5
Rocky IV
19/12/85
19/03/56
13
Year of the Dragon
09/01/86
26/02/86
7
Bring on the Night
27/03/86
30/04/86
5
Amadeus
17/07/86
30/07/86
2
Auto-E-Motion - BMW Short
24/07/86
24/07/86
Preview
Aliens
05/11/86
25/03/87
20
Santa Claus
27/11/86
17/12/86
3
The Last Emperor
26/11/87
17/08/88
38
Spaceballs
10/12/87
02/03/88
12
Empire of the Sun
10/03/88
20/04/88
6
Lawrence of Arabia - reissue
13/07/89
13/09/89
9
The Bear
12/10/89
28/02/90
20
U2 – Rattle and Hum plus Pink Floyd: The Wall - reissue
05/10/90
05/10/90
1 Session
Lawrence of Arabia - reissue
14/10/90
21/10/90
2 Session
Spartacus - reissue
TBC
Research not completed
Edward Scissorhands
21/03/91
16/06/91
12
The Doors
30/05/91
07/08/91
10
Hook
26/03/92
16/08/92
20
Apocalypse Now [Advertised as new 70mm print]
30/04/92
22/07/92
12
Howards End
21/05/92
09/09/92
16
The Remains of the Day
24/02/94
25/05/94
13
My Fair Lady - reissue
24/02/95
Research not completed
Hamlet
22/05/97
Research not completed
Titanic
18/12/97
Research not completed
The Hateful Eight
14/01/16
03/02/16
3
The longest season film in 70mm at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre was Star Wars which opened 27
th
October 1977
and ran for a 66 week season. The longest season film in 35mm was Crocodile Dundee which premiered on 23
rd
April
1986 and ran for a 74 week season. In addition to the 70mm event of the Star Wars trilogy, George Street cinemas
presented the sixteen [16] screen world premiere in Digital Cinema of Australia on the 18th November 2008.
Longest Season 70mm
Longest Season 35mm
First 70mm Trilogy presentation
Sixteen auditorium Digital Cinema
world premiere
1986
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
GREATER UNION
CENTRE ON GEORGE STREET
02/01/86
European Vacation
Legend
History Aussie Surfing
09/01/86
That Was Than … This Is Now
Year of the Dragon
D.A.R.Y.L
16/01/86
Goonies – move over
Summer Rental
Commando
23/01/86
30/01/86
06/02/86
Revolution
Prizzis Honor – m/o
Plenty
Marie
Letters to Brezhnev – move over
Jagged Edge
13/02/86
Remo
Witness – move over
White Nights
20/02/86
Agnes of God
27/02/86
Invasion USA
06/03/86
House
Young Sherlock Holmes – m/o
The Jewel of the Nile
13/03/86
Black Moon Rising
Murphy’s Romance
20/03/86
To Live and Die in LA
More Things Change
27/03/86
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Bring on the Night
Enemy Mine
03/04/86
Wild Cats
Godzilla 1985
When Father Was Away on Business
The Clan of the Cave Bear
10/04/86
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2
17/04/86
Power
Clue
The Delta Force
24/04/86
Pretty In Pink
Crocodile Dundee
Iron Eagle
01/05/86
Spies Like Us – move over
The Money Pit
King Solomon’s Mines
Absolute Beginners
Frog Dreaming
Once Bitten
Real Genius
91/2 Weeks
The Black Cauldron
Dot & Keeto
Young Blood
08/05/86
15/05/86
Just One of the Guys
22/05/86
Hannah and Her Sisters
For Love Alone
Death Wish 3
29/05/86
La Cage Aux Folles 3
05/06/86
The Color Purple
Wise Guys
Police Academy 3
Runaway Train
12/06/86
Dream Child
Biggles
American Ninja
19/06/86
Fantasia
Violets Are Blue
FX
Bad Guys
26/06/86
Target
Fortress
03/07/86
Short Circuit
A Room With a View
10/07/86
Working Class Man
L’Amour En Douce
17/07/86
Highlander
The Trip to Bountiful
Out of Africa – move over
Amadeus
24/07/86
Cobra
Fire and Ice
My Chaffeur
BMW Short
31/07/86
The Karate Kid Part 2
Top Gun – Lyceum
Turtle Diary
Desert Hearts
07/08/86
Poltergeist 2
Re Animator
91/2 Weeks – m/o
14/08/86
Big Trouble in Little China
ET - State
About Last Night
Raw Deal
21/08/86
Back to School
Ferris Bullers Day Off
Ewoks Marauder Endor
Better off Dead
The Jungle Book
Starchaser
American Rabbit
28/08/86
04/09/86
11/09/86
Ran
18/09/86
Vamp
Subway
Malcolm
25/09/86
Ruthless People
A Fine Mess
02/10/86
Oxford Blues
Legal Eagles
Critters
Psycho 3
After Hours – move over
Nothing In Common
09/10/86
3 Men and a Cradle
16/10/86
Take It Easy
Sweet Liberty
Murphy’s Law
Band on the Hand
23/10/86
Othello
Invaders From Mars
30/10/86
Spacecamp
The Fringe Dwellers
Sudden Death
Out of Bounds
06/11/86
Aliens
Cry From the Mountain
13/11/86
One Woman or Two
Clockwise
De fe nc e o f t h e Rea l m
8 Milli on W ays Di e
20/11/86
At Close Range
Stripper
27/11/86
Haunted Honeymoon
One Magic Christmas
Santa Claus
Greater Union Centre on George Street
04/12/86
One Crazy Summer
Harem
The Mission
T h e M o s q u i t o C o a s t
La by ri n th
Opened on the 18
th
December 1986
11/12/86
Radio Active Dreams
Tai-Pan
Armed and Dangerous
Rock Lords
The Bikini Shop
The Golden Child
18/12/86
Heartbreak Ridge
Three Amigos
Howard: A New Breed of Hero
Care Bears 2
Dogs in Space
Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home
25/12/86
The Boy Who Could Fly
King Kong Lives
Windrider
The Great Mouse Detective
Transformers
Dead End In Drive In
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
Colour
3D Stereovision
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX AND SINGLE SCREEN DATES
Ascot Theatre – the 70mm equipped theatre closed on the 5
th
February 1986 with Prizzis Honor as the last attraction.
Astra Parramatta – closed on 3
rd
September 1986 for construction of a triple multiplex with Top Gun as its last attraction.
Greater Union Centre on George Street – the four screen multiplex built on the site of the Paramount and Rapallo theatres
opened on the 18
th
December 1986 with The Golden Child, Star Trek 4 the Voyage Home, The Great Mouse Detective and
Dead End Drive In as its opening attractions.
1985 No 1 Box Office
1987
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
GREATER UNION
CENTRE ON GEORGE STREET
01/01/87
Deadly Friend
An American Tail
Heartburn
08/01/87
Soul Man
The Fly
Pirates
Ruthless People
15/01/87
22/01/87
Extremities
Batman
Running Scared
30/01/87
05/02/87
The Morning After
Avenging Force
12/02/87
The Assam Garden
Club Paradise
19/02/87
Hannah and Her Sisters
A Room With a View
Jumping Jack Flash
Crimes of the Heart
The Color of Money
26/02/87
Something Wild
Children of a Lesser God
Blue Velvet
The Hustler
05/03/87
Platoon [Lyceum]
Peggy Sue Got Married
Tough Guys
Top Gun – m/o
12/03/87
Just Between Friends
No Mercy
The Supergrass
19/03/87
Ruthless People – m/o
The Name of the Rose
Stand By Me
Little Shop of Horrors
26/03/87
Gothic
Over the Top
02/04/87
Meatballs III – Summer Job
Critical Condition
09/04/87
Police Academy 4
Night of the Creeps
Footrot Flats
The Whoopee Boys
Les Patterson Saves the World
16/04/87
Light of Day
Hossiers
An American Tale
Pinocchio
Rumpelstiltskin
Modern Girls
Some Kind of Wonderful
Death of a Salesman
23/04/87
30/04/87
Death Before Dishonor
Ginger & Fred
8 4 C h a r i n g C r o s s R o a d
Kangaroo
The Mission – m/o
07/05/87
Burblar
Lady Jane
Black Widow
Personal Services
14/05/87
Angel Heart
Wanted Dead or Alive
21/05/87
Beyond Therapy
Twelfth Night
The Men’s Club
28/05/87
Creepshow 2
The Bedroom Window
52 Pick Up
The Second Victory
04/06/87
Lethal Weapon
Brighton Beach Memoirs
The Fourth Protocol
11/06/87
Mannequin
18/06/87
Radio Days
Project X
Wild Thing
Beverly Hills Cop 2
25/06/87
Blind Date
The Secret of My Success
Morgan Stewarts Coming Home
02/07/87
Flight of the Navigator
84 Charing Cross Road – m/o
Australian Made
Thrashing
Some Kind of Wonderful
09/07/87
Sleeping Beauty [Lyceum]
An American Tail – m/o
16/07/87
Extreme Prejudice
Malone
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
23/07/87
House 2
Platoon – m/o
Raising Arizona
From the Hip
Outrageous Fortune
The Night Stalker
30/07/87
The Kindred
Let’s Get Harry
High Tide
06/08/87
The Believers
Rivers Edge
Duet For One
Gardens of Stone
13/08/87
Those Dear Departed
Wraith
Trick or Treat
Slate Wyn and Me
20/08/87
The Mission – m/o
Tin Men
Predator
Street Smart
Dead of Winter
27/08/87
The Witches of Eastwick
The Mission – m/o
Nightmare on Elm Street 3
Hell Camp
Les Fugitifs
Manhunter
03/09/87
Betty Blue
Assassination
Roxanne
The Untouchables
10/09/87
Prom Night 2
The Lighthorsemen
Dragnet
Platoon – m/o
17/09/87
Lionheart
The Gate
24/09/87
Robocop
Hope and Glory
Masters of the Universe
La Bamba
Amazing Stories
Ernest Goes To Camp
Running From the Guns
01/10/87
The Rescuers
08/10/87
Explode
No Way Out
Ground Zero
15/10/87
Making Mr Right
The Year My Voice Broke
Full Metal Jacket
Nadine
Evil Dead 2
22/10/87
Hellraiser
Jean De Florette
The Boss’s Wife
Nobody’s Fool
29/10/87
Cherry 2000
The Big Easy
The Flodders
05/11/87
Three for the Road
The Squeeze
Hotel Colonial
Back to the Beach
12/11/87
The Lost Boys
Ishstar
Body Slam
19/11/87
Hearts of Fire
The Right Hand Man
The Living Daylights
26/11/87
Who’s That Girl
Big Shots
Manon Des Sources
The Last Emperor
Hamburger Hill
Terminus
03/12/87
Made In Heaven
The Untouchables – m/o
The Princess Bride
Jaws Revenge
A Night on the Town
The Time Guardian
10/12/87
Bushfire Moon [Lyceum]
Revenge of the Nerds 2
Harry and the Hendersons
Spaceballs
17/12/87
Innerspace
Leonard Part 6
A Night on the Town
24/12/87
Throw Momma From the Train
Benji The Hunter
Superman IV
Pl a
ne s , Tra i n s a n d A u t o m o b i l e s
Full Metal Jacket – m/o
The Chipmunk Adventure
31/12/87
Can’t Buy Me Love
Barfly
Fatal Attraction
2
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
Colour
3D Stereovision
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX AND SINGLE SCREEN DATES
LYCEUM THEATRE closed on the 22
nd
July with Platoon and a 70mm reissue of Sleeping Beauty and remained dark until
the release of Bushfire Moon on the 10
th
December 1987. Also in 1987 Greater Union Mosman [site of the Classic
Mosman] opened on 25
th
September with Hope and Glory, Greater Union three screen Parramatta [site of the Astra
Parramatta] opened on 17
th
December with two screens showing Harry and the Hendersons and Bushfire Moon [the third
screen opened on the 26
th
December] and Hoyts Eastgardens six screen multiplex opened on the 17
th
December1987.
1986 No 1 Box Office
1988
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS CENTRE
[aka Hoyts Entertainment Centre]
GREATER UNION GEORGE STREET
CINEMAS
31/12/87
The Year My Voice Broke
07/01/88
Bushfire Moon – m/o
Dirty Dancing
Summer School
14/01/88
The Pick Up Artist
21/01/88
Flowers in the Attic
28/01/88
The Running Man
The Principle
04/02/88
Maid to Order
Surrender
Three Men and a Baby
11/02/88
Shy People
18/02/88
Russkies
Cry Freedom
Weeds
Suspect
Stakeout
Rita, Sue and Bob Too
25/02/88
Nuts
Name
Wall Street
Orphans
03/03/88
Nightflyers
10/03/88
Moonstruck
Empire of the Sun
Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train
17/03/88
The Couch Trip
Hiding Out
Slam Dance
Overboard
24/03/88
Ironweed
The Man From Snowy River 2
Broadcast News
31/03/88
Police Academy 5
101 Dalmations
Vice Versa
Teen wolf Too
*batteries not included
Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale
07/04/88
Less Than Zero
14/04/88
The Woo Woo Kid
Someone to Watch Over Me
Hello Again
Backstage
21/04/88
The Dead
Baby Boom
White Mischief
Good Moring Vietnam
28/04/88
He’s My Girl
Hope and Glory
Shame
Raw
05/05/88
18 Again
Hot Pursuit
12/05/88
Best Seller
Cop
Saigon
Cry Freedom – m/o
19/05/88
Au Revoir Les Enfants
Crocodile Dundee 2
S i l e n t V o i c e
26/05/88
Masquerade
02/06/88
No Man’s Land
The Whales of August [Lyceum]
The Stepfather
09/06/88
Frantic
Near Dead
Rikky and Pete
Bad Dreams
Biloxi Blues
16/06/88
Echoes of Paradise
Wish You Were Here
Steel Dawn
Poltergeist 3
23/06/88
Rambo 3
Return of the Living Dead 2
Babette’s Feast
For Keeps
Satisfaction
30/06/88
Prince: Sing O the Times
Bambi
Monster Squad
Casual Sex
She’s Having a Baby
07/07/88
Harry and the Hendersons
14/07/88
21/07/88
Stand and Deliver
Jimmy Reardon
Milagro
Switching Channels
The Seventh Sign
Deadly Pursuit
The Serpent and the Rainbow
28/07/88
Action Jackson
September
Tappin
The Hidden plus Evil Dead 2
04/08/88
Colors
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Presidio
11/08/88
The Armour of God
A New Life
Rent a Cop
18/08/88
Arthur 2, On the Rocks
A Prayer for the Dying
Big Lights, Big City
25/08/88
The Manchurian Candidate
Little Nikita
Coming to America
01/09/88
Johnny Be Good
I Was a Teenage Vampire
08/09/88
Deadly Pursuit – m/o
Beetlejuice
Like Father, Like Son
Big Business
Two Moon Junction
15/09/88
Good Morning Vietnam – m/o
A Handful of Dust
Hairspray
Vibes
The Great Outdoors
22/09/88
A Clockwork Orange
Mac & Me
Belinda
Bambi
Puss in Boots
Lic en se t o Driv e
Salsa
It Couldn’t Happen Here
29/09/88
06/10/88
Funny Farm
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Die Hard
Breaking Loose
Midnight Run
13/10/88
Red Heat
Dominick and Eugene
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
The Last Temptation of Christ
20/10/88
Mr North
Around the World in 80 Ways
27/10/88
Nico
Grievous Bodily Harm
03/11/88
Evil Angels
Bull Durham
The Last Temptation of Christ – m/o
Call Me
Siesta
U2 – Rattle and Hum
10/11/88
Caddyshack 2
Maurice
A Fish Called Wanda
The Big Blue
Hanna’s War
A Fish Called Hanna
17/11/88
Imagine: John Lennon
Big
Sunset
Wall Street plus Broadcast News
24/11/88
Running on Empty
Bird
Fright Night Part 2
Gaby
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
01/12/88
Cocktail
A Nightmare on Elm St 4
Young Guns
Scrooged
08/12/88
Bat 21
The Navigator
Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller
15/12/88
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (State)
Young Einstein
Willow
22/12/88
Crossing Delancy
Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland
29/12/88
Moonwalker
Drowning By Numbers
My Stepmother is an Alien
Beetlejuice – m/o
A World Apart
Escape World Safari III
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Cocoon The Return
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
Colour
3D Stereovision
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX AND SINGLE SCREEN DATES
Lyceum Theatre – which was dark from the 7
th
January 1988 after the season of Bushfire Moon, ran a short engagement
of The Whales of August from the 3
rd
June 1988.
Hoyts Warrawong – the six screen multiplex opened on the 3
rd
November 1988.
Village Cinema City – a sixth screen opened on the 3
rd
November 1988 with Evil Angels.
Regent Theatre, Sydney – demolition commenced in December 1988 of the Regent Theatre which had showcased The
Robe in CinemaScope on the 10
th
December 1953.
1987 No 1 Box Office
1989
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS CENTRE
[Hoyts Entertainment Centre]
GREATER UNION GEORGE STREET
CINEMAS [Centre on George Street]
05/01/89
12/01/89
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Blob
Without a Clue
19/01/89
Childs Play
Twins
26/01/89
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – m/o
Alien Nation
02/02/89
Tequila Sunrise
09/02/89
Split Decisions
A Summer Story
Emerald City
Halloween 4
16/02/89
Gorillas in the Mist
Hawks
The Navigator – m/o
Mississippi Burning
23/02/89
Rainman
Punchline
Buster
02/03/89
The Accidental Tourist
Working Girl
09/03/89
Dangerous Liaisons
The Accused
The Naked Gun
16/03/89
The Fly 2
23/03/89
Madam Sousatzka
The Navigator – m/o
Fresh Horses
Critters 2
Three Fugitives
Lady and the Tramp
Hot to Trot
Short Circuit 2
30/03/89
Who Framed Roger Rabbit – m/o
06/04/89
Tucker
Dear America
13/04/89
The Dead Pool
Sweet Hearts Dance
20/04/89
Married to the Mob
Betrayed
Twins – m/o
Beaches
Deep Star Six
27/04/89
Talk Radio
The January Man
Blue Jean Cop
Pelle the Conqueror
04/05/89
Her Alibi
The Good Mother
The Boost
Daisy and Simon
11/05/89
Moon Over Parador
Chances Are
Luigis Ladies
18/05/89
Dead Calm
The Accused – m/o
Dead Ringers
Celia
Cousins
High Spirits
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
25/05/89
Another Woman
Kansas
01/06/89
Memories of Me
Warlock
Tap
08/06/89
Three Fugitives – m/o
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Sing
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
15/06/89
Cousins – m/o
Leviathan
Roadhouse
Fletch Lives
22/06/89
Slipstream
Cannonball Fever
The Fox and the Hound
The Naked Gun
plus
A Fish Called Wanda
The Burbs
Police Academy 6
Shag
29/06/89
06/07/89
The Accidental Tourist – m/o
New York Stories
13/07/89
Clara’s Heart
Torch Song Trilogy
Lawrence of Arabia
Dead Bang
20/07/89
Dead Poets Society
Scandal
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
27/07/89
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Pavarotti In China
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
K-9
Distant Harmony
Skin Deep
The Burbs – m/o
03/08/89
Hotel Terminus
Mystic Pizza
Major League
10/08/89
Lethal Weapon 2
Cyborg
17/08/89
Dangerous Liaisons
plus
The Accidental Tourist
Pacali’s Island
Minnamurra
The Karate Kid Part 3
Pet Sematary
24/08/89
Kickboxer
Criminal Law
31/08/89
Batman
Field of Dreams
07/09/89
Licence To Kill
U2 Rattle & Hum
14/09/89
Lawrence of Arabia – m/o
She’s Out of Control
The Gods Must Be Crazy 2
21/09/89
Gone with the Wind
Blind Fury
Troop Beverly Hills
Turner and Hooch
The Land Before Time
Gleaming the Cube
The Dream Team
28/09/89
05/10/89
Island
12/10/89
Renegades
Wired
Romero
Paris By Night
The Bear
Georgia
19/10/89
Great Balls of Fire
When Harry Met Sally
Salute of the Jogger
26/10/89
Heathers
Lock Up
An Innocent Man
Parenthood
02/11/89
The Vidiot From U.H.F.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Old Gringo
09/11/89
Cookie
Ernest Saves Christmas
Listen To Me
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
16/11/89
For Queen and Country
Say Anything
23/11/89
Ghostbusters 2
Weekend At Bernie’s
30/11/89
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Sex, Lies and Videotape
Erik the Viking
Honey I Shrunk the Kids
Turner and Hooch – m/o
07/12/89
Oliver and Company
Nightmare on Elm Street 5
Back to the Future 2
14/12/89
Prancer
The Abyss
21/12/89
The Delinquents
The War of the Roses
Uncle Buck
The Land Before Time – m/o
28/12/89
Cinema Paradiso
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Harlem Nights
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
Colour
3D Stereovision
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX AND SINGLE SCREEN DATES
Hoyts Warringah Mall Twin – closed on Monday the 10
th
July 1989 for refurbishment which included the addiiton of five
new screens. Advertised to reopen for Christmas 1989, the seven screen multiplex was delayed in construction finally
opening on the 13
th
January 1990 with the premiere attraction Postcards from the Edge. The Philips DP75 projectors
orginally installed in the twin cinema were replaced by Kinoton FP30 projectors with Dolby Stereo SR . The opening day
attractions were managed by Neil Granger [complex manager] and Graeme Greenaway [head projectionist].
1988 No 1 Box Office
70MM BLOW UP
The table below are the 70mm blow ups presented in Sydney between 1984 and 1989 …
FILM
DATE
CINEMA
The Right Stuff *
08/03/84
Village Cinema City
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan
– Super Techniscope
03/05/84
State
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
19/07/84
State
Streets of Fire *
09/08/84
Pitt Centre
Gremlins *
13/12/84
State
Amadeus
14/02/85
Hoyts Centre
2010
21/03/85
State
Starman
06/06/85
Hoyts Centre
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
08/08/85
State
Lifeforce
– J-D-C Scope
15/08/85
Hoyts Centre
Cocoon *
22/08/85
Hoyts Centre
Santa Claus
– J-D-C Scope
05/12/85
Hoyts Centre
Silverado
– Super Techniscope
12/12/85
Hoyts Centre
Young Sherlock Holmes *
19/12/85
Lyceum
Rocky IV *
19/12/85
Hoyts Centre
Year of the Dragon
– J-D-C Scope
09/01/86
Hoyts Centre
Top Gun
– Super 35
31/07/86
Lyceum
Aliens *
05/11/86
Hoyts Centre
The Mission
– J-D-C Scope
04/12/86
Pitt Centre
The Color of Money *
19/02/87
Centre on George
The Untouchables
02/12/87
Centre on George
The Last Emperor
– Technovision
26/11/87
Hoyts Centre
Spaceballs *
10/12/87
Hoyts Centre
Cry Freedom
– Super 35
17/02/88
Pitt Centre
Empire of the Sun *
09/03/88
Hoyts Centre
Who Framed Roger Rabbit *
23/11/88
Centre on George
Willow
15/12/88
Centre on George
The Bear
12/10/89
Hoyts Centre
[*] 70MM SPHERICAL …
Included in the 70mm releases between 1984 and
1989 is Streets of Fire which opened at the Greater
Union Pitt Centre on the 9
th
August 1984 and ran
for a 4 week season to 5
th
September 1984.
Recently confirmed by projectionist Stephen
Phillips who worked at the Pitt Centre from
opening in 1976 to 1986 when Stephen was
transferred to the Centre on George Street, Streets
of Fire was not advertised in 70mm and opened as
a Spherical blow up in the cinema 3 auditorium.
Interesting to note with the release of Streets of
Fire how it demonstrates the limited 70mm screen
availability for Greater Union at the time of the
film’s release. With only the State theatre and the
Pitt Centre cinema 3 capable to present 70mm,
explains why other Spherical and Anamorphic blow
ups never opened in 70mm in Sydney.
Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade premiered in 70mm at
the State theatre and opened its
Sydney city season on the 8
th
June 1989 in 35mm at the
Greater Union George Street.
The restoration in 70mm of
Lawrence of Arabia opened as a
Roadshow Engagement at the
Hoyts Centre on the 13
th
July
1989 and moved over to the
Greater Union Pitt Centre on the
14
th
September 1989.
THE RIGHT STUFF
8
th
March 1984 to 6
th
June 1984 – Season 12 weeks and 6 days √
THE RIGHT STUFF was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Village Cinema City.
During THE RIGHT STUFF season and due to print deterioration, the film was substituted with a 35mm print. Date of
this substitution is unknown. The same 70mm print was later screened at the Village Sylvania.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 1976 to 2016
On the 16
th
December 2016 will be the forty year anniversary
of the Hoyts Entertainment Centre opening.
To celebrate this milestone, the following 26 pages and on
the bottom of each page, there is a significant timeline
recording of a film release and projection plant installation.
Also recorded in these segments are notations on Greater
Union George Cinemas which in short, also shares a similar
recognition of the historicalness of these two multiplexes.
Thank you to Peter Williams, Edge Digital Technology, Steve
Phillips and Richard Dumbrell who assisted with the project.
Richard Dumbrell presenting Titanic in 70mm, cinema 7 Hoyts Centre
GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN
3
rd
May 1984 to 6
th
June 1984 – Season 4 weeks and 6 days √
GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, LORD OF THE APES was filmed in
Super Techniscope and opened in 70mm at the Greater Union State theatre.
After the installation of 70mm capability into cinema 1 at the Pitt Centre,
GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN season was moved from the State
theatre to the Greater Union Pitt Centre on the 7
th
June 1984 for a ten week
season and was transferred again to the Village Cinema City on the 16
th
August 1984 for a fourteen week season.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 16
th
December 1976
All seven cinemas at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre were
fitted out with Philips DP75 projectors, Xebex xenon
lamphouse, ST270 platters with OMA-6 optical, four track
and six track magnetic sound functionality.
With the capability of 70mm presentations for all seven
screens, only cinema 3, 5 & 7 had moveable side top masking.
Two of the opening seven films were presented in 4 track
magnetic. These were The Eagle Has Landed which opened
in cinema 4 and Silent Movie which opened in cinema 2.
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
19
th
July 1984 to 11
th
December 1984 – Season 20 weeks and 6 days √
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM was filmed in Panavision
[anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Greater Union State theatre.
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM was moved from the State
theatre to the Greater Union Pitt Centre on the 13
th
December 1984 for a
further ten week season to the 20
th
February 1985.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 27
th
October 1977
The first Dolby processor installed at Hoyts Entertainment
Centre was the CP100 into cinema 7 for the release of Star
Wars. This installation was followed by another CP100 into
cinema 3 for the release of Close Encounters of the Third
Kind on the 16
th
March 1978.
Listed below are the 70mm screen sizes and projection throw
in feet for cinema 3 and 7 at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre.
CINEMA
HEIGHT
WIDTH
THROW
3
00.0
00.0
00.0
7
00.0
00.0
00.0
GREMLINS
13
th
December 1984 to 20
th
March 1985 – Season 13 weeks and 6 days √
GREMLINS was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the
Greater Union State theatre.
GREMLINS was moved from the State theatre to Village Cinema City on 21
st
March 1985 for a further twenty six week season to the 18
th
September 1985.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 13
th
July 1978
Damnation Alley opened in 35mm four track Magnetic and
Sound 360 which in essence, directed the left and right
information to two large speaker bins positioned left and
right of the screen and the surrounds were reproduced by a
single speaker bin mounted on rear wall of the auditorium.
Capricorn One opened on 26
th
July in cinema 5 as the first
70mm presentation in the 950 seated auditorium.
CINEMA
HEIGHT
WIDTH
THROW
5
00.0
00.0
00.0
AMADEUS
14
th
February 1985 to 20
th
November 1985 – Season 39 weeks and 6 days √
AMADEUS was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm
at the Hoyts Centre.
AMADEUS was reissued at the Hoyts Centre in 70mm on the 17
th
July
1986 for a two [2] week season to the 30
th
July 1986.
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 15
th
November 1979
In addition to the CP100 sound processors, Dolby SA4 Stereo
Surround decoding were installed in cinemas 3 and 7 at the
time of the 70mm premiere of Apocalypse Now in the 873
seated cinema 3. The 70mm presentations which followed
were Alien, The Rose and The Empire Strikes Back which
premiered in the 940 seated Cinema 7 on 6
th
August 1980.
ALIEN – 05/12/79
THE ROSE – 31/01/80
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK – 06/08/80
2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT
21
st
March 1985 to 3
rd
April 1985 – Season 1 weeks and 6 days √
2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened
in 70mm at the State theatre.
2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT was moved from the State theatre to Greater
Union Pitt Centre on 4
th
April 1985 for a further nine week season to 5
th
June 1985.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 25
th
September 1980
The Hoyts Entertainment Centre was renamed the Hoyts
Centre on the 25
th
September 1980 due to the 1983 opening
of the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
The Sydney Entertainment Centre was a multi-purpose arena
located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May
1983, to replace the Sydney Stadium which had been
demolished in 1970 to make way for the Eastern Suburbs
railway. The centre closed in December 2015 with Elton John
as the final artist.
STARMAN
6
th
June 1985 to 21
st
August 1985 – Season 10 weeks and 6 days √
STARMAN was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
STARMAN was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 11 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 7
th
July 1983
Cinema 4 was commissioned on the 1st July 1983 to present
the new Stereovision 3D process with Parasite in 3-D as the
first film (supported by the feature Saturday the 14th in 2D
Spherical at 'select sessions')
There were four films which were released in Stereovision 3D
at the Hoyts Centre. Below are the film titles release dates.
07/07/83
Parasite plus Saturday the 14th
3-D
25/08/83
Treasure of the Four Crowns
3-D
01/12/83
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
2-D
03/05/84
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn
3-D
31/05/84
Amityville 3-D
3-D
MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME
8
th
August 1985 to 6
TH
November 1985 – Season 12 weeks and 6 days √
MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and
opened in 70mm at the State theatre.
MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME was moved from the State theatre to
Village Cinema City on the 7
th
November 1985 for a further thirteen week season
to the 5
th
February 1986.
GREATER UNION PITT CENTRE
TIMELINE – 9
th
December 1983
During the construction of the Centre on George Street,
Greater Union commissioned 70mm into cinema 3 projection
room at the Greater Union Pitt Centre for Brainstorm with
Streets of Fire as the next 70mm presentation.
The photo courtesy of Stephen Philips is the experimental
DBX unit on top of the amp rack and the Cinemeccanica film
tower which was moved to Greater Union Wollongong. The
Pitt Centre first Dolby Stereo presentation was the move over
of Xanadu from the Lyceum on the 9
th
October 1980.
LIFEFORCE
15
th
August 1985 to 18
th
September 1985 – Season 4 weeks and 6 days √
LIFEFORCE was filmed in J-D-C Scope [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
LIFEFORCE was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 5 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 1
st
July 1984
Between January 1984 and January 1985, the three exhibitors
Village, Greater Union and Hoyts reverted to feature only.
At the Hoyts Centre, the exhibitor also added in 1985
countdown clocks which were placed right of the screen so
the patron could see how many minutes remained until the
feature commenced. To achieve this time, after ads and
trailers were changed for the new week [Thursday], the head
program, as it was called, was timed and total running noted
on the observation port. The projectionist would then dial in
the head program time and activate the countdown button.
COCOON
22
nd
August 1985 to 18
th
December 1985 - Season 16 weeks and 6 days √
COCOON was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
COCOON was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 17 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 1
st
July 1985
During the 1985 / 86 financial year, four CP1000 with CP55
processors were commissioned into the Hoyts Centre for the
functionality of Dolby Stereo in cinemas 1, 2, 4 and 6
Prior to the CP1000 commissioning, cinema 5 was equipped
with a CP50 for the premiere of The Spy Who Loved Me.
In 1994 and 1995 with the Hoyts national roll out of
Panastereo processing, DTS and Dolby Digital, the CP1000
was replaced at the Hoyts Centre. The Panastereo processor
was also added to the 2000 refurbishment of Cinema 3 and 7
with the capability of DTS, Dolby Digital with EV amplifiers.
SANTA CLAUS
5
th
December 1985 to 5
th
February 1986 – Season 8 weeks and 9 days √
SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE was filmed in J-D-C Scope [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the
Hoyts Centre
SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE was reissued at the Hoyts Centre on the 27
th
November 1986 for a
three week season to the 17
th
December 1986.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 7
th
January 1988
The Cinemeccanica endless
loop platter was installed
into cinema 5 at the Hoyts
Centre during the season of
Dirty Dancing. After
numerous session
disruptions, projectionists
petitioned Hoyts to remove
the endless loop platter
and revert to the reliable
Philips ST270 platter.
SILVERADO
12
th
December 1985 to 15
th
January 1986 – Season 4 weeks and 6 days √
SILVERADO was filmed in Super Techniscope and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
SILVERADO was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 5 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 10
th
March 1988
In 1985 Hoyts attempted to arrest the decline in cinema
patronage (a consequence of the VHS video boom) by
projecting all formats to the height of the fully opened 70mm
screen; thus obviating the need to drop the top masking for
35mm spherical and scope films. This was achieved by
employing new spherical and scope backing lenses. The first
70mm film with no top masking travel was Empire of the Sun.
YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES
19
th
December 1985 to 5
th
March 1986 – Season 10 weeks and 6 days √
YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES was filmed in J-D-C Scope [anamorphic] and opened in
70mm at the Lyceum theatre.
YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES was moved from the Lyceum theatre to Greater Union
Pitt Centre on the 6
th
March 1986 for a further two week season to 19
th
March 1986.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 24
th
March 1988
The first Dolby Spectral Recording [SR] presentation at the
Hoyts Centre was The Man From Snowy River II.
Presented in cinema 7 auditorium, the CP100 left and right
noise reduction cards were removed from the CP100 with
two SR cards inserted into their slot positions.
ROCKY IV
19
th
December 1985 to 19
th
March 1986 – Season 12 weeks and 6 days √
ROCKY IV was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
ROCKY IV was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 13 week season.
GREATER UNION GEORGE CINEMAS
TIMELINE – 3
rd
June 1993
Aladdin opened exclusively at the Greater Union George
Cinemas on the 3
rd
June 1993 as the first presentation in
Dolby Stereo Digital [renamed Dolby Digital in 1994]
As a date reference for the reader, Batman Returns which
was the first film to use Dolby Digital Technology in other
territories, opened at the Pitt Centre on the 19
th
June 1992
which at this time, was not equipped for Dolby Stereo Digital.
Batman Returns did not open at Greater Union George
Cinemas due to the 70mm season presentations of Far and
Away and Beauty and the Beast.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON
9
th
January 1986 to 26
th
February 1986 – Season 6 weeks and 6 days √
YEAR OF THE DRAGON was filmed in J-D-C Scope [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 7 week season.
GREATER UNION GEORGE CINEMAS
TIMELINE – 2
nd
September 1993
Following the exclusive presentation of Aladdin in Dolby
Stereo Digital at Greater Union George Cinemas, DTS was
then commissioned also for an exclusive presentation for
Jurassic Park in DTS Digital Sound on 2
nd
September 1993.
The Hoyts Centre first entry into Digital Sound was Twentieth
Century Fox’s Speed in DTS on the 30
th
June 1994. For the
season of Speed at the Hoyts Centre, a new sound rack was
commissioned into cinema 7 auditorium with a Panastereo
CSP4000 processor, Altec power amplifiers and DTS6 player.
The functionality of Dolby Digital was installed in late 1994.
BRING ON THE NIGHT
27
th
March 1986 to 30
th
April 1986 – Season 4 weeks and 6 days √
BRING ON THE NIGHT was filmed in 35mm [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
BRING ON THE NIGHT was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 5 week season.
GREATER UNION CENTRE ON GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 18
th
December 1993
Greater Union Centre on George Street opened on the 18
th
December 1986 with Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home, Golden
Child, The Great Mouse Detective and Dead End Drive In.
Centre on George Street cinema 1 and 2 was equipped with
two Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 (RK60) Dual 35/70 projector,
Cinemeccanica Endless Loop CNR 3 35/70 platter, Xebec
5000HN xenon lamp house and CP200 sound processing.
In 1993 cinema 3 was twinned for the season of Wayne’s
World 2 [16/12/93] and a sixth screen, cinema 6 was added to
the lower foyer with excavation off Kent Street in 1994.
TOP GUN
31
st
July 1986 to 4
th
March 1987 – Season 30 weeks and 6 days √
TOP GUN was filmed in Super 35 and opened in 70mm at the Lyceum theatre.
TOP GUN was moved from the Lyceum theatre to Greater Union Centre on
George Street on the 5
th
March 1987 for a further twenty two week season to
the 5
th
August 1987.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 1
st
December 1994
The third Digital Sound format, SDDS [Sony Dynamic Digital
Sound] opened exclusively with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
in cinema 3 at the Hoyts Centre on 1
st
December 1994. Other
territories first film in SDDS was Last Action Hero which
opened in optical at Hoyts Centre on 16
th
September 1993.
Between 1994 and 1995, the Hoyts Sydney circuit were
upgraded with Panastereo processors which included
relocation of the SDDS unit from the Hoyts Centre to cinema
3 auditorium at the new eight screen Hoyts Mandarin
Chatswood multiplex which opened in December 1995.
ALIENS
5
th
November 1986 to 25
th
March 1987 – Season 19 weeks and 6 days √
ALIENS was filmed in 35mm [Spherical] and previewed in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
ALIENS was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 20 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – 1
st
July 2000
After the closure of Village Cinema City, Village and Hoyts
entered into a joint venture of the Hoyts Centre with the
original Cinema 3 and 7 Hoyts Entertainment Centre rebuilt
into six auditoriums by dividing each auditoria in half and
placing a third cinema in area of the stage.
When the rebuild was completed, the Hoyts Centre became
an eleven screen multiplex with Village Cinemas gaining
control on 5 screens and Hoyts Corporation 6 screens.
HOYTS
CIN 1
CIN 2
CIN 3
CIN 4
CIN 5
CIN 6
CIN 7
CIN 8
CIN 9
CIN 10
CIN 11
Above is the original Cinema 3 Hoyts Entertainment Centre
with the Gold Class refurbishment [aka 2008]
THE MISSION
4
th
December 1986 to 29
th
April 1987 – Season 20 weeks and 6 days √
THE MISSION was filmed in J-D-C Scope [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Greater Union Pitt Centre.
THE MISSION was moved from the Pitt Centre to Greater Union Centre on George Street on the 30
th
April 1987 for a
further sixteen week season to the 19
th
August 1987.
GEORGE STREET CINEMAS
TIMELINE – 1
st
July 2002
After the Village and Hoyts joint venture, Greater Union
merged with the Hoyts Centre with two break through
tunnels built between the adjoining buildings on Level 2
between cinemas 1 and 2 and Level 4 on the western wall.
During the rebuild of the Hoyts Centre. The original cinema 3
and 7 DP75 projectors were removed. In their place for the
six auditoria were four Christie projectors and two upgraded
DP75 from Melbourne. Renamed George Street Cinemas, the
seventeen screen multiplex was operated by Hoyts up to the
4
th
December 2005 when Greater Union then gained control.
ORG
VILLAGE
GU
PRESENT
GU
1
1
3
VM 1
2
2
4
VM 2
3
3
5
10
-
4
6
11
4
5
7
12
6
8
Demolished
HOYTS
1
1
1
8
2
2
2
9
3
9
16
GC 1
-
10
17
GC 2
-
11
18
GC 3
4
3
9
3
5
4
10
4
6
5
11
5
7
6
12
6
-
7
14
7
-
8
15
GC 4
The VILLAGE column are the cinema numbers when cinema 3 in the
GU building was twinned in 1993, the addition of cinema 6 in the
GU building lower level foyer in 1994 and the Hoyts Centre merger
with Village Cinemas. The GU column are the cinema numbers
when the Hoyts Centre and GU George Street merged to became
one multiplex and the PRESENT column are the current cinema
numbers which includes Gold Class and Vmax.
Please Note: The ORG
column on the right
shows the original
cinema number when
the Centre on George
Street and Hoyts
Entertainment Centre
opened.
THE COLOR OF MONEY
19
th
February 1987 to 1
st
July 1987 – Season 18 weeks and 6 days √
THE COLOR OF MONEY was filmed in 35mm [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Centre on George Street.
THE COLOR OF MONEY was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 19 week season.
GEORGE STREET CINEMAS
TIMELINE – 28
th
August 2003
After the merger of the Hoyts Centre and the Greater Union
George Street multiplex, Finding Nemo was the first Digital
Cinema [2D] presentation projected from cinema 4 [the
original cinema 2 Centre on George Street auditorium].
Projection was a Christie counsel xenon lamphouse with a
Christie 1.3K DCP-H projector head and DCP content was
loaded onto an Avica filmstore DELL server with audio
processed through the Dolby CP200. During the season of
Finding Nemo, a 35mm print of the film ran as a backup in
the event of a disruption to the Digital Cinema presentation.
THE UNTOUCHABLES
2
nd
September 1987 to 2
nd
December 1987 – Season 12 weeks and 6 days √
THE UNTOUCHABLES was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and previewed
in 70mm at the Centre on George Street.
THE UNTOUCHABLES was moved from the Greater Union Centre on George
Street to the Greater Union Pitt Centre on the 3
rd
December 1987 for a
further fourteen week season to the 9
th
March 1988.
GREATER UNION GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 5
th
December 2005
A significant date with the history of the Hoyts Centre and
Greater Union George Street is when the two multiplex
buildings then operated by Hoyts, closed for business on
Sunday evening on the 4
th
December 2005 and reopened the
following morning as Greater Union multiplex.
THE LAST EMPEROR
26
th
November 1987 to 17
th
August 1988 – Season 37 weeks and 6 days √
THE LAST EMPEROR was filmed in Technovision [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
THE LAST EMPEROR was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 38 week season.
HOYTS CENTRE
TIMELINE – DCI Certification September 2006
The Barco DP100 and Kodak JMN3000 server was
commissioned into George Street cinemas after Greater
Union had taken control on the seventeen screen multiplex.
Installed into cinema 9 [original cinema 4 of the Hoyts
Entertainment Centre], the installation required the
relocation of the Pennywise automation console to below the
projector observation port and the Barco Real D pedestal
placed in the position of the slide port.
The first 3D film was Monster House on 14
th
September 2006.
SPACEBALLS
10
th
December 1987 to 2
nd
March 1988 – Season 10 weeks and 6 days √
SPACEBALLS was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
SPACEBALLS was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 11 week season.
GREATER UNION GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 3
rd
April 2008
In 2008 over 33 consecutive weeks, 12317 public sessions
and 126 Digital Cinema Print [DCP] ingestions, George Street
was the cinema in Australia for the Digital Cinema trial.
The first DCP ingestion and public screening was Paramount
Pictures The Spiderwick Chronicles on the 3
rd
April on the
Sony SRX-R220 projector. The last DCP ingestion and
screening was Twentieth Century Fox premiere of Australia
on the 18
th
November when all projector manufacturers
Barco, Christie, Cinemeccanica, NEC, Sony and server Dolby,
DOREMI, Kodak and Sony were used to present the premiere.
CRY FREEDOM
17
th
February 1988 to 11
th
May 1988 – Season 10 weeks and 6 days √
CRY FREEDOM was filmed in Super 35 and previewed in 70mm at Pitt Centre.
CRY FREEDOM was moved from the Pitt Centre to the Centre on George
Street on the 12
th
May 1988 for a further three week season and returned to
the Pitt Centre on the 2
nd
June 1988 for a final two week season.
EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 1
st
July 2009
Greater Union George Street cinemas was renamed Event
Cinemas George Street on the 1
st
July 2009.
After Greater Union acquired the lease on the Hoyts Centre
in 2005, an extensive refurbishment of the two adjoining
multiplex [Hoyts George Street 11 screens and Greater Union
George Street 6 screens] was undertaken which included the
closure of GU cinema 6, new foyer and auditorium
furnishings, box office, candy bar concepts, Gold Class, GMAX
and a new entry façade for the adjoining building structures
designed and project managed by Thomas Creative.
Dedicated to John Gregory … A wonderful project manager and true
gentleman who is sadly missed and never forgotten …
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
23rd November 1988 to 22
nd
March 1989 – Season 16 weeks and 6 days √
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and
previewed in 70mm at the Greater Union George Cinemas.
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT was moved from the George Cinemas on the
30
th
March 1989 to Village Cinema City for a further three week season.
EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 29
th
March 2012
After the 2008 Digital Cinema trial, George Street
commissioned Edge Digital Technology to install the B Series
Barco DP2K-19B, DP2K-23B and DP2K-32B projectors with
DOREMI showvault/IMB servers. Originally a mixture of 2K
and 4K, all projectors have now been upgraded to 4K.
The photo right is cinema 9 projection room at George Street.
Originally a common projection room for cinema 1 and 2
Hoyts Entertainment Centre, cinema 2 became cinema 9 with
the DP75 projector removed and replaced with a FP30 in
1988 by Technician Damien Farrell and Doug Louden.
WILLOW
15
th
December 1988 to 8
th
March 1989 – Season 11 weeks and 6 days √
WILLOW was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened in
70mm at the Greater Union George Cinemas.
WILLOW was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 12 week
season.
EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 20
th
November 2014
Dolby Atmos was commissioned in VMAX cinema 2 in
November 2014 prior to the season of THE HUNGER GAMES:
MOCKINGJAY PART 1. VMAX cinema 1 was commissioned for
Dolby Atmos in December 2014.
The VMAX auditoriums are the original cinema 1 and 2 of the
Greater Union Centre on George Street building which
opened in 1986. Both of these premium auditoriums with
comfortable seating, improved sound and a large 20 metre
screen, were commissioned as GMAX auditoriums in October
2007 and renamed VMAX on the 2
nd
April 2009.
THE BEAR
12
th
October 1989 to 28
th
February 1990 – Season 19 weeks and 6 days √
THE BEAR was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm at the Hoyts Centre.
THE BEAR was not reissued in 70mm in Sydney after its 20 week season.
EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE STREET
TIMELINE – 14
th
January 2016
The Hateful Eight was filmed in Ultra Panavision 70 and was
presented in 70mm at George Street cinemas and at the
Sydney suburban Cremorne Orpheum and Randwick Ritz.
Projected from cinema 4 [the original cinema 5 at Hoyts
Entertainment Centre which presented Capricorn One as the
auditoriums first 70mm print] the new 70mm installation was
commissioned by Edge Digital Technology with a Victoria 8
(RK60) Dual 35/70 projector, feed from a CNR 3 35/70
Cinemeccanica platter, Kinoton H7000W xenon lamp house
and audio from a DTS 6D with Dolby CP750 sound processing.
SYDNEY IN 70MM – PART 3
70MM BLOW UP
Between 2005 and 2009 there were no 70mm releases in the key city multiplex of Sydney.
2000 - 2004
70MM
REISSUE
TOTAL
2000
0
0
0
2001
0
0
0
2002
0
0
0
2003
0
0
0
2004
0
0
0
TOTAL
0
0
0
BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL [UK]
In 1992 my family relocated to London and I worked as a projectionist at Odeon Kensington and later as
head projectionist at Odeon Marble Arch where I presented Lethal Weapon 3 as my last 70mm
presentation. During my role as projectionist for Odeon Cinemas, I applied for and was successful in the
role as Print Supervisor for Buena Vista International [UK] with Sister Act as my first distributed film.
Many films followed with premieres at Odeon West End and Odeon Leicester Square with Little Buddha in
70mm and Walt Disney’s Aladdin and The Lion King as the highlights in my career with the distributor.
During these event presentations, I worked with three wonderful projectionists of the West End cinemas in
Nigel Wolland, Dave Norris and Stephen Larcombe. Their passion of the presentation and the
professionalism of projection I will never forget and I am so
grateful I still call these fine gentleman of the London cinema
industry my friend.
THE END
After the 1989 closure of the Lyceum theatre, I lost interest in
the 70mm release due in part that there were no single screen
flagship theatres left in key city of Sydney.
So this is where I leave my research on Sydney in 70mm.
During 2017 I will be reviewing all twelve chapters’ continuity,
sourcing digital scans of the newspaper ad blocks and will
include a summary chapter on all 70mm presentations so the
reader has a bridged reference document.
Thank you to Brian Walters, Richard Dumbrell, David Coles and
Greg Beasley who has shared the passion of 70mm with me …
1 1
2 2
14
2
0
5
10
15
1990 to 1994 1995 to 1999 2000 to 2004 2005 to 2009
CINEMA MULTI PLEX
Todd-AO Super Technirama Super Panavision Ultra Panavision 70mm Blow Up
