the last (single screen) picture show? [24.11.2007]
Its finally official. After a couple of premature announcements, the Astor Theatre, Melbourne's last single screen venue is going to be sold. According to the current owner/operators it is just a bricks and mortar sale and the repertory program will continue to operate 'for the next few years'.
The Astor has had many 'lives'. It belongs to a period of suburban cinema expansion in Melbourne- even its 1936 opening night was remarkable in that just across Dandenong Road another rival cinema, the Windsor, also launched on the same night.
The Windsor has been dark for many years, but the Astor remained viable when other suburban cinemas closed around it, by progamming prestige, big-night out films. Then, when even this strategy no longer worked, it re-emerged as a specialist screening venue for Greek migrant cinemagoers. More recently its been a repertory cinema.
My favourite Astor memory (and I'm sure its not a unique one) is of sitting in dress circle more or less alone watching a re-run of Bladerunner only to have the be-jeezus scared out of me as the Astor cat, Marzipan, leapt into my lap at an opportune moment. I lost the remains of my choctop over that one.
sold for just over $3 mill to St Michael's private school- what lucky young private school kids - their very own yr 12 media films screened @ the Astor...makes KRudds computer for every kid look lame...'.oooh look Mommy our very own cinema!'