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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Sydney's Film Landscape is Changing Again

If you haven't heard due to an inability to come to an agreement on a new rental arrangement to compensate for funding of the renovations the Academy Twin (A Palace Cinema) will be closing this month.

Many will say so what - Palace has 2 other cinemas in the Oxford Street stretch the Verona and the Chauvel - surely this is enough. The major sadness will come from the need for Palace to alter there currently diverse scheduling that works so well across the three cinemas to compensate. This has to mean a few less films will be shown - be that the independent new releases or (my true horror) a reduction in the mini-festivals/events and cinemateque offering at the chauvel.

I know with the introduction of video and DVD more films are consumed at home - but to see a classic film in a cinema with an audience without the distraction of domestic responsibility is an experience to be treasured.

Palace and Dendy continue to spearhead diversity in films available even though the major multiplexes carry a small arthouse offering.

With the closure of the academy twin my film-going expeirence will definitely be the poorer both directly and indirectly

2 comments:

Sel and Poivre said...

I don't even know the theatre of which you speak but just the thought of its closure sounds like a great loss to me!

LynS said...

Oh no! The Academy has been so much a part of my film-going life for so long. And two fewer 'Palace' screens is two fewer good films screening in Sydney at any one time. Maybe the Palace could open a new venue in the inner west...or even Redfern???