Another city cinema for first-release films

Press, 7 April 1982, Page 18

Another city cinema for first-release films

The Midcity Cinema, Christchurch's newest movie theatre and the eighth of Lang Masters’ chain of independent cinemas in and around the city, will be officially opened this evening by the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr Hamish Hay. The opening will also be attended by David Carradine, the star and director of “Americana,” which will have its world premiere at the s'/2M cinema, which seats 408 people. The event is also being held as a gala charity evening in conjunction with the Lyttelton Lions Club to raise money for the maintenance of the Ripapa Island sea cadet camp. The first cinema to be built in Christchurch on a new site since the '3os, the Midcity was established by Masters Theatres, Ltd, as a major independent city theatre through which the company could channel its increasing supply of firstrelease films. Masters Theatres’ film distribution wing is importing between 15 and 20 films a year which it will release through the Midcity and Academy cinemas in Christchurch and Wellington, and through its new cinema in Auckland, which opens in August this year. — The manager of Masters h Theatres, Mr Peter Downer, | says there is a wealth of I independently-produced film | available on the international a market, most of which would I otherwise fail to reach our | shores. I The opening attraction, | “Americana,” is one good I example of films which | otherwise may not have had I a New Zealand release.

Masters Theatres intend tapping this market and have recently acquired (in addition to “Americana”) New Zealand franchise rights to the 1981 Academy Award-win-ning documentary, “From Mao to Mozart,” with the violinist, Isaac Stern; “Possession,” starring the New Zealand actor, Sam Neill; the new Australian, Judy Davis film, “Winter of Our Dreams"; and another award-winning documentary about Nijinsky, “She Dances Alone.”

The Midcity brings the number of screens on the Masters New Zealand circuit to nine, and its opening attraction establishes a precedent in Being th’e first time an American film has received its world premiere season in New Zealand. The cinema will be upstairs, at the back of the new two-storey building at 147 Hereford Street, opposite the National Mutual Centre. The building will also include two shops downstairs on the Hereford Street frontage, and offices .upstairs, in the front.

Luxuriously appointed, the Midcity features the latest projection and sound systems and is equipped to reproduce Dolby film stereo. The theatre is carpeted wall-to-wall and the 408 Americandesigned seats provide for maximum comfort and legroom.

The passageway from Hereford Street to the southeast corner of Cathedral Square is being restored. Leased car parking also will be available at the back of the new building. The architects are Warren and Mahoney. ' '■