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Australian Cinemas: Man Looking Into A Kinetoscope, Undated, CATHS Archives
Australian Cinemas: Man Looking Into A Kinetoscope, Undated, CATHS Archives
CINEMAS
Last year, there was an estimated 91.3 mil-
lion admissions sold to films across Austral-
ia, which averages out to around 3.8 film ad-
missions per person. Per person Australia is
considered to be one of the worlds biggest
consumers of film. It reflects the intercon-
nectedness of film and cinemas in Austral-
ias culture.
Film didnt begin as we know it today it under-
went a a full transformation as the technology
surrounding it only continues to improve. The
journey of film to Australia began in the mid
1890s via the Kinetoscope, a small camera like
viewing device. On November 30th 1894 at 148
Pitt Street in Sydney, James McMahon created
the first Kinetoscope parlour and for a shilling Man Looking into a Kinetoscope,
people could watch a variety of short films via
undated, CATHS archives
the eyepieces. Australians were taken with at-
tendance in the first 5 weeks being between
22,0001 and 25,0002 visitors. From this McMah-
on then later took his Kinetoscope on tour
across Australia to great success and later re-
turned back to Sydney in 1896 where we see
the emergence of film projectors across Austral-
ia.
Like all its previous challenges cinema had al- Burwood Skyline entry instruction, 1958, David Kilderry,
ways recovered though and it had once again Private collection
by 1984, 26 per cent of Australian households
had a video playing machine and this growth
was created a negative effect on cinema attend-
ances in the mid to late 1980s which have only
began to bounce back by the mid 1990s, which
in turn leads us to a point in which many see the
cinema today.
AUSTRALIAN
CINEMAS
In 1975, colour television was introduced and by
1978 two-thirds of households in Sydney and
Melbourne had colour sets. The new allure of
colour television together with economic reces-
sion are cited as the primary causes of the 35
per cent drop in national cinema grosses in
1976. In 1976-77, there were 884 cinemas in
Australia, of which 280 were drive-ins and 219
were hard tops (conventional cinema buildings)
in the major cities. Video began to make its mark
in Australia though by the late 1970s. and film
attendance dropped off once more to the lowest
levels since commercial film making and many
cinemas and in particular the drive in industry
of which was almost completely disappeared-
closed.
Long, Chris 1993. Australias First Films: Fact A special thanks to David Killderry, Cinema
and Fables Part 2, Cinema Papersno. 92: and Theatre Historical societies ( CATHS)
April. and the History of Australian Theartre Ar-
chives (HAT archives) for there assistance
Murray, Scott (ed.) 1994. Australian Cinema, St in obtaining imagery for this work. Access/
Leonards, NSW: Allen and Unwin in association view their Website/archives contact them
with the Australian Film Commission. via below