Families wait for the curtain to rise on a screening of the film, Finian's Rainbow, at the Majestic Theatre on Willis Street on 7 December 1968.
Pass the Jaffas...
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Majestic Theatre Willis Street Wellington #2
Families wait for the curtain to rise on a screening of the film, Finian's Rainbow, at the Majestic Theatre on Willis Street on 7 December 1968.
Pass the Jaffas...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Britannia - Roxy Theatre, Manners Street, Perrett's Corner
Britannia Theater, with arch entrance, opened Monday 15 December 1913.
M & M (Muir and Moodie?) postcard.
In the early 1900s, Manners Street became the home of the continuous movie palaces of Wellington with such names as People's Picture Palace and The New Theatre appearing while nearby Shortt's Continuous Theatre on Willis St and West's The King's Theatre provided added competition.
On 15 December 1913 the Britannia Theatre opened across the street & a few doors down from Perrett's corner. The first feature to be shown was Adrift on Life's Tide, a British film, starring Alma Taylor, Flora Morris, Harry Royston, and Harry Gilbey.
A few days before the opening the Evening Post sent its reporter along to the theatre to inspect the premises. He was much impressed by the facilities, commenting upon the novelty of floor level lighting to guide patrons in the darkness. Click on the article to read:
The Roxy lived on until 1974 when it was closed in the face of competition from television and other newer entertainments. It was demolished the same year to make way for a new high rise office tower.
A late night crowd leaves the Roxy after a festival of horror films on 31 July 1971 according to the notes with this photo, though the posters above the door advertise Frontier Uprising and MASH.
Ghoulish good times...
M & M (Muir and Moodie?) postcard.
In the early 1900s, Manners Street became the home of the continuous movie palaces of Wellington with such names as People's Picture Palace and The New Theatre appearing while nearby Shortt's Continuous Theatre on Willis St and West's The King's Theatre provided added competition.
On 15 December 1913 the Britannia Theatre opened across the street & a few doors down from Perrett's corner. The first feature to be shown was Adrift on Life's Tide, a British film, starring Alma Taylor, Flora Morris, Harry Royston, and Harry Gilbey.
Evening Post, 15 December 1913, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand.
A few days before the opening the Evening Post sent its reporter along to the theatre to inspect the premises. He was much impressed by the facilities, commenting upon the novelty of floor level lighting to guide patrons in the darkness. Click on the article to read:
Evening Post, 13 December 1913, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand.
The Britannia pictured sometime in the first half of the 1930s. Photographer unidentified. Alexander Turnbull Library.
In 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression the Britannia was re-opened as the Roxy under new ownership.
The Britannia pictured sometime in the first half of the 1930s. Photographer unidentified. Alexander Turnbull Library.
The Roxy lived on until 1974 when it was closed in the face of competition from television and other newer entertainments. It was demolished the same year to make way for a new high rise office tower.
A late night crowd leaves the Roxy after a festival of horror films on 31 July 1971 according to the notes with this photo, though the posters above the door advertise Frontier Uprising and MASH.
Ghoulish good times...
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Bride Flight - Dutch Feature Film on The Last Great Air Race to New Zealand
The Dutch feature film, The Bride Flight, was shot on location in New Zealand in November 2007 and released in October 2008.
It was inspired by the last great air race in 1953 - from London to Christchurch, New Zealand - and the passengers on the KLM flight that won the handicap race. The KLM flight was unusual because it carried passengers: Dutch brides traveling to New Zealand to join their fiances who had already gone out to New Zealand. The press dubbed it "The Bride Flight".
In The Bride Flight, three of these young women meet Frank, emigrating to New Zealand to become a farmer. They don't know it at the time but their encounter with Frank will affect each of their lives in their new country as each finds their goals in life remain unfulfilled or change. It is only many years later they fully realise the significance of that flight with Frank.
You can view the trailer and an interview with the scriptwriter at The Bride Flight website here.
It was inspired by the last great air race in 1953 - from London to Christchurch, New Zealand - and the passengers on the KLM flight that won the handicap race. The KLM flight was unusual because it carried passengers: Dutch brides traveling to New Zealand to join their fiances who had already gone out to New Zealand. The press dubbed it "The Bride Flight".
In The Bride Flight, three of these young women meet Frank, emigrating to New Zealand to become a farmer. They don't know it at the time but their encounter with Frank will affect each of their lives in their new country as each finds their goals in life remain unfulfilled or change. It is only many years later they fully realise the significance of that flight with Frank.
You can view the trailer and an interview with the scriptwriter at The Bride Flight website here.
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