Picture Palaces will be the topic of the guest speaker Dr Peter Sheridan's talk.
One of the great revolutions of the 20th century in was the movies and the cinema theatre. Picture palaces became the fantasy environment to enjoy the excitement and escape of silent movies and then talkies. This was in stark contrast to real life which was often difficult and full of deprivation particularly during the years after WW1 and in the time of the Great Depression. Australia per capita were the keenest cinema goers in the world and in 1930, more than 65% of the population went to the movies weekly. The great age of cinema building began after WW1 and in the 1920s talkies replaced silent movies. Hollywood became the centre of filmmaking bringing with it ostentatious glamour and style and much of it wrapped in Art Deco sets and costumes.
By 1930 most new movie theatres in the USA were in the Streamlined Art Deco style, with glorious interiors matching the Art Deco movies being shown. This confluence of theatre design and content extended around the world with hundreds of Art Deco cinema theatres built in the 1930s in Australia. The few remaining Art Deco picture palaces and cinemas in Australia are special examples of our built heritage and part of our cultural, architectural and design history.
They need to be preserved, maintained and preferably retain their original utility for the enjoyment of future generations of movie goers.
Clinical Senior Lecturer in Dentistry at Sydney University. Peter is an accredited professional photographer and a world-renowned collector and authority on Art Deco design. He lectures in Australia and internationally and his articles appear in specialist magazines and museum catalogues. He is the author of four major photographic reference books on Art Deco design, radio and architecture including the award-winning Sydney Art Deco (2019).