No streaming service or fancy TV will ever replace that special feeling of an outing to the cinema, buying deliciously salty popcorn, excitedly settling into a plush recliner and trying not to eat all of said popcorn in the first ten minutes of the film.
Melburnians certainly have an appreciation for a good cinema, reflected in the many theatres across the city. Our cinemas are undoubtedly world-class, and it's not just us who think so. Our Global Film Editor has revamped Time Out’s list of the 50 most beautiful cinemas in the world – and one Melbourne cinema has been given a starring role in the top ten.
The Astor is Melbourne’s oldest single-screen theatre and the last of its kind in operation, and ranked seventh on the carefully considered list. Dating way back to 1936, this grand Art Deco gem has a past as dramatic as its popular double-bills. The Astor has been under threat of development for decades, but won its most recent reprieve in 2015, when indie chain Palace Cinemas took over the site. The giant auditorium, which seats about 1,600 people across two levels, preserves its old Hollywood-feel with lush red velvet curtains, geometric carpets, a grand piano, ’30s movie posters and euphemistically named ‘cloak rooms’.
Also making the top 50 list was Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, claiming the 22nd spot on Time Out’s list of the world’s most beautiful cinemas. Dating back to 1935, this Art Deco theatre is a stunning step back in time, featuring six glitzy auditoria, each with its own colour scheme and decor. However, the true star of the show is the 744-seat Orpheum, where a genuine Wurlitzer cinema organ rises from a stage pit on weekend evenings, complete with flashing lights and a grinning organist. Sydney’s Golden Age Cinema and Bar, located in Surry Hills, also made the rankings in position 36. Though it was only converted into a theatre in 2013, this 60-seat basement cinema is dressed like a character from the 1940s, with moss-green velvet, polished wood, and a raised stage beneath its small yet perfectly formed silver screen.
You can check out Time Out's full list of the 50 most beautiful cinemas in the world here.
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