Page 31 - 2014-12

After 5pm, enthusiastic locals crowded the old Theatrette for the Vinyl Lounge where
1980s Australian music was played on, yes, a turntable, finishing with a long, loud clip
of John Farnham.

Then into the dark décor and perfect proportions of Arc Cinema. The CEO, Michael
Loebenstein, skilfully pointed to the variety of media and formats that NFSA copes
with. A local animation, The Gallant Captain, was all-the-way digital from production
to projection. Digital in final format but drawn by Helen Tully from 500 hours of film
and television was a snappy ten-minute glimpse back to the 1984 opening. We saw then
arts minister Barry Cohen giving credit for the big shift to Colin Pitman, Geoff Gardner
and Ray Edmondson. Bob Hawke was excitedly coming good on his 1983 election
promise. Interestingly in the present context, Hawke had listed among the initial
purposes both “accessibility” and “availability”.

Finally, the curtains glid-
ed open to full 2.35 ratio
width. We entered the
glowing red credits of the
Robert Stigwood-Rupert
Murdoch 1981 biggie,
Gallipoli, in its fully re-
stored, and archive pro-
jection limited, new print
in 35 mm celluloid. Su-
perb in both colour and
sound, this repro had
been OK 'd personally by
the film’s director, Peter
Weir, and cinematographer Russell Boyd. Again we lived the vigour of young actors
Mark Lee and Mel Gibson in the entertaining, thoughtful, affecting script. Overall, a
rare full-screen privilege.

Thus through the old Institute doors into the evening of Canberra. Indeed, a Day to
Remember.

David Donaldson
Adelaide

AFTERWORD: Consultations have been proceeding around the country about the
Strategic Plan for NFSA. In my experience, it would have been better for those groups
to have been asked to read the full record of the earlier meetings, also to have been given
the results of the survey of film users. As it was, in Adelaide, anyway, there were again
expressions of opinion but no focusing to arrive at a view on any topic. –DD 30 Nov 14

“Article first published in Dress Circle, November 2014"

REEL DEALS December 2014 31