Originally published October 23, 1975
MILDURA’S new Cinema Deakin officially opens with a gala champagne and chicken premiere.
For tonight only, the cinema will be run by Mildura and Irymple/Mildura Rotary Clubs to raise money for charity.Tonight’s premiere follows a special screening, put on for the directors, shareholders, their friends, advertisers and the workmen who built the theatre.
Film for the gala premiere is “The Great Waldo Pepper”, supplied specially for the occasion by Cinema International Corporation.
It stars Robert Redford, who rocketed to stardom following his lead role in “The Sting”.
“The Great Waldo Pepper” will also be the attraction for the first official public screening.
There will be two sessions on the first day — at 5pm and again at 8 o’clock.
There will be three sessions on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm.
Sessions will then be held nightly at 8pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
A new picture will be shown each Thursday.
The premiere general exhibition film was chosen because it should appeal to all age groups.
It will be supported by two color cartoons and a featurette.
Films to follow over the next few weeks include: Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”, said to be one of the best “who-dun-it’s” ever released. It has a star-studded cast.
Then comes the 1974 Academy-award winner “The Godfather, Part Two”, followed by “Picnic at Hanging Rock”, an Australian film shot on location near Hanging Rock, SA.
These films will be followed by Jack Thompson in “Sunday Too Far Away”, a story of a gun shearer’s life in the bush.
The special January holiday attraction will be “Jaws”, an all-time money box-office success in the United States.
This film, about a giant white pointer killer shark, grossed more than $100 million in its first two months on the screen.
It has smashed all records and is still going strong.
Mildura will be one of the first theatres in Australia to show the film.
