Adelaide’s Historic Cinemas | Review

Oscars Fan? Enjoy an ‘Old Hollywood’ Vibe at one of Adelaide’s historic cinemas, such as The Capri or The Regal.

by Carla Caruso

Who doesn’t love a glitzy Hollywood awards night, from the SAGs to the Oscars and the Golden Globes?

For a taste of that ‘old Hollywood’ vibe in our own backyard, nothing beats heading to an actual cinema – particularly one steeped in history. And Adelaide has three such gorgeous places.

Bob Parr OAM knows them all well too. He started in the cinema biz, aged 12, as a tray boy at the former Wallis Hi-Line Drive-in in Panorama. Now 75, he’s a senior advisor at Wallis Cinemas. Bob says:

In 1959, my father and several others said not to go into working in a cinema because they won’t last. I have been hearing that for 60 years. I am confident as long as cinemas keep the experience special, they will still be here long after me.

Go on, grab some buttery popcorn and a choc-top, and enjoy our list of Adelaide’s retro cinemas.

1. Piccadilly Cinemas | 181 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide

Bob says:

The last remaining of the classic [cinemas] are Piccadilly (North Adelaide) and Capri (Goodwood), opened in 1940 and 1941. They had the same architect and are classic Art Deco. The Piccadilly became The Forum for a short time and was used to release major films to replace the Adelaide Regent while the arcade was being built in it stalls area. Wallis took over, and to save it, converted it into three cinemas.

Bob remembers “weekly ranch nights with double-feature cowboys-and-Indians films” and “horror shows at midnight on Sunday on long weekends”.

I recall a manager tying feathers on a long string, and as the film reached a scary bit, the staff would run down two aisles, dragging the feathers over the heads of the audience.

We particularly adore the building’s Jazz-style chevron windows and curved main staircase.

2. Capri Theatre | 141 Goodwood Road, Goodwood

Bob says:

The Capri, which was originally the Goodwood Star, was bought by the Theatre Organ Society of SA to install a Wurlitzer organ … They bought [the organ] from a house in Darwin, just before Cyclone Tracy. The house was demolished in the cyclone. The Capri survives because of the TLC from several volunteers. The first big film they had was Crocodile Dundee, which nearly paid their debt. They have a good following for movies, but the organ concerts are superb.

For a bit of old-world atmosphere, see the organ rise out of the stage and be played at its evening movie sessions on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 15 minutes before the scheduled screening times.

The Capri is Adelaide’s only not-for-profit cinema and is almost exclusively staffed by volunteers. The profit from each ticket goes back into restoring the iconic building and organ.

During the cooler months, look out for double-feature ‘cult classics’ on Sunday arvos, like The Sound of Music and Muriel’s Wedding.

3. The Regal Theatre | 275 Kensington Road, Kensington Park

Bob says:

The Regal, which opened as The Princess in 1925, became The Ozone. In the sixties, it was going to be bulldozed for a petrol station. The Burnside Council mayor, George Bolton, called an urgent meeting of council, who bought it the next day because of its heritage significance.

In 1971, Wallis took it over and renamed it The Chelsea. I was made manager, a position which I held for 40 years. In that time, we hosted hundreds of charity events, film festivals and live shows.

What we like about the old-school cinemas

• Despite many of us now having home theatre systems and streaming services, you can’t top the experience of heading to an actual cinema. As Wallis’ Bob Parr says: “Major directors like [Steven] Spielberg, [James] Cameron and Chris Nolan all say they make films to be enjoyed by an audience on the big screen, sharing the emotion, action, music or comedy.” 
• He also says the streaming services are causing more trouble for free-to-air TV than cinema. “Last year (2019) was cinema’s second biggest year. Bob Iger, the head of Disney, which is by far the biggest entertainment company, says quite clearly that he supports cinema. And even though Disney+ is their streaming platform, he agrees [in] the 90-day exclusivity for cinema. In fact, the most successful movies on streaming have a cinema release.” Going to one of SA’s old-fashioned cinemas adds another layer of glamour. 

Things to consider

• Screenings at the drive-in during summer won’t occur until sundown, which can be late for some littlies. Still, nothing compares to the cosy, unique drive-in experience.
• It can be hard to know exactly when young ones will sit through a full-length feature. But thankfully, cinemas like The Capri have ‘crying rooms’ (or ‘infant care rooms’), so you can duck out for some time-out with your child if needed. 

Coffee and food options nearby

Each cinema has a candy bar, but, of course, you can also check out the plethora of eateries along the strips they’re located on – from Goodwood Road for The Capri to O’Connell Street for Piccadilly Cinemas.

For more information on the cinemas, please visit their websites: Piccadilly Cinemas, Capri Theatre and The Regal Theatre. 

All photos by Carla Caruso for Play & Go Adelaide. Regal Theatre pics: supplied.

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

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