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| BCC Cinemas Cinebuzz Rewards Event Cinemas Greater Union Moonlight Cinema Rialto Cinemas | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Film exhibition |
| Founded | 1913; 112 years ago (1913) (As Greater Union) 2010; 15 years ago (2010) (As Event Cinemas) |
Number of locations | 140+ |
Areas served | Australia,New Zealand,Fiji |
| Revenue |
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Number of employees | 5,000+ |
| Parent | EVT Limited |
| Website | www.eventcinemas.com.au |
| Footnotes / references Annual Reports,2019,2020. | |
Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd,[1] trading asEvent Cinemas,Greater Union,Moonlight Cinema andBirch Carroll & Coyle (BCC Cinemas), is the largest movie exhibitor inAustralia andNew Zealand, with over 140cinema complexes currently operating worldwide.
The Greater Union Organisation is a subsidiary ofEVT Limited (formerly known as Event Hospitality and Entertainment) which is listed on theAustralian Securities Exchange, a corporation that owns and operates brands in the entertainment, hospitality and leisure sectors, mainly withinAustralasia.[1]
The Event Cinemas cinema chain has had a significant impact on the Australian culture andfilm industry, and has a history ofmergers and acquisitions andliquidations that span over a century.
From 1906 to 1911, duringthe silent era, Australia was the most prolific producer of feature films in the world,[2] a period which included the creation of the first feature-length filmThe Kelly Gang. This creative and fertile period in Australian film history was largely created by competition betweenWest's Pictures,Spencer's Pictures andAmalgamated Pictures.[3] On 4 May 1912 the three joined to form The General Film Company of Australasia.[4] On 4 January 1913 it then merged with The Greater J.D. Williams Amusement Co and restructured to becomeThe Combine, a famous partnership between the exhibition wing Union Theatres and the production and distribution wingAustralasian Films.[citation needed]
The Combine monopoly was highly influential on the early twentieth-century Australian film industry.[2] However, it came under heavy criticism for its low interest in producing Australian films, its preference for imported cinema, and its reluctance to exhibit Australian films by other producers.[5] Film icon and directorRaymond Longford, whose independent production company had come under attack by the group,[6] said in 1927 that "had it not been for the activities of that firm in its endeavour to crush it in its infancy, the local picture would now be 10 years at least advanced to the height now attained by the Americans."[5] Historians have traced the sharp decline of the Australian film industry in 1913 to the repercussions of these series of takeovers and mergers.[3][7] James Sabine has said that "the stranglehold of The Combine forced a decline in local production and contributed to many Australian production companies closing their doors."[7]
The Combine continued to grow into the 1920s during the genesis of theHollywood era with its focus on exhibiting American films. TheGreat Depression saw Union Theatres being liquidated in 1931 and its assets purchased by newly formed Greater Union Theatres. This new company split from Australasian Films, established the Hollywood-model subsidiaryCinesound Productions, expanded into radio and newspaper, and kept its major focus on building and managing cinemas.[8] Due to The Depression, Greater Union Theatres merged into the General Film Corporation withHoyts, a competitor who had securedFox Film as a shareholder. In 1937Norman Rydge became managing director and removed the company from the previous merger.[citation needed]
In 1945, the last year ofWorld War II, there was abox office boom and the BritishRank Organisation purchased a half share in Greater Union Theatres. During this time Greater Union acquired the rights of ownership of many theatres across the country including what became thePhoenician Club inBroadway, Sydney in 1943, originally owned by McIntyre's Broadway Theatres and established as a cinema in 1911.[citation needed] It acquired theClifford Theatre Circuit inAdelaide in March 1947. The purchase price of £300,000 for the 22 suburban and regional cinemas was "believed to be the largest motion picture transaction ever made in Australia". The Clifford name was retained as a tribute to the entrepreneurDan Clifford, and South Australian staff were retained.[9]
In 1958 the four holding companies in the Greater Union Theatres group were merged into the Rydge family Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL), and in 1965 Greater Union Theatres was renamed the Greater Union Organisation (GUO). In 1980 billionaire Alan Rydge was appointed Chairman of AHL to become the youngest chairman of an Australian public company.[10]
In 1971, it merged its assets withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Australian cinema unit, which the company's B.E.F. subsidiary distributing MGM titles until 1973, when distribution that studio's films in Australia was shifted toCinema International Corporation.[11] In 1976, the company's British Empire Films unit was initially renamed GUO Film Distributors, then six years later, it was renamed to Greater Union Film Distributors.[11]
In 1975, Greater Union bought the oldMetro Theatre inHindley Street, Adelaide, and redeveloped it as a modern four-screen cinema complex, called Hindley Cinemas 1–4.[12] In October 1980, the company bought the building that had once housed the first cinema in Adelaide,West's Olympia, also in Hindley Street. After a time in which rebuilds were made to the cinema, it reopened in December 1982 as Hindley Cinemas 5–6.[13]
In 1984 AHL regained control over the now-defunct Rank Organisation's half share, meaning that it once again became fully Australian-owned. In 1987 GUO merged withVillage Roadshow's film distribution unit to form the distribution companyRoadshow Film Distributors, and by that time, GUO and Village Roadshow partnered on a $100 million cinema chain that will see 200 circuits expanded by use by 1990.[14][11]
In 1991 GUO acquired Birch, Carroll & Coyle.[citation needed] In the same year, Hindley Cinemas 1–4 and 5–6 closed.[12][13]
In 2003 AHL and Village Roadshow combined to formAustralian Theatres.[citation needed]
Since 2009 a number of cinemas have been renamed from Greater Union Cinemas to Event Cinemas. On 22 December 2015 AHL was renamed Event Hospitality and Entertainment.[citation needed]
In June 2016 Event Cinemas acquired New Zealand cinema chainDowntown Cinemas.[15]
In 2019,Birch Carroll & Coyle was inducted into theQueensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of being Australia's leading provincial film distributor and its industry leadership throughout Queensland for 80 years.[16]
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Event Cinemas operates venues around Australia, many of which are located in large shopping centres. The cinema complexes comprise multiple screens. The below locations do not include sites that operate under the joint venture betweenVillage Roadshow and Event Hospitality & Entertainment known asAustralian Theatres.
New South Wales
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Northern Territory
Queensland
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South Australia
Western Australia
With cinema admissions in decline, Event Cinemas has continued to experience growth by raising the price of admissions and offering "premium experiences" such as "Gold Class" which offers more luxury seating and food, "Vmax" which offers a larger screen, and alternate content includingBollywood films, football, gaming, film festivals, opera and stand-up comedy events.[17][18][19]
WithinFiji, Damodar Event Cinemas is a joint venture betweenVillage Cinemas, and the Fijian-based Damodar Brothers, who operate the existing two-cinema chain under licence since 2010.[20][21][22]The brand has since changed its name to "Damodar Cinemas".
Event Cinemas operates cinemas in New Zealand's major urban centres, including theEmbassy Theatre inWellington andRialto Cinema inDunedin. Hollywood blockbusters are regularly shown alongside arthouse features and film festivals such as theNew Zealand International Film Festival.
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Gold Class cinemas, a luxury cinema format, is provided at a number of Event Cinemas locations in Australia, New Zealand & Fiji. Gold Class Cinemas include butlered refreshments, à la carte menu offerings and reclining seats in a cinema with a small number of seats.Village Cinemas first originated the concept of Gold Class, and has since popularised with the integration into the Event Group.[23]
All Gold Class Cinemas are operated in separate areas within regular cinema complexes. Event Gold Class branded cinemas are located at:
In Australia:
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In Fiji:
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In New Zealand:
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V-Max cinemas feature enhanced film display, picture quality, and immersive surround sound. The screens at V-Max used to be a minimum width of 25 meters or greater, however, that was lowered to 20 metres in 2010. V-Max cinemas are placed in large auditoriums which feature larger seats, stadium seating and wider arm-rests. Some locations also featureDolby Atmos. The V-Max format is also provided at many Event Cinemas sites in Australia and New Zealand.[citation needed]
V-Max Cinemas are usually separate from the normal cinema complexes, like the Gold Class. There are certain locations that has Dolby Atmos surround sound included in their V-Max cinemas (brackets indicating). V-Max Cinema locations include:
In Australia:
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In New Zealand:
IMAX with Laser uses precision lasers a sharper brighter images.[citation needed] This technology is currently available at Event Cinemas Auckland (Queen St), Event Cinemas Queensgate (Wellington), Event Cinemas Pacific Fair (Broadbeach)[24] and IMAX Sydney[25][26]
GUO converted most of their Australian auditoriums and flagship cinemas to digital projectors. The installation of these projectors means that most auditoriums are nowRealD Cinema 3D capable.[citation needed] Albany, Queen St Auckland, St Lukes, Henderson West City, Mt Wellington Sylvia Park, Broadway Newmarket, Glenfield Mall on level 5 Entertainment, Manukau Amersham Way, Highland Park, John Goulter Mangere, New Lynn and Crosstown Lakewood Court.
In late 2018, the first 4DX screen owned by the Event Group was opened in George Street (Sydney CBD). 4DX stimulates all five senses, featuring moving seats and special effects including wind, fog, water and scents that synchronise with the action on screen.[citation needed]
EVENT Boutique cinemas feature recliners with footrest, and in-cinema food-and-drink service. Guests have access to the Boutique Cinema 30 minutes prior to their session. Boutique is currently available at Event Cinemas George St (Sydney CBD).[citation needed]
On August 15, 2023, Event Cinemas announced that ScreenX would come to Australia for the first time. It opened at Event Cinemas Robina on the 17th of August. It later opened at Event Cinemas Campbelltown later that year on 14 December (in time for the Australian release ofWonka).[citation needed]
Moonlight Cinema is anoutdoor seasonal exhibitor that operates in most Australian metropolitan areas. Moonlight was acquired by EVENT in 2010 from Prime Media Group for $1.75million.[27] The division continues to grow and has signed 3 new venue contracts since its acquisition, and currently operates in:
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Western Australia
In addition, each venue offers 'Gold Grass' a luxurious outdoor-cinema experience, similar to the offerings of Event Cinemas' 'Gold Class'.
All cinema brands trading under EVENT, including Greater Union and BCC cinemas, share the benefits of aLoyalty program the Cinebuzz Rewards Program. Free for members, the program grants access to advance screenings, ticket discounts, access to the Cinebuzzvideo-on-demand platform,[28] and one free movie ticket for every six movies viewed at EVENT. The program is aimed at encouraging brand loyalty and recognising VIP Customers and currently has over 3 million members in Australia.[citation needed]
The exhibition and production company that became Event Cinemas has been widely criticised as the cause of the downfall of early Australian film, which was argued to be the best in the world at the time.[3][7]
In 2005, Event Cinemas banned people from bringing their own food and drink into the cinema. After negative public reaction and a threat of investigation byNSW Fair Trading, the company was forced to revoke the rule. People complained that Event Cinema's food was more than double the price of that in supermarkets and had less variety.[29][30][31][32]
In 2012, Australian journalistTim Burrowes attended a screening ofSkyfall at an Event Cinema. There were various technical difficulties which resulted in the audience being asked to leave and a manager threatening Burrowes for filming the crowd's reactions.[33]
In the lead up to the2016 Australian Federal Election, ChairmanAlan Rydge was reported to have donated toPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's controversialpolitical fund theWentworth Forum.[34][35][36]
There have been numerous incidents of faulty popcorn machines causing fires to break out in Event Cinemas complexes, includingTop Ryde in 2011,Adelaide andRockhampton in September 2015,Perth in December 2015, andSydney in August 2016.[37][38][39][40]
