Historical Significance

 

Unique

 

• First Melbourne cinema to be constructed with a parabolic floor and pioneered the 'Continental' form of seating
• Opened by Cr. Free, Mayor of Footscray who expressed pleasure at being mayor when such a beautiful edifice was to be opened in Yarraville and thanked the Yeomans for giving Yarraville citizens such a building in which to enjoy themselves
• Described at the time as being 'Ultra Modern' and currently revered as one of Melbourne's finest Art Deco examples
• Noted in the Footscray Conservation Study as follows:
  In Yarraville only the contemporary Railway Hotel offered similar Moderne lines while in Footscray only a Nicholson St Jeweler's shop and in Williamstown, a block of flats, we able to compete. The Sun remains among the few Moderne styled commercial or civic buildings in the western suburbs.
• Its Art Deco peers are considered to be:
  The Circle in Preston The Broadway in Camberwell
  The Padua in Brunswick The Regal In Hartwell
  The Time in Balwyn The Park in Albert Park......... all of which have been demolished.
  The Rivoli in Camberwell which has undergone a substantial fabulous renovation and expansion to 8 cinemas.

 

 

Preservation

 

• Single screen cinemas have closed their doors having lost their viability for a number of reasons:
  New cinema multiplexes built within large shopping centres and in close proximity
  New film distribution standards requiring minimum 4 to 6 week dedicated screening periods for movies
  Ever increasing maintenance and renewal costs
• Successful preservation of both Building and Cinema function are few and far between:
  The Rivoli lavish restoration of the existing auditorium and expansion to 8 cinemas
  Hayden Orpheum (Sydney) majestic original auditorium maintained in perfect condition and expansion to 6 cinemas
  Regent Ballarat modest restoration of the existing Auditorium and expansion to 8 cinemas
  Geelong retention of a portion of the existing auditorium and expansion to 10 cinemas
  Sorrento renovation of existing auditorium and expansion to 3 cinemas
  Warnambool splitting of existing auditorium, no architectural preservation, into 2 cinemas
  Albury restoration/renovation of existing auditorium and expansion to 6 cinemas
  The Astor modest refurbishment of single screen showing re-runs to avoid new film distribution
  The Westgarth recently renovated and expanded to 3 cinemas
  Palace Balwyn modest renovation of a portion of the existing auditorium and expansion to 6 cinemas
  The Capitol now owned by RMIT and with Government funding will undergo substantial restoration
  The Forum many owners, many uses, currently a venue for hire and screens for the film festival only
• Sad Losses:
  The Carlton Moviehouse a travel agency!
  The Grand Footscray apartments!
  The Metro Bourke St a nightclub!
  The Metro Malvern shops!
  The Progress Coburg derelict
• Much of the Sun Theatre's unique interior suffered decay beyond repair during the 13 year period of it's abandonment:
  The decorative ceiling had collapsed onto a tangled mess of wrought iron chairs
  White ants had invaded all timber construction and floor boards, gaping holes in the roof, graffiti, rot and destruction
  Vagrancy and pilfering stripped the building of ornate doors, skirting and decorative features
  Walls were collapsing, cracks opening and the sub-floor furnace room was completely submerged
  The building was an ashen shell having experienced several fires (believed to be deliberately lit)
• Saved:
  The exterior, including the Sun neon sign which has become an iconic landmark in Yarraville
  The entry doors, foyer terrazzo and portions of the pressed metal roof, the ticket box and unique poster boxes
  The auditorium side wall ornate hard plaster work, proscenium and cornice, foyer ornate hard plaster