It was almost déjà vu for Young moviegoers when the Southern Cross Cinema hosted their first digital movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, last Sunday afternoon.
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The movie happened to be the prequel to the first film ever screened at the cinema, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, when the facility first opened in 2004.
And the evening went without a hitch.
Unlike the first screening.
Yes, back then The Lord of the Rings snapped four times on opening night, and had to be pieced together with sticky tape.
Anthony King who was, at that time, on the Young District Arts Council (YDAC) recalled that night being quite stressful.
“We were all ready to go to show the first movie in 2004 – we turned the lights down, the film began rolling and snap!” he said.
“By that stage I was too scared to turn the lights down when we got it started again,” he laughed, “but when we did get it going we got a round of applause,” Anthony said.
On Sunday Anthony and another former YADAC member, Kim Johnson, stood before invited guests who have supported the facility and gave their thanks.
“Anthony and I stood out the front of this building 13 years ago and said ‘we can do this’ – we can turn this fantastic old building into a cinema and performance arts centre,” Kim said.
They thanked YDAC president Lauren Frith and cinema manager Joanne Johnson and the many local volunteers who have helped keep the cinema rolling in Young.
“There has been some 300 people volunteer over the years,” Kim said.
The digital premiere also coincided with the opening of a second arts studio - Studio 2 - at the Southern Cross Cinema facility.
This was officially opened by Young mayor Stuart Freudenstein.
Guests were invited to look over the studio before making their way into the cinema to watch The Hobbitt.
“So enjoy the excellent experience and the excellent future for Young,” Anthony concluded in his speech as projectionist Greg Woodward hit the play button.
