Concept: Cinemas

Alternative Names
  • Movie Cinemas

Details

The Protectorate received a grant in 1954 to purchase cinema projector equipment together with generators for the district stations at Gizo, Kirakira and Honiara. The projectors were in operation by 1955. A commercial cinema was built at Point Cruz in the 1950s. K. H. Dalrymple-Hay's new cinema, the first in the Solomon Islands, was opened by the High Commissioner Sir Peter Stanley (q.v.) on 6 May 1955. The building had open sides, which allowed the heat from the crowded theatre to dissipate. A BSIP Censorship Board controlled the films shown, ensuring that they were not too violent.


During the 1960s and 1970s, the Point Cruz Cinema continued to show films (in 1966 George Yee Fai was the owner), and another was running at Kukum. There were also cinemas at Gizo and Auki. In 1970, Point Cruz Cinema was chastised for showing films in two halves on consecutive nights, having dirty seats and no toilets. In 1974, two commercial cinemas were still screening 35 millimetre films in Honiara, and one in Gizo screened 16 millimetre films. Auki Cinema closed in 1974. In 1975, Kukum Cinema was owned by recent Nauruan immigrants. (AR 1953-1954, 7, AR 1974, 113; NS 21 Mar. 1966, 22 June 1973; KR July 1975; R. A. Lawson to editor, KR Sept. 1970)


Point Cruz Cinema operated until the early 1980s, screening 35 millimetre films in standard frame and in cinemascope. Feature films and a 35-millimetre edition of 'British News' from the Central Office of Information, London, were shown regularly. The major government training institutions and district administration headquarters had 16 millimetre projects. A film library was maintained by the Protectorate Education Department, from which churches and other institutions borrowed. (PIM Aug. 1955; NS 1 July 1955, 2 July 1955, 21 Mar. 1966, May 1966, 30 Sept. 1966; Montford 1994, 44-45; AR 1966, 67-68)

Related Concepts

Published resources

Books

  • Montford, C.L., The Long Dark Island, The Desk Top Press, Wellington, 1994. Details

Journals

  • Pacific Islands Monthly. Details
  • Kakamoro Reporter, 1970-1975. Details
  • British Solomon Islands Protectorate (ed.), British Solomon Islands Protectorate News Sheet (NS), 1955-1975. Details

Reports

  • British Solomon Islands Protectorate, British Solomon Islands Protectorate Annual Reports (AR), 1896-1973. Details

Images

Title
Point Cruz Cinema, Mendana Avenue, Honiara, 1950s
Type
Image
Date
1950s
Source
Patrick Barrett

Details