Capitol Theatre Independent 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne 3000 Tel: 03 9650 4017 · Fax: 03 9650 4016 The first of Melbourne's big picture palaces, the Capitol opened on 7th November 1924. Designed by Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, the theatre design is unique in the world, featuring a crystal-like ceiling with thousands of concealed coloured lights. See the special feature on this website of the Capitol Theatre for lots of photos and information about the theatre. RMIT University is now the new owner of the Capitol and they have a great website for the Theatre which includes many behind-the-scenes photographs and other information. Their website is at www.capitol.rmit.edu.au

Chinatown Cinema
Independent. 3 screens (one video projection)
200 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9662 3465
Originally a Hoyts cinema which opened in 1970 as a twin: 'Midcity Cinemas 4 and 5', down the road from The Cinema Centre, Cinemas 1, 2 and 3. Hoyts Midcity was the first cinema complex in Australia to be built with back-to-back auditoriums with a common projection room. Both theatres were equipped with deeply-curved screens for film formats up to 70mm Cinerama. The cinemas were located above an enormous foyer area which itself was on the first floor above the Midcity Arcade. Later on, a third, small, cinema was built on part of the foyer area under the largest auditorium. Films for this additional cinema were projected via a periscope from a projection box located in the arcade underneath.

The Cinema Centre
Hoyts. 4 screens
140 Bourke St. Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9663 3303
www.hoyts.com.au
Opened in 1969, The Cinema Centre was then the flagship development of a modernisation and replacement program which Hoyts began in 1964. The complex included three cinemas (which was the largest multiplex at that time), entrance lobby, separate cinema foyers, restaurant and a ten storey office tower. Cinemas 1 and 2 each featured a deeply-curved screen for film formats up to 70mm. Cinema 3 was a two level cinema.
The architectural design of the building reflects an oriental theme and influence of Frank Lloyd Wright. The building features vast expanses of concrete, including superb detail such as denticulated friezes and board-marked concrete. Finely crafted timber and brick work also feature extensively throughout the building.
Later on Cinema 3 was twinned, and major refurbishments of the building took place - removing, painting, plastering or building over much of the original detail. Hoyts also removed the curved screens and replaced them with flat screens.

Crazy Horse Cinema
Independent
34 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9654 8796

Crown
Village. 14 screens
Crown Casino Entertainment Complex, Southbank
Tel: 03 9278 6666 · Gold Class: 13 29 29 · Fax: 9690 8845
www.villagecinemas.com.au
Opened on 8 May 1997, as part of the new Crown Casino Entertainment Complex on the south bank of the Yarra. Promoted by Village as the world's first 24 hour cinemas. In the foyer are some spectacular sculptures including 'Future Man'. The complex has fourteen cinemas including four 'Gold Class' cinemas.
Features of the Gold Class cinemas include: 28 seats per auditorium; extra-wide, self-contained, reclining, high-back chairs with individual foot stool; food and drink which can be consumed in the cinema. Tickets are $25 for the Gold Class cinemas.
Due to superstitious beliefs in western and eastern cultures respectively, there is no Cinema 13 or 14. The cinemas are numbered 1 to 12, 15 and 16.
The Crown cinema multiplex now takes 65% of the Melbourne Central Activities District (including Southbank precinct) cinema market, usually screening the same product that is showing simultaneously at the other Village, Hoyts and Greater Union Melbourne city (CAD) cinemas.

Forum Theatre
Upstairs theatre: Forum 2
Marriner Theatres
Cnr Flinders and Russell Streets, Melbourne 3000
One of the venues for the annual Melbourne International Film Festival in July-August.

Greater Union Russell Cinemas
6 screens
131 Russell Street, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9654 8133
www.greaterunion.com.au
Opened in 1978, Greater Union consolidated all its city operations into this new cinema complex built on the site of the former Barclay Cinema. In number of screens, this is the largest cinema complex in the (core) central business district of Melbourne. 

Kaleide RMIT Union Theatre
Independent
Building 8, Street Level, 360 Swanston Street, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9660 3713 · Mobile: 0419 359 606
Kaleide is a commercial venue committed to support of independent film and video makers. Facilities include 16mm, Super 8, low-band Umatic, SVHS, VHS, NTSC and the capacity for IBM and Mac Computer graphics.

Kino
Dendy. 3 screens
Collins Place 45 Collins St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9650 2100
www.kinocinemas.com.au  Website for the Dendy Cinemas group is at www.dendy.com.au

Lumiere Cinemas
Independent. 3 screens
108 Lonsdale St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9639 1055
www.lumiere.com.au

Regent Theatre
Marriner Theatres
191 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9299 9500 · Fax: 9299 9515

RialtoVision Theatrette
Independent
Rialto Building, 525 Collins St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9629 8222

Shaft Sinema
Independent
264 Swanston Walk, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9663 3729

Treasury Theatre
Independent: Part of CineMedia
1 Macarthur St, East Melbourne 3002
Tel: 03 9651 1515

Victorian College of The Arts Cinema 2
Independent
Part of the Victorian College of The Arts, School of Film and Television. The College is at 234 St Kilda Road, Southbank. Access to the Cinema is from the Grant Street entrance.

Village Centre
Village. 4 screens
206 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000
Tel: 03 9667 6565 · Fax: 03 9639 4280
www.villagecinemas.com.au
Opened on 26th June 1986 as the flagship of Village Cinemas and introducing the THX Theatre Alignment certification system to Australia. THX certified sound systems: all 4 cinemas have Dolby SR; Cinemas 1 and 2 also have Dolby Digital. Cinema 1 has SDDS. And can also playback 8-track SDDS. (That means there are 5 channels across the front, instead of 3, and then the rest are left surround, right surround, and sub woofers.) For information on THX, visit www.thx.com