Smaller movie cinemas a hit with audiences in the outer east

HE’S been in the cinema business so long he remembers a “little skinny kid with curly hair” coming to a screening of her new movie BMX Bandits. And George Schouten knows the secret to the success of some of Melbourne’s smaller theatres.

Croydon Cinemas director George Aleksiunas says the cinema offers the cheapest tickets in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart Milligan

AFTER more than 40 years running movie theatres, Tom Schouten knows more than most about the magic of film.

He started managing a theatre in Geelong when he was 21, and the now 65-year-old has run Metro Cinemas Boronia with his family for the past 13 years.

Mr Schouten said Metro Boronia started life as an old-fashioned single-screen cinema in the early 1900s.

It had several different operators over the years until the Schouten family bought the business and opened it as Metro Cinemas in 2005.

Tom Schouten, owner of Metro Cinemas Boronia. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Mr Schouten runs the business with his daughter Ellie and his wife Cynthia.

When asked how the cinema survived against big chains, Mr Schouten said customer service was the key.

“It’s so simple,” Mr Schouten said. “It’s called service, talking to your customers. It’s like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. I’m not that clever but I try.

“People come in and talk to us, they tell us their family happenings. A couple who were separating recently came in to say goodbye.”

The cinema charges $12.50 for adults, $9 for children and $8 for seniors including a tea or coffee.

“We could never compete with (the big chains) by charging the same price (as them). They’re flashy places and we’re not,” he said.

Metro Cinemas Boronia.

“We have to remember who we are. We’re a budget cinema but that doesn’t mean it’s budget service.

“The most important thing for me is looking after our audience – without them we’ve got nothing.”

He has many great memories from his time managing theatres.

When he was based in Geelong in the 1970s he remembers the crowd screaming each night during the scene in Jaws when a head rolls out along the bottom of a boat.

“Two thousand people screaming at once – it was magic,” Mr Schouten said.

He also remembers “a little skinny kid with curly hair” who came down for a screening of her new movie BMX Bandits – Nicole Kidman.

Another memorable night was marching more than 400 people to another cinema nearby so they could finish a screening of All the President’s Men after the projector in their cinema broke.

Although he doesn’t have a favourite movie he remembers milestones in his life by what films were screening.

He met his wife Cynthia when she was working in the Hoyts head office.

The year Ghostbusters came out (1984) was the year they were engaged.

Cameo Cinemas Belgrave

FROM a rundown cinema home to possums and even possibly a few ghosts, Eddie Tamir has transformed Cameo Cinemas Belgrave into a much-loved community icon.

Mr Tamir bought the theatre about 13 years ago, and said it was a “scary and exciting” decision.

“It had been closed down for quite some time and there were literally tumbleweeds and ghosts,” Mr Tamir said.

Cameo owner Eddie Tamir at The Cameo outdoor cinema in 2004.

“It was home to various animals including many possums.”

After a lot of restoration work and improvements the theatre reopened and now has seven screens and a popular outdoor cinema.

“My biggest memory is actually opening day of Lord of the Rings and we had a queue out the door for opening day, lots of people ... that tension and excitement, serving champagne out to queue, and it all coming together in this beautiful crazy way on Boxing Day,” Mr Tamir.

He said they play a mix of blockbusters and smaller movies to cater for the different tastes of movie-goers in the hills.

“Our focus is tying to be a world-class cinema in people’s backyards,” Mr Tamir said.

“With the outdoor cinema it’s all about the adventure of the outdoors and our outdoors is particularly picturesque with a view of the ranges, and the Belgrave train line framed under our cinema screen and the owls and the possums all come to watch the movie as well.”

Caleb Bentley and Madeleine Dean at the Cameo’s outdoor cinema.

Inside, movie goers can get a taste of history with a lot of original features in the main cinema, including original wall lights shaped like ice-cream cones.

“We connect to community and history ... while offering a contemporary world class experience,” Mr Tamir said.

He said his favourite movie was the 1954 drama La Strada, from director Federico Fellini.

Croydon Cinemas

WHEN George Aleksiunas starting running Croydon Cinemas four years ago, he wanted to make going to movies more affordable.

He slashed the cinema’s general admission tickets to $9, which he believes are the cheapest prices in Melbourne.

“I can see how expensive it is for families and even couples to go out for a night at the movies,” Mr Aleksiunas said.

“I wanted to make it more affordable and possibly get people in who hadn’t been to the movies for a long time.

Inside Croydon Cinemas. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“The difference between smaller independent operations like us versus the big guys is the pricing and level of service.

“We offer great service and the also the ambience of coming into a smaller, friendlier environment, as opposed to a big shopping complex.”

Mr Aleksiunas said he had also upgraded the technology in the cinemas and they were also licenced, with people able to enjoy a drink while they watched a movie.

Croydon Cinemas is celebrating its 40th year of operation this year, and Mr Aleksiunas is also celebrating his 40th year in the industry.

“It’s a unique industry, I remember going to the moves as a child for the very first time, and the atmosphere, I was in awe of what I was seeing up on this big screen,” Mr Aleksiunas said.

“It’s a passion and a love of mine.”

He said Oliver, the original Superman film and the Star Wars franchise were his favourite movies.