The award for the Best Film at the Sydney Film Festival was instituted in 2008.
Below are the recipients of the award, known as the ‘Sydney Film Prize’.
2008- Hunger (dir Steve McQueen)
2009 – Bronson (dir Nicolas Winding Refn)
2010- Heartbeats (dir Xavier Dolan)
2011- A Separation (dir Asghar Farhadi)
2012- Alps (dir Yorgos Lanthimos)
2013- Only God Forgives (dir Nicolas Winding Refn)
The Astor Theatre , in Melbourne Australia, is one of the most famous cinemas.
Opened in 1936, is still stands in its original place and still projects films on reels (as well as digital).
Researching, I’ve managed to piece together the film schedule for its first year – 1936.
This has never been documented in its entirety, until now.
The Astor Theatre in its second week of existence – April 11 1936.
April 3
Opened by Mr Michaelis M.L.A, in presence of Mayor of StKilda (F.E Dixon).
The latest Western Electric wide-range sound equipment was installed.
Hill and Dale method of recording is used.
MGM and Paramount films to be screened throughout the year.
Seating accommodation for 1,700 patrons
April 4 – April 10
Hands Across the Table (Carole Lombard / Fred McMurray)
Wanderer of the Wasteland (Dean Jagger / Gail Patrick)
All proceeds from tickets purchased for the stalls went to the StKilda branch of the Ministering Children’s League , and the StKilda Ladies’ Benevolent Society. (split 50/50)
April 11 – April 17
I Live My Life (Joan Crawford / Brian Ahearn)
Vanessa (Robert Montgomery / Helen Hayes)
April 18 – April 21
O Shaughnessy’s Boy (Wallace Beery / Jackie Cooper)
Ship Cafe (Carl Brisson / Arline Judge)
April 22 -April 24
Broadway Melody of 1936 (Elinor Powell /Robert Taylor)
April 27 – May 1
Private Worlds (Claudette Colbert / Charles Boyer)
Here Comes The Band ( Ted Lewis and his band)
prices: Front Stall 1/- Back Stalls , Circle 1/6 Dunlopillo Lounge Chairs 2/- Children Half price
May 2 – May 8
So Red The Rose (Margaret Sullavan)
Here Comes Cookie (George Burns, Grace Allen)
May 9 – May 15
Rendezvous (William Powell)
The Perfect Gentleman (Frank Morgan)
May 16 – May 22
Naughty Marietta (Nelson Eddy)
The Virginia Judge (W.C Kelly)
May 16 only.
Tarzan and His Mates (Johnny Weismuller) Matinee screening
May 22 – May 29
The Milky Way (Harold Lloyd)
Age of Indiscretion (Paul Lukas)
May 30 – June 5
The Astor Theatre, on May 30 1936 screening ‘Rose of the Rancho’.
Rose of the Rancho (John Boles)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze (W.C Fields)
June 6 only
Treasure Island (Wallace Beery)
June 6 – June 12
The Eagle’s Brood (William Boyd)
The Garden Murder Case (Virginia Bruce)
June 12 – June 19
The Charm School (Jack Oakie)
The Voice of Bugle Ann (Lionel Barrymore)
June 20 – June 26
Anything Goes (Bing Crosby)
Two-Fisted (Gail Patrick)
June 20 only
Tom Sawyer (Jackie Coogan)
June 27 – July 3
Peter Ibbertson (Gary Cooper)
It’s In The Air (Jack Benny)
June 27 only
Million Dollar Legs (Jack Oakie)
July 4 – July 10
Mutiny on the Bounty (Clark Gable)
July 11 – July 17
Pursuit (Chester Morris)
It’s A Great Life (Joe Morrison)
Chases of Pimple Street (Charlie Chase)
July 18 – July 24
Lives of A Bengal Lancer (Gary Cooper)
Murder in the Fleet (Robert Taylor)
July 21
A matinee performance is held in aid of Ministering Children’s League
July 25 – July 31
Dancing Lady (Fred Astaire)
Gentlemen of the Navy (Sir Guy Standing)
August 1- August 7
Whipsaw (Spencer Tracy)
A Night at the Opera (Marx Bros)
August 1 only
Sidewalks of New York (Buster Keaton)
August 8 – August 14
Ruggles of Red Gap (Charles Laughton)
All The King’s Horses (Carl Brisson)
August 15- August 21
A Tale of Two Cities (Ronald Colman)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
August 22 – August 28
Trail of the Lonesome Pine (in natural colour) (Sylvia Sidney)
Millions in the Air (Wendy Barrie)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
August 29 – September 4
Queen of Hearts (exclusive to the district) (Gracie Fields)
Woman Trap (Gertrude Michael)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
August 29 only
The Last Round-up (Randolph Scott)
September 5 – September 11
Abdul the Damned (Fritz Kortner)
No Limit (George Formby)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
September 5 only
Hollywood Party (Laurel and Hardy, Mickey Mouse)
September 12 – September 18
Wife vs Secretary (Clark Gable)
Two Hearts in Harmony (Bernice Claire)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
September 12 only
Thicker Than Water (Laurel and Hardy)
Speak Easily (Buster Keaton)
Spetember 19 – September 25
Desire (Marlene Dietrich)
Her Master’s Voice (Edward Everrett Horton)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
September 26 – October 2
The Bohemian Girl (Laurel and Hardy)
Speed (Una Merkel)
(Thoroughbred Jockey Caps free for all children who attend the Saturday matinee screening)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
October 2 – October 9
Thoroughbred (exclusive to the district) (Helen Twelvetrees)
It Happened In Paris (John Loder)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
William Roberts, of the StKilda Football Club.
October 7
Presentation of the ”Astor Cup” for most effective player in the StKilda Football Club. Won by William Roberts (presented on stage by the Astor manager Vaughan Marshall). Players including Jack Perkins, Bill Mohr, Stan Lloyd and officials of the StKilda Football Club are present.
October 10 – October 16
Till We Meet Again (Herbert Marshall)
Coronado (Johnny Downs)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
October 17 – October 23
Small Town Girl (exclusive to the district) (Janet Gaynor)
When Knights Were Bold (Jack Buchanan)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
October 24 – October 30
Robin Hood of El Dorado (Warren Baxter)
Woman Wanted (Joel McCrea)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
October 24 only
Fra Diavolo (Laurel and Hardy)
Sequoia (Jean Parker)
October 31 – November 6
The Princess Comes Across (Carole Lombard)
Timothy’s Quest (Tom Keene)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
November 7 – November 13
Petticoat Fever (Myrna Loy)
Three Wise Guys (Robert Young)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
November 14 -November 20
Living Dangerously (Otto Kruger)
The Moon’s Our Home (Henry Fonda)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
November 14 only
Sky Patrol (Jimmy Allen)
Finn and Hattie (Mitzi Green)
November 21 – November 27
The Unguarded Hour (Loretta Young)
Laburnum Grove (Cedric Hardwicke)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
The Astor Theatre, as it stands today.
November 28 – December 4
Mary Burns, Fugitive (Melvyn Douglas)
Poppy (W.C Fields)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
November 28 only
King of the Jungle (Buster Crabbe)
December 5 – December 11
Riff Raff (Jean Harlow)
Absolute Quiet (Lionel Atwill)
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
December 5 only
West Point of the Air (Wallace Beery)
Winning Ticket (Louise Fazenda)
December 12 – December 18
The Case Against Mrs Ames (Madeline Carroll)
Early to Bed (Mary Boland)
December 12 only
Sunset Pass (Randolph Scott)
December 19- December 24
Exclusive Story (Franchot Tone)
Three Live Ghosts (Richard Arlen)
December 19 only
Have a Heart (Jean Parker)
December 25 – Closed.
December 26 – 1 January 1937
My American Wife
Fatal Lady
Hearing Aids supplied free. (Batteries not included)
December 26 only
Forbidden Adventure (Mitzi Green)
- by Rhett Bartlett.
Key websites to check out to learn more about the cinema.
http://www.astortheatre.net.au/
http://www.astortheatre.net.au/friends-of-the-astor
http://astortheatreblog.wordpress.com/
The age of the actors at the time of playing Superman.
George Reeves 37 years old
Christopher Reeve 26 years old
Brandon Routh 27 years old
Henry Cavill 30 years old
![henry-cavill-superman_thumb[1]](http://dialmformoviesblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/henry-cavill-superman_thumb1.jpg?w=167&h=210)
It’s a tough topic to research.
But below is a list of Best Picture winning films, where all cast members have now passed on.
It might surprise you to know there are still cast members alive from films such as Broadway Melody (Carla Laemmle) and All Quiet on theWestern Front (Arthur Gardner).
Wings
Cavalcade
Cimarron
It Happened One Night
Going My Way
Lost Weekend
All The King’s Men
All About Eve
Marty
Claire Bloom once told me ’thank god film is a kind of memory of who you were. As long as it lasts’
In ‘The Search for Emak Bakia’, the memory one finds, is of a film we probably have never heard of. 
In 1926, the avant-garde filmmaker Man Ray, created a surreal silent film. Its title was Emak Bakia. (Of note it is available to view on YouTube)
The origin of the title is one of dispute. Fast-forward 86 years and Oskar Algeria’s documentary attempts to find the answer.
I had never even heard of the name May Ray, let alone his 1926 film. Algeria introduces us to that film through the parallel narrative of his own documented journey. And along the way, he quite remarkably blends images from the old silent film, with his own search for Emak Bakia.
It is truly a nostalgic atmosphere, at times haunting, always intriguing. It’s of little concern to the viewer when Algeria’s journey goes off tangent, because, somehow, and always, it blends back to Man Ray’s 1926 film.
One could consider that this documentary title is not so much Oskar’s search for Emak Bakia, but our own search to find the film that started his journey.
Director Oskar Alegría
Year 2012
Runtime 87 mins
Language. Basque, French, Italian, Spanish
Set around an idyllic lake, surrounded by beach and forest, ‘Stranger by the Lake’ masterfully lays a Hitchcockian atmosphere of sheer fear through a series of paradoxes-
a claustrophobic film circling a broad placid lake,
a thick, well-trodden forest that reveals more than it conceals,
a roll-call of strangers, with recognisable routines.
Its execution shadows Hitchcock’s style from the 1930s – 1950s. The awareness revealed to viewers in ‘Sabotage’. The secrets carried by people in ’Shadow of a Doubt’. The tense, voyeuristic nature of ‘Rear Window’.
Upon its release at Cannes, it won two important awards (amongst the multitudes that overpower the festival). The ‘Queer Palm’ award for Best Film with LGBT themes, and the Best Director Award in the Un Certain Regard section.
Franck, portrayed by Pierre Deladonchamps, frequents the lake and its surroundings, looking to fulfill his emotions. But many more men are scattered around the lake as well. An intersection of desire.
Objection to the film’s future release in Australia (and there will be complaints), can essentially be resolved swiftly (but not ideally) with the removal of a handful of brief images which, for some, may push the boundaries of explicitness. But to do so, is to misappropriate the film’s theme with sex.
It’s about lust.
Confronting. Explicit. Eerie. Nightmarish
Stranger by the Lake deserved its accolades at Cannes. Its atmosphere lingers long in my memory, rolling over the haunting images and spectral sounds.
- Rhett Bartlett
The order in which the actors playing the 12 ANGRY MEN jurors died.
No. 9
No.10
No. 3
No. 11
No. 8
No. 12
No. 6
No. 1
No. 4
No. 2
No. 7
No. 5
