recreating 1930s ambience at the new Roxy cinema

The second car from left is a 1935 Morris 8, 918 cc, which has appeared a few times in our books!  The next car on the right is a 1919 Hupmobile.

Miramar is the base of Wellington's movie making industry with Peter Jackson's studios, but since 1964 there has been no public cinema there.

Now there is.  Yesterday the doors were opened at the newly refurbished and renamed Roxy Cinema after an 8 year, $7 million rebuild from the ground up; the above pic is of the official opening night for invited guests.

Older Wellingtonians will probably remember the original Roxy cinema in Manners Street, known among other things for running continuous 'B movies', which closed in 1974. 

There is also Coco, an elegant licensed restaurant and lounge bar open daily for brunch, lunch and dinner. Roxy Cinema and Coco investors include Jamie Selkirk, Oscar award winning editor and film producer and his partner Ann, Tania and Richard Taylor, co-founders of Weta workshop, cocktail guru Jonny McKenzie, Jo-Anne Lundon and Tim Alexander, long time movie fans with a focus on technology and Valentina and Daminda Dias, local foodies and co-owners of Polo Restaurant.

As those who have the book Wellington: a capital century know, the building was originally the Capitol Theatre, constructed in 1928 to screen silent movies and upgraded in 1932 to screen ‘talkies’. In 1964 the last film screened and the building was converted into the Capitol Court shopping mall which operated for three decades, before falling into disrepair. The building was purchased by its new owners in 2003. Its original art deco style has been revived, with stunning interior features designed and built by the team at Weta Workshop, state-of-the-art audio and visual technology and two cinemas installed to guarantee a world-class movie experience.

“Having set up Weta Workshop almost 18 years ago it seemed only logical to take on the challenge of breathing life back into one of Wellington’s original suburban cinemas” Tania Rodger said. “This was an abandoned building that deserved a second chance and I now see the Roxy as a unique gallery, a place to showcase the creative art of film making with our creative team from Weta Workshop and we’re so pleased to be able to share the magic of movies with people from far and wide.”

The owners in conjunction with New Zealand’s largest cinema equipment supplier, Audio Visual Equipment, have equipped both cinemas with identical digital equipment with the addition of a 35 mm Kiniton film projector in Cinema One as well as being the first purpose-built 3D cinema in the country. Surround loudspeakers are also tuned to perform as an array to create the clarity an audience expects from professional quality cinema

“We are in the heart of New Zealand’s movie industry so we must have the best” Jamie Selkirk said. “It’s an opportunity to give something back to Miramar and Wellington.”

Movie screenings commence Thursday 7 April: 5 Park Road, Miramar, Wellington
(Pic and re-written story from scoop.co.nz) Cinema website.