Quarantine Diary 7.1
(A Bit of Nostalgia)
14 September 2020
Thought that today I’d reflect on the history of this hotel.
I’m perched in a corner room on the 12th floor of the Pullman Adelaide.
It’s usually a “luxury hotel”, but for now is the state-appointed hotel for the 14-day mandatory quarantine.
My stay will end with a $3000 compulsory fee (inclusive of meals).
The hotel is new to me - I believe it opened as the Crowne Plaza around 2010 and a few years ago was refurbished and rebranded.
For now, the area is fenced off and is something of a prison, as you can see in this picture:
But this very site on the north-eastern corner of Hindmarsh Square played a significant role in my life.
It was previously the Academy Cinema City - a three-screen cinema.
It was one of three “big” cinemas in Adelaide - the others being just off Rundle Mall and Hindley Street.
In my younger days, I obviously watched films in all three of these cinemas with friends.
But my personal history goes deeper.
That’s because my dad was the film critic for the Sunday Mail weekly newspaper (his main job was a crime and special features reporter, but he did the film reviews as a “side hustle”)
Dad would see a couple of films a week - usually pre-release screenings or fancy “opening nights” attended by Adelaide celebrities and excited people who’d won freebie tickets in radio promotions.
Often before the screening there would be vacuous and hyped up speeches by local promoters and radio hosts. I recall they often put prizes under randomly-selected seats!
Once I was old enough, I’d travel into the city after school and attend these premieres with Dad (as his +1).
To be honest, Dad could walk into any Adelaide cinema and be waved in. At the time this seemed like a super power - such exclusive access!
The screenings were spread evenly between the three Adelaide cinemas.
But nights at “The Academy” - here in the square - were always my favourite.
I think I just liked the feeling of the place better - the lay-out and its expansive main theatre. It was the most impressive.
When I think of movies, I think of The Academy.
Dad would let me bring friends along (usually Tim, my Unmade Podcast co-host) and I would bathe in the reflected glory of this VIP access.
Or Dad would fob off his un-needed tickets and I could use them to just bring friends along myself.
I later realised the triviality of these free tickets - probably worth $10 - but at the time I felt like a king.
Although it was pretty old-fashioned, I’m a little sad the cinema is gone, replaced by yet another high-rise glass monster.
But I’m enjoying the nostalgia of being back in Hindmarsh Square, high above above the point where I saw so many movies for the first time.
Thanks to The Advertiser (my old employer), Pullman Adelaide, the State Library of SA, and @andydomau for supplying these photos, including the ones below which show the site has an even richer history!
