The Mighty Civic

Back in the days when theatres were movie palaces, and not multiplexes with dinky screens, the Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand was one of the greatest--comparable in size and grandeur to Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Filmmakers Peter Wells and Stewart Main have crafted a loving and very artistic history of the Civic with colorful recreations, archival film footage, and interviews with the dancing girls who used to perform at the Wintergarden cabaret nightclub under the Civic's main stage during the 1940s. Built in 1930 by visionary Thomas A. O'Brien, the Civic seated 3,500, featured a 30-piece orchestra and ballet dancers, and sported Egyptian statuary under a star-filled lighted ceiling. Nine months after it opened, O'Brien went bankrupt. But WWII brought new blood in the form of American G.I.'s to the movies, and the Civic once again flourished. But by the close of the film, the now defunct movie palace's future is uncertain. Beautifully filmed, The Mighty Civic captures the awe and wonder of the great movie palaces of old, and while it might not sound like a core collection item, this is highly recommended for larger collections who can afford a treat. [Note: this is being sold to individuals at $39.95.] (R. Pitman)