21 December 2012

Palace Electric opening late January

| johnboy
Join the conversation
11
silver screen

The Palace Electric Cinema under the Nishi building has had to defer its opening from Boxing Day to the end of January, but RiotACT got invited in today for a look around the still under construction site.

(Let it be noted we were signed in, inducted, and clad in both hi vis and helmets)

The Nishi building’s timber facade is certainly something new in Canberra that’s going to be fascinating photographers for some time to come.

nishi

Being an underground cinema the “electric” part of the cinema’s name is a clear nod to the much lamented Electric Shadows of yesteryear. We’re told the sign reverses at night to white lettering on a dark sign.

palace electric

So to re-iterate, it won’t be open on Boxing day, but we’ll let you know when it opens in January.

signs

Onto details:

    — Australia’s first purpose built digital cinema, no film projection.

    — Fully allocated seating. So reservations pay off.

    — Fully licenced, you can take alcohol into all 8 screens (if you buy it from the bar).

    — Food catering to grown ups, not just choc tops and popcorn.

    — Half price parking in the Nishi building for movie ticket buyers

    — Big wide seats with serious leg room and and wine bucket

palace

The screens we saw were seriously wide and with the clever use of space it’s certainly something to look forward to.

It’s certainly going to be worth checking out when it opens with a strong program of foreign film festivals.

Join the conversation

11
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
Instant Mash10:35 pm 23 Dec 12

Looks intriguing. Keen to check it out.

DrKoresh said :

Jazz said :

trevar said :

How tall are youse? Did you take someone over 190cm tall to comment on the legroom? That’s always the most important criterion in the judgement of any auditorium…

I’m 6’2″ and on all of the seats I tested out there was more than enough legroom for someone walk past to other seats without me having to move at all.

Ah, but 6’2 is merely averagely tall. However, it does sound like there is plenty enough room for 190cm freaks like Trevar, LSW and myself. I could dig going to a flick when it opens. Where exactly is New Acton, can someone tell me? Other side of Campbell?

It’s near the ANU. But towards the lake from it on the city side. Sort of. If those Captain Cook like directions aren’t enough, I suggest you look it up!

Alternatively, follow any person on a fixie, and eventually…

Jazz said :

trevar said :

How tall are youse? Did you take someone over 190cm tall to comment on the legroom? That’s always the most important criterion in the judgement of any auditorium…

I’m 6’2″ and on all of the seats I tested out there was more than enough legroom for someone walk past to other seats without me having to move at all.

Ah, but 6’2 is merely averagely tall. However, it does sound like there is plenty enough room for 190cm+ freaks like Trevar, LSW and myself. I could dig going to a flick when it opens. Where exactly is New Acton, can someone tell me? Other side of Campbell?

I hope they show decent movies, not Hollywood shite.

The seats at Electric Shadows were pretty terrible weren’t they?

But this thing looks great. Hopefully they will run some odd stuff like ACMI does down in Melbourne.

Good luck to them.

trevar said :

How tall are youse? Did you take someone over 190cm tall to comment on the legroom? That’s always the most important criterion in the judgement of any auditorium…

I’m 6’2″ and on all of the seats I tested out there was more than enough legroom for someone walk past to other seats without me having to move at all.

trevar said :

How tall are youse? Did you take someone over 190cm tall to comment on the legroom? That’s always the most important criterion in the judgement of any auditorium…

Great work and very true!. I’m vertically enhanced, so I always take claims of “lots of legroom” with a bucket of salt 🙂

More slave than I’ve seen before, enough to make for a radically diferent rake to the seating

How tall are youse? Did you take someone over 190cm tall to comment on the legroom? That’s always the most important criterion in the judgement of any auditorium…

So, wearing a high vis, did you feel a sudden urge to run bikes off the road?

The seats certainly look wide.

I hate to be negative, but with 8 cinemas equalling 800 seats, and the on-site parking for *all* apartment residents and businesses being 630 odd parking places (both numbers according to quoted details), I still think most of the time, there will be limited on-site parking. God I sound negative….! Hope it does well as it sounds Dendy-like (which is good IMO)! 🙂

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.