NORM SALSBURY, alongside his wife, Edna, has operated Longreach’s movie theatre for more than three decades. But the bright lights of the Star Cinema are beginning to fade following years of financial declines.

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Awarded Queensland’s Cinema Pioneer of the Year in 2017, Norm first began his venture into the film industry alongside his father at the Broadway Theatre in Jericho where they became the inspirations behind the Shire Council’s decision to construct the town’s drive-in theatre in 1969.

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Since moving to Longreach in 1977, Norm and Edna operated the town’s Roxy Theatre until the end of 1987 when the popular venue became the Star Cinema. The couple have managed the Star to this day.

Despite positive reception from locals and visitors, attendance numbers have continued to drop according to a post made on the establishment’s Facebook page earlier this month.

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“We are endeavouring to keep the cinema operating with cooperation from major and independent distributors,” the post said. “However, we are in our fourth week operating (post Covid-19) and attendance has not improved. Without attendance, we will need to review the cinema’s future.”

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Mr Salsbury said Covid-19 had played a prominent role in the reduction in movie-goer numbers but believes the pandemic had also affected the process of how the cinema receives films from distributors like Roadshow Films, Sony Pictures and Walt Disney.

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“We haven’t been trading too badly over the past few years, but it started to slow down at the beginning of 2020 and then we were forced to close due to Covid-19,” Mr Salsbury said. “Since we re-opened in July, business hasn’t picked up.

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“The highest attendance for a session so far is 22 and we’ve had two children films where the highest was 35. The numbers just aren’t adding up.

“We deal with major distributors and they all send out the dates their product will come out and it’s up to us to make a deal with them and book the films. The process of getting films is a lot harder because, with Covid-19, a lot of films that were going to be released are going straight to streaming services.

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“When you book the film there are terms and conditions you have to agree to. It has become very hard now with distributors forcing you to do things you don’t want to do. It’s not an easy game.”

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Over the years, Mr Salsbury has tested the waters with session times varying from the regular Friday, Saturday and Sunday structure, as well as screening movies from the past such as 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

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“We may have to hold more sessions because everyone can’t make the sessions we have, but we’re dealing with distributors,” he said. “If we decide to give a certain movie a few more sessions, it costs more to put it on, and if we don’t get anyone in those sessions the return is simply not there.

“We’re going to get Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I as its now being put onto 24K digital. Going back over the years, we did try putting on good old favourites, but they weren’t supported. Dirty Dancing was a failure and so was Pretty Woman.

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“It’s not just about showing the film, we’re using power, time and projectors, so you’ve got to have a few people inside to cover those costs.”

With the increased popularity of interactive screenings like Event Cinemas’ Gold Class and 4DX experiences, Mr Salsbury believes the Star Cinema is an excellent venue to “make a night out of.”

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“The purpose of going out to the movies is to meet with your friends, make a night out of it and go out afterwards,” he said. “Movie nights happen everywhere around the world.

“One thing about Longreach is that we’re privileged to have such a nice cinema. It would be a shame to see it disappear but it’s like anything — if you don’t use it, you lose it."

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One of Star Cinema’s regular movie-goers, Daniel Prosser, said there was nothing better than buying snacks from the candy bar and experiencing a movie for the first time on the big screen.

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“I love going to the movies here,” Mr Prosser said. “There’s almost always a movie that I want to see and it’s a great social alternative to a night at the pub.

“It helps knowing that when you unwrap that choc-top or dive into that bucket of popcorn, you’re supporting locals who are committed to bringing new releases and entertainment for us to enjoy.”

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Although he understands the comfort of having express release movies like Disney’s upcoming blockbuster, Mulan, at your fingertips, Mr Salsbury urges the community to experience the Star Cinema before it’s too late.

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“I know of towns that have movie theatres, but they’ve closed because of Covid-19 and won’t be re-opening,” Mr Salsbury said. “I feel sorry for those places because it’s somewhere you can go and forget about what’s happening outside. These days, you need to be entertained.

“I’m not being biased when I say it’s definitely better to see a film like Mulan on the big screen. It doesn’t matter how big your television screen is at home or how loud your sound system is, nothing can beat the feel of a cinema.”