Historical Assoc relive a day at the movies

October 14th, 2011
[by Coralie Smith]

Tucked away in a very large shed at the back of a residential property is a piece of Motueka history and on Saturday October 8th the Historical Association went to see it. More to the point, we went to the movies - shown on the projectors saved from the fire that destroyed the Majestic Theatre in Motueka in 1983.

A former projectionist at the theatre rescued the projectors after the fire, soaked them in oil for several weeks, cleaned them, found parts to replace burnt bits and then mounted them in his shed. Hank Piner is a real film buff, attending conferences with like-minded people where they show - what else - movies!!

I can imagine they talk about the machinery as much as the movies, or the good old days when the "shorts" were shown in the first half of the programme and after half time, when the audience usually went to the accompanying milkbar for an icecream, the main feature was shown.

We stepped back in time, and were seated on old theatre seats from a Blenheim "bughouse", surrounded by all the paraphernalia of Hank's other hobby - woodworking and joinery, in particular the restoration of old furniture.

As the projectors warmed up we gazed at movie posters, reels and cans of film, projectors big and small, shelves loaded with nails, screws, oil, paint and peered over the saws and work benches loaded with "stuff". A red EXIT sign showed the way out and a NO ADMITTANCE sign kept us out of the projectionist's domain.

The lights dimmed, the music played and slides advertising local businesses of the 1950s to 1980s set the scene. Names like John Pocklington, Whitwell and Gamboni, Norris Mickell and Gold Star Taxis bought cries of "I remember them" from the members.

Then into the rousing music of the Pictorial Parades. Short documentaries about New Zealand places and industries. The West Coast featured prominently, Hank being a native from Runanga. He and his late wife Mary shifted to Motueka in the 1950s and Hank drove trucks, buses and grocery delivery vans.

His projectionist job was only part time to start with but as going to the "pictures" became more and more popular Hank spent more time at the theatre. It was an antisocial occupation however, being in the evenings and Saturday afternoons when the kids were home from school, so eventually it had to go.

We were shown movies from most places in New Zealand from Auckland to Bluff. Items covered hair dressing competitions, the laying of the railway line through the Rimutuka Tunnel, floods in South Canterbury - you name it, we saw it.

Then it was half time and out came the icecream, the icecream cones and the icecream roller spoon. Soon we were licking up dripping hokey pokey icecream and remembering movies we had seen all those years ago at the Majestic. Started by Harry Saunders senior and carried on by his son Harry, daughter Val and later Harry's wife Molly, it was later sold to Maurice Lark who was the owner when it burnt down.

Some remembered running at across the road half time to Oz Clark's shop for icecream and lollies because it was quicker than queuing at Gladys Brougham or Thelma Hartshorne's counter. Others would have a quick smoke out of sight of the adults. Then back for the second half.

Coal mining on Denniston Plateau and gold mining at Shantytown, and a hair raising trip to Kahurangi lighthouse were to be followed by a Nelson item, except that age old projectionists curse intruded - the film broke and couldn't be spliced, so we called it a day and emerged into reality wishing we could have movies like Hank and the Majestic rolled out, every day.

At the movies, Hank Piner style

Hank Piner, projectionist, being introduced to the audience before heading to the projection box

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