MAVtech's Cinema Slides Collection

Print advertisements for Langtry's Pharmacy date back to the 1950s and they were in the government Register of Pharmacies in 1960 (although at the different address of 281 Oxford Street at that time). MAVtech has another Langtry's slide from a similar era as this one which advertises Kodak photographic film (also searchable on Kete). 

However, we know that this slide was later than the film one due to the product it advertises. The 'Koto' fragrance was launched in 1967 and you can still buy it today. According to a perfume website, the scents of 'Koto' are  Aldehydes, Green Notes, Spices and Citruses; middle notes are Narcissus, Orris Root, Gardenia, Rose, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley; base notes are oak moss, Leather, Castoreum, Patchouli, Amber and Vetiver. 

In the late 1960s there were a lot of films which featured a (very stereotyped!) version of 'the mystic East'- with the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice' being a notable example released in 1967- the same year as 'Koto'. A nice bit of marketing from a local business- or just a coincidence? Either way, products which offered a slice of the 'life' seen on screen were bound to be big sellers.

This is one of multiple cinema advertising slides made for the Sharon Beauty Salon.

This local Levin business appears to have a long history. There is a record of it existing as early as the 1940s, run by a Mrs. Weir. In 1981 the business was still there (but there is no record of who owned it by that stage).This cinema advertising slide would have been screened during intermission- but only for a few seconds to avoid the projector's heat cracking the glass! In the era before television, going to the cinema was a frequent past time and if you paid extra to be seated upstairs in the 'dress circle' you generally dressed in nice clothes. What better audience to advertise hair tinting and razor cutting! Imagine this ad stretching over a cinema screen- now that would be impact.... 

This dealership was owned by none other than Ron Frost, a New Zealand motorsport legend who not only raced cars in Levin and around the country but who also organised races and attracted new motorsport talent to New Zealand.

Ron Frost was born in England and served in the British Army during the Second World War- including many years as a POW until he escaped a German prisoner of war camp in 1945.

Frost Motors started out selling new cars from the Rootes group (including Hillmans, Humbers and Sunbeams) but they later opened a used car yard near their first location. The new car showrooms and petrol pumps were on Oxford Street South. The used car lot was on Oxford Street North. The business remained in the family until the late 1970s.

There is a wealth of knowledge about Ron Frost online.

The car on the slide has a number plate which reads '1966' which is a great indication of when this slide was made! 

G.H Weggery & Co were real estate agents based in Levin's Oxford Street. Based off New Zealand Gazette records, the company was wound up in 1980, so this slide must have been before then (similar records show it trading in 1978). The population growth of Manawatu/Horowhenua slowed after 1976 and this could have been a reason for the firm's closing.

This slide would have been screened in the cinema. By the early 1980s the average New Zealander made around five trips to the cinema each year. This was down from the peak in 1960 but still enough for cinema advertising to be a viable market.

This is the second slide from Rachelle Gowns, and they both seem to follow a seasonal theme. The first slide (searchable on Kete, just type in 'Rachelle Gowns' in the search bar) had an autumn theme- but the daffodils on this slide seem to symbolise a spring collection.

The New Zealand Companies Register shows that Rachelle Gowns was incorporated on the 26th of November, 1962 and was dissolved in 1990. Going to the cinema was a lot less formal in the 1960s than it was decades earlier- but you didn't want to be scruffy! 'God Save The Queen' still played before each screening and stayed that way until the end of the decade. Newsreels also gave the cinema a more formal atmosphere of education as well as entertainment.  That, and the overseas fashions in 1960s films would have made the cinema the perfect place to advertise. 

Rachelle Gown's slide would most likely have been screened during the end of intermission. Kete Horowhenua also has a 1981 print ad from this business which can be seen here https://horowhenua.kete.net.nz/item/7ca73eeb-f726-4eb7-bdaf-94015d0f92d8 

Some cinema advertising slides were advertising- advertising! But when this slide was made (1930s-1950s) it could boast some very important sales points.....

'Solus position' is an advertising term and means that the ad is isolated away from other, competing ads. One slide at a time was shown during the intermission 'advertising run' and each filled the screen. All eyes would have been on the ad as the cinema would have been darkened.

'Full Colour' was a worthy claim at a time when most domestic printing did not do colour that well. This was a common complaint of photographers which persisted into the 1960s. Even when television arrived it was black and white for over a decade. All the more reason for cinema advertising to have an impact.

'Low Cost' is a relative term, but 'good value' would be a true claim. The advertiser could place slides in one local cinema or across the whole chain- or any number in between! This kept the ad where the customers were.

With these selling points no wonder cinema advertising slides were a popular way of marketing. MAVtech's collection of local and national cinema advertising shows just how sensationally popular they were. Have a browse on Kete by searching 'cinema advertising slide' to find out! 

But slides weren't the only way of advertising on the 'big screen'. By the late 1950s 'Dominion Screens Limited', which serviced and was owned by the Amalgamated Theatres chain, was selling screening time for one minute advertising films and Screens Advertising Limited sold space for one and a half minute ads.

This slide advertised  'Frosty Jack' ice cream- a Wellington brand which was sold from 1924 to 1967. Like many local companies it had a limited distribution- 'Frosty Jack' didn't even get to the South Island until the 1960s. However, this effort may have caused the company to lose money and they sold to a larger firm who then stopped making ice cream a few years later.

As early as the 1930s 'Frosty Jack' trays were being used in cinemas during the weekend matinee screenings which were popular with children.  This slide asks the patrons to 'call the boy'- with carrying the ice-cream tray a popular first job for many schoolchildren.

Many of these cinemas would have been independent ones- Kerridge-Odeon ended up owning its own ice cream brand for its theatres.

Take a look at the boy on the slide- it looks as though the ice cream is giving him some brain freeze! 

MAVtech has a 'Frosty Jack' ice cream tray in its collection and you can see it on Kete. Just search for 'Frosty Jack'.

MAVtech's collection holds many cinema slides- but this is one of the most intriguing. Unlike almost every other slide it has no writing on it (including on the edges) and is striking arranged with lots of 'blank space'. 

What was it used for?

It is impossible to be certain- but it probably celebrated the victory of the British Empire after World War One. The slide was found in a box with many other First World War slides, including one celebrating the victory. Although New Zealand's flag was flown by ships since 1869 (and was 'official' since 1902) it wasn't formally flown in battle until the Second World War, so the presence of the Imperial Union Jack would have made a lot of sense on a local slide. 

(The New Zealand flag was flown during the Gallipoli campaign at Quinn's Post- however this was unofficial and not ordered by the military command).

Britannia, the human personification of Britain, sits at the bottom of the slide.

In 1971 the circus came to town and with it the great Oleg Popov- a renowned clown who had been touring internationally since 1955. In 1969 Popov was given the title 'People's Artist of the USSR' and was used by the Soviet Union as a goodwill ambassador. 

This tour only visited the main cities of New Zealand- but with the Kerridge Odeon cinema chain being a major sponsor of the tour, this slide would have been shown in the chain's provincial theatres as well. When the Great Moscow Circus returned to Aotearoa in 1974 Kerridge Odeon was still a supporter and was joined by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. 

This is not the slide you would want to see projected on the screen before your film started! The sound track of analogue films ran beside the images (asides from a few very early, very seldom used systems) so if the sound track was damaged there was little which could be done. Luckily it only impacted a few minutes of footage in this case!

In some cinemas this was more likely to happen. In very early New Zealand cinemas a reel of  short films would move from one operator to the next and if you were the last cinema on the line the images would be worn from all the previous screenings. Some First World War newsreels were played into oblivion and no longer survive (although these did not have sound...)

In the United States of America some theatres host 'second run' screenings of films which have already been used by regular cinemas. These 'discount cinemas' often have films with slight imperfections due to their age (Titanic was screening in these budget theatres six months after its release date!)

This slide would have been shown by cinema management whenever there was an important announcement to make. Sometimes this might be news of new treats at the food stand. Other times it may have been more serious- like a call for assistance from any doctors in the audience. The projectionist would write on the yellow bar of the slide with removable ink and would rub out the writing after the screening.

There might not seem like much space- but the slide didn't have a lot of time to get the message across. The heat from early carbon- arc projectors would crack the slide in a few seconds so it was displayed and then withdrawn quickly! 

Some cinemas had basic, picture - less 'blank' slides for these announcements, but the cinema who used this one went really fancy!

During the First World War the New Zealand Government was fighting an internal battle with 'shirkers'- the men who (for whatever reason) were not enlisting in the forces even though they were eligible to. Shirkers were portrayed in newspapers and posters as weak men who looked unkempt and shifty, as opposed to the strong, masculine soldier. Some papers fretted that the shirkers would father children while the soldiers were away, weakening the New Zealand national character.

Of course, given the punishments and social stigma, it took as much courage to be a conscientious objector as it did to sign up for the army. In Bulls, a local blacksmith refused to serve young men who were not in the army without a good reason and many such men were accosted in the street and on public transport.

They were also accosted in the cinema via government promotional slides like this one. The expensive 'dress circle' seats were taxed to help pay for the war- but the cheaper 'stalls' below were exempt as they provided an important boost to morale. By 1917  it was stated in Parliament that “not less than 550,000 people go to picture entertainments every week." What better place to show a recruiting slide?

This slide urges uncommitted men to join the forces by emphasising the loss of pride of having others fight for them, and highlights the personal contribution they needed to make to the war effort. 

All combatant countries in the Second World War came to realise just how expensive modern warfare can be. In New Zealand taxes tripled between 1940 and 1945 so the necessary capital could be raised, with the government taxing to the economic limit.

For those with surplus funds, "National Savings Bonds" were introduced. These were loans made to the government for war purposes to be paid back (with some interest) when peace returned. By 1946, over forty million pounds had been invested in the scheme.   ‘Lend to defend the right to be free!’ was the overarching motto of National Savings and was put on posters, cinema slides and savings books.

With 30 million tickets sold in 1939, New Zealand's cinemas was the perfect place to attract attention!  

The mention of the serviceperson's sacrifice as a compelling reason to offer savings harks back to a theme in the First World War. In New Zealand some labour unions urged the government to raise taxes on the wealthy, arguing that if people's lives were being conscripted, so should capital. This was not directly taken up (but was effected indirectly through taxes on luxury items) and the idea was repeated on this slide.

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection. 

General Joffre was a senior commander of the French Army who won early victories during the war. However, a string of losses eroded his position and by the time this slide was made he was likely no longer in direct command and instead had an advisory role. 

Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete. These slides were certainly shown in cinemas, but may also have been shown via magic lanterns to smaller audiences as well.

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection. 

General Pershing was the commander of the American Forces, who entered the war on the Allied side in 1917. Pershing adamantly refused to integrate his troops into the other Allied armies, preferring to fight for the most part as a separate force. His men were ill-trained for the realities of trench warfare and suffered terrible casualties but by sheer numbers made an impact on the front line.

Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete.

This slide is another from MAVtech's collection which focuses on the New Zealand Government's recruitment efforts during World War One. A sticking point for many men was leaving their wives and sweethearts if they enlisted, and this slide tries to counter this. It suggests that even if women were saying for men to go, they were thinking it and hit this point home by insinuating that the 'real men' were in uniform. 

The slide even portrays the New Zealand nation as a young women, urging men to leap to her defence. At the same time as this slide screened there were posters pitched towards women. These said that if a man would abandon his country in a time of need he would abandon his wife as well. 

Despite these slides many men were understandably cautious about signing up and risking being shot, and the government introduced conscription in 1916.

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection.

General Foch was an innovative commander and one who was big enough to admit mistakes and learn from them. On the 26th of March 1918 this French General was appointed the head of all Allied forces- a big change from the previous squabbling between the British and French commands. Foch's authority did not extend to overruling national commands, but he could at least coordinate strategy and direction of battle and by being the 'head' of all armies he could shelter his subordinate commanders from political interference. 

This was the slide that everyone wanted to see. It was made to celebrate the successful end of the First World War and was shown in cinemas of jubilant crowds.

But it didn't go to plan.

The returning troops brought with them strains of influenza which struck communities with a vengeance. Medical staff were ill equipped to deal with this new invisible enemy and the government was forced to close cinemas, along with many other public places.. A month later the cinemas opened again, but with an influenza which claimed 8,573 lives the slide would have been shown to a more muted audience 

 Kete records show that this company was owned by Lance Osborne and was trading in the mid 1960s. The company no longer trades, with many competitors setting up in the last forty years. The fact that a local company in a small town could move household furniture New Zealand wide would have been quite an achievement! Another slide from this firm boasts about the CB radios each truck carried, which would have helped drivers stay in touch during long distance moves.

The truck's bumper advertises daily runs from Levin, Shannon, Foxton and Palmerston North.

The second slide (also on Kete) shows a truck carrying industrial loads, so they didn't just do furniture removal work.

 Print advertisements for Langtry's Pharmacy date back to the 1950s and they were in the government Register of Pharmacies in 1960. Online records suggest that Langtry's shop was demolished in 1975 (however, they moved at least once based off Kete documents) MAVtech has another Langtry's slide from a similar era as this one which advertises Kodak photographic film (also searchable on Kete) as well as one advertising perfume. 

The 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand stated that a pharmacist had two years of academic training followed by a two year apprenticeship- but the University of Otago was about to launch a bachelors degree which would cut the apprenticeship down to one year. This combination of a degree and a one year internship is still used today- although the University of Auckland also offers a relevant degree.

 Before digital media came to the cinema, adverts were shown using transparent slides. Each slide was loaded into the projector for only a few seconds, otherwise the heat would cause the glass to crack. They were usually shown during the intermission, just as the audience was returning to their seats.

Because these slides were inexpensive to produce, local businesses could afford to take out advertising with a handful of local cinemas.  Having a safari seemed a strange way to advertise a local shop- if a shopper found a live lion on Oxford Street they would have had quite a shock- but it made sense in the cinema. Action and adventure movies were popular (including the 'Tarzan' series) so this ad just added to the escapism. 

  Before digital media came to the cinema adverts were shown using transparent slides. Each slide was loaded into the projector for only a few seconds, otherwise the heat would cause the glass to crack. They were usually shown during the intermission, just as the audience was returning to their seats.  

To keep costs down for advertisers some local businesses used 'stock illustrations' for their slides- like Jones' Post Office Store in Foxton Beach probably did. The happy fisherman is carrying a trout on his back and a triumphant look in his eyes- but most Foxton fishing happened in the sea! 

Before digital media came to the cinema, adverts were shown using transparent slides. Each slide was loaded into the projector for only a few seconds, otherwise the heat would cause the glass to crack. They were usually shown during the intermission, just as the audience was returning to their seats.

Because these slides were inexpensive to produce, local businesses could afford to take out advertising with a handful of local cinemas. This ad for a Foxton plumber gives a warning to those thinking of doing a bit of DIY! According to the Yellow Pages O'Leary and Sons were founded in 1956.

One of a series of slides which were shown during intermission in Horowhenua cinemas. As they were very cheap to produce, local companies could easily advertise with their closest cinema on a budget.

This local ice cream company would have had some competition in the concession stands. The Kerridge-Odeon cinema chain made it's own New Zealand ice cream just for it's theatres! 

Cinema advertising slides flashed up on the screen for only a few seconds before the projector heat forced them to be changed. Many local businesses took out advertising with the cinemas and MAVtech has a large collection of local slides. Some, like this one, seem a bit unsettling today! 

Most of the Foxton businesses who took out these ads were just down the road from the town's cinemas- so ads like this one would have encouraged people to do some shopping on the way home or (for later screenings) next time they were in town.

This Kete link shows the Co-Op Butchery in Main Street in 1950, across from the Clyde Street intersection. An early 'Co-Operative Butchery' was in existence as early as 1889 on Main Street, managed by John W Walsh (who later became a butchery owner)

https://horowhenua.kete.net.nz/item/3f2158a5-57a3-4441-8486-116931202d7c 

Kete Horowhenua records show that Scotts Drapery was in Foxton's Main Street in 1960 but that it had closed by 1970. When it traded it gave small town New Zealand the chance to buy fashions from Australia and even California! With memories of the US Marines from the World War Two still in many people's minds, American fashions were seen as very stylish indeed.

Cinema advertising was cheap to utilise and a small business could target local theatres making it very effective. With colour film expensive to buy and process hand colouring was also in fashion! 

Imagine audiences returning to their seats during the intermission of some exciting American film seeing their chance to buy the fashions that they saw onscreen. It's a wonder Scott's Drapery didn't last longer!

A new magazine with a trendy new movie- given that it is showcasing 'Saturday Night Fever' it is a good guess that this issue came out in 1977. But this magazine is doing more than just showing new features- it's introducing new words as well.

'Movies' is a recent term for New Zealand and it only became popular here in the 1980s. Before then a night out with the 'big screen' was known as going to the 'cinema' (or 'The Flicks') to see a 'film' or a 'picture'. 'Movies' was an American term and magazines like this helped bring it to the fore. All the American television programmes and films certainly had an impact too!

Whatever you wanted to call them they were still a popular night out, with Kiwis seeing at least five films on average a year. 

This slide was shown during intermission in local cinemas (or should that be 'movie theatre'?) 

A.E Corley was a Foxton building firm active around the 1950s. Kete Horowhenua records show that they built Foxton's 'Podmore Flats' at the base of Seaview Gardens in the 1950s and they were also responsible for 'The Rose Bowl' dining rooms.

Cinema advertising slides were a cheap way for local businesses to advertise. Making it even cheaper were generic slides like this one- a drawing of a house represented all builders with the specific details printed on the window below. Most of these slides were shown during intermission

These boxes were sent to the managers of local theatres decades (in one case even around a century) ago! In them were slides promoting upcoming films which were projected onscreen during the intermission.

From the 1910s big cinema chains began appearing in New Zealand and they competed for the rights to show overseas releases. At a time when a town Foxton's size had two cinemas this differentiation was important for business. 

Some of these boxes bear the names of Aotearoa's big cinema names like 'Kerridge'. The 'Pacer-Kerridge' alliance was founded in 1987 making the upper left box the newest of the assortment seen here. By contrast, the Paramount logo seen here was phased out in 1967! 

Almost from it's invention the cinema has played a role in war and morale. In the First World War the New Zealand Government even taxed expensive 'dress circle' theatre seats to raise money for the military. However, this slide was less direct, and comes from the Second World War.

It implores cinema goers (from the comfort of civilian life) to subscribe for the latest war bonds drive. By now most New Zealanders knew the war was going well and victory was near- but the slide reminded people of the energy needed for 'the final push'. The slide would have been shown alongside newsreels of New Zealand forces overseas and maybe was in the intermission of a patriotic film.

In fact, in early 1945 there was an undetected German U-Boat off the East Coast- the war was closer than many would have liked to admit. 

Slides like this would have been shown in cinemas across New Zealand.