Food, film, summer in Melbourne

"Melbourne’s favourite outdoor epicurean cinema experience, bringing together two of our city’s best preoccupations: food and film." Gourmet Cinema

Every week, on Thursdays we get a whole pile of junk mail which includes the local paper and a newspaper/magazine called The Weekly Review. I know it's irresponsible from an environmental point of view, but we don't discourage junk mail. For me it sometimes turns up little items for this blog. As it did this week.

This is what I tore out of the said Weekly Review. Forgive the poor quality scan - always hard with newspaper kind of stuff - the other side of the page shows through.

As the quote at the top of this page states, summer in Melbourne means the opportunity to see films in the open air. We have several options to choose from. (A list is given at the end of this post in case you are interested.) Melbourne is blessed with a Mediterranean kind of climate although it can sometimes be too much of a good thing - too hot, too dry, danger of bushfires. Anyway it leads to all sorts of outdoor activities in the summer, including Moomba - the people's festival - "Let's get together and have fun" is its mantra I think. And films in the open air. Which means, at the very least, a home-provided picnic.

This little snippet also coincided with one of my other major interests - film - although I do not visit the commercial cinema enough these days. But I am on the committee of a very large film society in outer Melbourne and have been for almost as long as I have been in Australia. My other major interest is family history, but that doesn't come into the equation here. Food and film though. And it isn't just confined to summer. It's just that in summer it takes a different twist.

The reason I am focussing on the so-called Gourmet Cinema which is being advertised here, is that I actually had not come across this one before, even though I regularly scan the What's On in Melbourne things for the film society website. It's actually of little interest for me as it takes place on the south side of Melbourne - not really anywhere near here. But it does take the food and film concept just that little bit further. Most of the outdoor cinema venues provide the opportunity to get food (and drink - sometimes only drink) at their venue. I'm sure that it is one of the ways in which they make their money, But the food is generally not hugely exciting. And you can always take your own anyway, though possibly not the booze. But Gourmet Cinema takes it a step further with food from some of Melbourne's trendiest restaurants. Six are taking part and four of them will be at each screening, with one of the four providing a meal that matches the film of the night in some way.

Outdoor cinema has become a really big thing here. I did go once and it was a really fun thing, but you need to choose your film. I don't think I would choose anything intense or immersive - just something light and fluffy is best. Or if you're into these things an action blockbuster that is all just action and no dialogue. Moonlight Cinema has a February 14 (Valentine's Day) tradition now of screening Breakfast at Tiffany's on that date. Interesting how a tradition develops is it not? I'm sure that originally somebody just thought it would be a good idea and it must have been so successful that they repeated it and repeated it - and now it's a Melbourne tradition. They also have a tradition of always screening Ferris Bueller's Day Off but I'm not sure when that is.

But it isn't just the outdoor cinemas that do food now. Initially it was the multiplexes who introduced the concept of Gold Class - small cinemas, massive seats with heaps of leg room and the opportunity to order drinks and meals that will be served to you whilst watching the film. I have also done this a couple of times - though I haven't ordered the food - a rip off price - but I also think that the fact that food is brought in by waiters on and off throughout the film is also very distracting. So again, choose your film carefully. I did have a glass of wine though. And paying extra for a super comfortable seat is good - but then I'm told that Hoyts has moved to this kind of seating in all their cinemas.

And now the 'independent' cinemas like Nova and Palace are also in on the act. I think you can take the drink in, but maybe not the food. But then the Nova is in Lygon Street so why would you bother with food in the cinema? Although when I think about it it's been going on for a very long time - well ice-cream and drinks anyway.

Remember the ladies with the trays of ice creams and lollies who used to patrol the aisles in the interval? Cigarettes too probably. An interval - whatever happened to that? And the Melbourne Film Festival has a bar/lounge meeting place. Multiplexes in shopping centres always have a few eating places just outside as well. Well you have to make a night out of it don't you? And then there are all the film festivals that go on during the year - they often have a first and last night party that includes food. So yes - food and film - inextricably entwined.

Anyway, why would you eat food whilst watching a film? I know popcorn is a sort of a tradition, and choc tops too, but they are sort of different. Not that I approve of popcorn (which deserves a post all of its own some time).

Nevertheless I am impressed by the marketing nouse of all the people that think of these things. In the case of Gourmet Cinema it's the Melbourne Racing Club. Almost all the events and happenings that occur in Melbourne - and there are heaps and heaps of them, always involve food. I cannot think of one that doesn't. So think about testing one of the following out this summer. It's different.

Moonlight Cinema - The oldest and possibly the largest - in the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens . A mix of old and new you are sure to find something to please. Ends on 1st April. Drinks, food, bean bags available for hire.

Lido on the Roof - at The Lido Cinema in Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. It seems to end mid April.

Rooftop Cinema - on the roof in the city at 252 Swanston St. (Curtin House) you will find deckchairs a bar and an eclectic mix of films from now and then. Running into April.

Park Cinema Docklands - Friday nights only but its free and there's pre-film entertainment too. Location is Buluk Park at Victoria Harbour. There's even Uber Eats.

Belgrave Cameo - Your local outdoor cinema. Until 11 April

Palace Westgarth - a recent addition to the list.

Gourmet Cinema - March 1-11, Caulfield Racecourse. A short season but a bit special. The films are good too.