The Encore was on Devonshire Street, where the Gaelic Club is now – it was also known as the Third Eye cinema. It was the place to go to see 3D movies and classics – Dr Seuss films for the comedown on Sunday afternoon.
Koyaanisqatsi showing at the Valhalla seems to me a quintessential 90s event (carrying over from the 80s…see comment) – I’d blu tack the Valhalla posters that came out every few months to my wall and stare at the names of the films as I lay in bed. Altogether I must have spent hours staring at the words Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi.
And, by popular demand, the Mandolin:
Ninety9 Notes 
The Encore! I was just trying to remember its name a month or two ago when I went for a beer at the Strawberry Hills up the road. Thanks. Koyaanisqatsi at the Valhalla was also a quintessential *80s* event – though I never did get around to seeing it.
Wow, I wonder how many times the Valhalla screened Koyaanisqatsi!
Hi Vanessa, I’m trying to find a Valhalla poster for my sister who used to live in Sydney and now lives in Oslo. Would you be able to tell me where you find the image of this poster or where I might be able to buy one?
Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
This Valhalla ad I scanned from a 1995 copy of the Drum Media I have. I haven’t seen any of the big posters (the colourful ones printed on glossy paper…I used to have them up on my wall, why didn’t I keep them?) for sale secondhand. I’d like to see one again. Sorry I can’t help track one down, I could photocopy the ads in the few drum medias I own if that helps?
I suggest perhaps contacting the State Library – they might have something. They have archives of all the Drum Medias, for example.
Also there’s a “sydney cinema flashback” (I think it’s called) group on facebook.
Koyaanisqatsi was definitely a big 80s event – I must’ve seen it at least four times – always at Valhalla. They used to make fun of it on their posters (i.e. it soon changed from “Hopi Indian for Life Out of Balance” to “Hopi Indian for Trip Movie”) and they liked to play around with its name – I remember they once referred to it as “Can’t Find My Car Keys”. Which is VERY weird – because I once (1985) went to see it – in a SERIOUSLY deranged state of mind – and locked my keys in my car. Had to knock on these folks’ door and ask them for a coat hanger so I could break into it. Oh dear … I remember going to see it once and four or five skinheads came in with pillows, lay flat on the floor right in front of the screen …
The 80’s poster were super full of info, lots of extra stuff, reviews, etc … seemed like hundreds of movies on them – they might’ve come out every six months? Incredible that there’re none around on the net. It’s a real shame – they were fantastic!
Re: the Mandolin, I remember going to the first Australian screening of “Clerks” there (was less impressed than I’d hoped to be) – also saw Easy Rider for the first time there in early ’86. I remember all the hipsters giggled at the sixties vernacular (e.g.. “I’m gonna crash” titter titter…). Funnily enough, no one was laughing at the end!
God I’m old!
Hey look – I found one! I actually used to have this one – went to see The Quiet Earth due to its prominence on the poster – it was awful CRAP!
It’s magical to see one of these again, thanks for finding it! And thanks for your cinema stories, Koyaanisqatsi and the car keys! The skinheads!
Your comment inspired me to look in the state library catalogue to see if they have any Valhalla posters, they have a few from the early 80s, which they’ll let you see in the “secure reading area”. And, oddly, my partner saw a teenage boy wearing a t-shirt with a valhalla poster printed on it – he said it was his dad’s.
Lived in Sydney in 86-87 and went to the Valhalla regularly. Somebody mentioned skinheads which brings back memories of a hilarious night in late 86 watching ‘Dance Craze’. The place was packed with young skins and rude-boys/girls. Who just wouldn’t stop dancing. Initially in the aisles,eventually up on stage, in front of the screen. The house lights came on a couple of times with warnings from the manager, who probably envisaged a 100 or so teens disappearing through the stage and ruining it. Had quite a laugh, that night.