Bob Dylan Don't Look Back poster, Sydney 1969

Blowing in the Mind 1967 | Brett Whiteley & Dylan | Don't Look Back 1967 | Film Script | London 1962-3 | Masters of War

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On Friday, 22 August 1969, the Mandala Theatre, located on the corner of South Dowling and Oxford Streets, Paddington, Sydney, celebrated its opening with a screening of D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 documentary Don't Look Back. The film is a somewhat controversial fly-on-the-wall record of Dylan's British tour of 1965 - the last to that country which would be purely acoustic. The premiere was announced in the local newspapers, with nightly screenings. It is unclear how long this season ran, or if this was the first release of the film in Australia.

Sydney Morning Herald, 22 August 1969.

The promotions were managed by Aggy Read, whose short film Boobs a Lot was shown alongside Bottoms (Thoms 2012). Prior to the interval, Lindsay Bourke played the organ, and was later replaced by bands such as Tamam Shud. A special poster (reproduced above) was also prepared for the Don't Look Back season which began at the Mandala on 24 December [1969]. The poster shows a somewhat pensive image of Dylan in blue, above similarly coloured block text and orange screening information. Don't Look Back was supported by a number of shorts at the August 1969 premiere, including Yoko Ono's Bottoms (1966). It is possible the this poster was also utilised for screening at other theatres in New South Wales. The Mandala Theatre poster differs significantly from the British and US release posters of 1967.

Original release US poster, 1967, 27 x 41 inches.

Allan Aldridge and Harry Willock, Original release UK poster, 1967, 20 x 30 inches.

The Mandala Theatre poster is smaller than the US and UK equivalents. It is approximately 10 x 14 inches and printed using the offset photolithographic process on glossy paper.

Dylan had visited Australia in May 1966, at the end of a world tour in which he was backed by members of The Band for the second-half electric set. The following year Don't Look Back saw limited release in the US, UK and Europe.

Mandala Theatre

The Mandala Theatre originally opened as West Picture's Olympia in 1911, presenting silent film up to the introduction of sound after 1927. It operated as such through to the late 1950s when it became known as the Odeon. During the 1960s it was also called the Greek Theatre. The photograph below, which features two large 24 sheet posters for 1956 release Hollywood films, presents the original facade with a gazebo-like entrance. This was later removed.

Olympia Theatre, Sydney, circa 1956.

The Mandala Theatre operated as an art house venue for underground, countercultural and music films, and live performance. For example, on Sunday, 7 December 1969 it held a concert by the rock band Tully, with a special psychedelic light show. It also supported the Australian anti-Vietnam war Moratorium movement during the early 1970s.

War Fair: a case for peace, Mandala Theatre, 5-7 May 1970.

After its closure in 1972, it reopened in 1973 as the Academy Twin Cinemas, Sydney's second twin cinema complex. Picture theatres continued to operate on the site, though with major renovations and under various names, until final closure in 2010. It briefly opened as the New Olympia Theatre in 2014. The site is at present used for retail shops and offices.

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References

Academy Twin Cinemas, Cinema Treasures [web site].

Don't Look Back [web page], Wikipedia, 2021.

Immersive theatre show pays tribute to one of Sydney's earliest cinemas, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 November 2020.

Taylor Square in the 60s and Beyond [web page], n.d.

Thoms, Albie, My Generation, Media21 Publishing, Sydney, 2012.

War Fair: a case for peace [poster], Australian War Memorial [website], n.d.

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Blowing in the Mind 1967 | Brett Whiteley & Dylan | Don't Look Back 1967 | Film Script | London 1962-3 | Masters of War

Last updated: 8 June 2023

Michael Organ, Australia