Roy Mustaca has big plans for his Katoomba cinema. When the owner of United Cinemas The Edge finishes transforming the rundown complex that he bought last December, there will not be much change from $20 million and, if council approves his development application, another four screens at the complex.
And gearing up for the return of busloads of tourists and school groups, within the fortnight the cinema will start re-screening The Imax movie, The Edge, about the Blue Mountains and the Wollemi Pine. The popular movie, which has been in hiatus for 18 months, has been digitally remastered under the supervision of its original Byron Bay movie producer John Wiley, complete with versions with Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese subtitles.
"The movie stopped screening because we only had an analogue version," Mr Mustaca said. It will screen in the Imax cinema five times daily with subtitles in whatever format the audience pre-books. Roy's son, Sam, CEO of United Cinemas, said there had been a lot of inquiries from different tour operators and schools about the film.
United Cinemas is looking to spend an initial $3-5 million on refurbishing - and has already tackled air-conditioning problems and has started on water leakage issues. They hope it will eventually resemble their flagship cinema in Craigieburn, Melbourne which Dolby recently dubbed "the best cinema in the world", Roy Mustaca said.
By August, patrons can expect to see new Canadian carpets, seats from Portugal [including two rows of the grand recliners ] in the main cinema. Mr Mustaca has already overseen the addition of a new lens from America and new speakers.
"We've upgraded our projector, someone flew to the States to get a huge lens [and] we've ordered the seats already."
Depending on what modifications they can make to the seating configuration, the recliners may be in rows at the back of the cinema, he said.
"They [the grand recliners] are like flat beds... We are looking forward to making it beautiful."
The cinema will have a grand re-opening, at a date to be confirmed, with Hugo Weaving mooted as a guest star, Sam Mustaca said. Actor Keanu Reeves opened the family's first international cinema and Cody Walker opened the flagship cinema in Melbourne.
Mr Mustaca, a singer-songwriter, has been in the entertainment industry since age eight and owns 10 cinemas.The Italian-born opera singer and Elvis Presley look-alike had his first foray into cinemas in 1987, when he saved the Collaroy theatre, and later also ensured the survival of the Avalon cinema. Since then, United Cinemas has expanded and also owns properties in Western Australia and Queensland. Eighteen months ago he opened in China, his first joint operation after much cajoling from a Chinese delegation from Time Cinemas.
Mr Mustaca said it was likely chefs from his other Sydney cinemas would travel up, based on demand, to cater for large groups with buffet-style, authentic Italian food like pasta, pizza and salads.
He said he had architects working on new designs for the building with land available to build on. If council gives them the nod it could be as little as 12 months away, but a new building would cost about $10 million even before refurbishing was factored in.
Asked how he would bring more numbers to fill those new cinemas he said "product".
"We can't just screen what's around, we need to satisfy the elderly, give them the best arthouse ... more variety of films. At the moment we don't have the screens."
United Cinemas will put their development application to council in the next three months.