Mr Monkey examined the Kalee 'Indomitable' Talkie No. 8 Cinematograph Projector and its Western Electric Universal Base. This is the same model of projector that the Plaza used on its opening night, but it isn't the same projector. Mr Monkey was interested to find out that the soundtrack for each film came as a stack of extra thick records, one record to each reel of film. The projectionist had to line the player's needle up with the big arrow on the record and start the record and the film at exactly the right time. Mr Monkey was surprised to find out that the needle started in the centre of the record and went outwards, instead of starting at the edge and going in like a proper record. This equipment means that the Plaza is the only cinema in the country to have a Vitaphone sound system.
Return to Mr Monkey tours the Stockport Plaza Cinema
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey.