In the age of video-on-demand, and dwindling ticket sales for cinemas both mainstream and independent, the magic of the movies has been in short supply lately.
But one lifelong James Bond fan is helping steer the course for the indie cinema landscape, and Melbourne’s on the map.
James Roberts, a retail manager based in Sydney, has been screening classic James Bond films at independent cinemas across Australia since 2023. Having managed the popular James Bond Downunder account (32k followers on Instagram) for ten years, Roberts made the move to screening Bond films when he found a niche gap in the market.
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“No cinema decided to put on Live and Let Die for its fiftieth anniversary, so I decided I would for this special occasion,” Roberts says, “of what is one of my favourite Roger Moore Bond films. Since then, I have screened 17 Bond films with the most recent being Dr. No in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.”
While Roberts’s page is the largest Bond fan page in the country, it isn’t an official club, meaning that much of his work as event coordinator is a labour of love. The Bond community, however, remains strong the world over and Roberts has enjoyed the support of many other 007 fans in organising these special events.
“Some real friends that have come out of this,” he says.
The process of selecting the films to be screened is usually guided by commemorative dates, with recent examples including the 50th and 60th anniversaries, respectively, of The Man with the Golden Gun and Goldfinger.
How Australian cinemas are supporting Bond screenings
Palace Cinemas have been his strongest supporters across this time, offering accessible rental rates to screen classic titles for devoted fan communities. The screenings have quickly established themselves as must-see events across Australia, with many significant alumni from the Bond series making special appearances in Roberts’s pre-screener introductions.
Notable pre-recorded video messages have come from the likes of classic ‘Bond Girls’ Britt Ekland and Maud Adams, as well as stuntman and Oscar-winning special effects legend Chris Corbould.
“But I’ve also had in-person appearances from the likes of Phil Dewhurst, founder of the 007GB Fan Club,” Roberts adds, “and Joie Vejjajiva, who played Cha in The Man with the Golden Gun and resides in Sydney. Ever since, she has come to almost every screening and become good friends with not just myself, but many of my regular patrons.”
British comedian, author and lifelong Bond fan David Walliams also made an in-person appearance for the Goldfinger anniversary screening, which remains Roberts’ most successful screening to date.
Roberts hosted another Bond screening in Melbourne this December, compiling a Christmas celebration of 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service alongside another screening of fan favourite Goldfinger, as well as a double bill of ‘90s entries GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.
Melbourne cinemas are leading the indie venue renaissance
In the age of what Roberts refers to as “lazy streaming,” the importance of keeping independent cinemas open is now more vital than ever. Keenly holding the belief that the movie theatre is where films belong, Roberts has found that Melbourne’s cosmopolitan approach to indie cinemas has been of great help in his film screening efforts.
“Thornbury Picture House – and, more recently, FOMO and Eclipse – are showcasing unique films alongside the historic brands like Palace Cinemas,” Roberts says. “These cinemas are all making these screening events, which you really can’t replicate at home. I admire some of the groups that organise screenings like Craft Cinema nights, where attendees do knitting whilst watching the film.
“These cinemas are building a thriving community.”
What started as a personal hobby has now evolved into a registered business for Roberts, a move by which he remains charmed but not overly surprised. He had always wanted to run a cinema, he says, and would put on shows at home for anyone who would watch when he was young.
Despite the more menial number-crunching demands that are placed on him today as an even coordinator, he still treats the venture with “the same heart and passion of a hobby, of putting on films for those who share the same passions. It still has the ‘films for fans, by fans’ mentality.”
The magic of cinema remains alive and well within Roberts’s community of indie filmgoers, something that he feels the major cinema chains have overlooked in recent years. He recognises the privilege he has in creating for filmgoers an experience of cinema that they are unlikely to find anywhere.
“I’m very much aware – and proud – that by putting on these screenings, some audience members are seeing their favourite Bond film for the first time on a big screen,” he beams. “Some older patrons haven’t seen some of the classic films on the big screen since their first release!”
James Roberts shares regular updates of his film screening events across his Facebook and Instagram pages. Tickets for each event can be purchased on his Eventbrite page, JR Cinema Events.
