The Cinema at Starlight Creek in Aussie Readers

May 08, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own-read, historical-fiction, net-galley, aussie-authors, sent-by-publisher, reviewing-by-request, read-on-kindle, 2019-release

It was the 1950s when Lena Lee braved Hollywood as a naïve young woman, determined to make it in the big time. She could sing and act – she just needed a chance. Signed by a big studio, her dreams looked like coming true. But with the censorship police cutting many scenes, and the expectation for the female actresses to be demure, innocent and well covered, and always looked after by a man, Lena’s frustrations grew. Pretending to be someone she was not was what acting was all about – but she dre It was the 1950s when Lena Lee braved Hollywood as a naïve young woman, determined to make it in the big time. She could sing and act – she just needed a chance. Signed by a big studio, her dreams looked like coming true. But with the censorship police cutting many scenes, and the expectation for the female actresses to be demure, innocent and well covered, and always looked after by a man, Lena’s frustrations grew. Pretending to be someone she was not was what acting was all about – but she drew the line at deceit and lies. Her desire to improve the lot for the women in Hollywood; create equality in an industry dominated by men – caused her trouble.

Starlight Creek was a small town in the sugarcane area of Queensland in 1994 and when Claire Montgomery discovered the cinema it was run down and abandoned. It wasn’t the best she’d seen but it would have to do. But would the owner allow her to film her TV mini series in the historical cinema? When she met the elderly Hattie Fitzpatrick, owner of the cinema, and her great nephew Luke Jackson, the immediate and emphatic answer from them both was NO. With Claire’s job on the line she was desperate to convince Hattie and Luke she needed the chance. But how was she to do it? Would she and her team be kicked out of Starlight Creek? Or would there be support?

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is another spectacular historical fiction novel by Aussie author Alli Sinclair. Set in two timelines between Hollywood and Queensland, the writing is such that I was there – in the dressing room while Lena’s make-up was being done; in the café in Starlight Creek or gazing at the sunset over the sugarcane. The depth of the characters made them easy to know and feel for; the blend of glamour and hope, of loss, heartache and love, made the reading of The Cinema at Starlight Creek a delight. I read until I’d finished last night, unable to put it down. Alli Sinclair is fast becoming a favourite and I’ll be keeping an eye out for her next. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Harlequin AU and NetGalley for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
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May 31, 2019 Helen rated it it was amazing

Can a small cinema in the country town of Starlight Creek get people opening up, can it bring people together not just a town but help people find love and above all find their dreams?

It is 1994 and Claire Montgomery arrives as location manager working on a TV mini -series she discovers a beautiful art deco cinema, and now she must convince the owner to let them film in this cinema, not an easy task when she comes up against the owners great nephew Luke, a heartfelt appeal by letter to the owne ...more

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May 27, 2019 Bree T rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, arc, rural-lit, hist-contemp-blend, aww2019

I love a dual timeline story. I think ever since I read The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley, they’ve been one of my favourite things to settle in with. I love a historical narrative and appreciate the ways in which authors can blend these stories with those in the present. In this story, the present is not particularly present – northern Queensland, 1994. It’s funny, 1994 isn’t that long ago really, in the grand scheme of things. But reading this book made me realise it’s a lifetime ago in terms I love a dual timeline story. I think ever since I read The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley, they’ve been one of my favourite things to settle in with. I love a historical narrative and appreciate the ways in which authors can blend these stories with those in the present. In this story, the present is not particularly present – northern Queensland, 1994. It’s funny, 1994 isn’t that long ago really, in the grand scheme of things. But reading this book made me realise it’s a lifetime ago in terms of things like technology. Mobile phones are in their fledgling stages and the service is ridiculously patchy, dropping out a lot. There’s little to no internet (I remember we didn’t get the internet until 1998 and it was the slowest dial-up known to man). It means that so much more happens face to face as well, with Claire not able to liase via email or text message etc, the way that perhaps would happen now.

Claire is a film location manager who is down a location after an indiscretion between her lead actor and the daughter of the property owner. There’s only one other historically significant art-deco cinema that suits their purpose and so Claire heads to north QLD to beg permission from the owner, to use it in the film she is working on. The owner is Hattie Fitzpatrick, an elderly lady who is quite reclusive and at first, firm in her refusal to Claire. As a last ditch effort, Claire writes her an impassioned letter which touches Hattie. Intertwined with this is a story of Hollywood in the 1950s, when actors were attached to studios and starred in every picture they made. Lena Lee is a bit older then actresses just breaking into the scene but she’s incredibly talented and with the help of some friends, puts herself out there for recognition and roles.

I really, really enjoyed the 1950s Hollywood setting, which is actually not a time period I’ve visited a lot in fiction and definitely not in Hollywood. I’m not really a movie buff (people ask me have I see X movie, to which I inevitably reply no and they can never believe it) but I found this section really interesting. There was a lot of stuff I sort of knew vaguely but a lot that I didn’t as well. I found the social commentary well worked into the story. The 1950s is Cold War time, paranoia about communism and reds under the bed and who might be hiding what was rampant and there’s a whole government agency that seems dedicated to routing out communism, or what they think might be communism and people who support it. HUAC, aka the House of Un-American Activities committee were firmly convinced communism and propaganda had infiltrated the Hollywood scene and in real life, studios often blacklisted or boycotted artists suspected of sympathies. Homosexuality was also considered a disease and for some reason, linked to communist sympathies as well. There were many actors and artists of this time who were forced to leave America to find work elsewhere – very few people investigated or accused could successfully rebuild a career in America. Studios were also beholden to censors, who could wield power over a film by cutting things they deemed inappropriate or demanding changes.

In the more modern setting, Claire faces the pressure of being a woman in a world that is still quite dominated by men, with someone working alongside her that is desperate to see her fail, so that they might have her job. It seems that no mistakes are tolerated and even though it wasn’t Claire’s fault that the first location didn’t work out and she did manage to secure the second location, it seems all eyes are on her to make sure nothing else goes wrong. The pressure is immense and in the middle of it all, Claire is still trying to figure out what she wants to do in her career that is meaningful to her. Hattie’s great nephew, Luke is a bit of a distraction. At first the two clash over Claire’s desire to use the cinema but when Hattie thaws so does Luke and the two of them find a connection. I really enjoyed the character of Luke and his struggle with his duty versus his dream. It added a nice depth to his character and a layer to the story that I felt could strengthen his connection with Claire.

On the surface, this was a lot of fun – the settings were excellent and I could really picture myself there, be it 1950s Hollywood for 1994 sugarcane fields in Queensland. But there was a lot going on beneath the surface, the struggle of women to have it all, to break through into what was a mostly male dominated world. To hold their own, make their mark and fulfil their dreams, sometimes at personal cost. There’s tragedy here too, star-crossed love and lots more. An iceberg of a book!

***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review*** ...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Janine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is a wonderful dual narrative story from Alli Sinclair. There are two time periods here - a modern one set in a small town in Queensland and the other one set in Hollywood in the 1950's. Claire is on the lookout for a historical cinema as the setting for a mini-series about a famous female architect, she discovers the small town of Starlight Creek and there is a slightly dilapidated cinema that has not been used for years. On approaching the owner she is met with di ...more

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