For Christchurch cinema owner Jeremy Stewart, the magic of going to the movies when he was young was not just about what was on the big screen — it was also about rolling Jaffas down the aisle.
Stewart, who runs Deluxe Cinemas at The Tannery in Woolston, has long been fascinated by movies and the traditions that made a trip to the theatre special.
Now he is bringing back one of its most enduring treats, the Jaffa, which he has branded ‘Intermission Treats’ and go on sale from Friday.
“I remember at the Westend, we used to do that. And I remember the intermissions,” he said.
However, with his theatre floors fully carpeted, anyone hoping to recreate the classic Jaffa roll might be out of luck.
“I think the rolling days are over,” he said.
But Stewart is bringing a taste of those memories back, along with the stories of four Christchurch cinemas that have since disappeared.
He got the idea from customers who frequently asked for the treats.
Jaffas disappeared from New Zealand shelves a year ago after RJ's Confectionery stopped production due to declining sales.
“So I thought, well, Jaffas are a nostalgic journey to the movies and it’s part of the whole experience,” said Stewart.
Rather than ignore the repeated requests, he approached Oamaru’s Rainbow Confectionery and developed his own version of the orange-coated chocolate balls.
But Stewart decided to take the idea further. The result is the Lost Christchurch Cinema Collection.
He has created four 90g boxes of Intermission Treats to celebrate the four cinemas that once played a central role in Christchurch’s movie-going culture — The Regent, Savoy, Avon and Westend.
Costing $8 each, each box features an archive photograph and the story of its cinema, with a $35 collector’s box bringing the complete set together.
The collection recalls the Regent’s devastating 1979 fire, the Avon’s Art Deco grandeur, the Savoy’s evolution from the Liberty, and the Westend’s earlier lives as Everybody’s and the Tivoli.
A QR code on each box links to a website about each cinemas’ history, with customers encouraged to contribute their own recollections.
“Everybody has a story,” said Stewart.
“That’s the most interesting thing about this whole Lost Cinema collection.”
For Stewart, it is as much about preserving Christchurch memories as selling confectionery.
"I've got fond memories of all four cinemas."
Stewart vividly remembers lining up at the Savoy to see The Dark Crystal, a 1982 fantasy film directed by Jim Henson.
"Just before we got to the ticket office ticket box, they said sorry, sold out. Full house," he said.
"So my dad took us to the Greatest American Hero instead, which we all really loved."
He also remembers another time going to the Regent to watch Desperately Seeking Susan with his sister.
"We found a roll of tickets on the ground," said Stewart.
"So we used them, and afterwards spent our movie money at Wizards playing video games."
For Stewart, the project has been nine months in the making.
“It’s been in the incubator for long enough,” he said.
“It’s almost like putting my children out into the world now. I’m super excited to get them out.”
- To find out more, go to lostchristchurchcinemas.nz