Our celluloid wonderland  April 26, 2005 Anthony Zeccola
Anthony Zeccola Photo: Rodger Cummins  From the foyer to the big
screen, the founder of Palace cinemas supports Australian films,
writes Gabriella Coslovich.  Talk about extreme makeover. The
foyer of South Yarra's Cinema Como used to have about as much
personality as a railway station waiting room. Not any more. The
new-look Como, being launched on Thursday, is unrecognisable -
think bordello meets Gilbert and Sullivan (that's a compliment).
"I didn't want that minimalistic look again. That's great in
certain areas, but not here. Here I wanted chandeliers, I wanted
glass, I wanted mirrors," says Antonio Zeccola, head of the
Palace Cinema chain, which includes the Como and 15 other
theatres across Australia.  I meet Zeccola at his revamped South
Yarra cinema, and he asks me what I think.  "Be honest, please,"
he says, and I get the sense I can be. He's a gracious man whose
passion for cinema and the Australian film industry is
inspiring. So I'm honest