Saturday, August 06, 2005

The old movie house

Rex

I don't have the slightest idea why old cinemas facinate me. They were small, crowded, the floors are littered with the accumulated gunk of countless spilt drinks and popcorn, seating was unconfortable, the projection was often grainy and the sound quality a far cry from what THX and Dolby sound systems have done for the modern cineplexes. Maybe because a trip to one during my childhood was always an eagerly awaited event, cajouling dad to take you out for a night at town to catch the latest flick and finally getting him to relent. Of buying snacks from the various concession stores, pickles, can drinks and junk food and sitting down, knowing you were getting permission to stay up for the late night show just this once and later enthralled with the magic only a cinema can conjure in a child's eyes. Yes so many cinemas are gone, replaced with the ultra modern sanitary cineplexes of which I am thankful for lush carpeting, deligent cleaning crews and state of the art technology, yet part of me is still that little kid, sitting in a seat twice oversized, munching on nangka (a local fruit akin to jackfruit) and fixated on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Above is a picture of the Rex which is abandoned, outmoded and obsolete, Penang, Malaysia, 2004.

5 comments:

lucia said...

up to now, this rex building is still standing, abandoned and worn down. who own the land? can't something be done? pull down the buidling and start something!

Kervin said...

But it looks nice as it is, a derelict, if they ever redevelop it it should turn into a gallery or something, definately not torn down. Maybe done with like what they did with Birch House.

fishtail said...

Bet you a cup of teh tarik that Lotus Mamak will take over soon and turn it into one of their chain eateries, like they did to the State Cinema in PJ new town.

Anonymous said...

Good shot. :) I love the old cinemas too. Unfortunately, not too many survived the home video revolution. *sigh* Heck, even my church used to be a cinema.

Kervin said...

fishtail: It'll be nice to see something like this turned into a useful purpose, cultural venues, shops and eateries seems suitable.

james: Haha yeah walking in kk and seeing all the converted cinemas also brings about a feeling of loss, some become departmental stores, others eateries, yet recently the Capitol is being redeveloped by Megapavilion into a new cineplex, seems the time of cinemas are gone, rule the cineplexes.