The
Extension of Life Called "Cinema"
Written
and translated by Manotham Theamtheabrat
(Original Thai version printed in สวรรค์ 35 มม. ONCE UPON A DREAM: The Final Grace of Thai Movie Theatres, FilmVirus Books. May 2014)
After
the 'Hollywood' theater no longer existed, nobody would believe that
very cinema house becoming one of the most visiting theaters in my
sleep, alongside with the other second run and a double billed movie
house in the neighborhood in which I spent most of my time during my
childhood in the outskirt of Bangkok.
'Bang
Po'
The
movie theater named 'Po Thong Rama' was situated on a not very big
area, estimated by its looks maybe more or less than fifty something
square metres, at the top of the building installed the name of the
theater that playing with a slope of each letter (in Thai characters)
which starting with the steepest that gradually lowering its height
before it rising up again prior to reach at the highest level which
imitated the aspect ratio of wide screen cinema scope.
Po Thong
Rama' , a nice, cute and tiny theater house in the area situated
itself like an island in the middle of a not too wide street, at its
two sides surrounded by middle height buildings, at the corner of the
left row located a watch maker s, next to the barbershop, besided by
a noodle which famous for its red tofu sauce. At the opposite side to
the right also run a chicken rice restro, but liquor also available
and served, next to a arrow passage way that actually an in
betweeners to two blocks that locals regularly passing through the
marketplace.
Up to the
same side, once there was another style of noodle shop which labelled
itself as a pioneer for big sizes meatball (more or less, up on my
life experience), next after the next ones, you would find an ice
cream parlor whose owner s daughter really angelic cute (somehow, she
is a girl at my age) , after all we were class mate in my primary
school, especially when she performed a dancing revue on stage at a
school s celebration, she almost had made her audiences lose their
breath, don t tell anyone her name was Tad Soung (or Thub Suong
whatsever)
At
the street next to the movie theater s building that leads to the
marketplace also standing two rivalry toy stores, the first one much
much more varieties, whose advantageness due very much to its
cornerside of establishment that allows the shop owner to display
merchandises on both sides, to the front and its side, where
displayed mini model toy cars under a prevelege brand 'Match Box.
One
of the shops runs by a middle aged woman (named as 'Ah Hua') who
swallowed and gulfed both my allowances and money out of my grandma s
purse, one of them was a viewer for a manual rolled mini film cell
that even smaller than an 8 mm.,which seperately sale out of its
principle projector at the price of one Baht each with a diameter at
less than six inches roll, available only in B & W, featuring an
endlessly boxing match until it was no longer run manually.
At
the opposite side of Ah Hua s toy store runs another literary
opposite by its look, that ranges from the shop s owner s age,
character, and mannerism, beside the latter one s even more discreet,
cool hearted and less speaker to those customers which some time just
only a window shopper (that proves her oppositeness when comparing to
that of Ah Hua). Some of Ah Ma s toy store less advantageness owing a
great deal to the size and height of her shop, nevertheless her
property may looks smaller by regarding the larger of the room.
Meanwhile Ah Hua s store runs her business mainly on the toys, except
Ah Ma syet divided her space into household facilities, even the
front she also provided her front for some fresh guavas in mixing up
with child s playthings, which not so ripe nor too green, even now
every time I have the kind of tropical fruit, the taste of those
guava from Ah Ma s still keep on following by its taste and scent.
At
the little corner of Ah Ma s store, also a space that provided for
child that about to become age comers, a lottery random tickets for
the gamblers for the most desired goods that not available for sale,
that one ticket for a quarter of one Baht.
One
of the 'winning reward' was a souvenir mini postcard in color with
mild quality sheet of paper displayed a very well known Thai actor,
Sombat Metanee posing in wearing swimming short while playing his
guitar, asided with a cutie in her two pieces bikini, Chomchai
Chatwilai presenting with movie title, Kai Na (Farm Chick). that gave
me a hint that Thai movie with the same title still a sensation in
town.
All
out lets alongside both path qays that leds to the movie theater
which ranges from Ah Ma & Ah Hua s toy store, Ping Pong meatball
noodle shop, as well as the one with red tofu soup even ice cream
parlor where my old time beloved inhabited were all significant
factors that truely nourishing Po Thong Rama as a movie theater for
the community for the while period of its establishment (perhaps this
characteristic that initials to a paradigm in the later days
multiplex in providing all facilities all around cinema parameter.)
For
the time being, my family d already moved out of Bangpo area, that
turned out to be further and further, but whenever I had been passing
by the quarter in which I used to spend my time in my younger age, I
can t help paying a nod to the property that once standed a cinema
house building, with a desperately false hope wishing that the very
movie house would come back and serve the whole community once and
forever more, that proved hopeless. nevertheless the Po Thong Rama
does not wither away after all.
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Nostalgia
sentiment still ever fresh and anew inside memories, still keeps on
haunting me consecutively in my sleep for so many years, in self
psychological analyses tradition, there would be no other reasons
than U need to get back to some place where I belong, for reality by
repossessing the very sane property that once owned by my parents, Po
Thong Rama should be well regarded as one of the many and
'many(iesss)' agendas that feature its 'local' characteristic as
Bangpo, beside temple, school. food shop, marketplace, conjee shop
,as run by Mr Birthmark, newstand and book shelf of Madame Now,
television maintanace services by Mr. Prachouen, and of course Po
Thong Rama movie theater where anyone can be participated and
conveniently access, regardless that the movie house itself also
honorably invited to access to everyone who once patronize its
business, in term of mind setting in mesmerising memories.
In
the donkey years, there were no traditions for suburban second run
movie theater in screening double bill features , due to the length
of individual s running time which averagely more or less 2 hr. and a
half, not until the competitiveness among rivalrieship from newly
come entrepraneurs that initials double features presentation which
mostly Hollywood releases.
Prabably
maybe at that time, I was so skinny and small, whatever being
appeared to may eye sight. were all big and grand, even the last show
at late night was over, all audiences would be walking out of theater
at ye same time, which my height only their legs and thigh. in
following each one another cast a long shadows like a visual of
earthling hosts in welcoming 'visitors', from Speilberg s Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, that both mystique and enchanting, at
the exit way out to the main road also installed a big sign in
suggestion "We Will Meet Again at the Next Change ", which
I found very seductive.
A
little boy named Manotham at his seven years of age never runaway out
of his homestead to see 'Dr. Karn ' at this very theater, but his
curiosity that motivated him to remain in his seat to see and proof
the reason why the beginning and the end from the previous session
represented exactly the same images and story? until then his mom s
fingers grabbed on his shoulder to be home at the circle balcony at
the admission price of seven Baht literary.... by that time, his
bepuzzled amazement yet wonder if audiences at the stall seeing the
same screen with those on the upper balcony?
On
the balcony seats did not always means snobbery, but that d be earn
you a previelegeship to get clse to dubbing artists at work inside a
glass shielded kiosk like at time when I saw 'Mr Eel' (Por Pla Lai),
the only physical evident that proved audiences at both circle
balcony re seeing the same images to those at stall was the
underneath to the screen found a holy scripture written in
incomprehensible characters which d be more visible if you re sitting
in the front row of the stall with the cheapest ticket price at five
Baht, when you paid it in plain bank note, where once I beseated
there when when watching P Chalong s Two Great Guys from Two
Countries(1972), in combination with another Japanese flick which I
wish to know its original title (but the localized title in Thai
suggested as 'Erotica Island , Beach of Cuties ' ?)
All
of the sudden, Po Thong Rama d been challenged by newly come
entepreneurs, at the entrance to the road from the in bound route
since the beginning of construction period in circa 1972 until its
opening in the following year, which even bigger auditorium with a
slope hall indifferent to those of first run s in the down town
labelled as Bangpo Theater , only a brief period of time at the far
corner of the main intersection that leads to another suburban side
of the city , also established another bigger and more lavish which
almost opened simulteneous, alongside with a new community
marketplace, name of the cinema was Krungthep Rama.
Actually,
the propietor who would be more aware to that newly establishment
should be Chalermphan which located at beside a big cross over bridge
nearby water supply canal, whose age presumebly maybe even longer
than that of Po Thong Rama, notstanding with the service area of the
cinema might not be in overlapping with Po Thong Rama s community. As
a result, Bang Po inhabitants d already provided choices in going to
cinemas ,back then at Four theaters.
Pracharat
I : 'Poh Thong Rama' (main compettitor : Bangpo Theater )
Pracharat
II :'Chalermphan' (Rivalry : Krungthep Rama)
Major
characteristic of Bangpo Theater that regarded as a coolness
advantage was mainly in screening Hollywood releases, most of all,
the availibility in display tie in installments that previously shown
at the lobby of down town first run cinemas at the main passageway
that leads to the theater, for example, when the theater runs Enter
the Dragon , at the main enteance d be installed a giant cut out of
Bruce Lee s image, when theater scheduled to screen The Daring
Doberman Gang, the display attraction d be shifted into a larger
sizedmodel of Doberman at the height of four or five metres in action
with sharp white fangs and teeth.
Opening
of Bangpo Theater attracted a trendy fad among classmates on school
bus that the theater management s high potential in obtaining print
copies from Walt Dianey Studio s local distribytor only a few week
after being screened at Hollywood theater.
Some
of my school mates at that time (asking for permission in mentioning
her name), such as Nok, Miss Phantabee Ujjin. as the topic leader
opening with the animation 'Lady and the Tramp' currently runs at
Bangpo Theater, I won t be hesitated in encouraging my elders in
family to accompany me along with my best friend at that time Mr.
Noppahat Hiranyarat and my girl relative who a few years of age
younger than me, Oranuch 'Aoi' Srimongkol meanwhile adults also
needed, for the purpose of movie ticket fees. makes all four that
decided to take took took taxi directly ride to the theater, with the
admission price at seven Baht each.
Despite
on our arrival, the most desired movie d already in session, dialogue
sound audible through shielded curtain at the cinema entrance while
all of us yet to find proper seats that good for four, one of them
was "What is the child?" , as delivered by the Lady that
question on a newly born baby of master of the house, in which
renders to her uncertainty whatever it would be a threatening or even
the Mistress would be running out of her tenderly attitude towards
her.
All
audible lines coming from the voice of an infamous female dubbing
artist, Rachaneewan (Kanithsen) whose sweety , acousticly and beauty
voice that matching with the image of a cocker special breed canine
look of the Lady s character.
No
sooner than there were any of Disney s releasing in town d be caused
an effected on elders of my family (for the reason that I won t be
allowed to go outside by myself, only except on walking to buy some
comics magazine at nearby newstands) , the movie like 'My Dog, The
Thief' (which I saw it with another young aunty), $1,000,000 Duck,
which I went with my grandma.
Thanks
to my grandmother who owes a great deal to my life, at that period of
time she had not reached to the age of senior citizen (presumebly
about in her fifties), who became regularly my companionship at the
movies, after my solely give a suggestion that stared from a feature
release of Shaw Brothers Studio like Young People with Ti Lung, David
Chiang , but the main attraction goes to the angel, Agnes Chan who
briefly appeared on screen, let me do a wild guess, in the early
seventies, she s still arise, and every minutes re all counts, the
movie was not that great, but my grandma d made a presumption that I
m real fan of action genre flicks.
While
same old community cinema mainly screen Thai films, a newly opened
Bangpo Theater yet kept on introducing variety to the locals that
wider ranges committment to almost all of distributors that demonish
its significance, major studio releases becoming less and lesser, a
certain amounts of independent movies turned increasing, I visited
that theater once more for the screening of an animation Alacazam,
the Great which depicted a well known legendary Chinese folk tales on
Journey to the West that re named all central characters to become
westernized while the story line focuses on a battle against Giant
Bull Demon with his magical tan, beside for the original sound track
version, the leading voice talent d be Frankie Avalon as the title
role, I had come to realized after the information that release in
1975 was only a re-issue after it d been debuted in 1961, by that
same period if time the movie also formerly theatrical released.
Once
in a while, Bangpo Theater also presented Thai films as alternative,
the most impressed was Hanuman and Seven Ultraman, there no need to
be hesitated , at the main lobby also displayed a greeting seasons
with tag line like Happy New Year, 1975 that easily feel the touch of
celebration. the movie was premiere at Sala Chalermkrung since
vacation break in between late year semester in November, that most
of my grade 4 classmates already previously viewed .
Coming
back to the old faithful Po Thong Rama that altered itself to show
imported foreign pictures, so far as I would recall, there were a
packaging presentations of feature film version of reknown Japanese
TV show, like Red Shadow, all of the early the movie versions of
Kamen Rider also screened here, with another featurettes also be
parted of the same combo, that depending on its distributor, Toei d
launched, for instance, the movie version of the original Kamen Rider
d be in combination with Tiger Mask, Part 2, d be lingered by Baron
One, where the third installation that some partials d be screened in
3 D format, audiences d be needed to carry a piece of 3D spectacles
in hand to be cautioned themselves to the notice caption on screen,
with shape of one piece of cardboard that bended at the far sided
with two colors of cellophanes, red and blue that accurately
corelated in assemblance with the out fit of the hero.
All
these features, I d previously seen since it first came out at first
run cinema ,the first two at Broadway Theater (with my mom), with the
exception of the third installment which I also got the fever pitch
to a newly opened cinema house in Urupongse area, Petch Piman
Theater, where
my elder close neighbor, Mr. Tang d been previously viewed since it d
just premiere, already described its luxurious interior designed in
throughly full scale traditional Thai style, starting from building,
doorway entrance, windows that might be caused a bemused puzzlement
to a Buddhist monastry. one of the most significances in this theater
was all women employee staffs at all function, beside box office,
doir lady receptionist, or even the usherettes, not until the
management d screened a feature length version of Kamen Rider V3, the
Movie in 3D, I needed to be in rush to be a witness by my own eyes.
All
theatrical release versions of Kamen Rider, I d averagely viewed each
of them twice (with an exception of the original, which I d been to
it thrice, including at Krungthep Rama), apart from the fourth
installment, Kamen Rider V3 VS Neo Shocker Syndicate that I d missed,
as well as a feature version of Ultra Man With A Magic Crystal Glass,
I ll tell you the reason in the next few paragraphs.
A
fierceful rivalryship in compettitiveness and responsive strategies
against pressure from challengers all around that rendered Po Thong
Rama needed to adapt and adjust itself in marketing schemes, for
instant. the management d potentially install a display that once
belonged to Scala during its formerly release of Jason ans the
Argonauts, in which a giant seperate apart two rock mountain to let
the ship that led by the hero in passing through, besided by a sword
fighting with a army of skeletons of the title role.
The
mostly and beloved maketing project that initiated by the management
was a promotional matinee shows for kids, at 8 am., with the
admission price at five Baht (air conditioned system not included).
the responses, a landslide (including me) staring with Viyage to the
Bottom of the Sea,followed by Red Shadow, the Movie, that I d clipped
its advertising from newspaper inpreparation, but not the most
desireable feature show, Godzilla VS Hedorah.
Not
only did Pothong Rama showed mainees for children, but late at the
midnight it provided an exclusive screenings For Adult Only show
times, one of them that still keeping in my curiosity that I d recall
it only by localized title as Slaught!, with a lobby card that still
gruesome graphic even in B & W, presenting a women s facial with
her eyes widening in herfear that being chopped with a machete still
on it that fresh blood sprouts along the blade s edge, yet still
persisting into my visual. the great bewildered question is I still
can t find out the title yet, that (unprooved) whether it might be a
publicized of snuff movies, or merely a giallo film from Italy (which
occured at the very same period to the golden age of the genre, in
the seventies in which the incident d been taken place in 1976), the
effect on my mentality about the release (of Slaght!) d become a
typical sene ofsynonyme to the term Midlnight movies for quite some
time.
However,
Pothong Rama also presented some classic cinema going experiences
like Irma, La Douce, Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, Midnight
Cowboys that innings and outings at this movie theater, but on my
preferentials at that time should be Taiwanese s The Goddess if Mercy
which I saw it with my best friend art that time. Mr. Surajit
Khetkhudee. Then arrived an attraction for summer school holidays
vacation , I d been to a double bill release of a Disney s classic
animation like Alice In the Wonderland that in combination with The
Ultimate Warrior with Yul Brynner co srarring with Max Von Sydow
(whom I don t even know who s the guy by that time),, the film s
quality is not bad. only except for the climatic scene where Mr.
Brynner dumps a big type writer over the head of the movie s bad guy,
which even more imprinted on my visuals even more and last longer
than Alice s.
Seemingly
like a fish that always swimming upstream, that once a theater that
mainly showed Thai movies since day one, all of a sudden turned its
look by screening foreign ones, and vice versa like Bangpo Theater.
One night in early May of 1976, a public TV d broadcast an annual
presentation of the most prestigeous Awards presentatation for the
last year s releases of Thai cinema, as organized by Association of
Film Journaists, inwhich I had paid my attention with enthusiasm,
while I trained myself by photo shot snapping all along when each
recipients of the awards appeared on stage in exchanging embarasses
with those who presented to them.
At
that time, the camera which I d been using for photo takings was
Kodak s autometic Instametic, that imprinted on a film cartridge that
loding with 24 frames all in B&W, besided from seperately
purchased cubicized flash bulbs that enabling to be usilised once at
a time. that would be taken only four for each bulb, the result = all
loses.
The
Announcement at that night, the best picture (which regularity,
supposed to consider in evaluating movies that released in the
previous year round), where the winner was The Warlord (Khun Suek)
notstandingwith it was still currently screened at first run cinema?,
otherwise, only a few week ends, the very same film d arrived to our
local cinema, Bangpo Theater.
Without
no hesitate, Sunday afternoon in the month of June, my destination
was going to that movie theater for certain, inwhich the management d
presented in a double bill with another recently released Thai sex
comedy entitled "Diamh!" (directed by an under rated
talent, Boonsith Wiboonlaph, whose sensational, Botan d showed the
previous year)
In
viewing Khun Seuk, The Warlord, with high focus and concentration,
meanwhile I also getting wierd at the scene where the hero, the bad
guy and the commander re singing altogether in a tradition of
musical, in beginning with "One finger won t be a bearer for the
whole hand ....", starting with a beginner (Sombat s role in
showing his point finger) then connected by the next follower all way
round, considering by my position at that moment as an audience who
tolerated myself to the same scene twice, since by the time I reached
to the theater, already at the middle of session, then spent once
more time to the next show for the full movie.
Something
in between both screenigs of Khun Seuk was something a very
surprising that the movie d been made ahead of its time, despite in
intended to be a comedy, but more classy and tasty that common rude
farces in uncountable amounts, despite it deallt with numorous sexual
adventure behaviors, with mild obscene, but less harmful perverse
graphic sexual explicits, with amazingly intacted by the local
censorship, furthermore, the film makers also imply a symbolic in
some certain scenes.
'Boiling
kettle' , 'a train penetrating into a tunnel' serving a universal
symbols as understood by all re implemented into a scene which a
millionare playboy at an intimacy acquintanceship with a declining
movie star actress who sided bar earning her income by practicing an
indiscreet profession, one astonishingly co incident was what s the
movie s title she d been made, the pseudonyme title suggested as
"Trouble- Turned-Merry Romance" (Rak Uttalud) which had not
yet been existed at that time until one following year that phase d
turned out to be the title of a sequel to the domestic big success by
the respecful, Piak Poster s, for real.
As
soon as Diamh! finished, it s time for all audiences to pack
altogether into cinema s restroom, besides some co incidents d
iccurred in the men s room, almost all of my class mates from six
graders re joining together without any beforehand appointment?
(Niphond, Kittipongse. Boonchoke. Jirachai, Samour Pongse ant
others). question is which movies do they willing to see, The
Warlords or Diamh!?
At
dawn if the following year, sometime in February, 1977, the Bangpo
area d appeared into a newspaper on the fire accident, not that I
informed by the news bottomline, but I stood a witness by myself, as
a thickening big black smokes emerging into the air that maybe
alluded to some folks as cloudy that lowering its layer , only except
they were dark and constantly puffing in afar distance less than one
km.. where the building of Bangpo Theater located.
If
you blane me as a yellow, I would accept it, that I had been living
by that age, having not yet experienced a live fire accident in front
to my eyes, but with instinual response or whatsoever you may call, I
decided to grab a small instametic auto camera which I had mentioned
earlier to take photo shots as physical evidents, this time the
result s fine.
Fire
accident that occurrd to Bangpo Theater may not really caused any
effects on townspeople of Bangpo, but a great best friend of mine,
whom we are still in contact when we become grown ups, lemme mention
by name as Mr. Tassanai Sakulboonloy, who composed a song in
commemorablium to the loss of a theater, whose lyrics based on a very
well recognised pop song of the period. 'Mourneful North East'.
"Once
we had a theater,
the
fire d caught and swept away from us,
land
had become empty, there were no longer movies to be seen,
such
a great loss, whose fault to be blamed,
for
sixteen blocks, had torn themselves into nothingness,
sorrow,
sorrow, sorrow"
Not
enough, Tasanai also composed another lyrics for 'Bangpo Theater, Our
Beloved Cinema' which spoof on a commerial on television of the last
movie that ever showed at that theater, beyong anybody s expectation
was 'Stray Chick',
"Cook
a doodle, Cook a doodle, chick hatched from egg, then growing into
hen,
which
kund of chick would you preferred?
(Mr.
Tassanai adding by interruption to the full)
Flash!
Flash! HELP! HELP!
Somebody,
Pease Help!
The
Movie Theater s On Fire !"
Since
then, Bangpo Theater had been closed for good without any consents by
no one, remained only wrecked and ruined all over the site, burnt
stained be found here and there, sooner or later, this property might
be under destruction, then turning into under renovate constructed,
no sooner than it was completed to become a new grand and luxury
building that good for living conditions, with a brand new look under
the new sign advertised as 'Bangpo Apartment'.
Beyond
the most speculation on earth, the newly finished building of Bangpo
Apartment, beside its proper function as an entertainment venue for
the public and inhabitants of Bangpo, then become a place for living
of my family almost instantly after it had opened, back then we all
removed in full scale by March, 1980.
