Closing of President Theatre in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay ‘marks end of an era’
- Film lovers flock to cinema for final showings after nearly 60 years of operation
- President Theatre drew crowds during golden age of Hong Kong cinema
The closure of the President Theatre cinema in Hong Kong’s bustling Causeway Bay on Tuesday was an emotional day for film enthusiast Leo Lo, who said the shutting down of the 58-year-old landmark was a “loss” that reflected major changes in Hong Kong.
Lo, in his forties, joined other mostly older residents to watch the final showings at the cinema and take photographs of the venue as they bid it farewell.
“I work in the film industry, which is why this is particularly poignant to me,” Lo said, noting the cinema operated during the heyday of the city’s film business.
“From when the cinema started in the 1960s with screenings of films by Connie Chan Po-chu to the era of Bruce Lee and later on Sammo Hung Kam-bo, and then the classics of the 1980s and 1990s, [the cinema] has transcended generations,” he noted.
“It’s a loss for Hong Kong and its audiences.”
Newport Circuit announced on its social media page on Saturday that the cinema, which was opened in 1966, would shut on April 30, and expressed gratitude for the public’s support. Tickets for the last show at the cinema were sold out.
Lo considered the cinema a Hong Kong landmark and a testament to history, arguing its closure signalled fundamental changes in society.
“There’s a shift in the whole phenomenon when there are so many different types of entertainment that come in different forms of media. Would the audience still choose films? It might not be the obvious choice any more,” he said.
“In the past, everyone would be watching the same films, such as those by Stephen Chow Sing-chi, and would share common topics. But now entertainment is much more individualised and customised, catering to different people’s tastes.”
Teacher Michael Chan and his wife came to watch the Hong Kong film In Broad Daylight and recalled going to the cinema on dates.
“I’ve forgotten how many films we’ve seen here together. We used to watch many more films back then,” Chan, who is in his fifties, said. “Now, film tickets are more expensive and we’re busier at work so we don’t watch as many.”
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A film lover since childhood, Chan recalled how the cinema had evolved from a venue on the ground floor boasting a large capacity to a smaller space that required lifts to access.
Chan said the closure of the President Theatre made him wonder whether any improvements could be made to better sustain the industry, such as increasing the variety of films.
A nurse in her forties who did not want to be identified said she had fond memories of going to the cinema with her parents and grandfather.
“It was back in the 1980s and 1990s. There were used to be many hawkers selling snacks at the door of the cinema. There used to be shops selling silverware, leather products, as well as cosmetics, in the complex, too,” Leung said.
Causeway Bay resident William Lau said he had gone to the President Theatre for more than three decades and had seen over 200 films there.
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Lau said it was not only a place to catch the latest films, but also a part of the golden age of the local movie industry. He recalled seeing God of Gamblers starring Chow Yun-fat twice when it came out in 1989.
In the 1980s and 1990s, cinemas were almost always packed, he said, adding ticket prices were “very reasonable”.
“There were tickets under HK$100 (US$12.79), which made going to the cinema more affordable and provided a balance to the extortionate prices elsewhere. It helped the healthy development of the industry,” he said, adding that the closure marked “the end of an era” as President Theatre was once a leading cinema in Causeway bay.
The closure came a week after GH Kai Tak shut down on April 21. Other operators have been forced to close after the industry was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
