Architecture as the Palace of Entertainment: The Old Movie Theaters of Manila

Before malls became the favorite pass time of Filipinos, movie theaters or “cinema

palaces” were the places to be for entertainment. These standalone theaters used to grace

Philippine cities from the 1930s to the 1980s, their glittering, neon lights adorning the streets to

entice potential customers to see a movie. With this, Manila was no exception to the cinema

trend. Although these establishments are nothing but a remnant of Manila’s Golden Age of

Cinema, one may still see some of the former movie houses that still stand, forever miffed by the

test of time.

I am particularly interested with these former cinemas, considering some of these could

be considered architecturally and historically significant. To keep up with the competition, some

theaters would use architecture as a tactic to attract moviegoers. They would hire the likes of

Archs. Juan Nakpil, Pablo Antonio, and Luis Maria Araneta to design such buildings, their works

still enchanting people (especially heritage advocates) to this day. These buildings would

exemplify Art Deco, Art Moderne, and even Modernist architectural styles fit for a “cinema

palace”. Theaters were also the recipients of early technology and design which was considered

advanced at that time. For example, Capitol Theater in Binondo utilized a double balcony to

accommodate a larger audience (the only theater to do so). The Roman Super Cinerama in

Quiapo was one of the first buildings in the country (if not the first) to utilize escalators, and had

a wide curving screen for supposedly a better viewing experience. Airconditioning also became a

major selling point for some other theaters, such as Life in Quiapo and Hollywood along Recto

Avenue.
 Architecture and design became a tool for business as well as a way for the movie

industry to promote their works. These theaters also had an ingenious way to bring movie stars

nearer to the audience whilst protecting their privacy; these structures had a secret passageway

for celebrities such as Nora Aunor and Gloria Romero to pass through while avoiding the chaos

of the audience during premier nights.

Some theaters that were built in the 1930s and 40s survived the war, such as Capitol,

Avenue, State, and Bellevue Theaters. However, as fortunate as they may be, they did not

survive the ever changing tastes of consumers and the development of public facilities in the

name of business. With the advent of malls which provided an “all under one roof” kind of

convenience, these cinemas later became obsolete. Some theaters were closed down, with most

of them, such as Avenue, State, Gala, and Dalisay theaters, demolished to make way for other

establishments. Some that survived had to resort to other, even illegal means to keep their

respective businesses alive. These include showing X-rated movies and serving as prostitution

dens, earning the ire of government officials. Dilson, Ginto, Hollywood, Roben, and Times are a

few of these theaters to have suffered such fates.

As you pass Recto, Rizal Avenue, Quezon Boulevard, and even small streets like Escolta,

try to take a glimpse of these deteriorating structures outside. One must better appreciate these

architectural artifacts before they are gone for good.

Read more:

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/302212/the-once-glamorous-movie-

theaters-of-downtown-manila/story/

https://www.theurbanroamer.com/tag/downtown-manila-movie-theaters/
http://video48.blogspot.com/2009/02/manilas-first-run-theaters-in-50s-and.html

http://video48.blogspot.com/2009/02/manilas-second-run-theaters-in-50s-and.html

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/137035/mtrcb-inspects-5-manila-theaters-spots-violations

https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/metro-manila/09/09/10/manila-shuts-down-gay-porn-moviehouse