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The opening of the Shanghai SFG Village Cinema City on the 11th
floor of the Shanghai New World emporium is a good reason why
visitors should take a closer look at this 90-year-old historic
building on the busy Nanjing Road.
"It is the 'highest' cinema in Shanghai," says Jiang Yuehua, who
works for the cinema's owners. "And it adds to the charm of the old
building."
It also seems that the placing of a "new" cinema inside an "old"
building may be a selling point with some movie fans.
The SFG Village features soft lighting, romantic background
music, art-deco furniture and luxurious interior decoration, which
all combine to evoke a nostalgic mood in moviegoers.
"It seems that the theater is trying to make a name for itself
as both a fashionable spot and a nostalgic venue for the older
generation who remember Shanghai in the 1930s when it was a
paradise for filmmaking and screenings," says Tao Yindi, an
80-something movie fan.
And it seems that even for the younger generation, nostalgia can
be an attraction and another reason for going to the cinema -
especially when it's fresh and full of fun.
"When I was watching 'Stealth' (a Hollywood movie), I was also
in a reminiscent mood evoked by the glamor of the cinema," says
Chris Yu, a 20-something movie buff. "You know, it was a fantastic
experience."
In total, there are only 280 seats in the theater's six "mini"
screening halls, less than the number for a single screening hall
at Paradise Warner Cinema City in Xujiahui or Studio City Cinema in
Westgate Mall.
The opening of SFG Village Cinema City is a cause for concern
about the future of the city's other old cinemas - what will happen
to them in the face of fierce competition from the up-to-date
theaters?
One of the classic old movie houses is the Grand Theater. The
cinema boasts a butter-maize-colored outer facade built like a huge
sail, a smooth arc that curves to encompass the whole theater under
a glittering, folded water lily-shaped three-tiered roof. The use
of Italian marble in the auditorium and lobby adds a touch of
luxury.
"In the early 1930s, the building was designed by renowned local
expatriate architect L.E. Hudec," says Fan Xiaozhou, an official
with the cinema. "His designs embodied imaginative originality and
a creative modern style."
Shrinking sales
Covering an area of more than 7,000 square meters, the cinema
first opened to the public in the winter of 1928 on what was then
called Park Road (now Nanjing Road E.), and five years later, it
shifted to a new location on Bubbling Well Road (now Nanjing Road
W.).
For a long time, it was claimed to be one of the most advanced
cinemas in the world with a simultaneous translation system
installed on all of its 1,913 seats (now around 1,500 seats) and an
air-conditioning system. In the 1930s, most of the movies being
screened were American and European productions.
"Going to films was a stylish form of entertainment during that
period and giving people the chance to enjoy seeing attractive
Western pictures in a magnificent movie palace," recalls Tao, the
old lady. "Children were usually dressed in their best clothes. I
remember the ticket price was 2 yuan - one-fourth of an ordinary
worker's monthly salary. For many ordinary families, it was such a
luxury."
Once crowned as "The No. 1 Cinema of the Far East," Grand
Theater has had its ups and downs but still retains its grandeur.
However, ticket sales have been shrinking over the past five years
ever since state-of-the-art cinemas started to open around
town.
"During 1988-99, our theater had some of the highest box office
receipts in China, more than 10 million yuan a year on average,"
Fan says. "In 1998, the Hollywood blockbusters 'Titanic' and
'Saving Private Ryan' helped to create a record in annual ticket
sales - 20.2 million yuan."
But its position was largely threatened with the opening of
Studio City Cinema and other modern cinemas in the downtown area.
Studio City, one of the first local cinemas to open with multiple
screening halls and advanced facilities, immediately attracted
white-collar workers, an important customer group and the annual
box office returns at the Grand Theater dropped to 7.5 million yuan
last year. By comparison, Studio City took in 24 million yuan in
ticket sales last year.
"We struggle to keep pace and keep alive the brilliance of this
great old cinema but it isn't easy," Fan says. "The building is
protected as part of the city's historical heritage and any
renovation projects have to carefully thought out and must have
official approval."
Now the cinema has plans to build an "entertainment world"
around it while restoring its unique huge hall.
The Grand Theater, when compared with other old cinemas, has
been lucky.
"In the past few years, a few old cinemas such as Xinhua Cinema
and Jiangning Cinema have vanished because they couldn't compete
with the modern theaters," says an old employee at the Jing'an
District's Peace Cinema who declined to be named. "That was a pity
and should raise the alarm for others."
Changing tastes
Take the Cathay Theater for example. Located on the hustle and
bustle of Huaihai Road M., the theater seems a success after its
renovation in 2003. The art-deco theater, once part of millionaire
Victor Sassoon's holdings, opened in January 1932, showing a mix of
Chinese and Western films.
Earlier this year, it was named a "Five-Star Cinema" by the
State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
"People come here also to enjoy the old-fashioned glamor of
Shanghai," says Han Bilang, vice manager of Cathay Theater. "That
can well explain why in 2003 we invested 13 million yuan expanding
our single screening hall to three while maintaining the original
flavor."
Dr Liu Haibo who teaches film art at Shanghai University
attributes the slowdown in ticket sales at the old cinemas mainly
to their comparatively out-of-date facilities and the ever-changing
tastes of cinemagoers.
"The point is, a lot of old theaters have only one large
screening hall, which obviously doesn't offer many choices to the
audience," Dr Liu says. "A brand-new mode of operation with
multiple screens is vital for their survival."
Experts also note that a feasible alternative is to move these
cinemas from downtown to the residential areas.
On the general attitude of youth towards the old cinemas, Chen
Xiaochun, a student at Fudan University, says: "The modern cinemas
may suit the taste of young people but if I want to see a nostalgic
film that focuses on local culture, I might choose to see it in an
old cinema."
(Shanghai Daily October 18, 2005)
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