Collective memories of the President Theatre in HK

Author︰Huang Haoyi

President Theatre (總統戲院) in Causeway Bay was closed in 30th April, 2024. Did you go to accompany this "old friend" on her last journey with a ticket and a photo at the entrance?

The President Theatre, with a history of nearly 60 years, witnessed many youthful times of the 70’s and 80’s generations in Hong Kong.

Meeting friends "at the President" has become an unforgettable collective memory.

Filipino-Chinese family bought land to build President Theatre

總統戲院
The President Theatre is a stand-alone building that was once a landmark in Causeway Bay. The photo was taken in 1986. (Image Source: Hong Kong Memory/Mr. Noriaki Tsujimura)

The sudden closure of the President Theatre has brought back loads of memories for many people in Hong Kong.

Some reminisce about eating popcorn while watching movies with friends during their high school years; some remembered enjoying Chinese New Year films at the President Theatre.

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The President Theatre, which opened in 1966, was owned by the Filipino-Chinese Tan Chun Gam's family (陳俊巖家族).

In the 1950s and 60s, the Tan brothers came to Hong Kong for investment and bought large amount of lands and buildings, with which they established the cinema kingdom.

As Tan stated in an interview during his lifetime, he decided to start a cinema upon arriving in Hong Kong because he liked watching films in which he saw the potential in attracting large crowds of viewers.

At that time, front-row movie tickets were priced at HKD 8 cents, considered a small expense.

Later, he began buying lands to build cinemas, which included the President Theatre.

Read more: Palace Theatre (碧麗宮戲院) of the olden days

President Theatre originally showed first-run Western movies

總統戲院開業廣告
In the advertisement published in the Wah Kiu Yat Po (華僑日報), it can be seen that the first movie to be screened at the President Theatre was "Lost Command" (野戰雄師). (Image Source: Old Newspaper, Public Library)

The President Theatre was a stand-alone building that opened with 1,248 seats.

Initially, the cinema exclusively screened first-run Western movies (which means having the right to first screening of new films), and the opening film was "Lost Command" (野戰雄師).

The cinema had the food stalls to sell western-style food like hot dogs, popcorn, and soda.

In the 1980s, President Theatre joined the Golden Princess circuit and started to screen more Hong Kong films.

During the 80s and 90s, the entrance of the Theatre was often crowded. Many hawkers surrounded the cinema to sell chestnuts, grilled squid, and corn, which were part of people's youthful memories.

Read more: Collective Memory of State Theatre

President Theatre was transformed into mini cinemas after reopening in 2011

總統戲院
總統戲院
總統戲院
總統戲院
總統戲院

President Theatre was rebuilt from a two-floor large cinema with over a thousand seats into two mini cinemas with a total of 428 seats, and reopened in 2011.

However, facing the economic downturn and the competition from new, chain cinemas, it chose the path of glorious retirement, closing for the second time on April 30, 2024.

The closure of President Theatre represents the reduction of platforms for the film industry in Hong Kong, and also reflects the shift in movie entertainment patterns.

As time changes, old gives way to new is normal. But we would still always feel helpless and despondent whenever something particular is gone.

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