Quiapo Archives - Page 4 of 6

Reminiscing the cinematic glitter: the old movie theaters of downtown Manila (Part III: along Recto Avenue)

May 9, 2014April 21, 2013 by The Urban Roamer

Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila is an interesting thoroughfare in that it has served to link Manila’s educational and commercial hubs. As such, the area around that road formerly known as Calle Azcarraga is an area of bustling activity.that has made it a prominent Manila thoroughfare through the years.

There were about a dozen or so movie theaters that used to stand along this stretch of the road. Around the University Belt side of Recto alone, there were the Manila Cinema and U-Belt Cinema, (which I don’t know what sites they are now) as well as the “big four” of the U-Belt Recto area which happen to be all located close to each other, Miramar and Maxim along the westbound side and Eastern and Tandem right across them. There were other movie theaters in Recto’s U-Belt area as well like the Manila Cinema and the U-Belt Cinema as well.

Reminiscing the cinematic glitter: the old movie theaters of downtown Manila (Part II: the theaters of Quiapo)

May 9, 2014April 13, 2013 by The Urban Roamer

The journey of discovering downtown Manila’s old movie theaters begins at the city’s geopolitical center: the district of Quiapo. While it may be hard to see Quiapo today as a haven for cinema, (except for the cinema released on those not-so-legal optical media) in the olden days, Quiapo boasts of some of the most notable movie theaters in the city, even though they may not be as numerous as that in the Avenida Rizal strip. In fact in its heyday, there were about a dozen or so movie theaters found in the district, many of which were concentrated along the stretch of Quezon Boulevard, Quiapo’s main thoroughfare.

Reminiscing the cinematic glitter: the old movie theaters of downtown Manila (Part I- an introduction)

May 9, 2014April 6, 2013 by The Urban Roamer

Before came the blight, there was the bright. The bright that shone from the dozens of neon signages that illuminated the cityscape which was downtown Manila. For the people who lived in those bygone days, those neon signs were a form of welcome, a respite from those day-to-day struggles or whatever issue of the day that was bothering them.

from Flickr: Rizal Avenue in the 1950s. note some of the movie theaters that used to stand there

The bright lights would lead them right into a movie theater where they can enjoy the latest movie released in town. Or it could be a comedy act or some performer who will be having a show for that day. Yup, some of those theaters serve a dual purpose as well.

From the early 20th century up until the 1970’s, downtown Manila was home to dozens of movie theaters that made it become the entertainment hub of sorts of the city. Unlike what it is today, each movie theater has something different to offer in an effort to stand out and beat the competition, so to speak. Some would hire the best architects of the day like Juan Nakpil or Pablo Antonio to design their theaters. Some would make arrangements to make their theater become the exclusive venue for movie studios, both local and foreign, to show their films. One can imagine how vibrant and cut-throat the business was back in the day.

The hidden gems of Quiapo

August 10, 2014February 3, 2013 by The Urban Roamer

If there’s one trait about Manila that makes it a fascinating city, it is its ability to spring surprises even to those who have long gotten used to the frenzy and the madness Manila has been known for.

One such surprise can be found deep in the recesses of the urban jungle of Quiapo. It is a curious sight in itself: a towering building that looks like a Chinese temple of some sort standing out in the middle of a congested neighborhood.