Continuing our theme of old cinemas of Kuching, here's a nice photo that Gerard found, which clearly shows the two grand old ladies of Padungan - ODEAN and CAPITOL cinemas. Sadly, both buildings no longer around ... victims to development and progress.
I distinctly remember watching "The Blind Swordsman" at the Odeon. This starred the Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune.
I reckon I spent far too many afternoons in Capitol (and Lido) watching all manner of Shaw swordfighting and kung fu flicks.
Share your memories ...
Posts
Wow, how different Padungan Road looks these days .... no Cat statues, no Tun Jugah building, no McDonalds ...
ReplyDeletei wonder what year this photo was taken. Gerard, do you know?
ReplyDeleteIt stated in the 60's. Not sure of the exact year though.
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember that the building on the right is a car showroom.
ReplyDeleteLook at how many trees and greenery there was behind the cinemas, all around Padungan area. Now it has turned into a concrete jungle.
ReplyDeleteNo chance of a traffic jam then.. My fondest memory of the Odeon building is of the Chinese restaurant on the roof. Remember playing with other kids on that roof at a wedding function.
ReplyDeleteWah, nice pix, er..this old photo for sale Gerard?
ReplyDeleteBuilding on right is a car showroom, was it Ford, I mean selling Ford cars.
I also understand that the former site of Odean, now an empty lot idling and paradise for snakes and mosquitoes belongs to the late Tan Sri Datuk William Tan. Not sure whether the land is still under his name or not.
My late father's shop is only a few lot away from Odean, sold off for RM60k way back in the middle 60's when I was around 4 or 5 years old. My brothers and me used to play around the area so I can say I'm very familiar with the surroundings there.
Odean also famous for screening the popular 'Liu San Che' movie, you know, with Ah Niu ker, singing while rowing his boat?
Those tall buildings at the background of Odeon has to be the KMC seven storey flats, my, how old already ho, I mean the flats now.
ReplyDeleteCan anybody make out the movie, poster on the wall of Capitol? Rm20 for anyone who can.
See previous post:
ReplyDeletehttp://stjoe-form5in1976.blogspot.com/2009/06/old-old-kuching-part-2.html
this picture was actually the front of an old postcard. anyone have other postcards of old Kuching?
ReplyDeleteI wonder where exactly this picture was taken from. Seems to be from quite a high elevation.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to try to get to roughly the same place and take the photo of the same area as it looks now. The comparison would be stark.
Any photographer wanna try? Send the shot to me (jslyong@hotmail.com) and I'll post it here.
The car showroom was for Austin cars
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese restaurant on top of Odeon was Mandarin, I think. Very good business with lots or parties and wedding dinners. Their popular dessert was either mixed fruits or the tau sar pancake.
ReplyDeleteI only remember a sports equipment shop on the ground floor of Odeon. Can't recall any of the others.
THIS WEBSITE IS NOSTALGIA CENTRAL !!! GOOD JOB !!!
ReplyDeleteI lived in one of those KMC flats. It was no picnic but it sure hardened the lot of us (me and my bros) up! These days when it rains, I rust..
ReplyDeleteYa, car showroom for Austin cars by Wearners Brothers yes?
ReplyDeleteThink that's also a petrol station, there's a petrol pump there, can see it or not?
NL, don't remember the petrol pump there, but i still remmeber there was a petrol "kiosk" by the river next to what is now the Chinese Museum, opposite Tua Pek Kong temple. u remember that one ?
ReplyDeleteYes la WJ, petrol pump that one, see, the road built like that, you go in from one side and out the other? Petrol pump station of early 50's.
ReplyDeleteOh that one ha? That's the Tan Boon Tian wharf with Shell petrol station by the river. Last time boarding the boat to go to Santubong at that wharf mah, remember?
Someone mentioned Toshiro Mifune the Japanese actor ... Do you guys remember a film called RED SUN where he starred with a famous American actor?
ReplyDelete