Forgotten Cinema Houses of Davao by Prince G. Binondo

 

Forgotten Cinema Houses of Davao

Fade In:

Int. Storage Room- Day/Morning- Present Day

Credits and Title

A “Cinema Paradiso” VHS tape, a tape rewinder and our old VHS player were the 1990’s souvenirs I found in the storage room one Saturday morning. I thought that my father had disposed the mementos to the garbage truck but he kept the memorabilia inside a box. I asked him if the VHS player and the tape rewinder are still functioning but he gave me a negative response. I wanted to have a film showing in my class and let them see my favorite Oscar winning foreign language film “Cinema Paradiso”. But since I could not find a full movie on Youtube and I doubt if it is available on Netflix, I went to our storage room hoping that the old VHS copy that I bought years ago might be there. “Cinema Paradiso” has always been close to my heart since childhood because the plot has similarities to my personal experiences.  The Italian film tells about a boy named Toto who is fascinated by the motion pictures he sees in a stand-alone cinema called “Cinema Paradiso” and developed a close friendship with Alfredo the theater projectionist.  The protagonist left his Sicilian hometown and became a successful film director in Rome. 

While I was inside the storage room, my mother switched on the old radio for local morning news. Though I was concentrating looking at the old vestiges but I had an eavesdropping to the reportage of the radio commentator. The news anchor said that the glory days of Victoria Plaza Mall has finally come to an end because the NCCC Group of Companies has bought the mall for billions of pesos. The news highlighted the plan on renovating the mall by redesigning the building façade, putting condominium units and office edifices. Hearing this, I felt bad for the mall because Victoria Plaza was a game changer in Davao City. Victoria Plaza is the first mall in Davao City that has its own cinemas, restaurants, leisure and groceries in one place. When it opened in 1993, it brought changes to the lives of the Davaoenos; the good side was it saved people’s money and energy in going from one place to another.  But the most undesirable outcomes were experienced by the stand-alone cinema houses in the downtown area; moviegoers started to become loyal devotees to the mall’s cinemas leaving the old theaters empty seated and part of memory.

As I was holding the “Cinema Paradiso” VHS tape, I doubted whether this will be applicable to the AVR’s player because technology changes and the school is adopting the new trends. I should have asked the AVR in charge earlier on what player he usually use during film showing. I closed and returned the box on its position thinking where I could borrow a CD or DVD copy of the film.  Before the advent of Betamax and VHS players and the inception of Cable TV and Netflix there were stand-alone cinema houses that introduced me to the realm of the movies. These stand-alone cinemas cannot be found in the malls but in the downtown area of Davao City but sadly these theaters are already six feet under. Perhaps, the influence of the motion pictures is the reason why I took up Mass Communications in college because I was fascinated, like Salvatore “Toto” Di Vita, to the magic and power of the movies.

            Later that afternoon, I decided to watch a movie at SM Lanang Premier before attending the anticipation mass at San Pedro Church. I thought this will be a great theatrical threat to myself after a week of classroom discussion and paper works. I went to the ticket booth and asked for the balcony section but the in charge told me that it does not have that kind of set up anymore. So I bought a pass worth P180 pesos as general admission. Things have really changed because way back in the 1980’s and 1990’s the movie posters that were placed outside the cinema houses were hand painted. I guess those skilled billboard painters were unappreciated those times because they created a tint version of the movie poster but moviegoers don’t have any idea who they were.

Int. Eagle Theater- Day/Afternoon- 1987

             My childhood in the 1980’s was inflated by the visuals and sounds of the English and Filipino films. My mother and I were number one aficionados to the products of Filipino and Hollywood movies that were shown in the downtown theaters. Eagle Theater, Lawaan Theater. Odeon Theater and Life Theater can be found in Claveria Street (C.M. Recto) while Golden Theater, Crest Theater and Lyric Theater were all located in San Pedro Street. Galaxy Theater, Garmon Theater and Ace Theater were the entertainment monuments in Ilustre Street while Queens Theater and Tagumpay Theater were situated in Bonifacio Street. These stand-alone entertainment playhouses were the meccas of every Davaoenos who were craving for film leisure and relaxation.

            “Ma, let’s watch a movie,” requested of a 5-year old child after watching on local TV the movies that were showing on stand-alone cinemas. Before, there were no trailers, the local TV station just showed on the TV screen the movie schedule of each theater or movie billboards were displayed in the corner of R. Castillo Street and Leon Garcia Avenue near the Agdao Public Market for advertisement. These days, movie stars promote their films through TV shows and trailers but way back then local TV networks like IBC 13, GMA 7 and RPN 9 had a week-delayed telecast of the shows from Manila. “GMA Supershow” was the main source of these movie promotions; stars and celebrities would have first a production number before promoting their films and being interviewed by German “Kuya Germs” Moreno on national television.

Usually, the stand-alone cinema houses opened at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon. It was unique back then because once the latest movie ends, there will be a prelude of radio songs and the lower part of the silver screen brightened the dark room with colorful lights. An old movie will be shown before starting the latest movie again and it’s called “double with”.

“Ma, please don’t leave me,” I held my mother’s hands tightly.

“Just stay by my side while I’m looking for a vacant seats.”

Before, the theater was divided into two sections, the upper section was called balcony while the lower part was the orchestra section,; each of this sitting section had different prices, the orchestra cost P15.00 pesos while the balcony charged P25.00 pesos.  But the most amazing part was that a moviegoer could stay inside the cinema house as long as he or she wants and nobody from the management will bother a film enthusiast who wants to stay from the opening until the last full show.

In “Cinema Paradiso” the 8-year-old Salvatore “Toto” DiVita was introduced as an altar boy in his Sicilian village. His interest for movies started when he saw the parish priest Father Altafino censoring and instructing the theater projectionist Alfredo to cut all kissing and sexual scenes in the movie. Due to the young boy’s fascination to the motion pictures, he befriended Alfredo and even stayed at the projection room just to observe how the man and the machine worked.

Int. SM IMAX Theater- Day/Afternoon- Present Day

            As I entered SM’s IMAX Theater, I felt I came from a different epoch who was so amazed to the new design of the latest cinema house.  The theater was not divided into two sections but a stadium like seating arrangement, which means, that the seats are in ascending style. When I looked for a seat in the middle part, I was surprised because the distance of each row is a meter away compared to the old cinemas where you cannot easily passed through just to go to the center aisle. As I was sitting comfortably, I was not concentrating to the movie but I observed the things inside the cinema. The first thing I’ve noticed was the size of the screen because it seemed much bigger than an ordinary theater screen then the sound was worth noted because it was loud, earsplitting and grandiose. Old cinemas don’t have a beverage holder in the armchair but to my delight a moviegoer in an IMAX Theater does not need to hold his or her soda from start to finish.

            There was a story that my mother told me about the theater experiences of my grandparents and my aunty and uncles when they were young kids in the early 1950’s. My maternal grandparents were famers and copra planters in Compostela Valley when they were still alive. According to my mother, when my grandparents together with their three young progenies, went to Davao City to watch a movie at the Avenue Theater in Santa Ana Avenue, the family would eat their lunch inside the cinema. Myth says that my uncle got bored for staying four hours inside the theater that he wanted to see real vehicles outside the cinema house.

            “Sir! Sir! Excuse me sir!”

            “Yes?” opening my sleepy eyes.

            “The film is over, you have to leave because the next batch will come,” said the guard standing in front of me.

            “Am I not allowed to stay longer?”

            “Sorry but the viewing is by schedule,” replied the guard.

            I did not realize that I fell asleep, so I rose slowly and walked to the exit. To my curiosity, I searched on Google using my cellphone the features of an IMAX Theater. According to its websites, an IMAX theater uses a 2k or dual 4k dual laser projectors that results to higher perception resolution while its audio system has the combination of “perfectly tuned sound system” and “precise speaker orientation.” As I continued reading, I learned that it uses a 70 millimeter high and 15 perforation wide or 15/70 mm format compared to a normal film size which is 35 mm.  An IMAX film runs in horizontal direction during projection while a normal film runs vertically.

            It was an embarrassment on my part because I am not anymore updated to the latest cinemas nowadays. I felt I was in a state of oblivion because for many years I lived in my ivory tower without thinking the real world around me. As I mentioned before, stand-alone cinemas in the downtown areas allowed its movie aficionados to stay inside the theater as long as they want but now it is totally a different ballgame. 

Int. Gaisano Center- Day/Afternoon- 1987

Jollibee arrived in Davao City in 1991 while McDonalds in 1992. After my mother and I watched a movie in Eagle Theater, we would walk a few blocks to eat our snacks at Gaisano Center in Bolton Street in front of the University of Mindanao. The food section of Gaisano Center food court was considered the “Mang Inasal” and Chowking of the 1980’s because it captured the taste of the Davaoeno masses. The food court had yellow table and chairs with mirrors elaborated on the wall. There were aquariums with variety of fishes on display in one corner. After the refreshment, my mother would let me go to the third floor and choose the toy that I wanted. The toy section of Gaisano Center is comparable to Toy Kingdom nowadays. As a child in the 1980’s, I saw TV commercials of Jollibee, Cindy’s, and SM Malls but I kept on wondering why there were no branches of these food chains and malls in Davao City; why there were all in Manila?

Watching TV at night was a great family bonding back then because some of my cousins who lived next door would come to watch the program. The primetime shows of IBC 13 were our sources of entertainment such as “Okay Ka Fairy Ko”, “Ora Engkantada” and “Pinoy Thriller”. To make the TV viewing more enjoyable, my cousins and I would have a guessing game to the TV commercials, whoever guesses correctly the name of the product wins but whoever gave the incorrect answer will be pinched on the ear.

Int. TV Showroom- Day/Afternoon- Present Day

            After watching a movie I decided to amble around. As I was sauntering, the new model of a flat screen television was on display in a showroom. I entered the showroom and came nearer to the TV. I was fascinated by the vibrant colors it showed on its screen and the sound shuddered on the speaker. Looking at the new model, I remember the Betamax and VHS players that were the sources of leisure in my childhood.  In 1985, my aunt and uncle were the first couple to buy a colored television and a Betamax player in our village in Agdao District. Reminiscing their business minded behavior, they would make their living room to a cinema house by closing the windows and asking for a penny for those children who wished to watch the film. Likewise, my school had the same strategy in entertaining and making profit out of the latest technology. Every intramurals or founding anniversary, the administration would make the air-conditioned audio visual room to a theater house; students would buy a ticket from a designated booth which cost P2.00-P3.00 pesos. Children oriented films were shown like “Labyrinth”, “Pippi Longstocking”, “Swiss Family Robinson” and Walt Disney’s “Cinderella”.  Rather than watching ball games and exposing ourselves to the heat of the sun, elementary pupils like me preferred to watch a movie inside a nippy room.

            In 1989, my mother bought a VHS player and we started to rent VHS tapes in a video shop at Jerry-Ann Video Shop in NCCC Uyanguren.  During my elementary days, I was not allowed to watch television at night because my mother religiously encouraged me to do my homework and be an honor student. Being obedient was not bad at all because every Saturday she would rent 3 VHS tapes that will served as our leisure time for the weekend. My mother had realized that going to stand-alone cinemas would be more expensive than renting a tape because the renting fee for each tape was P15.00 pesos and the whole family could view it in the comfort of our home. My mother would rent an action/war film for my father while she would rent a cartoon or fantasy film for myself and she would rent a Vilma Santos’ movie for her own relaxation.

            I believe that I was so attached and amazed to the fantasy films I’ve watched because when I was in 4^th to 6^th grade, I would create a graphic novel version of the movie specially “Return to Oz” or “Labyrinth”. This creation would start at 8:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. I would not listen to my teachers’ lessons because I was fully distillated in illustrating the characters’ appearance and the dialogue they exchange to each other. A notebook and a ballpen were the tools I used in creating my own version of the movie. My teachers did not even scold or bother me for my artistic and schizophrenic behavior. After making my magnum opus, I would let my classmates read my work and I received positive and negative comments.

            When I reached high school, the penchant for movies continued because every summer, I never engaged in social life but rather I preferred to watch MTV music videos in the morning and films in the afternoon.  Mother would rent 5 tapes a week to keep me entertained at home. I had no interest in playing with my younger sister but watching the making of 1997’s “Titanic” would make my day complete. After watching all of these American movies, my interest in film making started a spark that led to writing my own movie script and reading about the parts of the camera. I sought help to my Literature teacher on how to write a screenplay and he told me to read Ricky Lee’s Trip to Quiapo Scriptwriting Manual because it gives aspiring writers the techniques and format in writing a full length film. When I was a senior in high school, I talked to our guidance counselor on what course should I take up in college since I love movies and literature. Our guidance counselor did not give a direct advice but rather told me that I should follow what my heart desires. It was an equivocal tip but I think she was just careful in giving recommendations because if her suggestion is wrong then I might blame her.

In college, I took mass communications but performed poorly on my major subjects and so molded myself to show productions. My professor said that it is better to be a production assistant than in front of the camera because you will be able to see things that the camera does not show on television. This wisdom had inspired me to participate in different activities as production staff. I did not experience to be a director or scriptwriter nor an editor during our summer documentary production because the bright ones were always given the chance to be the ship’s captain. My role was either an actor or a messenger. I did not also shine in the school paper, I applied as a writer and even a contributor but rejected many times due to lack of journalism prowess. The editor in chief even told me that I love writing but I should ask myself if writing loves me.

When I turned 18 and considered myself as an adult.  Out of curiosity, I watched an R-18 Filipino film at Victoria Plaza.  Since time in memorial, teenage boys were really inquisitive on watching a pornographic film but the ticket booth in charge would ask for an ID to check if you are on legal age. This time, I showed my college ID with my birthday and without hesitation the in charge gave me a cinemas pass. Ina Raymondo’s “Madam X” and “Burlesk Queen” and Jose Javier Reyes’ “Live Show” were the first adult films I’ve watched on theater. Being a greenhorn in the pornographic world, I felt a sense of pride because I was not a minor anymore. I felt that nobody has the right to belittle me or ask for my parents’ consent because I can stand by myself. Unlike before when I was studying in a Catholic high school where minors were forbidden to watch a pornographic film or even open a Playboy magazine because they believed that sexual themes could have a negative impact to our studies and behavior.

Loss of innocence and growing up where depicted in the film. Toto, who is already a teenager and working as a projectionist at Cinema Paradiso did have a sexual experience with the prostitute inside the theater. This sexual curiosity started when he saw his friend having intimacy with a prostitute in the green field.  Not only Toto did mature but the cinema itself as well. After the burning of Cinema Paradiso, it was bought and renovated by a business named Biccilio. Under his management, Mister Bicillo allowed pornographic films to be shown unlike before where Padre Emilio would recommend to edit all the sexual scenes in the film.

 

Int. Mandarin Restaurant- Day/Afternoon- Present Day

After a short window shopping, I decided to have my early dinner at Mandarin Tea Garden Restaurant before going to San Pedro Church. While eating my pork asado soap, I called my film appreciation professor for some advice.

“Sir, good afternoon, I’m Mr. Prince Binondo, your former student in film appreciation. Di you still remember me?” I asked.

“Yes, I remember. What can I do for you?”

“Sir, where can I get a CD or DVD copy of Cinema Paradiso?”

“Have you tried Video City or pirated CD or on Youtube?”

I told my professor that Video City is no longer operating and pirated CDs are illegal while Youtube only has clips and trailers not the full length film. Our conversation ended with disappointment because my former professor could not properly recommend someone that has a CD/DVD copy of the film. I continued blowing the hot wanton noodle soap and searching my students’ names on the contact list.  Somebody told me that a student of mine name Miss Ilustra loves to watch and download Korean films from the internet using her USB. Luckily, as I was scrolling the list I found her name.

“Hello good afternoon is this Miss Ilustra?”

“Hello Sir Binondo good afternoon, what can I do for you?”

“I heard that you love to download Korean dramas from the internet, can you do me a favor?”

“Sure sir, what Korean drama you want me to download for you?’

“No., not Korean drama. Please look for Cinema Paradiso if it’s available.”

She agreed to our deal without hesitations. I told her that the downloaded film will be used for our film showing. Our conservation ended with smile on my face.

Int. Victoria Plaza Cinema 6- Day/Afternoon- 2003

After college, it was very hard for a mass communication graduate to have a stable job as a media practitioner in Davao City due to limited opportunities. Sadly, I failed to practice what I’ve learned in college in an actual media company so I decided to apply as an English and communication skills tutor to elementary pupils in a tutorial center.  I enjoyed being a tutor, though they were not mass communication students, but I was able to share my knowledge on news reporting and interviewing. I let them create a television news program like CNN or BBC, in which, everyone should have a specific role like the newscaster, field reporter, the victim, police officer and TV advertisements.

My half day tutorial would left me bored in the afternoon, so the best way to entertain myself was to watch an R-18 Filipino films at Victoria Plaza cinema 6. After lunch, I immediately went straight to the ticket booth and spent the next five hours in the orchestra section. The dark and cold room made me nippy as I passed the corridor looking for vacant seat.  The actress on the film started to undress herself in front of a half-naked man lying on bed.  I noticed that that heads of the audience started to lower its position as if they were stretching their feet. Suddenly, a medium built man wearing a white shirt sat beside me and whispered.

“Are you game?” he asked.

“Game on what?”

“Don’t be so naïve, you didn’t come here just to watch a movie?”

            There was a scene in “Cinema Paradiso” that the teenage male audience were masturbating due to the amatory scene they were watching.  The man put his arm on my shoulder while his fingers caressing my cheeks.

            “How much?” I asked.

            “P200.00 pesos.”

            Suddenly, I remembered the local news that the AIDS cases in Davao City is getting higher every year. I was afraid I might infected by this incurable deadly disease. I refused his offer then I transferred to another seat at the back. Instead of watching the film, I fell asleep and woke up when it was already nightfall.

            I lose my innocence. I was awaken to the truth that some people come to the cinemas not just to be entertained but to engage in prostitution because of the desperation to survive; they come to the cinema to express their true sexual identity that society tries to reject and they enter the four corners of the theater to forget the problems for a moment, thinking for solutions that could prolong their lives. I guess that the cinema is a place for people who want comfort and unobtrusive solitude that the world cannot provide; a place where a moviegoer can relate to the character who is trying to defeat an inner monster that destroys relationship or a dragon burning a village. When I was a kid, I thought life was like a magical place like in “The Wizard of Oz” or Neverland in “Hook” where heroes always end in victory but I was wrong. “Batman”, “Edward Scissorhands”, “Harry Potter”, “Peter Pan”, and even “Wonder Woman” have also flaws that I need to accept because they are humans and human beings are vulnerable to mistakes because we live in an imperfect world where bad people exist like “Captain Hook”, “Freddie Kruger”, “Joker” and “Cruella Deville”.

Ext. Outside Eagle Theater- Night- Present Day

            The anticipation mass ended at 7:00 pm, I decided to walk along Claveria Street to have a glimpse at the old cinema houses. My heart bled when I saw the Eagle Theater’s’ edifice was dwindling and forgotten. There were no more billboards that aggrandize the façade of the building. The once flamboyant entrance is now closed and a plywood with a sign “No Trespassing. Private Property.”  As I sneaked inside, I saw dust and cobwebs inhabiting the floors and ceilings. Suddenly, a security guard holding a flashlight approached and asked

“Good evening sir, how can I help you?”

“What’s next for Eagle Theater?”

“A religious group is planning to make this their church,” answered the guard.

“Are there any renovations?” I further inquired out of curiosity.

“Next week, a team of men will demolish some parts of the building to give way to the new design that the religious group suggested,” he replied.

I felt I was in the shoe of Salvatore Di Vita whose heart was crumbled when he saw the remains of “Cinema Paradiso”. In the movie, Salvatore, now an old and accomplished film director, returned to his hometown to attend the funeral of his old friend Alfredo. After the funeral, he visited the old Cinema Paradiso where the external and interior edifice were ruined by time and negligence. It revealed in the film that the rise of television and home videos were the causes of the cinema’s downfall. The plot in the movie is the same as what happened to the forgotten cinema houses of Davao; these theaters were victims of technology revolution and modernization. Things changed. Life must go on. I should accept the fact that technology is changing people’s lives and I have to adapt the metamorphosis it brings to me. Suddenly, my cellphone rung. It was my student Miss Ilustra calling.

“Hello!”

“Sir Binondo, this is Ms. Ilustra your student, I have a good news for you.”

“Really and what is that?”

“I have a CD copy of “Cinema Paradiso”.”

“You really did your homework but where did you get it?” I asked curiously.

“My older cousin bought it at Video City when it had its grand sale.”

I thanked my student for having an initiative and being a resourceful on finding ways to the task I gave to her. I told her to bring the copy Monday morning for me to review it first before showing the movie to the class at the AVR. I looked at its exterior façade one last time before riding a jeepney. As I was travelling on the jeepney, I realized that it’s long dead. No more colorful hand painted movie billboards, no more long lines at the ticket booth, no more projectionist riding a bicycle carrying a reel of film and no more “Relax and See a Movie” signage. They are all gone. They are all part of my childhood. They are all memories.

In 1995, the newly renovated JS Gaisano Department Store in Ilustre Street opened its cinemas then in 1997 Gaisano Mall of Davao in J.P. Laurel Avenue opened 6 cinemas. In 2001, SM Mall opened its first branch in Davao City at Ecoland with 6 cinemas and then in 2003 NCCC Mall in Matina opened its own cinemas. The emergent of these theaters inside the mall resulted to the vanishing appeal and audience on the stand-alone cinemas in the downtown area. Since the sprouting of these huge malls, the dying stand-alone cinemas started to show old Filipinos movies then to Filipino bold films until its management decided to close its ticket booth and hang down the screen curtain.

In early 2000, Video City, a VIVA company, introduced the CD’s for rent replacing the VHS tapes but this video shop did not last long due to the arrival of pirated CD/DVD that were sold in the streets. People would prefer to buy a pirated CD worth P30.00 pesos than renting a CD for P15.00-P20.00. This was the death of video rental shops.

 

Int. Living Room- Night- Present Day

At 9:00 o’clock in the evening when everyone in the house was sleeping, I decided to review “Cinema Paradiso” in our living room. Once I put the CD on our player and the screen started to show the opening credits, I turned off the lights to have a cinema-like milieu and then sat on the floor, a meter away from the television set.  As I was watching “Cinema Paradiso”, a soliloquy popped up to my head saying that I may not be a successful film director like Salvatore Di Vita and not as critically acclaimed as Steven Spielberg nor as towering as Martin Scorsese but I become a teacher who influences and directs my students in their classroom activities. A teacher who shows his students on how to deliver and read properly their script in our news reporting class; a mass communication professor who teaches his students on how to shoot using a video camera and edit the footages in the documentary production subject. A mentor who explains the media laws and ethics that govern the media industry and an adviser who instills the importance of press freedom and the responsibility of the media practitioners to deliver the truth to the public. Thus, I am a successful director in my own right.

Fade To Black.

End Credits.