Regular movie screenings at Capitol Theatre to begin from Feb 22
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A view from level 2 to the stage of Capitol Theatre, flanked by its signature Pegasus panels.
PHOTO: THE CAPITOL KEMPINSKI HOTEL SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE – Capitol Theatre in Stamford Road will begin a schedule of movie screenings from Feb 22, marking the return of regular film programming at the venue after several years.
Opened in May 1930, the theatre was closed from 1998 as the site – including Capitol Building, Capitol Centre and Stamford House – was redeveloped.
Since its reopening in 2015 as a multipurpose venue for concerts, conventions and weddings, Capitol Theatre has hosted events such as the red-carpet premiere of the romantic comedy movie Crazy Rich Asians in 2018.
In December that year, it also hosted the Singapore International Film Festival’s awards ceremony, the Silver Screen Awards.
Capitol Theatre, with a view of the ceiling's zodiac motif.
PHOTO: THE CAPITOL KEMPINSKI HOTEL SINGAPORE
Cinema operator Golden Village held seasonal programmes under the GV@Capitol banner from November 2015 to April 2019. The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore now manages the theatre.
The venue hails from a time before the rise of multiplexes, with its decor – including the zodiac motif on its domed ceiling and Pegasus panels showing maidens on winged horses – designed to reinforce its status as a picture palace.
Over the decades, it had been where Hollywood screen icons such as Charlie Chaplin and Ava Gardner appeared to promote films.
From Feb 22 to April 28, Capitol Theatre will host the Classics At Capitol programme.
The slate of digitally restored classics, screened in 4K, kicks off with the musical comedy Singin’ In The Rain (1952), starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds and Rita Moreno.
It will be followed by the adventure biopic Lawrence Of Arabia (1962), starring Peter O’Toole as British officer and spy T.E. Lawrence. The three-film programme will conclude with the Alfred Hitchcock thriller North By Northwest (1959), which stars Cary Grant.
In a press statement, Mr Andras Biro, general manager of The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, says: “We are thrilled to restore Capitol Theatre to its full glory with Classics At Capitol.
“Since its opening in 1930, this icon has undergone many transformations, serving as a stage for film’s biggest stars and a home for cherished memories. By screening these timeless masterpieces, we hope to revive the golden age of cinema and inspire a new generation of film lovers.”
Capitol Theatre from the street showing its sign.
PHOTO: THE CAPITOL KEMPINSKI HOTEL SINGAPORE
Film writer and researcher Ben Slater, who is curating the programme, tells The Straits Times that the theatre is “the only movie palace from the pre-war era in Singapore which has not only been kept intact, but has actually been lovingly restored”.
He says: “It has preserved and recreated many of the original interior features. Presenting and watching films there is an amazing experience because you feel connected to audiences going back almost 100 years. You are in a theatre that matches the grandeur and scale of the films themselves – it’s a truly theatrical experience.”
Mr Slater and The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore hope that the event will be the start of the regular programming of restored classics at Capitol Theatre throughout the year.
As part of the programme, the venue will host the launch of a new book on Feb 22.
Singapore Screening Spaces (1896 to 1945) Lost Screens And My Last Kacang Puteh, written by local film researchers Wong Han Min and Yeo Min Hui, covers the early history of cinemas in Singapore with many never-before-published materials, including a history of the Capitol Theatre.
Tickets for Classics At Capitol, as well as information about the book launch, will be available at capitol-theatre.sg
