Standalone movie theaters of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
Art Deco theaters of the Philippines are theaters constructed the 1930s to 1950s built in the style of Art Deco
or a branch of the style like Streamline Moderne
in the Philippines. The construction of these early theaters in Metropolitan Manila and other large cities in the country provided the venue for early forms of entertainment like bodabil
, a local adaptation of vaudeville
, with most eventually converting to movie theaters with the growth and popularity of cinema in the country. Several theaters built within Manila
were designed by prominent Philippine architects, including future National Artists Juan Nakpil
and Pablo Antonio
. Unfortunately, some of these theaters have since been closed and several of them demolished.
is located on Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila
, Philippines
adjacent to the Mehan Garden
. The theater was built in 1935 with an art deco
design by architects Juan M. Arellano and Otillio Arellano and could accommodate as many as 1,670 people. The theater is endowed with bronze sculptures depicting female Philippine performers designed by Francesco Riccardo Monti, a stained glass
mural
mounted above the main audience entrance, and relief
woodcarvings of Philippine plants found in the interior lobby made by Isabelo Tampingco. The theater was restored in 1978, but was again closed in 1996 due to lack support from the public and local officials. Its east wing is now used as an office space for government services. The theater is deteriorating because of lack of maintenance and acts of vandalism
.
is the Avenue Theater. Located along Rizal Avenue
in Manila
, the theater had a 1,000 seating capacity, with its lobby bearing a marble finish flooring. At one point, the building housed a hotel and also served as office space. In 2006, it was demolished to make way for a parking lot, as realty costs were too expensive for it to be maintained.
(formerly Herran) Street, Paco, Manila
and has a total seating capacity of 600. The theater's Neo Mudejar theme, the auditorium's quonset hut
design, and its classic ornamentations bring visitors back to its founding era. The theater currently operates as a single screen cinema.
, was designed by Philippine National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil
and was built in the 1930s with an approximate seating capacity
of 800. This theater had a double balcony, which is a rare architectural design. With an art deco
style by the architect, the theater's facade has reliefs of 2 muses done by Francesco Monti. The theater is now closed, its location serving as a venue for a few commercial establishments and restaurants in the said area.
. The theater was also designed by Juan Nakpil
and has a single screen cinema with an 800 seating capacity. It was also visited by Walter Gropius
during its inauguration in the 1950s, praising the theater's outstanding qualities. Currently closed as a theater, it now serves the public as a commercial arcade.
in Manila
and designed by the late Architect Pablo Antonio
in 1933. The theater was demolished in the late 1970s to give way to the construction of a department store. The Ideal Theater was one of the first major works of Pablo Antonio along with the buildings of Far Eastern University
and Manila Polo Club.
, the Life Theater used to be one of Manila
's prime movie houses. The theater was adorned with aluminum buffles and columns, consistent with its art deco
design. Along with the Times Theater, the theater is found along Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo
, Manila
. It has been converted to a shopping center.
was the Scala Theatre, also on Avenida Rizal
in Manila
. With its floors paced with tea rose marble and its curved wall ligned with glass blocks, the theater's magnificence did not last: it was closed in the '90s. The theater catered to up to 600 people for its single screen operations.
, the State Theater was on Rizal Avenue in Manila
. Built in the 1930s with an art deco
design, the theater was eventually closed and demolished in the '90s.
, Manila
, was designed by Architect Luis Z. Araneta. It was erected in 1939, with a Art Moderne relief. Unmaintained today, the theater is still operational, and can accommodate 800 people with its single screen operations.
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
or a branch of the style like Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
in the Philippines. The construction of these early theaters in Metropolitan Manila and other large cities in the country provided the venue for early forms of entertainment like bodabil
Bodabil
Bodabil was a popular genre of entertainment in the Philippines from the 1910s until the mid-1960s. For decades, it competed with film, radio and television as the dominant form of Filipino mass entertainment. It peaked in popularity during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines from 1941 to 1945...
, a local adaptation of vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
, with most eventually converting to movie theaters with the growth and popularity of cinema in the country. Several theaters built within Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
were designed by prominent Philippine architects, including future National Artists Juan Nakpil
Juan Nakpil
Juan F. Nakpil was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture, and tapped as the Dean of Filipino Architects....
and Pablo Antonio
Pablo Antonio
Pablo S. Antonio was a Filipino architect. A pioneer of modern Philippine architecture, he was recognized in some quarters as the foremost Filipino modernist architect of his time. He was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos in...
. Unfortunately, some of these theaters have since been closed and several of them demolished.
Manila Metropolitan Theater
The Manila Metropolitan TheaterManila Metropolitan Theater
The Manila Metropolitan Theater or MET is an art deco building designed by the Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano, and inaugurated on December 10, 1931, with a capacity of 1670...
is located on Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
adjacent to the Mehan Garden
Mehan Garden
Mehan Garden, formerly known as Jardin Botanico, was Asia's first botanical garden. It is an open space established in 1858 in Manila, Philippines. In 1913, it was renamed after John C...
. The theater was built in 1935 with an art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design by architects Juan M. Arellano and Otillio Arellano and could accommodate as many as 1,670 people. The theater is endowed with bronze sculptures depicting female Philippine performers designed by Francesco Riccardo Monti, a stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
mounted above the main audience entrance, and relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
woodcarvings of Philippine plants found in the interior lobby made by Isabelo Tampingco. The theater was restored in 1978, but was again closed in 1996 due to lack support from the public and local officials. Its east wing is now used as an office space for government services. The theater is deteriorating because of lack of maintenance and acts of vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
.
Avenue Theater
Another architectural work by Arch. Juan NakpilJuan Nakpil
Juan F. Nakpil was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture, and tapped as the Dean of Filipino Architects....
is the Avenue Theater. Located along Rizal Avenue
Rizal Avenue
Rizal Avenue also known as "Avenida" or "Avenida Rizal" is one of Manila's main thoroughfares. Named after the national hero José Rizal, it is a part of Radial Road 9 . The Light Rail Transit's Yellow Line elevated railroad is built above the street in its entire length, and several jeepneys ply...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the theater had a 1,000 seating capacity, with its lobby bearing a marble finish flooring. At one point, the building housed a hotel and also served as office space. In 2006, it was demolished to make way for a parking lot, as realty costs were too expensive for it to be maintained.
Bellevue Theater
The Bellevue Theater is one of a few classic Philippine theaters built in the '30s still running today. It is located on Pedro GilPedro Gil
Pedro Gil was a physician, journalist, and legislator in the Philippines. Pedro Gil lived life of service in different distinguished roles - as a labor leader, as a doctor of medicine, as a crusading newspaperman, as a social worker, and as a conscientious legislator...
(formerly Herran) Street, Paco, Manila
Paco, Manila
Paco, is a district of Manila, Philippines. It is located south of Pasig River, and San Miguel, west of Santa Ana, southwest of Pandacan, north of Malate, northwest of San Andres, and east of Ermita. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 64,184 people in 13,438 households...
and has a total seating capacity of 600. The theater's Neo Mudejar theme, the auditorium's quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
design, and its classic ornamentations bring visitors back to its founding era. The theater currently operates as a single screen cinema.
Capitol Theater
The Capitol Theater, situated in Escolta, ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, was designed by Philippine National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil
Juan Nakpil
Juan F. Nakpil was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture, and tapped as the Dean of Filipino Architects....
and was built in the 1930s with an approximate seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 800. This theater had a double balcony, which is a rare architectural design. With an art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style by the architect, the theater's facade has reliefs of 2 muses done by Francesco Monti. The theater is now closed, its location serving as a venue for a few commercial establishments and restaurants in the said area.
Ever Theater
The Ever Theater is located along Rizal Avenue in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The theater was also designed by Juan Nakpil
Juan Nakpil
Juan F. Nakpil was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture, and tapped as the Dean of Filipino Architects....
and has a single screen cinema with an 800 seating capacity. It was also visited by Walter Gropius
Walter Gropius
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School who, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture....
during its inauguration in the 1950s, praising the theater's outstanding qualities. Currently closed as a theater, it now serves the public as a commercial arcade.
Ideal Theater
The Ideal Theater was located at Rizal AvenueStreet name
A street name or odonym is an identifying name given to a street. The street name usually forms part of the address...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and designed by the late Architect Pablo Antonio
Pablo Antonio
Pablo S. Antonio was a Filipino architect. A pioneer of modern Philippine architecture, he was recognized in some quarters as the foremost Filipino modernist architect of his time. He was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos in...
in 1933. The theater was demolished in the late 1970s to give way to the construction of a department store. The Ideal Theater was one of the first major works of Pablo Antonio along with the buildings of Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
and Manila Polo Club.
Life Theater
One of the works of Pablo AntonioPablo Antonio
Pablo S. Antonio was a Filipino architect. A pioneer of modern Philippine architecture, he was recognized in some quarters as the foremost Filipino modernist architect of his time. He was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos in...
, the Life Theater used to be one of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
's prime movie houses. The theater was adorned with aluminum buffles and columns, consistent with its art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design. Along with the Times Theater, the theater is found along Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo
Quiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. It has been converted to a shopping center.
Scala Theater
Another theater designed by Pablo AntonioPablo Antonio
Pablo S. Antonio was a Filipino architect. A pioneer of modern Philippine architecture, he was recognized in some quarters as the foremost Filipino modernist architect of his time. He was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos in...
was the Scala Theatre, also on Avenida Rizal
Rizal
Rizal is a province located in the CALABARZON , just 16 kilometers east of Manila. The province was named after the country's national hero, José Rizal. Rizal Governor Casimiro A. Ynares III on June 17, 2008 announced the transfer of the Capitol from Pasig. Its P 270-million capitol building,...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. With its floors paced with tea rose marble and its curved wall ligned with glass blocks, the theater's magnificence did not last: it was closed in the '90s. The theater catered to up to 600 people for its single screen operations.
State Theater
Another work of the late architect Juan NakpilJuan Nakpil
Juan F. Nakpil was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture, and tapped as the Dean of Filipino Architects....
, the State Theater was on Rizal Avenue in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Built in the 1930s with an art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design, the theater was eventually closed and demolished in the '90s.
Times Theater
The Times Theater, currently found along Quezon Boulevard, QuiapoQuiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, was designed by Architect Luis Z. Araneta. It was erected in 1939, with a Art Moderne relief. Unmaintained today, the theater is still operational, and can accommodate 800 people with its single screen operations.