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SHANGHAI'S CINEMAS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PIECES OF ART

1.Former Capitol Cinema

Picture source: ShanghaiArtDeco

Architect: C.H. Gonda

Year of Construction: 1928

Address: 146 Huqiu Road

Used to house first-run modern cinema, one of the grand dames of Shanghai’ ‘Golden Era’ cinemas. It was the best cinema in Shanghai during 1930s. During the Anti-Japanese War (1937 - 1945), Guanglu Grand Theater had been occupied by a traitor film company and called it "Cultural Cinema". After China's victory, the cinema had once been a club for the American Forces staying in Shanghai. In 1953 Shanghai government took over it and renamed it "Shuguang Theater" (Dawn Theater). Later the government changed the cinema's function to show newsreels and documentary films. Today's Guanglu Grand Theater has become Shanghai International Trade House.

2.Cathay Cinema

Picture source:dailySTORM

Architect:C.H Gonda

Year of Construction: 1931

Address: 870 Huai Hai Zhong Lu

One of Shanghai's great Art Deco Cinemas. Once owned by Victor Sassoon, the theater was given "preservation status" in the 1990s as a city landmark. For Shanghai people, the cinema is being regarded as a bottle of vintage wine, which testifies many sweet memories for the past three generations living in the city.

3. Chekiang Theater

Picture source:ShanghaiArtDeco

Architect:Laszlo Hudec

Year of Construction: 1930

Address: 123 Zhejiang Lu

It is easy to miss it among surrounding shikumens. The design includes asymmetrical lines and fascinating curves. The tickets can be as low as 10 RMB!

4. Grand Theater

Picture source:Flickr

Architect:Laszlo Hudec

Year of Construction: 1928

Address: 216 Nanjing Xi Lu

One of the oldest cinemas in shanghai and Hudec’s  most difficult project in Shanghai. It was built on the long, narrow and irregular plot, which made it extremely difficult to design a luxurious 2,000-seat cinema. According to Lin Yun of Shanghai Zhang Ming Architectural Design Firm and chief architect of the theater’s 2007 renovation – “Hudec’s solution was ingenious. Graced by fancy fountains, the lobbies on the first and second floors were shaped like cashews to fit with the shape of the land plot.

Two grand staircases led people from the entrance to the second floor. The artful use of a variety of curves created a free-flowing effect inside.

5. Lyric Theater /Huangpu Theater

broken image

Architect:Allied Architects

Year of Construction: 1934

Address: 780 Beijing Dong Lu

Originally built in 1933 by a family of shipping magnates and opened to the public in 1934, this place used to be a popular modern film theater. Back then it was called the Jincheng Grand Theater. It underwent some renovation in the 50's before becoming the home theater of the Shanghai Huaiju Opera Troupe in 1957. Zhou Enlai renamed it into Huangpu theater and even wrote the new name with his own brush.

6.Majestic Theater

Picture source: ShanghaiStreetStories

Architect: Robert Fan

Year of Construction: 1941

Address: 66 Jiangning Lu

The Name of this theater in Chinese means "beautiful jade without flaw", and it used to be treated as "NO. 1 in Asia" by people inside and outside China. One of most ornate Shanghai’s theaters.

7.Former Nanking Theater – now Shanghai Concert Hall

Picture source:ShanghaiStreetStories

Architect: Robert Fan and Zhao Chen

Year of Construction: 1930

Address: 523 East Yan’an Road

Fan and Zhao worked together to design the Nanking Theater in 1930, a Beaux Arts building now called Shanghai Concert Hall on the outskirts of People’s Square. In 1949, its name was changed to Beijing Cinema. In 1959, it was renamed Shanghai Concert Hall.

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