Watch old films for free at Capitol Theatre

SINGAPORE — It will be a blast from Singapore’s cinema past: In celebration of SG50, five films from the 1950s to the 1970s will be screened at Capitol Theatre this month, and free tickets are available starting today from SISTIC.

The films are: Malay-language period drama, Chuchu Datok Merah (1963); Chinese-language film, The Lion City (1960); an early P Ramlee drama called Patah Hati (1952); Hokkien opera, Taming Of The Princess (1958); and Tamil romantic drama, Ninaithale Inikkum (1979).

These will be featured in Spotlight On Singapore Cinema, an initiative led by the Media Development Authority (MDA) in collaboration with the National Library Board (NLB), the National Archives of Singapore, the Asian Film Archive and the National Museum of Singapore Cinematheque.

MDA chief executive officer Gabriel Lim said: “Singapore’s media industry has played an important role in capturing and telling our stories through films, books, the arts and more.

“By screening these early films, we hope to keep Singapore’s unique heritage alive and enable audiences to appreciate how far Singapore and our media industry has developed over the past 50 years.”

The selected films are considered to be an important part of Singapore’s cinematic history. Part of their allure is that, save for Chuchu Datok Merah, they were filmed on location in Singapore and set some visual historical context.

The Lion City, for example, was the first Chinese movie produced by Cathay-Keris Films in post-war Singapore. It is highly valued for its panoramic shots of the country in the 1960s, as well as references to the political conditions of the time.

Chuchu Datok Merah features the music of Zubir Said, who wrote Singapore’s national anthem, Majulah Singapura, while Taming Of The Princess was the only film in which husband-and-wife opera performers Liu Hu Chen, 80, and Xiao Jin Zhi, 76, both acted. The couple are still performing Chinese opera today.

“The changing landscapes of Singapore have been documented and remembered through many on-location scenes from these old films, including places that have undergone urban redevelopment,” said Mr Toh Hun Ping, a video artist and film researcher.

“Through this initiative, Singaporeans of all ages can appreciate and celebrate the developments that have taken place in Singapore.”

The Asian Film Archive restored four of the five films — The Lion City, Chuchu Datok Merah, Patah Hati and Taming Of The Princess — from their sole surviving reels. The films have also been subtitled.

Its executive director, Ms Karen Chan said: “We believe it’s important to restore these films as part of our efforts to preserve our unique cinematic and cultural heritage.

“They capture important moments in Singapore’s sociopolitical, economic and cultural history. We hope that through Spotlight On Singapore Cinema, Singaporeans will be able to enjoy and appreciate these films.”

The event will run from Aug 20 to 23, kicking off with Chuchu Datok Merah, with Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim in attendance. The opening event will have a special 1950s theme to recreate the nostalgia and film-going experience of that era. Hand-painted film posters, similar to those from the past, have been recreated for each film and will be on display.