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Princess Theatre, Kampar
This photograph of the Princess Theatre in Jalan Idris, Kampar, built in 1954, was probably taken in 1975/6 as the movie "The Mean Machine" starring Burt Reynolds is advertised on the poster above the entrance. A synopsis of the movie describes it as:
"Bruising action comedy starring Burt Reynolds as a convicted former quarterback forced to coach a team of fellow prisoners ahead of a match against their guards. Director Robert Aldrich puts an even dirtier dozen through their paces while Eddie Albert relishes every moment as the sadistic warden who wants to see the jailbirds rocked. Look out for Bond villain Richard 'Jaws' Kiel amidst the flying tackles.
The building was still standing in 2018 although it had been turned into a funiture shop.
A feature article from the New Straits Times published on 18 April 2018 carried a quotation from a mechanis working in the building behind thentheatre says:
“Eh, this is a very exciting town if you care to look carefully. See this adjacent building. It may look run down but it was once a popular cinema operated by Eng Wah Entertainment company," he says, pointing at the word “PRINCESS” still clearly displayed at the front of the building.
Back in the 1960s, my friends and I would queue up for tickets to the weekend matinee shows. They cost less than 40 cents. We watched mainly romantic Chinese and period movies,” he reminisces before heading back to his shop."
The author of the article continues"
"Taking one last look at the Princess, which is now the Foo Fah furniture shop, I begin to imagine hawkers lining the front of the cinema selling tidbits such as freshly roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds and fruits. Those buying the fruit slices would smother them with salt and chilli from little bottles using long-handled spoons."
Those were the days!
During the 1960's Kampar was well off with movie theatres/cinemas, for the Princess was among four principal cinemas that existed there here in those days. Apart from Princess the other three popular cinemas were the Rex,Majestic and Sun all of which we believe have been demolished in the name of development. Going to the movies was the main source of entertainment in a town that had little else to offer and the Kampar movie theatres enjoyed brisk business, despite the fact that three of them, Princess, Majestic and Sun, all operated out of Jalan Idris.