Reporter
angelo.jedidiah@guardian.co.tt
At one point in local history, cinemas stood as the undisputed hallmarks of entertainment and leisure.
Across T&T, film theatres seemed to sprout more quickly than monuments to our historical heroes. But while the golden age of celluloid is now a thing of the past, it still commands a deep, nostalgic reverence among those who lived through the magic of cinema viewings.
Decades ago, local cinema was not just a weekend pastime. It was front-page news.
The Trinidad Guardian, along with other media outlets, tracked the industry’s every move. Reporters chronicled everything from the rapid construction of new theatres to the massive economic boom of the late 1970s. Even the frequent panics by religious groups clamouring for censorship made headlines.
This media spotlight proved one thing: cinema was the true heartbeat of the country’s social fabric.
Long before the era of MovieTowne, Caribbean Cinemas and CinemaOne, a wide range of “picture houses” was anchored in almost every major town and city.
In the capital, the Royal Cinema on Charlotte Street opened in 1939, standing as one of Port-of-Spain’s oldest movie houses before finally closing its doors in August 1983. The National Cinema, in close proximity, remained in operation until 1987.
Other prominent city venues included the Globe Cinema, the Astor Theatre in Woodbrook and the Superstar Cinema on Abercromby Street, which opened in 1982.
Outside the capital, the Presidente Cinema served patrons in San Juan, while the Windsor Cinema in Arima became the sixth member of the Cinema Circus Ltd chain and famously reopened in July 1990 after renovations that included a massive 20-foot by 48-foot screen, which was a major milestone at the time.
Down south, San Fernando was home to several iconic venues. These included the Vistarama Cinema on Prince of Wales Street, which opened in 1981, the Deluxe Cinema and the Empire Cinema, which underwent a massive $2 million redevelopment that opened in 1991.
In central Trinidad, the Globe Cinema in Chaguanas was still bustling in 1990, while Hobosco II in Mucurapo emerged as one of the newer cinemas trying to push back against the impending era of industry decline.
But other legendary names still evoke fond memories for locals: the Hilite, Twilight, Crest, Rex and, of course, the beloved Kay-Donna drive-in cinema.
To keep audiences hooked, cinema owners frequently invested in multi-million-dollar renovations. Globe Cinema, for instance, underwent a $4 million upgrade, all in an effort to guarantee the biggest screens, the finest sound, the cleanest film projections and premium yet affordable concession areas.
A number of cinemas even boasted about the generous width of their seats, intentionally reducing the capacity of the house, balcony and “box” sections to prioritise patron comfort.
And as you can expect, the opening or reopening of any cinema was a high-society affair, each drawing elite crowds and notable public figures who dined in style to celebrate the occasion.
Among the distinguished guests was President Sir Ellis Clarke, who attended the opening of the Presidente in 1980 and Hobosco in south Trinidad in 1982.
But with all the success and apparent boom of the cinema industry, uncertainty loomed. The Trinidad Guardian reported extensively on the growing fear that movies on videotape would replace cinemas. As early as 1982, major exhibition companies such as Cinema Circus Limited, Super Cinemas Limited, Trinidad Cinemas Limited and Caricom Cinemas Limited, expressed deep anxiety over how videotapes might impact theatre attendance.
However, not everyone was worried.
In a 1982 interview with the Sunday Guardian, Peter Sudan, an executive at Trinidad Cinema Limited, confidently dismissed the threat: “This videotape craze has not and will not affect the cinema industry, for the simple reason that they (the tapes) cannot provide the type of entertainment which the cinemas can and are giving.”
He added, “People like to get outdoors for a fresh look at the world.”
But the economics told a different story. While an adult cinema ticket cost between $5 and $10, renting a film on videocassette cost just $5, proving to be far more budget-friendly for large families.
At the same time, the industry faced internal headaches. Several popular cinemas found themselves facing legal charges for admitting minors to adult-rated movies. While theatre owners often brushed it off as no big deal, various social groups criticised the industry, demanding strict accountability and moral reform.
Ultimately, however, the pressure from home video and changing lifestyles proved too much. By the late 1990s, many longstanding cinemas had closed their doors for good, while the remaining few struggled to maintain the glory days of their youth.
While modern multiplexes, Hollywood blockbusters and streaming services continue to feed our appetite for movies today, the unique essence of yesteryear’s cinemas is gone.
And for many, it is greatly missed.
