Old Cinemas in Ipoh

A friend of mine emailed me some beautiful photographs of old cinemas in Ipoh.  They were taken by a chap named Eddy Foo.  I cannot recall this person on my worn-out memory but I assume that I might have known him.  He certainly takes good pictures, just like a professional.  When I showed these photographs to my other friends, they said that he must be using a camera that would probably cost us an arm or a leg.  I suppose they are right but then, equipment alone do not create good pictures like these.  The photographs are all taken at the right angles and with the best backdrop..  In short, the composition is simply amazing.  They are the product of the photographer more than just the equipment alone.  Here they are and I hope Mr Eddy won't mind me using his photographs on my blog: :   

This is the Odeon Cinema.  I remember it as a cinema located at the end of Brewster Road.  We used to walk to the cinemas those days, so to get there, it was a long walk.  I watched quite a few black and white Malay and English movies at this cinema.  

The Lido Cinema was a more popular cinema and it screened movies from the Shaw Brothers' stable.  At that time, there was a monthly movie magazine - Movie News - that gave preview and review of  movies that will be shown in Show Brother's cinemas.  I think I watched Ben Hur here! 

Opposite Lido Cinema, was the Cathay cinema.  This was the the main rival of the Shaw Brother's chain of cinemas.  Cathay cinema was just as popular and it screened mostly English movies.  What's more interesting is that both the Lido and Cathay cinemas have morning shows -10.30 am - on every weekends which were called Cheap Matinee - because the ticket cost only 50 cents and the shows were second-run movies. Usually popular old cowboy movies and Tarzan movies were screened during this time.     

The Ruby cinema was just on the next street, Cowan Street.  I seldom went there to see a show because it screened mostly Hindi and Tamil movies.  But, later on it showed Chinese movies too.  I watched the "One-armed Swordsman" there.

Rex cinema was the other popular Shaw Brothers cinema in town.  This one showed mostly Chinese movies from Shaw Brothers' production.  Movies starring David Chiang and Fu Shang were the craze during my time as a teenager.  One has to actually go early to make advanced booking for the day for otherwise the tickets would be sold out and then there will be touts selling tickets at black market prices before each show.

Taiping Wet Market

It has been said that the growth of most towns is focused around its market.  This is true of Taiping town, where the main wet market is located the centre of the town.  Actually, the market is divided into two sections.  The two sections are separated by Jalan Kota.  The older section was built in 1884 and it stretches from Jalan Taming Sari (Main Road) to Jalan Kota, while the newer section of the market was built in 1885 and it stretched from Jalan Kota to Jalan Panggung Wayang.  The Wet Market has a north-south orientation.  The structure of the market was constructed in such a way that it harnesses the morning breeze that blows down from the Larut Hills and the evening breeze from the Matang / Kuala Sepetang coast.  Being designed in such a manner, it is very well ventilated and the inside is always cool throughout the day.

     

This is a scaled-down cross-sectional model of the Wet Market constructed by Teoh Chee Keong's students from UCSI. The wet market was  built in 1884.  The original market measures 220 feet by 60 feet.  As can been seen here, the sides and front of the market are opened, without walls to allow are to flow in and out.  Hot air will rise up the high roof and escape through the louvres.  This is a very efficient way of cooling the place.

        The older section of the wet market as it is today.   Fresh fish, vegetables and fruits are sold in this section of the wet market

The mutton, beef and chicken market.

                                    

Another view of the newer section of the market (the one with the brown roof) where mutton, beef and chickens are sold.

A picture of the ceiling of the wet market.  It can be seen clearly that the windows at the top allow light into the market and the louvres allow hot air to escape that ventilation system is ideal for a tropical town market like this one.

Teoh Chee Keong from UCSI (in red T-shirt) together with a local reseacher, Lee Eng Kew, conducted a Taiping Heritage Trail on 11 March 2012 with a visit to the market where he explained the finer details of the unique design of the building and thus must be preserved as it is an invaluable heritage to the people of Taiping.   Listening attentively was a crowd of concerned citizens.  

 Another cross-sectional model of the market. This is the model of the section which sells pork.  This section was built later and was attached to back of the old market.

The marble-top tables at the pork market looked clean and tidy even though the market is more than a hundred years old.  As a matter of fact, the marble tops were imported from Italy and still look as new as ever.   It was a Sunday, and so the stalls were empty.

In his talk on "People of the Market" - Teoh Chee Keong introduced Loo Peng Wah, a third generation pork seller at the market and allowed him to tell his own story.

Model of "Siang-Malam"

The section of the market which is known as the "Siang-Malam".

This is the model of the section which is attached to the mutton, beef and chicken section.  It faces Jalan Kota and is more popularly known as "siang-malam" meaning "day and night."  There will be activities there day and night.  By day there are roast pork stalls and stalls selling mee and curry power.  By night, it's hawker food stalls.  This is also the place where the infamous 'rain betting' was once carried out.   

When the wet market was finally ready and functioning, shop houses, like this one above, began to sprout up around it.  The market has always been the centre of activities and is indeed a catalyst to the growth of the town.  It is an important centre for social and cultural interaction.  Any attempt to relocate the  wet market to the outskirt would not be wise for it will make Taiping not only lose one of its most important heritage buildings but also lose its very character and identity.