There’re few places that exude character and creativity the way an independent arthouse cinema does.
Tucked on the fifth floor of the Golden Mile Tower is The Projector, an artsy, hipster-defining movie theatre that is fast becoming the new haunt for cinephiles who want an alternative movie experience.
While The Projector is relatively new, it actually has a storied past screening a multitude of films since way back in the 1970s. Building on near 50 years of history, The Projector continues to curate and screen a series of critically acclaimed movies, ranging from current mainstream films to cult classics of yesteryear.
The History
Originally completed in 1973, the Golden Theatre (as it was once called), was the largest theatre in Singapore and Malaysia, and prior to its latest reincarnation as The Projector, underwent many phases throughout the years.
Starting out as a propaganda film house screening mainly communist-style films, the Golden Theatre began screening seedy adult films as the years went by and continued to show Chinese films up until the 1990s whereby it became known as a Bollywood film house.
It was in 2014 when the Golden Theatre was rebirthed into an independent cinema, screening cult classics, blockbusters, independent and foreign films.
It was the beginning of The Projector.
The Present
Five years on and The Projector has grown to become Singapore’s hip alternative cinema to the behemoths of Cathay, Golden Village, and Shaw.
A collaboration by creative development company Pocket Projects and design and architectural firm FARM, the Golden Theatre has been reimagined into the current iteration of The Projector.
If you take a broader lens, The Projector is part of the larger Singaporean project of revitalising the old and intermixing with the new, creating a mishmash of decades that has resulted in a rather informal and casual space.
The Projector retains all its old-world charm, with an art deco aesthetic and façade that should be nostalgic for anyone that once caught a flick or two at the old Golden Theatre.
The intermission bar foyer features a marquee lightbox displaying the various movie titles and its respective timings and a food counter with retro tiles that serve up old-school popcorn, snacks, and draught beer.
The original cinema doors continue to frame the entrance into the halls, and we liken it to a gateway back in time, especially if you’re passing through them to catch a classic like Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
With 3 theatre halls – the Redrum, the Blue Room, and the Green Room – The Projector doubles up as more than just a cinema hall. The first two for example, have a stage that make it suited for hosting conferences, talks, presentations, and gigs. The Redrum even has beanbags for you to sprawl on, and I was sold from then on.
The Green Room features your typical cinema hall with the same flip-up chairs used in the original cinema halls of the Golden Theatre. If you’re afraid that the halls are old, don’t worry because they feature new projections systems and the seats have been upholstered.
The entire feel of The Projector is hipster is to the umpteenth degree, and any cinephile will have a field day just lounging in the intermission bar. If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air when it comes to your movie experience, or if you lament constantly on the lack of diversity and breadth of films in Singapore, The Projector might just rekindle your love for movies.
