Hi Jen Hofer. The Kim Sing used to show Hong Kong movies. I very much remember the Kim sing especially because of growing up in Chinatown. Surprisingly though, I only barely remember seeing a movie there only once. Based on what i remember, there was a lot of cigarette smoke in the auditorium. For some reason, a lot of the people in the audience wanted to smoke during the HK movie.
In a February ‘79 back issue of the L.A. Times, the movie lisings said that the Kim sing was showing “5 Venoms” and another HK movie. “5V” is AKA “5 Deadly Venoms” and is a Shaw Brothers kung fu movie and maybe also a favorite of Quentin Tarantino. So it looks like The Kim sing used to show the Shaw brothers movies.
I have a lot more memories of the CinemaLand/Royal Pagoda Theatre. The CL/RP Theatre is also in Chinatown, and I remember seeing all of Bruce Lee’s movies there, except for “Game of Death”. Those were the uncut Chinese language versions of Bruce’s movies being shown back then.
Also, based on the post from 6/8/07, I wonder why would the Kim Sing show “GS” in 1974 if “GS” is a 1968 Hong Kong movie?
This theatre used to show Hong Kong movies. I remember seeing some of those HK movies here, including “Enter the Dragon” I think, back in the 1970’s. Not only that, but I kind of remember seeing Bruce Lee’s other movies here too, which included the uncut Cantonese/Mandarin versions of:
“The Big Boss”(AKA “Fists of Fury”)
“Fist of Fury”(AKA “Chinese Connection”)
“Way of the Dragon”(AKA “Return of the Dragon”)
I kind of remember “The Game of Death” and Jet Li’s “Shaolin Temple” being shown here, but I don’t think that I saw those back then.
I also remember seeing the following HK movies at the Cinemaland/Royal Pagoda:
“Flaming Brothers”(starring Chow Yun Fat and one of the bloodiest HK movies that I’ve ever seen)
“Martial Arts of Shaolin”(Jet Li)
I think that Jackie Chan appeared here when “the Big Brawl” came out.
Yes, there are about two other abandoned movie theatres in L.A. Chinatown besides QT’s Sing Lee Theatre. One of them is called the Kim Sing Theatre on Figueroa Street. The other is the former Royal Pagoda/Cinemaland Theatre on North Broadway. I never heard anything about Harrison Ford being the new owner of either of those two former theatres. Maybe you’re talking about San francisco Chinatown?
Also, did the Linda Lea Theatre used to show any Japanese ninja movies or Godzilla movies during the ‘70’s?
I wish that I could’ve been there for the Grindhouse Fest, but i missed it. It did sound like it was great like you said, ScottS, but I couldn’t go. For some strange reason, I’ve ACTUALLY HEARD OF most of the movies in Quentin’s Grindhouse Fest. Like for example, I’ve heard of these movies from memories of L.A. Times ads, TV, etc.:
“Screams of a Winter Night(what I heard about this movie, although I don’t know if it’s actually a good or bad movie, is that the only famous person involved w/ this was a cameo by the young actor who played the hero in 1985’s "Fright Night”)"
“Wonder Women"
A very strange movie that I barely remember from L.A. area TV. I guess that "WW” is just another ripoff of the James Bond movies. I remember this having a very strange ending, also. And unless actress Lynda Carter was not really that big of a star back then or if you’re not a comic book fan, then you’d WONDER or be confused. For one thing, I wonder if DC Comics knew about the use of that movie title. I guess that doesn’t matter since “Wonder Women” is a very unknown movie, starring Nancy Kwan(also unknown except to we Chinese?).
Did any of you go to Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse Film Festival ‘07 at the Beverly Cinema? That took place last March to May 1, 2007. if you did, then did you ask QT about the status of the King Hing theatre?
Did the World Theatre or some other L.A. area movie theatre show a triple feature of the movies called “Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave”, “Goodbye Bruce Lee, His Last Game of Death”, and some other Bruce Lee rip-off movie at around 1981 or 1982? I think that I remember seeing the L.A. Times ad for this, but I can’t remember the year that this was shown.
Hi Jen Hofer. The Kim Sing used to show Hong Kong movies. I very much remember the Kim sing especially because of growing up in Chinatown. Surprisingly though, I only barely remember seeing a movie there only once. Based on what i remember, there was a lot of cigarette smoke in the auditorium. For some reason, a lot of the people in the audience wanted to smoke during the HK movie.
In a February ‘79 back issue of the L.A. Times, the movie lisings said that the Kim sing was showing “5 Venoms” and another HK movie. “5V” is AKA “5 Deadly Venoms” and is a Shaw Brothers kung fu movie and maybe also a favorite of Quentin Tarantino. So it looks like The Kim sing used to show the Shaw brothers movies.
I have a lot more memories of the CinemaLand/Royal Pagoda Theatre. The CL/RP Theatre is also in Chinatown, and I remember seeing all of Bruce Lee’s movies there, except for “Game of Death”. Those were the uncut Chinese language versions of Bruce’s movies being shown back then.
Also, based on the post from 6/8/07, I wonder why would the Kim Sing show “GS” in 1974 if “GS” is a 1968 Hong Kong movie?
This theatre used to show Hong Kong movies. I remember seeing some of those HK movies here, including “Enter the Dragon” I think, back in the 1970’s. Not only that, but I kind of remember seeing Bruce Lee’s other movies here too, which included the uncut Cantonese/Mandarin versions of:
“The Big Boss”(AKA “Fists of Fury”)
“Fist of Fury”(AKA “Chinese Connection”)
“Way of the Dragon”(AKA “Return of the Dragon”)
I kind of remember “The Game of Death” and Jet Li’s “Shaolin Temple” being shown here, but I don’t think that I saw those back then.
I also remember seeing the following HK movies at the Cinemaland/Royal Pagoda:
“Flaming Brothers”(starring Chow Yun Fat and one of the bloodiest HK movies that I’ve ever seen)
“Martial Arts of Shaolin”(Jet Li)
I think that Jackie Chan appeared here when “the Big Brawl” came out.
Yes, there are about two other abandoned movie theatres in L.A. Chinatown besides QT’s Sing Lee Theatre. One of them is called the Kim Sing Theatre on Figueroa Street. The other is the former Royal Pagoda/Cinemaland Theatre on North Broadway. I never heard anything about Harrison Ford being the new owner of either of those two former theatres. Maybe you’re talking about San francisco Chinatown?
Also, did the Linda Lea Theatre used to show any Japanese ninja movies or Godzilla movies during the ‘70’s?
I wish that I could’ve been there for the Grindhouse Fest, but i missed it. It did sound like it was great like you said, ScottS, but I couldn’t go. For some strange reason, I’ve ACTUALLY HEARD OF most of the movies in Quentin’s Grindhouse Fest. Like for example, I’ve heard of these movies from memories of L.A. Times ads, TV, etc.:
“Screams of a Winter Night(what I heard about this movie, although I don’t know if it’s actually a good or bad movie, is that the only famous person involved w/ this was a cameo by the young actor who played the hero in 1985’s "Fright Night”)"
“Wonder Women"
A very strange movie that I barely remember from L.A. area TV. I guess that "WW” is just another ripoff of the James Bond movies. I remember this having a very strange ending, also. And unless actress Lynda Carter was not really that big of a star back then or if you’re not a comic book fan, then you’d WONDER or be confused. For one thing, I wonder if DC Comics knew about the use of that movie title. I guess that doesn’t matter since “Wonder Women” is a very unknown movie, starring Nancy Kwan(also unknown except to we Chinese?).
Did any of you go to Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse Film Festival ‘07 at the Beverly Cinema? That took place last March to May 1, 2007. if you did, then did you ask QT about the status of the King Hing theatre?
When is Quentin going to reopen it?
Did the World Theatre or some other L.A. area movie theatre show a triple feature of the movies called “Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave”, “Goodbye Bruce Lee, His Last Game of Death”, and some other Bruce Lee rip-off movie at around 1981 or 1982? I think that I remember seeing the L.A. Times ad for this, but I can’t remember the year that this was shown.