MIDNITE HOUR - 01 May 2024

Part 3

This month Bangkok Eyes takes another nostalgic look at Bangkok's historic cinema scene. Most, if not all of Bangkok's old-timer expats will not likely remember many of the grand old Bangkok theaters shown below. On the other hand, a number of well known films did make it to Thailand in the 1960's. (And of course, an even greater number of films no one remembers, or has even heard of...)

Fanny Hurst's novel Imitation Of Life (1933) was first set to film by Universal in 1934 (starring Claudette Colbert). It was remade in 1959 - also a Universal picture. An early film on the difficulties of segregation and racism. Both films were nominated for a number of Oscars, however neither won.

Murderer's Row (1966) was one of a series of Matt Helm spy films (Matt Helm actually came out before James Bond, but never had the same popularity). Murderer's Row was (quite obviously) a spy-comedy film.

Special Mission Lady Chaplin (the original - Missione Speciale Lady Chaplin) (1966) was an Italian James Bond-copycat which had approximately one hundred 'bad guys' popping out of nowhere, to be gunned down for the body count stats.

The Sand Pebbles (1966) was nominated for eight Academy Awards, taking home none - nonetheless it was the fourth highest grossing film of the year. The San Pablo (called by the crew : 'Sand Pebbles'), a U.S. gunboat, was involved in China on the Yangse River, dealing with Chinese warlords in the early 1920's.

Operation Revenge - 1967 (Thai title : "Beautiful Traitor") was a local (Thai) 'international intrigue' film popular with locals. As can be seen from the names of the Director and Producer, the film had 'influential' backing, and was basically a 'vanity press' film.. We note that later advertisements for the film had deleted or changed these names.

No review of Bangkok's cinema scene would be complete without at least one Run-Run Shaw film out of Hong Kong. The Joy of Spring (Kuai Lo Qing Chun) was a 1966 romantic comedy with English subtitles (as were most Shaw films of the times).

Peter Sellers followed up his 1965 hit What's New Pussycat with After The Fox (1966). It was anything but the smash hit that "Pussycat" was, although no Peter Sellers film is all bad...

Producer Joseph E Levine attempted a somewhat dreary girfriend-swapping film (in the '60's age of 'free love'), and produced a flop - in spite of a great performance by a young Jennifer Jones.

Time To Start Worrying ?

Continuing on from our previous issue (two months ago), we continue to chroniclize (there is no such word) the rapid ongoing demise of bars in the 7 Center Point Night Entertainment Area.

* Pookie - Relocated to Nordic 50% reduction in size.

* Nordic - Previously closed.

* Long Shots - previously closed.

* Secrets - Closed this month.

* Pai 7 Bar - Closed this month.

* Sky Bar - Closed this month.

* Heaven - Previously closed.

* La La Bar - Closed this month.

* AJ 168 Bar - Closed this month.

* Phannee's Bar - Closed this month.

* The One Bar - Previously closed.

* Make Love Bar - Previously closed.

* Su Bar - Previously closed.

* You & I Bar - Previously closed

* (Two bars that never opened (in the 6-Pak).

* "The 'balcony'" - upstairs - Never opened.
Yes, it's time to start worrying...

Traces of Bangkok's Early Years

The steady stream of foreign entertainers continued to make their way to Bangkok in spite of the growing conflict in Southeast Asia. But this was only one facet of the Night Entertainment Scene - the number of bars (to include early A Go-Go bars), lounges and specialty massage parlors also were continuing to increase during that period.

Always make sure to read the fine print... Perry Como is not exactly the same person as Perry Como's nephew. It appears the Sani Chateau was feeling the competition from the Tropicana and the Cafe De Paris... The Sani Chateau was located in the Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.

December 1967

Buddy Rich was an American drummer, bandleader and songwriter. He is seen by many to be the greatest drummer in American music. Beginning drumming in 1919 at the age of two, his adult career took off in 1937, working with jazz greats Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and Artie Shaw.

December 1967

Charming Bird, like virtually every other Nitespot, was pitching heavily for Christmas business. We note this time around, that the Charming Bird was openly advertising 'hostesses'.

December 1967

The Balcony continued to be popular in the evenings, with weekend 'Tea Dances' in the afternoons. (The dancing in the above looks more like Disco to us...)

December 1967

The Garden Cafe was a long-standing popular Nitespot in the New Road Night Entertainment Area. "Oriental Avenue" was the popular name (not official) for the Soi running from New Road to the Oriental Hotel.

December 1967

The Do Re Mi Nightclub, while out of the way (past Victory Monument in Sanam Pao), was no small operation - see their ad for 7 separate stages...

December 1967

The Tequila, advertising to be the 'newest bar & restaurant' in town (it wasn't) was located in "Gaysorn Phranakorn Road" (read : Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area)...

December 1967

Who knew...? Dante was the hypnotist's stage name. His day job was con-man, where he assumed at least 40 aliases. He was convicted of mail fraud in relation to a 'diploma mill', and for attempted murder of a rival hypnotist. He was a Guinness Book of World Records 'awardee' for 20 years for having been paid the highest lecture fee. (His most significant con, however, was convincing actress Lana Turner to marry him. It was a brief affair...)

December 1967

Through the years, there were a number of Night Entertainment Venues in the Nai Lert Building on the corner of Sukhumvit Road and Soi 5 (Soi Nai Lert). However in December of 1967 the real estate was being held down by the Savoy Bangkok Club.

December 1967

After a very brief closure for renovations, the Oriental Hotel's Bamboo Bar reopened in time for Christmas / New Years revelries...

December 1967

The younger generation may not know what a 'Telephone Directory' (or, 'Telephone Book') was. It was a thick volume produced by cities / geographic areas listing every phone owner by name, telephone number and address (one could opt out for an 'unlisted number'). Should such a volume be published today, it would be considered an infringement on everyone's right to privacy, and would overtly encourage soliciting telephone callers and random companies to fill your mailbox with 'junk mail' - which is exactly what happened.
(Today those mailers-of-junk-mail would be called 'spammers')...

December 1967

We're not sure... We suspect 'Social World' is a publication, or a section of a newspaper. We wonder how big this ad would have been if it had equitably listed each of today's 74 genders...

December 1967

In spite of the influx of foreign celebrity entertainment and a rapidly growing Night Entertainment Scene in 1967, we occasionally came across a reminder that in the later decades of the 20th Century, the confrontation between the 'Free World' and Communism included violent / deadly conflicts in every Southeast Asian country, not just Viet Nam.

December 1967