Cinemas and theaters, a history of the past

Animations from Monday, April 15th, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-04-15

Gone are the days when people were rushing into cinemas to satisfy their greatest pleasure, as most homes were not able to own a television set at that time.
However, the once-vibrant film industry, which employed many people and served as a source of entertainment for many, has become a reference.

Sekondi-Takoradi had its share of cinemas, namely Vernice, Rex and Gyendu in Sekondi, and Princess, Prempeh Theater, The View and Exile, located in Takoradi.

These cinemas have been out of order for a very long time, some buildings have become white elephants, others have been rented to churches, others being used as offices.

For example, the Princess Cinema was sold to the Latter-day Saint Church and the Prempeh Theater ceased operations after the death of its owner.

The Gyendu cinema in Sekondi was also sold to the International Central Gospel Church, part of the Vernice cinema was turned into a church and the rest was used as an office.

In an interview with Mr. George Nkrumah Ansere, Acting Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority for the Western Region, he said that the collapse of cinemas and theaters resulted from the accessibility of DSTV, Go TV and other pay-TV channels, broadcast most movies and are now available at moderate prices, "you can have the entertainment you dream of in the comfort of your home".

He hinted that the collapse of cinemas and theaters had not really affected his holding in terms of revenue generation, as theaters and theaters had collapsed before the adoption of the Tourism Act 817 in 2011, which allowed them to regulate licenses. cinemas and theaters, pubs, discotheques, restaurants, hotels among others.

He explained that with the adoption of the Tourism Law, the Ghana Tourism Board was mandated to generate revenue from these sources but they did not work, no revenue was collected.

Mr. Nkrumah Ansere suggested that the government was considering transforming the National Arts Center into a state-of-the-art multi-purpose cinema and theater that would feature 5D feature films.

The renovated cinema and theaters, he noted, would give people the opportunity to enjoy entertainment outside the comfort of their homes.
Seeking to know why the cinema had gone out, many attribute it to the lack of space in the district of Sekondi-Takoradi.

They explained that because of family inheritance issues, properties such as movie theaters were purchased by family members after the death of their owners and then sold to churches. and other companies, noting that new cinemas could be built but that access to land was limited. this development.

They quickly added this technology, which allowed people to have access to all kinds of movies, turning most cinemas into ghost centers.

Plus, with the introduction of the DVD player, people could buy movie CDs and watch them in the comfort of their homes, as technology evolved, the internet grew.

With some smartphones, it's easy to download movies from websites such as YouTube, Toxicwap, HDpopcorn among other sites where you can watch foreign and local movies.

Since technology has made entertainment easily accessible, people would always like to go out with family and friends to have a good time together and have fun making good memories.

In this regard, it would be commendable that the Sekondi-Takoradi cinemas be redeveloped to rekindle the joy and pleasure shared between families and friends.

Although you can now watch a movie of your choice anywhere and at any time, it's nice to go out once in a while, for group sessions or to make up for lost time.