Thursday 28 February 2013

Capitol and Dracula

The old Capitol building at Stamford Road. Taken in January 2013.


WHAT bits and pieces of memories do I have of this building?  Dracula movies in the late 60s and early 70s. Going there in a maxi with a lot of frills for a midnight show. The maxi (with a lot of frills) happened to be the fashion of the day in the 70s. You've got to wear this maxi with clogs -- those Dutch-looking ones. You wear them to discos too. There was a sort of dance where you had to stamp your right feet a few times (very impressive especially if you are wearing those wooden clogs), and then your left feet.   

Now, back to Capitol. The place smelled of stale cigarettes. The black marble floor (if memory served me well) are littered with cigarette butts. Guys in bell-bottoms hang around with the girls... smoking... chatting... sometimes they just sat on the floor before the plush velvet curtains drew apart to let in the audience for the next show.

Inside, if you are bored with the movie, you look upwards and see a beautiful dome decorated with zodiac signs. And if  the movie is sad, you could always divert your attention to the winged horse sculptures at both ends of the screen.