Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Nay Pyi Daw Revisited - Mandalay, Myanmar

From Mogok in the mountains I journeyed back down to the lowlands and the dusty streets of Mandalay. A solid six hour drive by car, repressing vomit all the way.

If I haven't professed my disappointment at what has become of Mandalay, the storied former capitol of the Kingdom of Burma, let me do so - in brief - now.

Mandalay has been the victim of two waves of destruction in recent times. In the 1980's large portions of the city were devastated by fire, sending countless pieces of vintage architecture up in smoke. Many residents were displaced on account of it. The new structures that have replaced the old are hideous, with almost zero exceptions.

More recently Mandalay has turned into a major transit center for goods coming and going from all directions. While beneficial for the economy, Mandalay authorities seem to be unable (if not uninterested) to check the type of development which the boom has brought. That said, the going development theme across the city is to pull down architectural antiquities in favor of cheap new construction. This shortsightedness on the part of municipal authorities is pretty widespread around the world, but never have I seen it more wholesale than in Mandalay. At least not in the Southeast Asian context. As a result, Mandalay might be the least interesting city in the region from an architecture and design perspective.

If it weren't for the happy fact that Mingalar Cinemas, Myanmar's biggest movie theater operator, painstakingly cares for a few grand old picture palaces, I might completely write the place off.

First on my Mandalay cinema odyssey is the Win Lite. 


Elevated view of the Win Lite Cinema


The Win Lite is the only remaining mid-20th century movie hall in Mandalay. It has managed to avoid both fire and rampant, shoddy development. When I last conducted research in the city in 2010 there was another 1950's era theater - the Ma Soe Yein Cinema - but that was recently demolished, leaving the Win Lite, which dates to 1958, as the oldest surviving movie theater in town.  

From my narrow Yankee perspective the Win Lite Cinema could easily pass for a New Deal-commissioned government building in just about any American city. Its heavy, streamlined modernism exudes authority, much like the similarly fashioned courthouses and post-offices of 1930's America. Strength, reliability, deliberateness. "We will give you your dose of entertainment along with food and gas rations."



A simple but elegant waiting area

The lobby area in this post-independence era movie hall is narrow compared to the spacious auditorium. It's as if - in keeping with its regimented aesthetic - loitering around the lobby area was intentionally discouraged. An in and out affair. Get you entertainment rations and be gone. 


Lower level seating


Mingalar Cinema staff was kind enough to allow me photograph the interior while a film was screening. The Win Lite contains 641 seats in total


Exiting crowds

My afternoon at the Win Lite left me feeling slightly optimistic. A Valentine's Day crowd of mostly young couples packed the house to watch what looked like a well produced Myanmar romance. Capacity crowds like this are the exception rather than the norm, but theater management assured me that a steady stream of regulars keeps the Win Lite well in the black. Encouraging news in this era of movie streaming and "instatainment."


25 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome info!

    Nail Shop in Los Angeles

    Read more: https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/tips-make-short-nails-appear-long-beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Apartment Entry Systems in the lobby allows you to select the person or apartment you would like to contact. The classic system includes a one or two-line display that allows the visitor to scroll through a list of apartments.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Assuming you are Delhi for excursion, there is more to benefit from touring. Among so numerous amusement factors, the sizzling Ashram Escorts can draw your brain inside some time. As the interest for escort administrations is expanding step by step, various taught and all around prepped women are likewise coming to serve and procure.

    Ashram Escorts

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is Robinhood Customer Service A Platform To Handle Complex Situations?
    Undoubtedly, Robinhood Customer Service is the best platform to approach a deft team of professionals and specialists who are capable of handling your problems and hurdles. Hereafter, you have to opt for the effective treatment for annihilating all sorts of Robinhood issues within the least time frame.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello guys in this article we will make a simple website on blogger and if you want to learn about website then Click here. You can also download Bhuj

    ReplyDelete
  6. เรายังรวบรวมโปรโมชั่นอื่นๆ อีกมาก เตรียมพร้อมไว้ให้ท่านผู้เล่นทุกท่านได้เลือกรับกัน เพราะเว็บ PG SLOT No.1 ของเราเป็นเว็บตรง เราจึงสามารถให้โปรโมชั่นแก่ลูกค้าทุกท่านได้อย่างอิสระ

    รับโปรโมชั่นกันแล้ว ก็อย่าลืมนำไปหมุนสล็อต เกมสล็อตออนไลน์ที่เราเตรียมไว้ให้ทุกท่านนะครับ ไม่ใช่แค่การหมุนเอามันส์เท่านั้น อย่าลืมว่าท่านผู้เล่นสามารถนำเครดิตที่ได้จากโปรโมชั่นไปต่อยอดได้อย่างหลากหลาย หรือหากท่านผู้เล่นมีข้อสงสัย
    เว็บตรง สล็อต
    หรืออยากแนะนำ/ติชม โปรโมชั่น ก็สามารถติดต่อทีมงานของเรามาได้เลย ทีมงานของเราพร้อมให้บริการตลอด 24 ชั่วโมงครับ!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. "MY PROGRAMMER IS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME TO MOVE TO .NET
    FROM PHP. I HAVE ALWAYS DISLIKED THE IDEA BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSES.
    BUT HE'S TRYING NONE THE LESS. I'VE BEEN USING WORD PRESS ON A NUMBER OF WEBSITES
    FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND AM NERVOUS ABOUT SWITCHING TO ANOTHER PLATFORM.
    I HAVE HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT BLOG ENGINE IS THERE A
    WAY I CAN TRANSFER ALL MY WORD PRESS POSTS INTO IT? ANY KIND OF HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!"

    야동
    립카페
    마사지
    출장마사지
    온라인카지노

    ReplyDelete
  8. Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article!
    It is the little changes that make the greatest changes. Thanks a lot
    for sharing!
    경마
    온라인경마

    ReplyDelete
  9. I want you to thank for your time of this wonderful read!!! I definately enjoy every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff of your blog a must read blog! 카지노사이트

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am glad to discover this page. I have to thank you for the time I spent on this especially great reading !! I really liked each part and also bookmarked you for new information on your site. Feel free to visit my website; 토토사이트

    ReplyDelete
  11. You have shared very unique information with us and i am really inspired by your writing skills. Hope you will share more blogs in the future. Now it's time to avail taxi milwaukee for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is such a unique article, which I appreciate a lot. I really enjoyed while reading this article. Hope so you will share more articles with us. Now its time to avail Limo service West Palm Beach for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It is an interesting article. I have never found such a great information. Your writing skills inspired me a lot because you shared a very valuable and unique article. Thankyou. Now its time to avail Limo service West Palm Beach for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for sharing this piece of information.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you I was impressed by your writing.

    ReplyDelete
  16. thats why i have read it entirely thank you

    ReplyDelete
  17. Is really nice and would appreciate thank you.

    ReplyDelete