Avoid mall movies at these indie screening rooms

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Read the following story by Eric E Surbano from Bangkok Post’s Guru Magazine. Then, answer the questions that follow.

After another semi-lockdown that forced cinemas to close, we can finally enjoy a proper movie-going experience again. Though it's easy to go to the nearest mall to see a film, we're spotlighting indie places that offer a different experience.


DOC CLUB & PUB
Woof Pack Building, Sala Daeng 1 Alley

One of the saddest closures caused by the pandemic was Bangkok Screening Room. For years, the indie cinema showed the lesser-known non-blockbuster films from all across the globe. Fortunately, someone has taken over the very same space to put up another indie movie house. Doc Club & Pub screens a number of great films that may not be popular commercially. They also serve a selection of food and drinks.

HOUSE SAMYAN
Samyan Mitrtown, Rama IV Road

House RCA was one of the very first indie cinemas in Bangkok. Now part of the mall complex, Samyan Mitrtown, the re-named House Samyan resumed its service of giving Bangkokians another place to enjoy films aside from the commercial choices. Guests also have the option to purchase a lifetime membership for only B500, which gives you perks like a discount on tickets, access to member-only events and some gifts like a tote bag and T-shirts.

LIDO CONNECT
Rama I Road

Along with the nearby Scala, the Lido Theater was one of the choices for moviegoers back when names like Major and SFX weren't around yet. Lido carries with it a lot of history having been built in 1968 and when it announced its closure in 2018, it made clear that the cinema would close for good. Fast forward a year later and the revamped Lido Connect opened, retaining some of its classic charm though clearly having a fresh new look. To many people's surprise, one of its cinemas remained in operation.

RCB FILM CLUB
River City Bangkok, Charoen Krung 24

RCB Film Club would hold monthly screenings that would showcase films from all over the world. It was a great way to get a glimpse into other cultures and be captivated by the storytelling of different filmmakers rather than just going for the easy blockbuster flick. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, they had to stop. But with restrictions being lifted, they've let us know that the RCB Film Club will resume this November.

THAI FILM ARCHIVE
Phutthamonthon sai 5

The National Film Archive was established in 1984 and was only restructured as a public organisation and renamed the Film Archive in 2009. They're reopening three exhibitions every day except Mondays. But aside from their exhibitions, they're also resuming the screening of films. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm until the end of the month, they'll be showing a number of classic Thai films that cover many different genres.



Section 1: Write the correct answer in the space provided.
1. Which cinema took over a previously closed cinema? …………….
2. How long does a House Samyan B500 membership last? …………….
3. How long was the Lido Theater open for? …………….
4. What time are films shown at the Thai Film Archive? …………….
5. When did Lido Connect open?…………..
6. Which cinema showed movies once a month? …………….

Section 2: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
The Prince Theatre Heritage Stay is a boutique hotel that was …7… one of the earliest movie houses in the city, …8… back to 1917. It would be present for the …9… of film from silent movies to the …10… of films with sound.

7. __A. actually             __B. finally                __C. suddenly
8. __A. dated                 __B. dating              __C. dates
9. __A. evolve            __B. evolving           __C. evolution
10. __A. introduction        __B. introduced                __C. introduce
       
Section 3: Find words that match the following definitions.
11. describing a film or music company that is not linked with a large company ……………
12. successful and making a lot of money, especially by being popular ……………
13. made changes to something in order to try and improve it ……………
14. a special quality something has that makes people like it …………


Answers: 1. Doc Club & Pub. 2. a lifetime. 3. 50 years. 4. 2pm. 5. 2019. 6. RCB Film Club. 7. a. 8. b. 9. c. 10. a. 11. indie. 12. commercial. 13. revamped. 14. charm.