Theaters in Taiwan

This ongoing project documents the many physical remnants and traces of the movie theater industry in Taiwan. The Taiwanese cinema industry blossomed in the late Japanese colonial era, exploded during the booming years of the Taiwan Economic Miracle, and went into sharp decline in the 1980s due to rising wages, the popularization of home video, and the development of modern cineplexes. Hundreds of traditional standalone theaters went out of business in recent decades, littering the urban landscapes of Taiwan with their derelict husks. Some effort has been undertaken to revive specific theaters but only a handful remain in operation, and that number decreases every year. Delve into these archives to read more about theaters past and present, whether fallen into ruin, vanished from the face of the earth, or still clinging to life.