Long before the days of Shaw House, there was the old Lido Cinema, home to all James Bond film premieres in Singapore. 64 years after the release of Dr. No, the first entry in the beloved spy franchise, Shaw Theatres Lido is bringing it back to the silver screen as part of the James Bond Film Festival, celebrating the most iconic character in movie history.
The limited screenings will be held at Lumiere Grand, which replaces the former Lido Hall 1, in 4K on 28 March, 8.30pm, and 29 March, 6.50pm SGT (GMT+8). Tickets go on sale from 27 February, 12pm, with the Classic Seat and Recliner Seat priced at S$30 and S$35, respectively. Each ticket also comes with a complimentary S$7 MovieBites credit, valid for same-day use.
Following that, the event is set to showcase a curated selection of other James Bond classics, including 1963’s From Russia with Love, Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967). Further information, such as their individual screening dates, is expected in due time.
Released in 1962 and starring Sean Connery as Bond, Dr. No follows the MI6 agent as he investigates the disappearance of a fellow British agent in Jamaica, and ends up in the underground base of Dr No, who is plotting to disrupt an early American space launch from Cape Canaveral with a radio beam weapon. While the first of Ian Fleming’s novels to be adapted into a film, it was the sixth literary instalment overall.
The franchise has since expanded into 25 main titles (minus 1967’s Casino Royale and 1983’s Never Say Never Again), with various actors stepping into the 007 role over the years. Daniel Craig is the latest, and the ongoing search for his successor has been narrowed to three candidates: Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
Yonk
