The Current Cinema Debate

[GB72]

Firstly, this is not meant to be a political thread about government support (if it goes that way please shut it down)

We now have a classic chicken and egg situation. Cinemas need top new films to get people even thinking about coming back but film companies need a guaranteed audience before they release a big budget film. Only the most die hard fans are going to head to a cinema to see reruns.

The new bond film is copping the flack for this at the moment with cinema closures coming on the back of the latest delay but who is right. Disney seem to have avoided the flack for delaying black widow and putting Mulan on streaming. Film companies need cinemas for distribution and to make money in the future but seem unwilling to risk their latest releases not making maximum profit by releasing now.

Aside from the experience, streaming has not got it right yet. These big films that went to streaming are costing £20 or so for a rental assuming multiple people are watching but that is poor value for singles and couples

Are we looking at the potential end of cinema as we know it as few can survive until spring next year when the next big releases are being held back to.

May just be me but I find the whole dynamic interesting. 2 sections of an industry totally reliant on the other but one doing little to save the distribution network it totally relies on.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Really wanted to see Tenet but face masks in Cinemas? No thanks. The new Top Gun is due out soon, really excited to see how that gets ruined but with the restrictions in place I won’t be going. Best for me to wait till it’s on sky, or somebody uploads a copy on the net.

Streaming is the future. I’ve got a 4K tv that comes out the end of my bed and I can instantly watch whatever film I wish.
Just yesterday I wanted to watch Good Will Hunting as I’d not seen it in a while.
Rented it on sky for £3.49.

Days are numbered for sitting in a packed out screen hoping nobody sits next to you loudly scoffing and slurping overpriced food and drink.

 

[bobmac]

I was lying on the floor last night in my underwear watching Knives Out on a 60'' 4k screen, it was brilliant.
I don't think they'll let me back in Currys for a while.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I went to see Tenet, I love the cinema. If they had films to see, not re-runs, I'd be in most weeks right now. I'm hoping the mothballing approach of Cineworld saves them, Odeon I believe are going weekends only for most sites. They just have to find a way to get through this as the model works in normal times.

It may need studios to collaborate more with cinemas, they need each other and studios need to wake up to that.

When restrictions are lifted I think people will flood back. Watching a film at a cinema is an occasion, an experience. Watching one at home is not the same.

 

[Papas1982]

I went to see Tenet, I love the cinema. If they had films to see, not re-runs, I'd be in most weeks right now. I'm hoping the mothballing approach of Cineworld saves them, Odeon I believe are going weekends only for most sites. They just have to find a way to get through this as the model works in normal times.

It may need studios to collaborate more with cinemas, they need each other and studios need to wake up to that.

When restrictions are lifted I think people will flood back. Watching a film at a cinema is an occasion, an experience. Watching one at home is not the same.

This is the major stumbling block.
All the studios are extremely tough negotiators and don’t really believe they need the cinemas. Imo unless they start to struggle themselves, they will wait timrude the storm then negotiate even tougher deals as the cinemas have basically cracked first and admitted they can’t cope without them.

 

[Ethan]

You can't criticise the Bond studio for postponing. A release in November would have been a flop. The kids movie Artemis Fowl was released on Disney Plus rather than cinema, and as a result, the franchise has been killed. They simply can't recoup anything like the production costs, so the plans to do the other books in the series have been cancelled. Hamilton was due to get a cinema release and also need up on Disney Plus, but if things open up again, it can go back on the stage.

 

[GG26]

We now have a classic chicken and egg situation. Cinemas need top new films to get people even thinking about coming back but film companies need a guaranteed audience before they release a big budget film.

It’s not just the big budget films. A film has been made based on the story of the racehorse I had a share in called Dream Horse starring Damien Lewis and Toni Colette. It was originally due to be released on 17th April and got postponed to 4th September. That date came and went and now there is no planned release date.

Fortunately I got to see a screening through Sky VIP a couple of weeks prior to lockdown. It’s a film in the vein of Calendar Girls or The Full Monty, which would provide some fun light entertainment in the current climate.

 

[Ethan]

It’s not just the big budget films. A film has been made based on the story of the racehorse I had a share in called Dream Horse starring Damien Lewis and Toni Colette. It was originally due to be released on 17th April and got postponed to 4th September. That date came and went and now there is no planned release date.

Fortunately I got to see a screening through Sky VIP a couple of weeks prior to lockdown. It’s a film in the vein of Calendar Girls or The Full Monty, which would provide some fun light entertainment in the current climate.

So who takes their kit off, Damian Lewis or Toni Collette?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Major town centre development going up at the moment includes a 5 screen cinema. I’m thinking the basic infrastructure for it will already be in place. Maybe small local cinemas are a way ahead - where the audience is going to be primarily very local. Wondering what the developers take on the situation is.

 

[hovis]

Sitting in a packed room eating my £7 box of popcorn whilst sipping on my £5 bucket of coke? No thanks. I cant stand the cinema. Listening to people eating, chatting and having to move to let people out just isn't a good experience for me. Streaming was always going to be the death of the cinema. Covid just pressed the accelerator Down

 

[robinthehood]

Cinemas are great, who would want to watch interstellar on a tele when you could watch it in glorious Imax.

 

[GreiginFife]

We just bought a projector and 100" screen so no need for is to go to the cinema to get big screen experience. I can wait 6 months or so for a film to hit a PPV service and watch it from the comfort of my own couch.

 

[robinthehood]

We just bought a projector and 100" screen so no need for is to go to the cinema to get big screen experience. I can wait 6 months or so for a film to hit a PPV service and watch it from the comfort of my own couch.

Have you got the sound system to go with it? I have a large screen and 5.1 sound.
Imax is 22 x 16 metres, that's a big screen experience.

 

[hovis]

Have you got the sound system to go with it? I have a large screen and 5.1 sound.
Imax is 22 x 16 metres, that's a big screen experience.

I just don't need an "experience" to watch a film. My 50 inch does just fine.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As we do not want a TV screen to dominate any room of ours we have no interest in giant Home screens. Personally I think they are a bit absurd in the average uk room - besides being ludicrously expensive. And so if we want a full immersive experience we will look to go to the cinema.

That said we can’t stand the slurping and chomping that goes on - and the stink of such as hot dogs. Maybe some screens in our new local cinema should be ‘food free’.

 

[robinthehood]

As we do not want a TV screen to dominate any room of ours we have no interest in giant Home screens. Personally I think they are a bit absurd in the average uk room - besides being ludicrously expensive. And so if we want a full immersive experience we will look to go to the cinema. That said we can’t stand the slurping and chomping that goes on - and the stink of such as hot dogs. Maybe some screens in our new local cinema should be ‘food free’.

That's the thing, big teles are anything but absurdly expensive. Have look on richersounds, while some are many 000s you can also get a 75inch for under £900 . I'd agree some are way to big for the room they are in.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

So who takes their kit off, Damian Lewis or Toni Collette?

I'm hoping neither

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sitting in a packed room eating my £7 box of popcorn whilst sipping on my £5 bucket of coke? No thanks. I cant stand the cinema. Listening to people eating, chatting and having to move to let people out just isn't a good experience for me. Streaming was always going to be the death of the cinema. Covid just pressed the accelerator Down

Your aren't alone. I feel the same way to socially distance audiences is going to hugely reduce the numbers that can watch any particular screening so makes no sense. I get it's a popular past time (just not for me) and hopefully the cinemas can find a way to stay alive until we can find a better solution or business model to take into account Covid

 

[Lord Tyrion]

This is the major stumbling block.
All the studios are extremely tough negotiators and don’t really believe they need the cinemas. Imo unless they start to struggle themselves, they will wait timrude the storm then negotiate even tougher deals as the cinemas have basically cracked first and admitted they can’t cope without them.

That is a depressing post. I'm sure you are right, it just does not bode well going forwards.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

TV was going to kill off cinema
Video was going to kill off cinema
DVD was going to kill off cinema
Blu Ray was going to kill off cinema

Streaming is now the latest to kill off cinema

Cinema is going pretty strong, up until now, and will keep going afterwards. People like to leave the house.