Celluloid Junkie » Patrick von Sychowski

Cinedigm Year-End Figures Shows Company Treading Water

June 17, 2009

Cinedigm has published its Q4 and year-end financial figures for fiscal 2009, which make for interesting reading, given that the company is the only* publicly listed third-party digital cinema operator. The good news is that the company is treading water, not drowning. The bad news is that it does so in a sea of red ink. Let’s take a closer look at the number and highlight some of the key statements in the company’s press release.

You know that the company has little to write home about when it starts off its list of achievements with the re-branding of the company from AccessIT to Cinedigm, instead of talknig about the number of screens converted, as CEO Bud Mayo does:

“The past year has been tremendously exciting for Cinedigm. Not only did we rebrand the company, but we also brought ground-breaking events to consumers and fans of college football and the NBA in the fourth quarter.”

He then goes on to acknowledge that it is a cold financial wind blowing out there, but trusts the resilience of the exhibition industry and 3D to carry the business through. So how bad are the economic conditions and what has the impact been for the company’s bottom line? First of all, let’s do way with Cinedigm’s EBITDA and the likes. Any CFO with half a brain these days will tell you, revenue is vanity, profit is sanity and cash is king, so the fact that Cinedigm’s revenue is up three per cent is of little consequence in the larger scheme of things.

Encouragingly operating losses decreased from $5.9m to $4.9m for FY09 compared to FY08, according to Cinedigm, due to “increased revenues and reduced direct operating expenses and SG&A, offset by an impairment charge and increased depreciation.” Similarly losses decreased for Q4 from $2.4m to $2.0m. But look more closely at the P&L figures lower down, particularly for the last three months. you will see that net loss was improved by $1,889,000. However, this is more than explained by the difference in interest payments of $2,378,000, which is half a million more than the difference in profit and loss for the the last three month. So the depressed interest rates is what is helping Cinedigm, rather than any management miracles.

There are also some worrying admissions that point to financial challenges in the months ahead:

Fiscal 2009 fourth quarter revenue decreased by 18%, to $17.9 million from $21.9 million in the comparable year-ago period primarily due to a contracted 16% step-down in VPF rates and seasonally fewer titles and prints in the quarter. This contracted step-down in VPF rates charged to the major studios will stabilize with just one more contracted reduction of 7% in the third quarter of fiscal 2012.

So the good news is that there will only be one more cut in the VPF rate, the bad news is that there should be any cut in the VPF rate in the first place. Remember that AccessIT (as it was then still called) got the best VPF rates that any company will ever get from the Hollywood studios in Phase 1 of its deployment - which mainly helped kit out troubled exhibitor Carmike - with VPFs currently being much lower.

It is well known that there are penalty clauses in VPF payments for entities that don’t meet their target number of screens (hello, Arts Alliance and XDC!), but that there should be automatic VPF fee cuts for entitites that came very close to meeting their full target, s AccessIT did in Phase 1, is troubling. And where does Cinedigm stand with regards to deployment for Phase 2? Mayo again:

“We are optimistic about our intensifying efforts to secure financing for Phase 2 installations through third party lenders as well as our exhibitor and vendor partners which will generate ongoing fees and other key revenue streams for Cinedigm. To date we have installed 139 Phase 2 screens and approximately 3,900 screens in total.”

139 screens is a drop in the ocean, or just over one per cent, of the planned 10,000 screens for Phase 2. Don’t expect Cinedigm to be collecting much in the way of the anyways reduced VPF for these screens. Cinedigm aknowledges as much when it goes on to state that “All comments regarding fiscal year 2010 do not assume a large Phase 2 deployment or a large rollout by other entities, including DCIP, although the Company expects both to occur.” Though to be brutally honest, the likelihood of the latter is greater than the former.

Instead Cinedigm is pinning its hopes to a growth in DMS (digital media services) division revenue, cushioned by steady income (minus another VPF rate cut) from Phase 1. The strategy is thus to keep treading water, hope for the financial climate to improve. At leasthe amended credit facility with GM should ensure that no sharks will be circling just yet.

The situation is unlikely to be much better for the likes of AAM and XDC, though because they are not publicly listed companies, there is no way of knowing whether they are swimming, sinking or treading water nearby, waiting for rescue in the form of radically improved financial climate and/or a buy-out.

*(Companies like Dolby and Kodak are also engaged in third party deployment, but it is not their primary business, unlike Cinedigm, which we group with Arts Alliance Media and XDC)

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Cinema News Roundup - 10 June 2009 - Lies, damn lies and Cinedigm ‘first-ever’ claims

By Patrick von Sychowski

June 11, 2009

- Cinedigm is making a big deal out holding a live Q and A for a film, which, contrary to what it claims, has been done many times before. From the press release, “Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM) announced today that it will host the first-ever [original emphasis], live virtual Q&A between a film cast and theatre audiences nationwide as a part of the June 19, 2009 opening night of the feature film “The Narrows.” The live Q&A will be simulcast to selected theatres across the country giving audiences direct access to the movie’s cast members. Reuters adds. “Moviegoers in 17 U.S. cities will be able text-message questions to the cast of independent movie, “The Narrows,” and watch the actors answer on screen in theaters, giving Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp a trial by fire in how to get moviegoers more involved in the cinema experience.” This was tried five years ago by Arts Alliance in the UK for M Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Village”, but more significantly, was done on a regular basis way back in the mid 90s by Network Event Theatres. So not quite “first.” Not even close;

- Indian e-cinema operator InterWorld Digital has raised $10m from institutional investors to expand its network. From BoC, “Interworld Digital has identified 300 theatres in the Mumbai circuit to bring them into its digital cinema network. The company would require approximately Rs 450 million (Rs 45 crores) to digitise these 300 theatres.During the last one year, Interworld Digital has digitised 52 theatres in the Mumbai circuit like Eros, New Empire, Paradise and Jaya amongst others. A total investment of approximately Rs 12 - 15 lakhs is required to upgrade each theatre. ” At $24-30,000 per theatre this is most likely not going to be 2K, but India is already ho,e to the world’s largest e-cinema networks, so it doesn’t really need Hollywood;

- Terrorist attacks are sadly becoming all too common place in Pakistan and cinemas are collateral victims too. From Daily Times, “There were two cinemas in the city [Lahore] that suffered from terror attacks. The FIA blast completely destroyed the Regal Cinema, located a few yards away from the office. The cinema has stopped screening movies since the FIA blast on March 11, 2008. The May 27 attack on the Rescue 15 building has left the Plaza Cinema in a state of despair. The roof was badly damaged and expensive equipment was destroyed due to the blast while the doors and widows were also shattered.” No compensation is forthcoming from the government. Note the poster for “Die Hard 4″ in the picture of Plaza cinema;

- India’s BIG Cinemas will be the first* in the country to screen operas in digital on the big screen. From ET, “BIG Cinemas, an R-ADAG company, has forged an alliance with London-based More2Screen to bring Italian operas to Indian cinemas. Big has entered into a revenue-sharing arrangement with More2Screen, which will involve screening two operas and a concert…. According to Tushar Dhingra, COO, Big Cinemas, the objective has been to provide distinct content.” Opera in cinemas have been a great success in US, Europe and Japan, but India with its very different musical heritage will be an interesting test, not to say ‘trial by fire.’ Full disclosure: I was involved in setting this event up;

*(’first’ in the sense of no one else in India having done this before. Ever.)

- Carmike Cinemas has appointed its current chairman S. David Passman III to the post of President and CEO, with board member Roland C. Smith taking over as Chairman of the Board. Smith is quoted in the press release as saying, “”We are optimistic about our future prospects under David’s management based on Carmike’s industry leadership in digital cinema and 3D cinema deployments. The Company has achieved significant operating, financial and balance sheet improvements including increases in total attendance and average attendance per screen.” They certainly can’t do any worse than under previous Chairman Michael Patrick who was given a $5.5m golden parachute for leaving the company after helping Carmike achieve a $127m loss in 2007;

- Box office prospects are strong in China, according to THR.com. “China produced 406 feature films in 2008 and saw its boxoffice jump 30%, the fifth consecutive year of more than 25% growth….In its annual report on the nation’s media industry progress, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television said overall 2008 boxoffice receipts reached 4.3 billion yuan ($635 million), led by such companies as the state-run China Film Group, Huayi Brothers Pictures, the Shanghai Film Group and the New Picture Co.” Despite restricting Hollywood releases to just 20 titles per year, it features in the global Top 25 - pity that the studios get just 13 cents out of every dollar equivelant spent at the box office;
logo_capcinema - Having lost the CGR deal to Christie, Barco has clawed its way bck into France through a joint deal with Ymagis and Cinemeccanica for French exhibitor Cap Cinéma. From the press release, “Cap Cinéma selected Barco’s DP series of projectors for its digital conversion, powered by financing from Ymagis. During the first deployment phase, running until September 2009, theaters in Blois, Saint-Quentin, Périgeux, Agen, Carcassonne, Montauban, Beaune and Fribourg will be digitized. Rollout for other complexes will start in October 2009.” This deals also highlights the fact that having been one of the laggards in the European conversion process (”Numerique? Non!”) for many years, France is emerging as one of the leading territories in terms of digital conversion, which as a recent Screen Digest report notes, has lead to an upswing in terms of local French digital releases (0 in 2006, 12 in 2007 and 15 in 2008);

- ‘Ultra-Lux Plaza Cinema Cafe 12 Theatres Open up in Downtown Orlando‘ and based on the description, the cinema real does seem to be ‘ultra’lux’. “The 57,000 square foot theater will be operated by the American Theater Corporation founded by proprietor Jim Duffy. This upscale state of the art cinema features digital surround sound on all 12 screens. The two largest screens are digital high definition projection systems capable of 3-D movies, a first for Central Florida. There are over 1,100 leather rocker seats in a stadium configuration with 10-inch tables and ample legroom. Concessions range from traditional candy and popcorn to a full menu of pizza, sandwiches, and appetizers from cheese platters to caviar. Beer, wine and champagne will be served throughout the theater as well as in two wine bars.” WESH reports that “Theater owners hope patrons will not only catch a flick, but they hope to bring back the dinner and a movie concept. Orlando’s first downtown movie theater in decades is expected to be an economic shot in the arm to local businesses.” Let’s also hope that it starts a trend for more down-town & high-end multiplexes world wide. Interestingly enough the multiplex was paid for by Orland’s tax payers, as a means of urban re-generation;

- Imax has announced an IPO of 9.8m shares, just as share holders have woken up to the fact that “Harry Potter 6″ will be arriving two weeks late on the sometimes-giant screen, THR.com points out. “Shares of Imax dropped 4% on Monday to $7.31 after a Wall Street analyst said the delay “should negatively impact Imax boxoffice results.” “Prince” opens wide July 14. Although it opens on two Imax screens that day — one in New York and one in Los Angeles — it won’t get the wide Imax treatment until July 29.” Imax screen are mostly booked up with “Transformers 2″ when “Potter 6″ arrives. But with Imax under fire for its shrinking screen sizes, exhibitors like Cinemark and Greater Union are introducing Imax-like theatres (called, respectively, Cinemark XD and Vmax), says WSJ (subscription required). Perhaps it’s time for Imax itself to launch ‘Imax-lite’ - just like Imax, only fewer storeys;

- Washington DC’s Screen on the Green outdoor cinema is back, says the Washington Post. “HBO, Comcast and the Trust for the National Mall will now jointly bankroll the series’ 10th year on the Mall this July and August, after fans sent hundreds of e-mails to complain and beg for its salvation.” It is no small irony that a cable television company and the by-word for watching movies at home will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for people to leave their homes and watch movies with mosquitos. July 20th is the kick-off date;

hoxton1

- And finally, moddish British pop singer Jarvis Cocker is annoyed that one of east London’s oldest cinemas is being renovated next to his Hoxton home. From NME, “Calling the development a “big ugly lump”, Cocker launched into a tirade while talking about the situation to the Hackney Gazette. “I don’t want office workers to see me parading in my pyjamas,” he stated.” Neither do we, Jarvis, neither do we. But you’re not getting in the way of my very own beautiful local art deco cinema getting re-built, you prat.

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Cinema News Roundup - 29-30 May

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 30, 2009

-Thinking of searching your cinema patrons bags for camcorders? You could end up like a somewhat indiscreet Canadian cinema owner who was ordered to pay C$10,000 in damages to a woman and her daughter for violating their privacy. From CTV.ca, “Security guards didn’t find any video equipment in the family’s bags, but did turn up a large selection of snack food, which they asked the family to take back to their vehicle, Lurie said. “They did so willingly. But they continued the search of the bags and while searching they also uncovered some birth control pills belonging to the older daughter,” Lurie said.” Needless to say, this proved a bit of a surprise to the mother, who promptly sued Cinemas Guzzo in Montreal. Mr Guzzo, VP of the cinema says searches of patrtons bags will continue, but “I don’t want to put my hands in your bag. In fact, leave the bags in the car.“”;

- BECTU, UK’s Media and Entertainment labour union, has launched a study of how the future will impact cinema technicians. The unions website lists a set of ‘Future challenges’:

* How will an increase in digital projection affect projectionist roles?
* What new skills challenges do staff face?
* Is there room for new skills to be developed alongside the current skillset?
* Are significant job losses a necessary consequence of digital projection?
* How will digitisation affect career development?

These are important questions and it is good to see BECTU taking this up at an early stage. Hopefully in addition to the Cinema Exhibitors Association and to the BKSTS, BECTU will also co-ordinating it with other public efforts in the UK, such as those of Skillset, in the digital field;

- NEC is touting its new high brightness projector ahead of this weekend’s US release of Pixar’s “Up.” The NEC NC2500S-A 2K digital cinema projector will be used at New York’s Ziegfeld Theatre, according to the press release, which goes on to say that it, “allows 3D content to utilize the full 2K resolution of the 1.2” DMD from Texas Instruments using triple flash technology for smooth motion. With an increase in resolution and brightness of up to 33 percent, compared to previous generations, the boost in performance means a greater viewing experience for theatergoers.” NEC is offering this upgrade “free” to all pre-existing customers, presumably meaning that they will swap out older projectors.. NEC wishes to make it clear that it is NOT offering this upgrade “free” and that it is a parts upgrade, not a complete swap of the projector;

- Active 3D eye-wear company XpanD is supplying its glasses to Spanish exhibitor Yelmo. From the press release, “Yelmo Cines, which has a prominent presence with 370 screens and growing, a driving annual attendance over 12 million and a leading position, will continue to help drive the digital expansion by installing 29 XpanD 3D screens in 2009, six which are already operating.” Technically, XpanD is not installing ’screens’ as you can move the glasses and IR transmitters between any auditoriums in a multiplex. Interestingly no mention of Arts Alliance, who had previously trumpeted how they were helping expand Yelmo’s digital capabilities for 3D. What’s the Spanish word for ungratefull?;

- Despite the economic downturn in Gulf state cities like Dubai, the multiplex boom continues according to Khaleeji Times. “Watching movies is going to get a lot better with The Dubai Mall all set to open the Reel Cinemas, one of UAE’s largest cinema complexes featuring 22 screens and a seating capacity for 2,800 people. The highlight of the cineplex is the introduction of the Hollywood Chic design concept, which ensures a modern ?cinema experience.” It will also feature the first dedicated art-house halls in a Dubai multiplex, called Platinum Movie Suites. The company is a joint venture established between Cathay Organisation Singapore and Emaar Malls Group Dubai in 2007;

- Possibly stung by the decision of AMC and Regal Cinema to go with Sony’s 4K projectors, Christie Digital has put out a press release announcing that “Independent exhibitors continue to embrace proven Christie DLP Cinema® projectors.” Upon closer reading the press release turns out to be about Christie’s work with dealers and re-sellers for the 2K projectors to offer “more customizable programs that provide marketing and sales support, technical advice and expertise, maintain spare parts inventory, and deliver a streamlined RMA process which resolves issues quickly and speeds up the advanced warranty replacement process.” It then goes on to list several testimonials. All true and important, but no doubt Christie would have preferred to put out a press release with the name ‘Regal’ or ‘AMC’ in it, rather than ‘Classic Cinemas’ and ‘Essex Cinemas’, fine independent exhibitors though these may be;

- Growth in 3D and large format (LF) cinemas is what is driving Ballantyne of Omaha’s expansion of its cinema screen manufacturing capacity at its Canadian Strong/MDI Screen Systems subsidiary, according to this press release. “The expansion effort, which began in the latter half of 2008 and will continue through 2009, is focused on expanding plant capacity and productivity, as well as improving production methods to further enhance screen quality.” The expansion wil tripple capacity. It goes without saying that it is great news in these tough times to see an industry and company expanding instead of laying of people or asking for bail outs;

- AMC is raising $300m worth of capital to help pay for $250m worth of debt, according to this announcement. “AMC Entertainment Inc. (”AMC” or the “Company”) announced today that it is proposing to issue $300 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2019 (the “Notes”) in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Company intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from this private offering to purchase the Company’s outstanding $250 million aggregate principal amount of 8?% Senior Notes due 2012 (the “2012 Notes”)” The difference of $50m will be used for ‘other general corporate purposes‘;

- Two historic cinema buildings in Scotland’s two principal cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, face demolition. The razing of Clerk Street’s Odeon Cinema (pictures right) has been given the go ahead by Edinburgh’s City Council, but “Proposals to demolish the auditorium of an historic cinema in Edinburgh are “not justified”, according to a report commissioned by Historic Scotland,” reports BBC News. Meanwhile, The Scotsman reports that, “a historic former cinema in Glasgow is facing demolition after fire ripped through it in the early hours of yesterday morning…The Coliseum had fallen into disrepair and was on the Register for Scotland Buildings at Risk list. Originally a theatre, it opened in 1905 and was based on the now demolished Ardwick Empire in Manchester, and seated almost 3,000 people.” It was the first cinema in Glasgow to show ‘talking pictures’, but like all-too-many UK cinemas only survived as a bingo hall in its last 15 yearts of existance.

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Cinema News Roundup - 29 May 2009 - Indian theme day

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 29, 2009

- The stand-off between Indian multiplexes and Bollywood distributors appears to be close to being resolved, according to several news sources. TOI says, “Evidently, it was the producers who first blinked. An industry insider said, “The final settlement reads 50 per cent in the first week, 42.5 per cent in the second week and 35 per cent revenue in the third week for the producer of all films.”" With films taking an average four weeks to launch, don’t expect a Bollywood title next weekend, and while Hollywood has turned the tap back on for its titles, Sony Pictures’ “Angels and Demons” won’t be showing in Indian multiplexes this weekend, playing only in single screens. According to Businessofcinema.com, “sources inform that Sony is quoting revenue sharing terms of 55:45 (Sony:multiplexes), 50:50, 45:55 and 40:60 for the first four weeks to national multiplex chains. “The terms quoted by Sony are not viable and acceptable in the current scenario. As of today, we have not yet signed up with Sony for Angels & Demons,” said a multiplex officer, on condition of anonymity.” For past big Hollywood titles the split was 52:48 first week, but multiplex owners appear to balk at 55:45 for a heavily censored Tom Hanks running around a replica Vatican;

- The end to the Bollywood stand-off will come too late for some, with victims of the impasse to be found on the other side of the globe. The New York Times highlights how ‘A Dispute Half a World Away Darkens a Movie House in Queens’ as the Eagle Cinema (pictures above) in the New York borough went dark for lack of Masala movies. “In Mumbai, India, a seven-week-old strike by film producers has brought Bollywood, that country’s multibillion-dollar film industry, to a halt. The Eagle specializes in first-run Bollywood movies, and without a supply of new films, theaters like it around the world have had to screen old ones, dip into the pricier Hollywood and European film catalogs — or shut down. “You get more frustrated when you have no say in it,” said Mohammad Asif, a Pakistani businessman who helps to manage the 500-seat Eagle, nestled in the heart of a neighborhood thick with immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and shops selling products from South Asia. “We’re not part of their problem, but we’re affected.“” Worse then the strike, overseas Bollywood theatres are hurt by piracy, with pirated Bollywood films sold openly in Indian corner shops in a way that they would never get away with if they were selling Hollywood copies;

golf-glen

- But piracy is not deterring Indian film and cinema major Adlabs, whose BIG Cinemas is opening a deluxe five-screen multiplex in Chicago this weekend. This is the first re-built-from-scratch cinema that BIG Cinemas has opened in US, having bought 170+ screens from other operator. From Business Standard, “The multiplex, Big Cinemas-Golf Glen, is located in Niles, Chicago. It will have five screens and a premium lounge. The facility will be digitally connected to Adlabs India, enabling the films to be transferred on fibre optic cable within four to six hours instead of using physical films, a statement issued by the company said.” The cinema will be showing free movies and there’s an opening party with over 1,000 invitees. (Full disclosure: I work for Adlabs, but sadly didn’t get invited for the opening. <sniff>);

- Establishing a foot-hold in Europe, Adlabs has also signed a ground breaking deal with Pathe Cinemas to expand the reach of Bollywood in The Netherlands. From ET, “In the Netherlands, the company will roll out three Big Cinemas screens in Pathé Theaters’ existing megaplexes in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hague. “Pathé is a perfect fit in our global strategy to bring Indian movies to Europe and other continents. Starting with the Netherlands, we will explore other countries in Europe,” says Anil Arjun, CEO of Adlabs Films.” With some 700,000 Bollywood fans (of Indian, Pakistani, Afghani, Turkish and Moroccan origin) living in Holland, this market seems ripe for exploitation. (Disclaimer again: I still work for Adlabs, but can take no credit for this deal);

- But while Adlabs is going overseas for cinemas, overseas exhibitors are going to India to open screens. Mexican exhibition giant Cinepolis has designs on the Indian multiplex market . THR.com took notice, “Mexican multiplex major Cinepolis will become the first international theatrical player to foray into India with plans to invest about ($78.45 million) to launch 110 screens across eight cities over the next three years to start with. New Delhi-based Cinepolis India country head Milan Saini said Friday that the first property will open in the second half of this year.” Cinepolis plans to make India its largest market outside Mexico. Nachos with paneer masala dip anyone?

- Cinepolis might be encouraged by the fact that bad quarterly figures were posted by both Inox (down eight per cent) and Cinemax (down 56 per cent), shares in Indian multiplex operators have been up recently. From Businessofcinema.com, “Despite low occupancy levels due to the strike and IPL, multiplex companies’ stock prices have been up between 25 - 70 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). While Inox Leisure’s stock price has been up 69.1 per cent in the last one month from Rs 33.50 to Rs 56.65; Adlabs Films, which operates BIG Cinemas, has seen a 44.71 per cent rise in share price from Rs 236.10 a month back to Rs 341.65 currently. On the other hand, PVR stock price has also seen a rise of 44.23 per cent over the last one month and the stock is quoting at Rs 123.75 currently from Rs 85.80 a month back. Cinemax India witnessed a rise of 38.05 per cent in its stock price from Rs 46.65 to Rs 64.40; whereas Fame India’s stock has been up 25.49 per cent from Rs 12.67 to Rs 15.90.” Don’t buy tickets at the box office - buy shares in the cinemas themselves! (Disclaimer: CelluloidJunkie’s frivolous comments should NEVER be mistaken for sound stock investment advice. Ever.);

- But the stock market surge will not save the fortunes of Mumbai’s decaying single-screen cinemas. From livemint.com, “Along with Regal, New Empire, Eros and New Excelsior cinemas, Liberty constitutes the remainder of Mumbai’s Art Deco cinemas, which dominated the cinema-going scene from their inception in the mid-1930s onwards. But now, faced with hurdles, including a dearth of new releases, as well as hefty entertainment taxes and competition from multiplexes, the survival of these structures, characterized by their geometrical shapes and vibrant colours, is hanging in the balance.” Perhaps one of them will get bought up by Cinepolis and converted to a multiplex, as Adlabs did with Metro cinema. Do your bit for these masterpieces of picturehouse architecture and watch “Angels and Demons” there this weekend.

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Daily Cinema Roundup - Wed 13 May - “Going forward it will look different after the 3D screens are in place.”

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 13, 2009

Say hello to my little 8K friend!

- For those that decry Imax Digital’s 2×2K imaging technology, perhaps we can interest you in JVC’s new 8K projector? (pictured above) From CrunchGear, “8K content is pretty much…impossible to find right now. Unless you were to make a motion-JPEG movie out of full-size shots from a Hasselblad, I don’t think 8K is even approaching necessary. Fortunately, it also supports 4K (and why shouldn’t it?), a more reachable standard and one at which hi-def cinema cameras are actually shooting.” At 10,000 lumens, it won’t even make a proper size Imax screen blush, but it would do justice to a fully scanned Imax film frame (69.6 mm x 48.5 mm), so you could watch the action set pieces from “The Dark Knight” at home, just as Messrs Noland and Pfister intended them to be seen;

- National CineMedia Q1 2009 Earnings Call Transcript has been posted online courtesy of Seekingalpha. It’s been a good quarter for NCM with revenue up 17 per cent. “The improving reach of our networks, especially in the larger DMAs, is continuing to aid our strategy to broaden our client base. Several new clients are buying our network for the first time in 2009, including clients in the retail, import auto, broadcast TV, cable TV, and restaurant categories. I was most encouraged by the fact that several clients who had previously bought Screen Vision exclusively began to buy our network.” Which leads us to conclude that Screenvision’s Q1 was probably not as good;

- HBO will not be sponsoring Washington DC’s Screen of The Green, ending the outdoor summer cinema tradition after nine years, according to the Washington Post. “Ah, memories. The persistent bugs, the hateful humidity, the evening thunderstorms rumbling in the distance, the veggie plates and the contraband alcohol — Screen on the Green allowed us to experience all the hallmarks of a summer in D.C. at once, with a classic film unspooling on a giant screen on the grassy expanse between Fourth and Seventh streets NW. It was fine viewing on prime real estate.” There is a Facebook group to save the Screen on the Green event, but unless a new big sponsor is found, don’t expect President Obama to dig into the TARP funding to rescue this tradition. Other outdoor screening continue, though, in the suburbs, “Rosslyn is running movies from the ’80s every Friday through September at Gateway Park near the Key Bridge. Crystal City is doing the same thing with superhero movies. Other outdoor festivals are hosted in Bethesda, Rockville and elsewhere in Arlington.” As far as cheap or even free cinema entertainment goes, outdoor screenings are hard to beat, particularly in these tight financial days;

- The hunt is on for the Norwegian projectionist believed responsible for camcording and uploading a recent local hit Max Manus, according to Screen International. “The film was released on 103 prints but was illegal copies were made available online shortly afterwards. Filmkameratene tried to trace their origin from the so called ’water marks,’ different signals on each film copy which are not visible to the audiences, but readable to computers. The result has not been reported.” It sounds like the copy was made off a digital cinema screening, though it could also be the more primitive cap coding on 35mm prints. We will try to track this one;

- While box office taking are good, US exhibitors like Regal Cinemas are still having to scale back their growth plans because of the tighter credit climate, according to Reuters. “But plans to build 10 to 12 new theaters per year have been tempered by the ability of shopping center owners to move forward with projects, Campbell said. Regal expects building to be slowed to five to six theaters per year for the next three to five years, he said. The company’s participation in Digital Conversion Implementation Partners — a partnership with the No. 2 and No. 3 U.S. theater chains aimed at converting screens to digital and 3D projection systems — also had been slowed in the financing stage.” Regal is expecting growth to continue at four to five per cent for the next five years, but that is without calculating the added growth from 3D, which they say is “harder to project” (no pun intended). Quote in headline from new CEO Amy miles;

- More signs of the recession, UK’s Vue is putting on free film screenings, The Times tells us. Just don’t expect “Star Trek”. Instead Metrodome is providing some…interesting…choices. “First up, on May 15th, One Eyed Monster. What sounds like a classic piece of schlockeroo starring adult film legends Ron Jeremy & Veronica Hart with”Buffy The Vampire Slayer” pin-up Amber Benson. Expect slimy alien creatures and unwise costume choices from an array of screaming starlets. And, most importantly, expect it for free.” The participating cinemas are: Vue West End, Vue Cambridge, Vue Edinburgh Omni, Vue Manchester Lowry and Vue Bristol Cribbs Causeway and you can get a ticket by e-mailing creditcrunch@metrodomegroup.com. Bless;

- THR.com uses the Cannes premier of Pixar’s “Up” as a jump off point for two in-depth articles about 3D in general and in Europe in particular: ‘Who’ll pay for 3-D glasses? Exhibitors, studios squabble over who should foot the bill‘ and ‘3-D accelerates as ‘Up’ opens Cannes - Film’s exposure at the fest could give 3-D an international push.’ Both articles are well worth reading and we particularly like Chris Morris’ illustration of what the black tie screening might look like (right), though perhaps XpanD as one of the sponsors and technology providers of the event might want to have a word with him for drawing anaglyph red-and-blue glasses instead of the Nuvision active glasses. We hope to bring you a picture of Co-Editor Sperling on site with glasses for comparison. Possibly even a report on the event if he can tear himself away from the Cannes parties. Follow him on Twitter here, where he reports: “The press in Cannes loved Pxar’s “Up”. Many in the press screening audience were all teary eyed at the end.“;

- Slight relief for Indian multiplexes (and cinema goers) as Bollywood film “99″ opens this Friday in defiance of the Distributor-Exhibitor stand-off, while Sony Pictures is going ahead with the release of “angels & Demons” on 29th of May. But two films don’t make a box office summer and the dispute remains unresolved.

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Daily Cinema Roundup - Tuesday 12 May - “Hollywood is providing people with some pretty sweet two-hour vacations.”

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 12, 2009

- The backlash against IMAX Digital appears to have begun in earnest with a Slashfilm blog post titled ‘Why You Probably Shouldn’t Waste $5 More For Digital IMAX‘. Imax gets taken up for the shrinking screen size (see comparison above), as well as the resolution of the new projectors. “Not only are the IMAX Digital screens much smaller in size, but also a much lower resolution. IMAX digital currently uses two 2K-resolution Christie projectors
to project two 2K images over each other, producing an image that is potentially of a slightly higher resolution than common 2K digital cinema. But with AMC installing Sony 4K digital cinema projection systems in all 309 theaters and 4,628 screens by 2012, why would anyone want to pay $5 more for a lower resolution theatrical experience?” A knowledgeable industry insider told me at this year’s ShoWest that he was surprised that the audience hadn’t cottoned on to what he termed a ‘con trick’. Looks like they might do;

- There are a lot of Iron Maiden fans around the world, is the conclusion we draw from the announcement about the large number of people who went to see the aging rockers in ‘Iron Maiden: Flight 666‘. From the press release, “70% of the total admissions, which exceeded 100,000, were from one-day-only special event screenings, day and date, on April 21st. The feature length film, released exclusively on digital prints, has achieved the distinction of being the biggest ever worldwide simultaneous release of a documentary film.” In case you were wondering, “Flight 666 won the audience award for Best Music Documentary at the recent South by South West festival.” Rock on;

- Celebration Cinemas is getting it’s third generation of Loek’s running the Michigan based exhibitor. 32-year old J.D. Loek seems a pretty progressive sort of chap, based on the interview inMLive.com. “Two years ago, J.D. Loeks, then chief operating officer, led the company to adopt digital projection technology. The $14 million project expanded the options for the Loeks chain of movie theaters. “With film projectors, the only thing you can put on our screen is film stock,” Loeks said… “With digital, you not only have better movies, but you can put anything on the screen, including live TV broadcasts, anything on satellite, or anything on a computer screen.” Young Master Loek has his eyes squarely on what the technology could do for the exhibitor’s bottom line. “The technology brought opportunity to theaters with plenty of seating for large groups. “It’s redefining what we can do in our facilities,” Loeks said. “We’re doing catering, banquets, sports events, business meetings, non-profit fund-raisers. We’re in a period of rebranding right now.” The non-movie events have grown from 1 percent of the company’s income heading to 10 percent over the next year or two.” The quote in today’s headline is from JD;

- Want to know how to be a recessionista cinema goer in Korea? The Korea Herald has some good suggestions. “Even for just the price of a cup of coffee you can see some of the newest releases in Seoul. At small theaters in your area and even larger chain megaplexes in Seoul (Megabox, Lotte Cinema, Cinnus, CGV) you can watch early-morning showings throughout the week, and on the weekend, for about 4,000 won. Also, late-night double- or even triple-features are available at some theaters, where you can watch multiple movies through until dawn for around 10,000 won.” The further suggestions are even more obscure but cleaver and helpful (not least for expats) and give a fascinating glimpse into cinema going in South Korea;

- The Cannes Film Festival opening of Pixar’s “Up” (above) is opening un petit boîte de Pandore regarding 3D in France. From AFP, “In France, for instance, “Up” will screen in 800 movie theatres from July 29, but only 120 are kitted out to show it in 3D. The French release of “Monsters and Aliens” was hamstrung by an unseemly row between Paramount, distributors and cinemas over the extra costs, although Pixar settled a similar row by offering cinemas a slice of ticket revenues for its hit “Bolt.” Another glitch in the studios’ plan: filmmakers, distributors and cinemas cannot agree on who should pay for the glasses that viewers still need to get the full effect.” What isn’t mentioned is that French audio-visual body CST has strict rules about quality norms for cinemas and that one of these is light output - something that any 3D system struggles to achieve on screens above a certain size. Maybe that’s why Christie is installing two of its SB (super bright) projectors for the 3D screening of “Up.” We are hoping for a full report from Sperling;

- Parents trying to smuggle their children into screenings of “Slumdog Millionaire” are putting at risk the licence of Screen Machine, says BBC News. “Operators of the Screen Machine - the UK’s only mobile cinema - said they had never known of so many attempts to get under-age children into a film.They said an 11-year-old tried to get in to see the certificate 15 movie by hiding behind his grandparents….Robert Livingston, from Hi-Arts, said it appeared it was the children who wanted to see the film, rather than a problem of finding babysitters while the parents went out. He said it was a mystery to him why the film had captured the attention of so many young children.” Read Robert Livingston’s Hi-Arts blog for some of the better excuses parents use for smuggling in their kids;

- Finally, we bring you some ingenious thinking from Malaysia, how to come up with something even better than 3D. No, not 4D, not even the right direction. From Sun2Surf:

GSC general manager Irving Chee says: “As the leading cinema exhibitor, we always strive to bring movie fans the latest innovation in cinema technology, facilities and services for the best cinema experience.

“We kicked off the first-ever real-live 3-D version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth last year (2008), followed by the 3-D screening of the animation movie Bolt and Disney’s Jonas Brothers concert earlier this year.”

After listing a slate of upcoming 3D titles, the articles then goes on:

Chee adds: “It is only a natural progression for GSC to be able to screen movies in 2-D digital format and offer Malaysian movie patrons this improved viewing experience.

“GSC will look for more opportunities to showcase movies in 2-D digital based on Hollywood’s approved DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative) Compliance Digital format.”

That’s right, “Angels & Demons” in glorious 2-D. Golden Screen Cinemas even charges more for Digital 2-D it than for 35mm…eeerh….2-D. We can see another Imax-type backlash brewing already.

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Who Does Regal Love More - RealD or Imax?

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 11, 2009

If the US exhibition industry was a comic strip, Regal Cinemas would be Archie and 3D rivals RealD and Imax would be Betty and Veronica. Things seem to be coming to a head between the three with the opening of Regal’s latest multiplex Thornton Place Stadium 14 & IMAX - to give it its full and proper name - and with a shot across the bows from Veronica, sorry, Imax about just how fabulously rich her offerings are.

First the details on the opening of the state-of-the-art Thornton:

Regal Thornton Place Stadium 14 will feature a new IMAX® theatre utilizing a specially-designed screen that is slightly curved and moved forward to immerse the audience. The IMAX Experience® is further enhanced by a crystal-clear digital surround sound system. Regal’s IMAX theatre will also offer IMAX 3D® when filmmakers choose to integrate 3D images into their movies. Future IMAX releases include: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (6/24) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (7/15).

The new theatre is modern in every way, equipped with RealD® 3D to provide true-to-life 3D. RealD is a new generation of digital 3D, giving moviegoers a stunningly realistic movie experience that engages the imagination, activates the senses and invites the audience not only to watch a film, but also step inside the story. Upcoming Digital 3D movies include: Disney-Pixar’s Up (5/29), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (7/1) and Disney’s G-Force (7/24).

‘Immerse the audience’ and ’step inside the story’, OK, so Regal has both systems on the go. No major surprise there. But RealD and Imax do not see themselves as equals and do not just want to co-exist peacefully. This was made clear in an e-mail that went out from Imax today, headlined ‘Star Trek IMAX breaks record with $8.3 mil opening weekend in U.S.‘, which amounts to 11 per cent of the total box office (see Weekend BO story below).

Imax then goes on to quote from the Regal Cinemas public earnings conference call, where Regal’s CEO Mike Campbell, took a question from an analyst on whether Veronica was cutest or Betty prettiest:

Matthew Harrigan - Wunderlich Securities - Analyst

Good morning. Thanks for taking my question. Two questions. One, there’s a pretty profound asymmetry even if you adjust for the size of the auditoriums on the 3-D results for IMAX versus REAL D. Have you given any thought to re-balancing that or is it just more a matter of educating the consumer on REAL D? I heard there are some people actually think that some of the quality in 3-D with REAL D is better than with IMAX, but it doesn’t seem to have quite the marketing cachet.

Michael Campbell - Regal Entertainment Group - Chairman and CEO

As far as the Real D versus the IMAX experience, IMAX is a powerful brand and it’s not just the visuals and the size of the screen. It’s a–it’s got the best sound system in the world according to most people. So we’re seeing that when we run REAL D versus 2-D, the Real D screens show a multiple of two to three times the attendance that you’re getting out of a 2-D screen while the IMAX will run five to six times. So we view this actually as a very viable market going forward, where IMAX remains at the top of the food chain. It’s long-established as a powerful brand, attaches a higher premium. Real D 3-D is somewhere between IMAX and 2-D. And we think that it gives the customer maximum flexibility in choosing. [emphasis added]

So Regal loves Imax twice as much as it loves RealD? Or at least its audience does. Imax want to have us believe that. Regal has 52 screens contracted with Imax, but has committed with RealD for 1,500 screens. So the date count seems to go in favour of Betty. Moreover, if you read the above quote early, what Regal is saying is that RealD lacks the brand awareness that Imax has been building up over several decades. But that could of course change.

But could it be that neither of the two will end up the real winner? Archie-ologist will remember that Issue #320 saw the introduction of Cheryl Blossom, a redhead from Pembroke, England, introduced to compete with Betty and Veronica for Archie. Who might 3D cinemas Cherry Blossom be? Why, none other than UK-born American-relocated Dolby Laboratories. With studios threatening to no longer pay for RealD’s disposable (now recyclable) eyewear, the Dolby3D system with its re-usable glasses (and high gain, instead of silver screen) is becoming more and more appealing.

Not that Regal is likely to break it off with RealD for its 1,500 dates and while Imax is likely to continue to occupy a high end niche, the race for the attention of the cinema is definitely heating up and getting interesting. We don’t expect a cat fight, but we are awaiting RealD’s retaliation keenly.

Popularity: 67% [?]

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Daily Cinema Roundup - Monday 11 May - “I have been in this business since 1972, and I have never seen such a bad time.”

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 11, 2009

cctraintour
-We have come across cinemas on wheels, before, but Disney is going on step further by installing a digital 3D cinema in a train as part of its promotion for “Disney’s A Christmas Carol”. From the press release: “”Disney’s A Christmas Carol” Train Tour kicks off Memorial Day Weekend 2009 in Los Angeles, traveling across the country with stops in 40 cities, culminating in New York City in November. Visitors will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the magic and the cutting-edge technology of “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” Pictured above is the state-of-the-art 48-foot-wide, 3D theatre–the first inflatable 3D theatre ever to go across the country–which will be erected onsite in each city showcasing an exclusive sneak peek of “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” in Disney Digital 3D.”” Digital cinema projectors provided by Barco, server and 3D equipment by Dolby, touch panels by HP and trian by Amtrak - only no word who is supplying the distinctly rickety and non-plush looking chairs;

- Digital Cinema integrator Cinedigm (formerly AccessIT) has been thrown a financial life line by its largest creditor GE Commercial Finance. From the press release, “The amendment significantly relaxes the financial covenant ratios that C/AIX is required to meet every quarter through the maturity of the loan in 2013. In addition, the new arrangement allows C/AIX to pay approximately $5 million in cash to its parent company, Cinedigm, as well as increase its ability to pay annual fees to Cinedigm. Reflecting the current market conditions, the amendment increases the interest rate on the credit facility from 4.5% to 6% above LIBOR and sets a LIBOR floor of 2.5%. C/AIX will pay a 0.5% amendment fee on the outstanding balance of $183.9 million.” The deal is a vote of confidence and saves Cinedigm and Christie/AIX, but staying afloat and surviving is not the same as expanding and thriving;

- Of the 53 films screening at the Cannes Film Festival 50 will be screening in digital, but the press release from Christie frustratingly doesn’t tell us which three won’t. Instead we learn that “20 [films] screened digitally in 2007 and 37 in 2008” and “Christie will provide over 19 projectors for the world’s leading film festival,” but they don’t name and shame the digital refuseniks. Is it famous film fanatic Quentin Tarantino? Or some obscure Chinese director who smuggled out a Super16mm documentary in a concealed can? We want names. So if you are involved, feel free to leak them to us anonymously in an e-mail or in the comments section. We know you want to;

-Things are going from bad to worse in India, where the stand-off between the Distributors and the Exhibitors is turning into a WWI-style war of attrition. Now the single screens are becoming the collateral casualty, according to the Economic Times. “For those who could not survive with just cancelling shows, shutting shop was the only option. Single theatres like Regal and Roxy, and the multi-screen Apsara in South Mumbai, have been closed till further notice, while the 1,200-seater Liberty theatre, a Yashraj and Barjatya favourite, also closed shop for two weeks, though citing air-conditioning repair as reason. “I have been in this business since 1972, and I have never seen such a bad time.” Multiplexes are surviving partly thanks to revival of Marathi films, but the government is suffering from single screen closures as Maharashtra state has a 45 per cent entertainment tax on tickets, while Uttar Pradesh (India’s most populous state with 190m people) taxes single screens at 60 per cent;

- The Bollywood stand-off is having repercussions abroad, with Hollywood soaking up audiences left high and dry in the Middle East, according to United Arab Emirate’s The National. “Indian film has a major presence in the UAE, given the country’s large expatriate Asian presence, but the movies are popular with Arabs and other communities too, and most open to packed houses. Several have had grand premières in Dubai even before their releases in India, among the most recent being Jodha Akbar and Delhi-6. Last year Yash Raj Films, a leading filmmaker, entered into an agreement with Dubai Infinity Holding to build an entertainment district in the city themed around films made by the production house.” Anyone living in Mumbai knows that the city is effectively twinned with Dubai, so the ripples will be felt for some time across the Arabian Sea;

0805_shortwaveint - Up-and-coming London area of Bermondsey Square is getting a 50-seat ‘uniplex’ (pictured above) called Shortwave Cinema, described by the owner as “the first cinema to be built in 21st century Britain.” From Londonist, “The brainchild of “local DJ, filmmaker and renaissance man” Rob Wray, Shortwave has a pleasingly retro moviehouse look, with comfortable old seats re-housed from the Electric Cinema and a black and red colour scheme within. Matching the old-school aesthetic, the cinema intends to eschew blockbuster releases and instead program independent fare: they’re currently showing the adaptation of David Peace’s Red Riding Trilogy, while future releases include Chilean film Tony Moreno and a season of London documentaries from the 1950s.” Looks like a worthy successor to the frankly-not-missed Lux Cinema in up-and-already-came area of Hoxton;

- Australia is set to get its first all-digital multiplex as Greater Union unveils its latest multiplex at at Robina town centre on the Gold Coast. From Perth Now, “AHL says digital cinema technology means it can now screen everything from overseas concerts, to international operas, ballet, theatre and live sports. “From a satellite feed of a U2 Concert to the State or Origin on the giant Vmax screen, it is an exciting development,” it says. The centres will retain Greater Union’s popular premium luxury Gold Class program.” Hmmmm, Vmax - not to be confused with Imax;

- The booming North American box office has dragged Canada’s Cineplex Galaxy back in black, according to THR.com. “Toronto-based Cineplex Galaxy, which operates 130 multiplexes country-wide, posted earnings of CAN$3.7 million ($3.16 million) to March 31, against a loss of CAN$2.3 million in 2008. Revenue rose 11.2% to CAN$211 million ($180 million), compared to a year-earlier CAN$189 million. Total boxoffice receipts rose 11.5% to CAN$133 million ($113.5 million), from CAN$116 million in 2008.” Expect 3D to be big at Cineplex Galaxy as it rolls it out on 122 screens by the end of May.

Popularity: 29% [?]

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Daily Cinema Roundup - Friday 8 May

By Patrick von Sychowski

May 8, 2009

orange-wedensday-witch

- Catch someone taping a film off the screen? You have little choice but to let him (it’s rarely a ‘her’) walk free in the UK, according to Sky News. “Tim Richards, who runs Vue cinemas, told Sky News that while his staff are getting better at catching film pirates, he invariably has to let them go. He said: “We catch these individuals and we can’t do anything with them. It’s extremely frustrating.” But the police say sales of illegal pirated (usually elsewhere) DVDs are a bigger problem and the UK government urges cinema to go after the cinema camcorders with the Fraud Act. Yes, really, don’t laugh;

- UK mobile phone carrier Orange has been running its two-for-one mid-week offer for five years and have clocked up 14m uses (that’s 7m couples). From newmediaage, “The Orange Wednesdays offer has encouraged an average of 300,000 people to go to the cinema each week, saving them an estimated £30m, the operator said. The five most prolific users have redeemed the offer an average of 70 times each.” Apparently “Mamma Mia!” has been the most popular film.Notice that the Orange Witch [Surely she's green and wicked, not orange? - Ed.] from the advert (below) is brandishing a Celluloid Junkie icon popcorn box knock off. Definitely not authorised by us;

-Imax’s finances are slowly improving, with Q1 of 2009 showing a narrow loss as the company waits for digital to kick in, according to THR.com. “Toronto-based Imax posted a loss of $2.6 million to March 31, compared to a loss of $10.2 million in 2008, on revenue up 43% to $33.7 million, against a year-earlier $23.5 million. Imax recorded sharply lower R&D costs compared to 2008 when it incurred steep digital projection rollout costs. The first quarter operating profit was $2 million, compared to a loss of $5.6 million in 2008.” Perhaps more interestingly than digitla itself was that revenue from bigged-up Hollywood releases such as “Watchmen” and “Monsters vs. Aliens” doubled from around $15m to over $30m in the quarter;

- Sony Pictures “Angels & Demons” had its world premiere in Rome using Sony Electronics 4K SXRD projector. From the press release, “Oliver Pasch, head of digital cinema in Europe at Sony Professional says, “We’re delighted to have played a part in helping Sony Pictures premiere Angels & Demons. The studio understands the phenomenal value of 4k projection and how it allows audiences from across the world to see more detail than ever before, thus creating a truly unique cinematic experience.”" The film will be released in 4K, so best place to catch it will be Norway or an AMC cinema - click here for full list of 4K locations.

-With the stand-off in Bollywood between Indian film distributors and multiplexes still not showing any sign of ending, exhibitors are starting to look for small films to distribute themselves. From liveMint.com, “In a clear signal that the gloves are off in the dispute with
producers, Fame India Ltd has joined forces with its fellow leading
national cinema chains INOX Leisure Ltd, Cinemax India Ltd, Adlabs
Films Ltd, Fun Cinemas and PVR Ltd and set aside around Rs40 crore [$8m] to
acquire a film on the open market for release in multiplexes, where the
deadlock has seen all new releases being put on ice since 4 April.” A handfull of candidate films are hten listed. Meanwhile distributors are saying that they will release their films in single screens and independent multiplexes. Still no word if Hollywood distributors will soon start releasing their films during the stand off;

- If you think Indian multiplex operators have it hard, spare a thought for their colleagues in Iraqi, where cinemas are dying a slow death. From LA Times, “Before the 2003 invasion, Baghdad had 40 cinemas; now there are only
eight. In those days, the theaters opened at 8 a.m. and closed just
before midnight. Today, the theaters shut at 1 p.m. Hashim says only
the riffraff and lowlifes frequent his theater…. Other theaters have closed rather than cater to the new
market — the owners of the now-shuttered Nujoom (Star) cinema
described their clientele after 2003 as “drug addicts, alcoholics and
freaks.”” We have highlighted the plight of Iraqi cinemas before, but it is sad that there appears to be no hope in sight;

- Reasons why 3D is plenty D’s enough, from UK’s The Mirror. “A cinema at a National Sea Life Centre is so realistic it is causing visitors to feel seasick. Bosses at the £1million 4D screen in Birmingham are handing out sea sickness bracelets after customers complained the images of giant waves, vibrating seats and water spray made them ill.” Isn’t ayone complaining bout the water sprays making their popcorn wet?

- A novel way of attracting customers to cinemas? Bag of cocaine found in Reel Cinema in Grantham by 10 year old. From the local paper, “”Obviously this is a family entertainment venue and children are present. It is very worrying when a ten-year-old comes into possession of drugs like this.” Jonathan had only recently started to let his son do things on his own but the experience has made him worry. He said: “What if a child had picked it up and thought it was sherbet? Or what if he had walked in to find someone taking drugs?” I’ve heard of weed smoking to Cheech and Chong and LSD for “2001: A space Odessey”, but cocaine to “X-Men Originas; Wolverine” seems like a desperate way of improving the film;

Popularity: 32% [?]

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