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Daily Cinema Roundup - Sat 18th April

April 17, 2009

- Cinemas in the UK are anticipating a bumper box office this summer and the Film Distributors Association has put together a trailer (see above) and website for SummerOfCinema, reports the BBC;

- UK actors Meera Syal and Tony Robinson are amongst those campaigning to save London’s historic EMD cinema in Walthmastow where a young Alfred Hitchcock got his first taste of celluloid dreams (and nightmares);

- The Scotsman highlights the visit by the Screen Machine, UK’s only mobile cinema, as it visits Barra, “a tiny Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides on the furthermost edge of the Atlantic.” as driver-projectionist Iain MacColl brings 2009’s most watched film in the UK, saying, “They’d crucify me in Barra if I didn’t bring them Slumdog.”

- Heavy metal band Iron Maiden’s eponymous “Iron Maiden Flight 666″ will be shown in 34 countries on over 500 screens around the world for one day only on Tuesday 21st of April, which according to Elmbridge Guardian will be, “a day which has now been renamed ‘Maiden Day’.”

- Sign o Recession Times #139: Chicago’s Classic Cinemas screens recent G or PG rated his for just $1, including “Hotel For Dogs,” “Kung Fu Panda” and ” Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” No word on discounted or BYO concessions;

- Sad waste of cinema #6,871: Inverness cinema turned into eight million pound luxury hotel, just hat the world needs more of right now;

- UK exhibitor Vue will introduce Tue night ‘mystery’ screenings of films of films ahead of their official release;

- NAMC Newswire’s Lou Victor highlights the strength of cinema advertising: “The recall rate of cinema advertising is upwards of 70% while the recall rate of television sits at approximately 23%, the reason for this is that advertisers have a totally captive and receptive audience. They finally can advertise directly to the elusive teen and tween market in their own environment.”;

- The Scotsman (again) trumpets the re-opening of Scotlan’s first purpose-built cinema after a two million pound facelift. “The cinema building, designed by the local architect Matthew Steele, was a notorious eyesore in Bo’ness for years until it was rescued by Falkirk Council after years of demands for action by heritage campaigners. Opened in 1912 by an enigmatic showman who helped lure in audiences by screening short films shot locally, it was the nation’s first purpose-built cinema.” The re-inauguration film was “Mamma Mia!”;

- Samosas remain the most popular Indian cinema snack, according to the Economic Times. “With an approximate daily consumption of over 30-35,000 samosas across the city’s 95 theatres (40 multiplexes with approximately 120 screens and 55 single screens, including those in the adjoining Thane district), this crusty triangle of spiced-up pea and potato mash, remains a hot favourite, pipping the nachos and noodles or pasta and pizzas to the cash counter.”

- Angel Broking recommends neutral rating on India’s multiplex sector. “Over the last one month, Multiplex stocks have witnessed sharp rally in the range of 35-50% despite looming concerns including lower occupancies and possible delays in handover of properties.”;

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Rain = good cinema summer in UK

By Patrick von Sychowski

September 28, 2007

Rain

It appears that cinema have been making hay while the sun didn’t shine. Most British newspapers and websites seem to agree that it is primarily the weather rather than the quality of the films on offer, that made 2007 a strong box office summer. Take this article from The Guardian (’Wet summer boosts UK film industry‘) which notes that:

The British cinema industry is celebrating its best summer in 40 years, partly thanks to the wet weather.

Figures released this morning by the Film Distributors’ Association, the trade body for the industry, showed that there were 50.8m cinema visits during June, July and August.

This is over 25% more than in a typical summer, and even beat records set in the 1980s when the arrival of multiplex cinemas gave the sector a boost.

Examples of other headlines are ‘Soggy summer boosts UK box office‘ (BBC News) and Wet summer made cinema top destination (Channel 4 News) and ‘Summer cinema gets boost from rain‘ (Digital Spy).

The impulse is to start polemicizing that ‘the death of cinema at the hands of DVD/YouTube/games/etc is greatly exaggerated’. Just don’t expect anyone to point out that the threat from on-line piracy is obviously also exaggerated, or why else would Brits splash their way to the cinemas instead of staying home in front of their warm PCs. It is worth adding that there was also no Olympics of World Cup to steal viewers away.

However, if these leads to complacency or anything more than modest celebrating then British cinemas are in trouble. Taking comfort from poor weather and people’s willingness from sitting through underwhelming threequels (’Bourne Ultimatum‘ excepted) does not a stable business future make. Smart cinemas use the extra money to expand beyond their core business (blockbusters, concessions and advertising). One major UK chain’s CEO told me that he no longer sends his staff to cinema trade shows like Cinema Expo. ‘The new idea are in gambling, nightclub and bar conventions,’ he said. While films will remain the bread and butter of the cinema business, don’t count on lashings of rains to make people seek refuge in their local multiplex. (Rain picture courtesy of Ahmed Rabea).

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