Vue flagship upgrade, AMC previews 2016 results, Dutch BO up, Japanese cinema review website, Long Eatong cinema fire was ‘arson’, Cinépolis NYC snack-shames food smugglers, Lincoln Marcus getting heated recliner upgrade and gone but not forgotten London cinemas.
UK – Vue has revealed plans for an extensive refurb of its flagship London Leicester Square multiplex. The GBP £6.6 million (USD $8.26 million) upgrade will see the cinema replace all seats with “fully reclining leather seats” or VIP seats. Two of the nine screens will have Dolby Atmos, the lobby will be re-designed with a new bar area. Square Pie and pizzeria Maletti will have both have concession stands. Ticketing will be [paperless. The cinema will close 9 March and re-open this summer. Let’s see if neighbouring cinemas on Leicester Square (Odeon and Cineworld) will follow suit. Time Out London – 26 January 2017
USA (KA) – AMC has posted preliminary results for FY 2016. The world’s largest cinema operator had revenue of between USD $3.226 billion and $3.236 billion, with earnings between USD $112 million and $120 million, compared to USD $104 million in 2015. US BO was up 2% industry wide, though Q4 was down because “Rogue One” did not do “Force Awakens”-level of business. Full results will be released 28 February. Press Release – 30 January 2017
Holland – Dutch box office was up in 2016 even as local films were down. There were almost 34.2 million admissions, up 3.7% compared to 2015, helped by new multiplexes, upgrades to older cinemas and popular Hollywood films. “Soo 2” was the best performing Dutch title but there were no breakout blockbusters. Average cinema visit went up from 1.8 in the past few years to two annually. Screen Daily – 29 January 2017
Japan – Ekitan is an interesting review site where cinemas and other shops and service businesses get appraised and ranked by the public. Comments are based on comfort of seats, cleanliness of toilets and the inclination of the front-row seats, as well as distance to the concessions counter. Cinema.ne.jp – 30 January 2017
Health & Safety
UK – The fire in the Long Eaton cinema is being treated as arson. An 18-year old man has been arrested in connection with the fire on 24 January in the derelict Galaxy Cinema building in Derbyshire. Derby Telegraph – 25 January 2017
Concessions / F&B
USA (NY) – The Cinépolis in New York City’s Chelsea is snack-shaming food smugglers. Any food that are found in security checks of bags has to be thrown away or shame-eaten on the spot. “A guard busted one woman and banished her to a drab corner seating area to gobble down the forbidden food before a matinee at the West 23rd Street theater.” There is the usual editorialising about popcorn being to expensive. New York Post – 28 January 2017
Seating
USA (NE) – Having won the battle to keep the city ordinance preventing out-of-town multiplexes to compete with it, Marcus Theatres has announced an upgrade plan to its Lincoln, Nebraska cinema. The cinema will be fitted with DreamLounger heated (!) recliner seats in all 14 auditoriums as well as an UltraScreen DLX PLF screen. The cinema previously upgraded its concessions offerings. Press Release – 27 January 2017
Finally
UK – A nostalgic look back at London’ buildings that used to be cinemas, ranging from grand picture palaces that are now nothing more than an entrance and car park (Tower Cinema, Peckham) to small, intimate single-screens more than 100 years old that are now a juice and gelato bar (Brixton Hill Bioscope Theatre). Gone, but not forgotten. Londonist – 27 January 2017
