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The latest movie theater news and updates
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March 7, 2011
New movie series at the Walker Theatre in Indy increases indie options
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — A new movie series called FLIX will debut at the Lady Walker Theatre in April, returning the once full-time movie house back into a cinema once again, at least on an occasional basis. The theater, which has a prominent role in the city’s African-American history, opened in 1927 and has been primarily a live performance theater in recent years.
“It’s an old theater that was built with amazing acoustics. I don’t know another theater in town that gets as dark as ours,” said Malina Jeffers, marketing director at the Walker. “Plus, we have a cash bar; it’s a big party. Those things together make us completely different from the cinema.”
The Walker is just the latest to the party. On screens set in museums, art houses and even chain cinemas, independent films, documentaries and classic flicks are bringing the thoughtful romance of the movies back to the city. Most importantly, they’re giving viewers a much wider range of choices.
The FLIX series will emphasize locally-made and other independent films and add to the number of other alternative film venues in Indy which this article from the Indianapolis Star also spotlights.
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Naro Expanded Cinema builds loyal fan base
NORFOLK, VA — Since leasing the Naro Cinema in 1977, Tench Phillips and Thom Vourlas have built up a community of patrons that have consistently supportive of their classic single screen house. Now called the Naro Expanded Cinema, the cinema’s programming which includes mainstream, indie, and documentary films, attracts people from often many miles away.
Despite the intense competition that exists today, Phillips and Vourlas have survived by building a family of loyal movie-goers who choose to attend a film at the Naro when the same one may be showing in their neighborhood. Walter and Susan Russell often drive in from their home in Virginia Beach.
“We could go to other theaters but we prefer the Naro,” says Susan Russell, who likes the theater’s mission and its atmosphere. “We’re concerned about what might happen if we didn’t have the Naro. It offers things that nobody does. They’re the bulwark of the intellectual movie community.”
There is more in this article in the Daily Press.
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Olympic Theatre in Arlington is a distinctive survivor
ARLINGTON, WA — There are not many cinemas like the Olympic Theatre left operating inasmuch as it is a single screener showing 35mm, but critical to the theater’s endurance and success is unquestionably its owner and projectionist Norma Pappas, who took over the running of the seventy-two-year-old theater when her father passed on.
There is much more in this article on HeraldNet.
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March 4, 2011
Hollywood and theaters noticing more boomers turning out for movies
NEW YORK, NY — The movie industry is often one of the last to notice shifts in consumers and respond, but according a an article in the New York Times, both the studios and theater owners are noticing a graying of the audience and responding both in terms of films that are more substantive and in theater amenities. Boomers, in their youth, were raised on film and then moved away as studios catered heavily to the youth market when they reached their middle years. Now, as more and more retire, studios are rethinking the projects to greenlight and theaters are looking at more 21+ services and food offerings.
“There is an older audience that is growing, and it’s an underserved audience, which makes for an obvious and important opportunity,” said Nancy Utley, co-president of Fox Searchlight, whose “Black Swan” has sold over $100 million at the North American box office. If the core audience for a particular film is over 50, she noted, “that’s now a gigantic core.”
The very young still go to the movies more than anyone else — especially on those all-important opening weekends — but distribution executives say they are getting harder to lure in huge numbers. Social networking has sped up word of mouth, turning teenagers and young adults into more discerning moviegoers — a phenomenon pushed along by rising prices. People age 18 to 24 bought an average of seven tickets per person in 2010, down from eight in 2009.
The full story can be read here.
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Baltimore’s old movie theaters
Baltimore’s movie theaters were featured on WYPR (Baltimore’s NPR affiliate)on Feb. 15, 2011. The guests were theater historian and author Robert K. Headley and photographer/author Amy Davis, who is working on a photo book called “Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters.” Both the radio show and a 3-minute QuickTime slide show by Amy Davis can be found at this link. Scroll to program listed for Feb. 15, 1-2pm.
To hear the podcast on Baltimore Movie Theaters, click on the link above, then scroll down to the Feb. 15, 1-2pm archive. Click on the red letters, “play now.”
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Article on how to improve movie theaters
The March 4th, 2011 issue of “Entertainment Weekly” tackles “How to Fix the Movies”…and provides advice on how to make better movie theaters in regard to issues such as ticket prices charged, what services, i.e. drinks, meals, reserved seating, etc.
Examples provided of better movie theaters include the Academy in Portland OR, Alamo in Austin TX, AMC Mainstreet in Kansas City MO, Big Picture in Seattle WA, Cinebistro in Miami FL, Cinefamily, LA CA, Rerun Gastropub in Brooklyn NY, Theatres at Canal Place New Orleans LA.
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March 3, 2011
Former Hyde Park area theater to reopen in 2012 in Chicago
CHICAGO, IL — The former Harper Theater which last operated as as a quad called the Hyde Park Theaters will be renovated and reopened as five-plex according to a press release issued by the University of Chicago which owns the property and the surrounding retail space. The theater opened in 1915 and has been operated by several theater chains but has been closed for several years. The university has reached an agreement with the owner of the New 400 Theaters in Chicago’s Rogers Park to manage the revamped theater.
“We believe students, faculty, staff and our neighbors will be very excited about having a new movie theater within walking distance,” said Kimberly Goff—-Crews, Vice President for Campus Life. “As we talk to members of our community about how to enhance campus life, this is one of the ideas that comes up frequently.”
The agreement with The New 400 Theaters is part of a broader effort to revitalize the 53rd Street corridor as a focus of commercial, retail and entertainment activity.
The full release can be read here.
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Middlebury theater for sale
MIDDLEBURY, VT — This is a small town theater with state of the art technology. This theater has been fully updated and upgraded and would be a great investment/business opportunity. Located in the town of Middlebury, also home to Middlebury College.
I am including a link to the multiple listing service website to view the listing.
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March 2, 2011
Get two movie tickets for $9
Fandango and LivingSocial have partnered up for a one-day deal on movie tickets happening today. You can get two movie tickets worth up to $30 for the price of $9.
The tickets need to be used by June, 2011 and they can’t be used for 3D or IMAX, but, overall, it’s a great deal!
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FDA approves Kodak’s new laser projection system
ROCHESTER, NY — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale by Kodak of a new laser digital projection system to theaters without requiring individual theater sites to obtain special permits to use it as is typically the case when laser-powered devices are used in places of entertainment. Kodak expects the new system to be available for purchase by theater operators within two years, claiming that the new system promises sharper, clearer images for both 2D and 3D films.
Moore notes that KODAK Laser Projection Technology is a key ingredient to potential improvements in digital cinema picture quality for both filmmakers and movie-goers. “This laser technology is a significant breakthrough that promises to have a positive ripple effect throughout the cinema world,” adds Moore. “We at Kodak have always endeavored to provide filmmakers with the best possible tools with which to tell their stories. That philosophy has served us well for more than a century, and we will continue nurturing that partnership long into the future.”
There is more at Business Wire.com.