Cineworld Fears Of Bankruptcy

[Maurice Leakey]

Cineworld shares have fallen by more than 60% as concerns mount that the world's second largest cinema chain is about to file for bankruptcy. The company is struggling under $5 billion worth of debt.

[Larry Arpin]

I think Covid really effected people's habits. Now it seems everything is streamed. New releases arrive just 45 days after release in theaters. Cineworld blames the lack of big blockbusters but I think it is more than just that.

[Maurice Leakey]

I assume it was the many screens in a cinema which offered too much of a choice, and perhaps, not what cinemagoers wanted to see.
Many years ago going to the movies was a great night out.

[Osi Osgood]

I agree with Larry on this. I saw that a person could literally download Jurassic World Dominion a good almost month ago, and it's just arriving this last week on Blu-ray, and the copies, while honestly, no doubt not legal, were an HD copy, no doubt pirated from the digital files delivered to theaters. You know something, lads? It was a lot more difficult to pirate Hollywood films when they were on celluloid. I mean, yes, someone could potentially shnooker a 35mm print and make a negative of it, (like they would do in Italy), but it would still take weeks or months. These days, since it's all digital files, it can be out there within hours.

[Brian Fretwell]

It was when video cameras that could run for the length of the film came out that pirating really took off. I heard from friends that in the UK some pirate copies on tape had audience noise and even people waking in front of the camera, but people still bought them.
Not me though!

[Graham Ritchie]

Lack of enough new product must have a bearing on things these days for cinemas. I did a bit of adding up last night from the days at the three screen I once worked at, just to get an idea the difference in number of titles. In 2002 alone we had seventy seven 35mm different features arrive during that one year alone, not bad going for just three screens. There was plenty of choice of product back then, which I don't see these days at our local Reading cinema, changed days.

Found an old 35mm slide I took of the place, those film posters shown were just some of the films screening on a weekly schedule.

Ah! the good ole days...

[Mike Newell]

Perfect storm.

COVID, Cost of living crisis, overpriced tickets and poor selection of visual CGI movies and sequels. I actually think the killer blow is the streaming of movies which effectively readjusted the cinema/movie watching experience for a lot of people.

There will be a culling of cinemas the better operated and the art house specialised ones will survive but others will crash.

[Osi Osgood]

We have, as a species ,become rather "isolationist", in general and, of course, Covid certainly didn't help, but I agree, streaming killed it or the least, put it on life support, but then, " Video Killed the Radio Star " !

[Mike Newell]

Video killed the Radio star is about on Super 8 Buggles.

[Lee McCaffrey]

A lot of movies have a rental/digital download window shortly after theatres and before physical release on DVD/Blu ray/UHD (much like the rental window of VHS in years gone by). The download you had come about Osi were most likely one of these digital downloads. As far as I know DCPs are encrypted pretty well and it's almost impossible to get around (this also helps the studios keep tabs on numbers of screenings).

[Osi Osgood]

Yes, "Video Killed The Radio Star" is indeed on Super 8 sound!

[Mark McLaughlin]

I’m going to my local Cinemark theater tomorrow to see Dr. No. Probably not many will be there but the cinema keeps presenting classics alongside current fare.

[Phil Moors]

The problem is that the majority of modern films are just garbage, with poor acting and actors, too much cgi, poor stories etc. The rot is well and truly set in. Just look at the bland animation clones trotted out for children. All the characters act and look the same, which is why Shrek and Toy Story faired so well, because they were exceptional. We have a Cineworld near us in Hanley which I don’t like as it seems cramped and have only seen two films there, the remake of The Jungle Book which was dreadful and the live action of Aladdin which was quite good. I much prefer Vue Cinema in Newcastle. But I don’t go very often because the films are so poor, endless franchises and total crap.

[Ken Finch]

I totally agree with you Phil. I think it will be the smaller independents that will survive because they take more care of their patrons and are more selective of the films they book. Our local has just 2 screens seating less than 100 seats in each. They also present the programmes just like the old days with curtains, screen lighting and adjustable masking. Tickets are less than a tenner, seating is modern with good sight lines, and staff welcoming. They always ask our opinion of the film when we leave. They have special shows for the autistic and mother and baby as well as a Wednesday morning film club where previously released films can be seen for £4.50 including coffee/tea and biscuits. Very different to my experience of multiplexes . Ken Finch