Cineworld Fears Of Bankruptcy

[Maurice Leakey]

Just been watching on BBC television an article on the future of British cinemagoing which hasn't been too good lately, particularly with the problems at Cineworld. Huge cinema chain gives update on future after falling into bankruptcy last September | The Sun

However, they were talking to the owner of a small chain of cinemas about his future films for the summer, and I was very surprised to hear him say, when referring to a future film, "I hope it will be released on 35mm." The interviewer didn't take him up on his comment as she obviously didn't know what he was talking about.

Did I hear him right, is 35mm not yet dead?

[Lee Mannering]

Sad read Maurice. I can see Vue chain facing problems after our failed visit to see the 45th anniversary of Superman as the film was cancelled at the last minute. Another cinema near us closed unable to reopen after the pandemic as well.
Last time we were in Cineworld was to film the 35mm projectors being removed :-(

[Maurice Leakey]

Lee
The writing is on the wall.
Digital cinema has killed the days of a good 35mm show with its sumptuous surroundings. Perhaps, also an organ interlude.
In my 50 years of 35mm projection I prided myself on an expert presentation, not forgetting tabs and variable masking.

[Brian Fretwell]

I sadly think about the magnificent shows they could put on if anyone bothered to program the automatic equipment properly and installed the tabs etc. Everything timed to perfection every time!

[Lee McCaffrey]

The PCC in London still has regular 35/70mm screenings of old and new films. Aside from the committed celluloid filmmakers who work from start to finish on film like Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino etc., quite a few filmmakers opt to get 'digital' 35mm prints made for the remaining cinemas with film projection. An example that springs to mind recently is the Adam Sandler feature Uncut Gems. A company called CPC can print one-offs straight from the digital intermediate so no negative is needed.

[Lee Mannering]

Thank goodness we still have reel film at home and can recreate our own mini cinema experience. Playing a number of instruments I'm blessed with having a Hammond organ next to my movie screen also having theatre pre-sets. A great joy of my life, but not for the neighbours.
30 years ago I hoped to install a Conn theatre organ but it would'nt fit thru the front door, you had to take the bay window out Cripes!

[Phil Moors]

So you REELY annoy the neighbours

[Douglas Meltzer]

Just looking at the size of the Hammond hurts my back. Moving that thing from one place to the other must be painful, but then again organ transplants are always difficult.

[Ed Gordon]

...However, they were talking to the owner of a small chain of cinemas about his future films for the summer, and I was very surprised to hear him say, when referring to a future film, "I hope it will be released on 35mm." The interviewer didn't take him up on his comment as she obviously didn't know what he was talking about.

Did I hear him right, is 35mm not yet dead?

No, 35mm is not dead yet. 2023 is better than 2022, but I suspect that has more to do with the subsiding of Covid, than a love for film. Regardless it remains good news for film lovers.

This is turning into a banner year for movies shot on Kodak film, led by such Oscar hopefuls as Christopher Nolan’s IMAX’d “Oppenheimer” biopic, Martin Scorsese’s first Western, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein film, “Maestro,” Wes Anderson’s latest, “Asteroid City,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ subversive “Frankenstein” re-imagining “Poor Things.”

And those are just the prestige films.

There are many more indies shot on film this year, many of which premiered at Sundance and SXSW. All told, there look to be some 40 Kodak film releases in 2023, with another two dozen in post-production. That’s a substantial increase from the two dozen in 2022. Here’s a look at the movies shot on film in 2023.

Here is the list of 35mm films of 2023: Movies Shot on Film 2023 Preview

[Maurice Leakey]

I am sorry that I didn't make myself clear. I am aware that studios still use 35mm for principal photography.
What I should have said, were 35mm exhibition prints still being sent to cinemas/movie theaters for showing using 35mm projectors.
Of course, there are some cinemas in the UK still equipped for 35mm, but mainly used for old retrospective films.

[Phil Moors]

Maurice, it’s sad to hear that cinemas are struggling. The problem with modern cinemas are that they are characterless. They are just a series of rectangular boxes with a screen at one end, no pleasing features. Soulless. This depends on your age but the majority of new films a multimillion dollar fairground rides, filled with CGI and very little acting. I felt that they were in decline long before the pandemic and this is just hastening the inevitable.

It is nice to be able to lace up the projector, Cine or Digital and watch films from the days when cinema was great. Super 8 at its best is phenomenal and digital with a top quality blu ray is the match of anything in the town these days. Members who release new Super 8 content are to be commended for keeping Super 8 alive.

[Osi Osgood]

Call them what they are today, not "Cineworld", but "Digitalworld". Sad to hear all of this, but that's one of the main reasons that I don't attend "Cinemas" anymore, it's just digital, but projected bigger, that's all .... oooooh, bigger, big whoop! I'd rather watch a film projected, three foot wide, than the biggest digital projection, ole fuddy duddy that I am.

[David Strelitz]

As someone who rarely goes to the cinema (I 'm much more a live theatre fan) where in the main, people don't munch popcorn or text their friends or even speak to them on the phone during a performance but I really don't think 99% of the cinema audience care what the source of the image is on the screen. They go to the cinema and that's it!
With studios allowing so many films to go to streaming platforms soon after release is it so surprising that the big players like Cineworld are in deep doodoo?

[Graham Ritchie]

The cinema industry are really up against it these days, with so much alternative viewing, such as streaming like of Disney + , large TVs , and so on. I would say that almost 100% of folk that still go to the cinema, don't even know, or give a hoot if its digital or film projection, they just want to watch an image on the screen Cinemas need to return to better presentation, curtains, color lights, decent masking, making the night out, more of an experience. Be more pro-active in looking after there customers, make them want to come back. One thing though, is a lack of good product to screen. Back in 2011 when our little cinema closed, we were still making good money, plenty of films to show, but on reflection I don't think the place could have survived Covid and everything else that has changed the landscape over the last 10 years.

I certainly wish any cinema owner the best of luck to survive in today's world, but they have to do a lot more than just screen a movie, to keep or get more folk to return, away from there big TVs and the streaming services but without more decent product its still going to be hard.

[Ed Gordon]

The cinema industry are really up against it these days, with so much alternative viewing, such as streaming like of Disney + , large TVs , and so on. I would say that almost 100% of folk that still go to the cinema, don't even know, or give a hoot if its digital or film projection, they just want to watch an image on the screen Cinemas need to return to better presentation, curtains, color lights, decent masking, making the night out, more of an experience. Be more pro-active in looking after there customers, make them want to come back. One thing though, is a lack of good product to screen. Back in 2011 when our little cinema closed, we were still making good money, plenty of films to show, but on reflection I don't think the place could have survived Covid and everything else that has changed the landscape over the last 10 years.

I certainly wish any cinema owner the best of luck to survive in today's world, but they have to do a lot more than just screen a movie, to keep or get more folk to return, away from there big TVs and the streaming services but without more decent product its still going to be hard.

I agree Graham. Better product and presentation would really help. However, the business is dominated by investors looking for a quick buck. The "studios" have given the exhibitors short shrift when it comes to sharing revenue with exhibitors. Cinemas today are in the business of selling food, not exhibiting movies. Exhibitors should not have to prostitute themselves to make a decent living. I am not sorry to see the big corporations running multiplexes now suffering and going bankrupt. Good riddance to the multiplexes and their owners. I believe, foolishly perhaps, that a smaller cinema appointed like the movie palaces of yesteryear, but on a smaller scale would help. Combine that with excellent showmanship and sufficient revenue from ticket sales to be able to sell concessions at a reasonable price might just turn things around.