Q regarding cinima in ireland

User45701

I have always wonderd why cinima`s dont bring back old classic movies because people would go back and see them on the "Big screan" because it is better that way. Sure u could rent it out but it would probbley only be 2.75 cheaper

I personley hate LOTR but if in a few years they brought them all back into the cincima for a day or 2 there would be demand or the first matrix movie.
If they brought kill bill back i would definatley go see it again.

also movies with large battle scens like braveheart and gladitor. They are much better on the big screan

The cinima would definatley make a proffit so i dont know why they dont ocasinley bring back old movies

Kali

Whatever about the mainstream cinemas.. but the IFI routinely put on older classic films.. and more modern ones.. I'm pretty sure Spinal Tap and Dancer In The Dark are in there lineup for the next two/three weeks (both of which I'm going to see again on the big screen).

User45701

True IFC is good , they shoed Godafther trilagy over X-mass but i iddnt go see it
The New UGC has 17 screans im sure they could free up 1 screan and set it to show old classic movies

SweetBirdOfTruth

Whether the demand is there or not is questionable. I went to alot of the Top 10 American Classics in the IFI before Christmas, and there was rarely more than a couple of dozen people at each screening.

ObeyGiant

I'd guess it would have a lot to do with the ratio of cost of re-printing the movie (high) to projected return (low to moderate) compared to new movies.

But it would just be a guess.

ThreadKiller?

I have yet to watch Lawrence of Arabia as Im holding out till I can see it on the big screen. I read that for the anniverasy it is being rereleased.:D

mycroft

Missed it Darko,

The digitally remastered version was released on it's 40th anniversay, over two years ago.......And it's a film that has to be seen on the big screen.

In the UGC's defense they show at least one arthouse film at a time (city o god, 8 women, springtime in a small town) and always show Irish films.....

And yes it has to do with reprinting costs. In the states it's alot easier there's prints just floating around, and these films have unfortunately got a limited appeal. And the cost of reprinting is just too high. For example when a film is getting a re-release or remastered, you'll (if you read the british press) learn about it being screened in london and then manchester and the edinburgh, until much to your shock it turns up here!

A good example (and an amazing film) is toyko story currently screening in the IFI, it's the same print that the BFI used when they were celebrating it a few weeks ago. We're just further down the food chain.

My advise, is check the IFI, esp. on their birthday were it's a open (free) day and they screen classics from Willy Wonka, or Strawberrys n chocolate. Also watch out for film festivals. Or alternatively watch them at home and sit really close to the teeVee.

uberwolf

and how would cinemas effectively advertise this if it was the cinemas own venture, it doesn't strike me as a word of mouth kinda venture...

good idea though

Art_Wolf

Originally posted by mycroft
My advise, is check the IFI, esp. on their birthday were it's a open (free) day and they screen classics from Willy Wonka, or Strawberrys n chocolate. Also watch out for film festivals. Or alternatively watch them at home and sit really close to the teeVee.

Hmm, might actually start doing that - going to the IFI that is

SweetBirdOfTruth

Originally posted by mycroft
A good example (and an amazing film) is toyko story currently screening in the IFI, it's the same print that the BFI used when they were celebrating it a few weeks ago. We're just further down the food chain.

not quite true as tokyo story is currently playing the uk, having only been re-released last friday.

it's a pretty **** film.

User45701

You make a good point about the IFI
They do show old classics but only people who know about the IFI would know the movies are on and not all movie fans go to the IFI every month or every 2 months to get the listings so not everyone who would be interested in a movie would know that it is on.

SweetBirdOfTruth

they have a website - www.ifi.ie - and they appear in the listings for entertainment ireland and wow! what's on where.

mycroft

not quite true as tokyo story is currently playing the uk, having only been re-released last friday.

I was simplifying, it's been re-released, and we have one of the prints doing the rounds at the moment. We're a second string cinema. You'll find it'll be on in the Kino in cork after it's release here.

They do show old classics but only people who know about the IFI would know the movies are on and not all movie fans go to the IFI every month or every 2 months to get the listings so not everyone who would be interested in a movie would know that it is on.

Then do what I do, You need to be a member of the IFI to watch films there, it costs (I think a €1 a go) or alternatively join up for a year (a wopping €12) and they'll send you the program every two months. So that should sort you out

imp

Surely the larger cinemas would be able to archive a single print of each film that they buy once its run has ended? That way it would only have to be cleaned up when it was going to be screened again, if even that was necessary.

}:>

mycroft

No,

For starts cinemas rent prints they don't buy them.

Prints degrade, need serious storage to handle long term, (anyone see the rocky horror in the classic, that was wrecked) and are also big n heavy. You'd need loads a storage to hold even a three dozen old classics

Cleaning is an expensive, difficult process, that has to be done professionally.

imp

That put me in my place

}:>

User45701

I saw the rockey horror in classic but i didnt think it was great and i didnt notice it being badley degraded.

I know cinima only rent but they could surley rent a movie again and show it if they wanted to.

So far we have mainley discussed technacality issues but on another subject do u think that would make money if they did re-release old classics (like LOTR being re-released in cinima in a few years , or matrix being re-released. Or movies with big battle scenes.

Do u think a proffit would be made?

imp

Worked for Star Wars

}:>

ThreadKiller

Originally posted by ObeyGiant
ThreadKiller?

You rang ?

As previously mentioned, the cost of storing, conditioning, restoring film is generally prohibitive in all but the bare minimum of cases.

The more recent films are the greater a chance you have of seeing them (think star wars etc.), this is for a number of reasons, primarily the print actually exists - an obscene amount of celluloid is destroyed each year because of storage costs.

Personally I've seen both Blade Runner & Casablanca (among others) on the big screen in recent years & have pretty much filed away my DVDs of them since. To see them in a dark room on a big screen was the absolute best way ever & seeing them on a small screen doesn't appeal to me any more.

Usually if it's a "classic" film due for an anniversary release (E.T. I'm looking in your direction), it'll be reconditioned for a new audience, in general it'll be films with a broad appeal rather than the more restricted over 18s type that will be re-released...

ixoy

Inded, I saw 'Alien' there on the big screen. HUGE difference having seen it only on my TV before that. Far more atmospheric and involving.

Missed it Darko,
The digitally remastered version was released on it's 40th anniversay, over two years ago.......And it's a film that has to be seen on the big screen.

Aw well. Looks lile Im watching my dads DVD of it tonight.

Draco

Added the orginal question and threadkillers reply to the 'how cinema works' thread