Lighthouse Cinema re-opening

Birneybau

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/01/13/friday-yay/#comments

Happy Days!

Hopefully the crowd taking it over will stick to the more arthouse/indie/foreign fare.

johnny_ultimate

Element are shaking up distribution in Ireland so glad to see them on board.

Still, better give us a damn good reason to trek down to Smithfield

Technocentral

Thats great news, would be great if they ran it partly as a rep cinema (maybe one screen). Wouldn't it be lovely to drop in there on a cold winters day and watch The Big Sleep on 35?.

And they're hiring!

http://elementpictures.ie/news/careers/element-pictures-is-hiring

mal1

That's great. I'll make an effort to go more.

Miguel_Sanchez

Great news!

Sad Professor

Good news alright, but I still can't see myself going to it. It's too out of the way, especially when I can see the same films in the IFI.

Technocentral

Sad Professor wrote: »

Good news alright, but I still can't see myself going to it. It's too out of the way, especially when I can see the same films in the IFI.

Thats why they should go rep too, make it worth the journey imo.

Galvasean

I have friends who live around the corner from it. they'll be delighted!

johnny_ultimate

Technocentral wrote: »

Thats why they should go rep too, make it worth the journey imo.

I'd be very surprised if a cinema in Dublin could survive on classics alone. I'd like to think it could, but I'm not optimistic.

Definitely needs to differentiate itself from the IFI. Previous incarnation was the strange compromise between it and a high class multiplex. They'll need to work on their USP.

starviewadams

Awesome,going to make it a point to go here every 2nd time instead of always going to the IFI,it's literally only 2 mins on the luas from Jervis.

The more decent cinemas in Dublin the better!

jaykhunter

Awesome, really happy to hear it's getting a new lease of life :pac: Great cinema. Good times

Technocentral

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I'd be very surprised if a cinema in Dublin could survive on classics alone. I'd like to think it could, but I'm not optimistic.

Definitely needs to differentiate itself from the IFI. Previous incarnation was the strange compromise between it and a high class multiplex. They'll need to work on their USP.

I don't mean classics alone as I said earlier, I mean devoting one screen to them or at least very regular showings of them.

chinwag

Thought it was opening for a film festival only, but when they're looking for staff that has to be a positive sign. I'd be pleased to see the Lighthouse return with its excellent films, I always liked the place and even found the previous staff there to be most pleasant.

ronano

I'm going to make the effort to see films in it, i really missed the hell out of it when it closed down. I'd only go every few months though

henryporter

Sad Professor wrote: »

Good news alright, but I still can't see myself going to it. It's too out of the way, especially when I can see the same films in the IFI.

I know how you feel. We have to drive from Carrickmacross any time we want to see a half decent movie

Hart

While the wonderful news about the reopening of the Lighthouse cinema will gladden many movie buff's hearts let's not forget the people behind the original cinema and the Smithfield incarnation, Neil Connelly and Maretta Dillon. Thank you folks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQk-PZKpyc&feature=player_embedded

Tombo2000

I hope this time it will be run commercially so that it doesnt end up shutting in 18 months time; I dont think this place would get a third chance.

I remember going to the Arthouse movie Man on Wire during the day once; I was the only person there.

A few times I went ten minutes after a movie had started and was told the box office had closed.

One important point; there is a big demographic right on the doorstep of the Lighthouse that is being completely ignored.

There are several blocks of council flats in the local area between the Liberties, Smithfield and Stoneybatter, but I doubt if anyone living in them ever went to the lighthouse even once......

I think it needs to get real and show at least a combination of commercial and arthouse movies.

Renn

I don't think it has to go down that route (maybe it will though). If they offer enough variety (vs IFI) and have some sort of incentive (annual membership/free tickets after x amount of tickets bought/etc) then it should do better.

Afaik, the attendances were okay the last time round? Was it not just the massive spike in rent that crippled the place?

Sanjuro

Really glad to hear this. The Lighthouse is worth the trek to Smithfield.

Technocentral

Hope it works out, but I can't help thinking that it should have been re opened in Cork, they don't have a non mainstream cinema to cater for lovers of intelligent cinema there since The Kino closed, whereas we have 2 within 10 minutes walk of each other.

adamski8

great stuff, much better than ifi i think, no stupid queues to get in the screen, isnt roasting hot and cramped like ifi either.

fluffymuffy

I'm very excited about this. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to the cinema since the lighthouse closed as I'm not a huge fan of the IFI. I for one will be supporting it, and hopefully there will be no more enormous rent increases.

They released the films showing the opening weekend, W.E., the Artist, Shane and J. Edgar. have to say its rather disappointing given that each of the films is screening in most cinemas around the country. Hard to justify the added time and cost of getting to Smithfield when you can catch the films in the city centre. they're going to have to give people something that they can't get in every other cinema if they hope to made a go of the reopening.

Decuc500

I'm not sure what other films they could show for the opening week, especially on such short notice.
There's a limited number of films released in Irish cinemas each week.

There will always be competition with the IFI. Two of the films they are showing next week are also on in the IFI.
But I'd rather see a film like J. Edgar in the Lighthouse than Cineworld.
As long as they show a selection of decent arthouse and critically acclaimed films they will get an audience.

Also they have said they will be showing classics and having special events in future.
Hopefully they will hold festivals as well. That would attract more people.

Decuc500

Decuc500 wrote: »

I'm not sure what other films they could show for the opening week, especially on such short notice.
There's a limited number of films released in Irish cinemas each week.

There will always be competition with the IFI. Two of the films they are showing next week are also on in the IFI.
But I'd rather see a film like J. Edgar in the Lighthouse than Cineworld.
As long as they show a selection of decent arthouse and critically acclaimed films they will get an audience.

Also they have said they will be showing classics and having special events in future.
Hopefully they will hold festivals as well. That would attract more people.

It's just sets a bad precedent, that it's just going to br more of the same old thing. The Lighthouse needs to establish its own identify and stand out from the crowd. Most people aren't going to make the effort to head there if they can catch the same films in the city centre.

Renn

But wasn't the same old thing successful enough for them? Like I said earlier, I was under the impression that the cinema was getting good numbers in but rent was the massive stumbling block. So the same old thing won't be an issue for most.

JohnnyChimpo

Also, since it's run by Element Pictures (a production and distribution company) now, there's some sort of vertical integration, i.e. they will recoup money from the ticket sales on their productions rather than just from concessions. Without having any details, this seems to be a good way of increasing profits while retaining ther same basic model.

Sad Professor

Tbh the Lighthouse is probably handier for me than Cineworld. And at least I'll be guaranteed a nice theatrical experience. Because every time I go traipsing down O'Connell Street toward Cineworld I find myself wondering why I'm bothering.

I might head over on Friday to see J Edgar.

Renn

Renn wrote: »

But wasn't the same old thing successful enough for them? Like I said earlier, I was under the impression that the cinema was getting good numbers in but rent was the massive stumbling block. So the same old thing won't be an issue for most.

The rent crippled them and while the business model they had was relatively successful there's a much larger audience that they could appeal to by offering films that aren't readily available in other theatres.

jArgHA

Technocentral wrote: »

Hope it works out, but I can't help thinking that it should have been re opened in Cork, they don't have a non mainstream cinema to cater for lovers of intelligent cinema there since The Kino closed, whereas we have 2 within 10 minutes walk of each other.

Whilst it's not a dedicated Cinema, the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork has filled the gap somewhat with pretty frequent showings of alternative cinema:
http://www.triskelartscentre.ie/cinema.htm

The movies are shown in the beautiful Christchurch, although the seats are not the most comfortable for a long film..

Hart

Deleted User wrote: »

They released the films showing the opening weekend, W.E., the Artist, Shane and J. Edgar. have to say its rather disappointing given that each of the films is screening in most cinemas around the country. Hard to justify the added time and cost of getting to Smithfield when you can catch the films in the city centre. they're going to have to give people something that they can't get in every other cinema if they hope to made a go of the reopening.

Considering the fact that the new owners had just over a week to get the place ready to reopen I thinks it's remakrable that they are able to show 4 new titles and not have to rerun something older.

e_e

Is there anywhere I can go to view the film times? Wanna see Shame there tomorrow.

HeidiHeidi

http://entertainment.ie/cinema/display.asp

Delighted to see this cinema opening again - even if it does only show what's on in the main cinemas, it's a 100% nicer experience in the Lighthouse than in the commercial ones. I'll make sure to be a more frequent user this time!

Renn

teabags18

All films and times are on entertainment.ie http://entertainment.ie/cinema/display.asp for the Lighthouse

Hart

The Lighthouse's own website is now up and running;
http://www.thelighthousecinema.ie/index.php