Contribution from slashCAM » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 11:21
The German Federal Film Board has published its semi-annual cinema balance sheet, where it itself is astonished to note that despite the Corona crisis, the cinema stock is only m.
Click here to read the news on the slashCAM magazine pages:
The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Contribution from iasi » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 12:47
Looking at the box office results of the big revenue earners, theaters are not out of the woods yet.
In any case, we are still a long way from the box-office heights of 2019:
At least it looks better than 2020, though:
Let’s see if Dune and Bond will provide the push we need.
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Post by cantsin » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 13:50
I must honestly say that I don’t miss movie theaters anymore except for film festivals, premieres with the filmmakers and the like.
Now they are only stumbling blocks resp. artificial hurdles for getting z.B. a movie like "Dune can see – like getting access to internet news only by subscribing to a paper daily newspaper.
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Re: The big cinema die-off has failed – for now
Contribution of iasi » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 14:06
I must honestly say that I don’t miss cinemas anymore, except for film festivals, premieres with the filmmakers and the like.
Now they are only stumbling blocks respectively. Artificial hurdles for having z.B. a movie like "Dune as if you could only get access to the Internet news by subscribing to a paper newspaper.
I was visiting someone the other day and they proudly showed me their 50" OLED.
It was set up at the other end of the room – 8m away from the sofa. The sound came from the Boxchen the TVs.
From the streaming service I pulled me recently Godzilla – the modern monster clobbering – and stops the film immediately again. After I put the BD in, the bass was back as well.
Cinema is also a community experience. Much like a meal together at the pub.
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Re: the great cinema die-off is off – for now
Contribution from Axel » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 15:21
The eateries that did relatively well during the lockdown due to out-of-home sales and delivery services – pizzerias, pseudo-Chinese fast food and the like – incurred no or less debt and survived, but at a cost yet to be assessed. People have noticed that they can eat the food just as well at home, that it is mega interchangeable and that it was always exclusive convenience food anyway because of the thin staff ceilings.
I think everyone understands the comparison. Movies have become content, as Scorsese says. No matter where you consume it. An ex-colleague (in the cinema manager’s office) told me the day before yesterday it was depressing. A few isolated guests, the 20-o’clock performances practically only to 15, 20% sold, Totensonntag after midnight in Hinterwald. Home-cooked tapas with wine and vaccinated friends in front of the 65 "er at home are the nicer "community experience.
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Re: The big cinema die-off is off – for the time being
Post by Bluboy » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 15:26
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Post from markusG » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 15:29
I know, and I don&t want to have at my place; many of my circle of friends don&t even have TVs anymore, only laptops. Wouldn’t be for me.
Then better to the favorite cinema. There’s always something festive about it, if it’s not some soulless cineplex. Or something cozy, if it’s an arthouse cinema, where films are shown that you would otherwise never have stumbled upon in your life. Or outdoor cinema, if the weather cooperates. Film festivals anyway
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Re: the great cinema die-off is off – for now
Contribution from 7River » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 16:02
We went to the movies again. Felt good. Is a Cineplex cinema. I don’t find it soulless. They went to a lot of trouble and refurbished everything to meet the C-regulations.
With a large flat screen you should already get a soundbar. They have a better sound. They should not be too cheap.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from iasi » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 16:28
The eateries that did relatively well during the lockdown through out-of-home sales and delivery services – pizzerias, pseudo-Chinese fast food and the like – incurred no or less debt and survived, but at a cost yet to be assessed. People realized they might as well eat the grub at home, that it’s mega interchangeable and it was always exclusive convenience grub anyway because of the thin staff ceilings.
I think everyone understands the comparison. Movies have become content, as Scorsese says. No matter where you consume it. An ex-colleague (in the cinema manager’s office) told me the day before yesterday that it was depressing. A few isolated guests, the 8 p.m. performances practically only sold at 15, 20%, Totensonntag after midnight in Hinterwald. Home-cooked tapas with wine and vaccinated friends in front of the 65 "s at home are the nicer "communal experience".
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from Frank Glencairn » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 16:33
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Post by macaw » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 17:20
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution by 7River » Tue 07 Sep, 2021 18:22
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Post by TheBubble » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 00:33
This is the biggest problem I have with cinemas. You come alone or in a small group, sit in a room with dozens to hundreds, then sit in silence next to each other for 2h and go your separate ways. Zero contact, with anyone.
And in small group from 2-3 people the BD would have been cheaper. Also without popcorn, ice cream or drinks.
Cinema can be a change of pace once in a while, but I certainly understand if you don’t like it.
And if you like watching movies, it’s way too expensive in comparison.
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Re: The big cinema die-off is down – for now
Post by Bluboy » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 00:36
This is the biggest problem I have with movie theaters. You come alone or in a small group, sit with dozens to hundreds in a room, then keep silent for 2h next to each other and go your way. Zero contact, with anyone.
And in small group from 2-3 people the BD would have been cheaper. Even without popcorn, ice cream or drinks.
Cinema can be a change from time to time, but I understand if you don’t like it.
And if you like watching movies, then it’s way too expensive in comparison.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from 7River » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 05:43
That’s the biggest problem I have with movie theaters. You come alone or in a small group, sit with dozens to hundreds in a room, then keep silent for 2h next to each other and go your way. Zero contact, with anyone.
And in small group of 2-3 people or more the BD would have been cheaper. Even without popcorn, ice cream or drinks.
Cinema can be a change from time to time, but I understand if you don’t like it.
And if you like watching movies it is way too expensive in comparison.
Yes, there are definitely moments when people interfere and you can’t enjoy the movie anymore. Thank god those are the exceptions though. But even a good home cinema can’t keep up with a real cinema. Price wise you are certainly right. Although there are days, at least for us, when the tickets are cheaper.
What for hermits?! No, I can’t imagine.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from iasi » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 07:47
That’s the biggest problem I have with movie theaters. You come alone or in a small group, sit in a room with dozens to hundreds, then keep silent for 2h next to each other and go your way. Zero contact, to no one.
And in small group of 2-3 people or more the BD would have been cheaper. Even without popcorn, ice cream or drinks.
Cinema can be a change now and then, but I understand perfectly if you don’t like it.
And if you like watching movies, it’s way too expensive in comparison.
Probably never sat in a comedy with someone who has an infectious laugh.
Or talked about the cinema experience afterwards.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from macaw » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 08:52
In 1997 I had the first and only conversation with a seatmate, during the commercials before Alien Resurrection, we talked briefly about James Cameron’s upcoming fiasco called Titanic, an unknown flop that nobody knows today 
That said, many of my visits to the cinema have been rather accompanied by the usual annoyances, but the real elephant in the room is that the screen and sound have long been far too big for the pathetic spectacle to be seen and heard.
If the cinema doesn’t manage to create a new "new Hollywood", without any new Hollywood", which there is no question of, it will eventually become a fairground attraction.
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Post by 7River » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 09:13
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Re: The big movie theater die-off is off – for now
Contribution by Funless » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 09:21
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution from iasi » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 09:28
In 1997 I had the first and only conversation with a seat neighbor, during the commercial before Alien Resurrection, we talked briefly about James Cameron’s upcoming fiasco called Titanic, an unknown flop that nobody knows today
Apart from that, many of my cinema visits were rather accompanied by the usual annoyances, apart from the actual elephant in the room, that the screen and the sound have long been far too big for the pathetic spectacle to be seen and heard.
If the cinema does not manage a new "new Hollywood" to create what there is no question of, it will eventually become a fairground attraction.
When you go alone to a restaurant and eat your meal at your table, there is hardly any conversation.
Cinema is the same today as it was 50 years ago.
I didn’t go to the old Godzilla movies to listen to monster dialogues.
And the first Mad Max wasn’t a more intense experience than M either.M.Fury Road.
The hero was as superior to the villains with his Colt or with his fighting techniques as today’s superheroes are.
Hercules was already strong back then.
You also get entitlement on the big screen even today.
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Re: the great cinema die-off is off – for now
Post by Axel » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 09:55
Yes, reactions from the auditorium! There are countless Youtube videos where Y-ers and Z-ers see for the first time Hey Jude Or Locomotive Breath listen, but unfortunately only a few Marvel or Harry Potter clips for the cinema. That used to be my great pleasure as a projectionist, to witness exciting, touching or shocking moments (of which I knew exactly when they happened) in full auditoriums. The confession of faith in the Sunday cold church is only a bored babble, the truly magical cult takes place in the cinema. When the many become aware that they share the same fears and desires, a tsunami of raw energy sweeps through the semi-darkness.
Why I can’t enjoy the reactions to modern blockbusters to the same extent is due to the fact that the movies are mainly recycled and accordingly the reactions to them are only Pavlovian reflexes. You notice, you feel together, because you are shown together. Modern blockbusters meet expectations without ever exceeding them for even seconds. Because of their always succeeds! – Recipes they have made themselves content.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Contribution by iasi » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 10:34
In Endgame, they didn’t recycle a classic dramaturgical moment in the scene of the video after all, but rather prepared and implemented it skillfully.
It’s not Pavlovian reflexes but emotional reactions that make good movies – and that’s what today’s movies do as well.
It is also not true that modern blockbusters meet expectations.
Infinity War offers an ending that is very rare to get.
In an Italowestern shoots z.B. Kinski the silent hero. No today’s viewer
was conditioned by this and now only shows Pavlovian reflexes at the finale of Infinity War.
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Re: The great cinema death has failed – for the time being
Post by cantsin » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 10:45
The last magical cinema-mass-audience-moment I experienced was in 1998, when Verhoeven’s "Starship Troopers" was shown in the german cinemas. I saw the film at the then Royal-Palast in Berlin’s Europacenter (on what was supposed to be the largest screen in Europe, where a Saturn store now stands. ), with a mixed blockbuster/action/roll audience. In this scene at the end, resp. the appearance of the secret policemen in the long coats.
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Re: the great cinema die-off is off – for now
Contribution of Axel » Wed 08 Sep, 2021 11:11
I’m sure I’m doing the movies a bit of an injustice too. The fact is that no matter which movie I’m watching, I already know what’s going to happen. Is like series. Thirty episodes missed. How, was he not dead? Oh no, was only dreamed, fits already.
For me, the characters here are just too wooden. An ensemble of Punch and Judy puppets that for practically two decades – a young life! – is only slightly varied and plays with these slight variations. They are also superheroes. When we identify emotionally strongly, readily and often with superheroes, we inevitably end up with disturbed personality development. Narcissists have such fantasies. The big problems are not caused by social conditions, but by super villains. This is alarmingly infantile. The supervillains are not archetypes, but only the mirror image of the heroes. Dei ex machina, are only needed to be defeated.
I emphasize that a single work of fiction can quietly have these characteristics and thus do no harm. Cinema must also be able to be an escape from the world. Good cinema lets us step out onto the street not with the feeling, oh, it’s dull here, but, man, there’s a lot to do here. Good cinema inspires, not dumbs down. Are you trying to say that the Marvel movies.. not dumb down?
. Scene at the end, or. the appearance of the secret police in the long coats.
. the entire audience in the sold-out hall (940 seats) burst into collective laughter, because of course everyone immediately recognized the uniforms as Gestapo uniforms. I would have begrudged Verhoeven to have been there. This audience had understood his film, while elsewhere (incl. the USA) the film was misunderstood at that time.
I was talking to some 20-somethings about the film a few months ago. They thought the film was "well done and entertaining, but the whole satirical side, everything the movie is just brimming with, they didn’t perceive that.
Anyway become watch Dune in the cinema, and I have talked to many friends who will do the same. We will see.