There is a truth in the movies which has been lost and become muddled . A truth which flows gracefully and honestly out of the unique art form known as the American movie. Our cultural life in an American reality and even on a global reality is dependent of the stories and images contained within these movies. From the tapestry presented within these movies the world’s common people fell in love with stories and icons celebrated in the stories played out on screen. In many ways it was the common man talking to the common. Stories of struggle, strife and jubilation were laid in front of us and we consumed these stories hungrily. Often there was an inherent goodness portrayed, a goodness we could both aspire to and associate with. This truth is the truth and honesty found within the word, community.
In the motion pictures exhibition space there seems to be two camps, one tells this business, that the world is going to be great if you sell chicken fingers and removed fifty percent of your seats and replaced them with giant overstuffed chairs, the other camp yells out that movies are dead and that OTT services like Netflix or Amazon will crush a hundred years of history and art. Neither in my humble opinion are right, I think they are both motivated by the same master, laziness. Movies are alive and they are beating strong…..it ain’t though in Hollywood or nor does it exist in Regal theatres.
Lately I have been been going over box office number from small community theatres. These theatres often rely on a year long schedules, are single screens and pull from studio catalogs. They program movies reflecting the tastes and the patterns of the community which they serve. They take on responsibility for publicizing the movies they schedule. They do no rely on soft drink cups at McDonald’s to spread the word nor do they utilize the large national campaigns the studios wield when they release movies. They are homespun and they understand what plays.
Many times the movies they program play on Netflix and are on the DVD/Blu-Ray. They do not have luxury seating, some still project on 35mm. They are an odd collection of theatre, all reflecting the needs of the community they serve. They are theatres such as;
ACME Screening Room, Lambertsville, New Jersey
Belcourt Theatre, Nashville Tennessee
Camelot Theatre, Palm Springs California
Capri Theatre in Montgomery Alabama
Cine Magic, Portland Oregon
Cinema 21, Portland Oregon
Cinema Salem, Salem Massachusetts
County Theatres Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Darkside Theatre in Corvallis Oregon
Drexel, Columbus Ohio
Egyptian Theatre, Dekalb Illinois
Gateway, Columbus Ohio
Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara California
Hippodrome, Gainesville Florida
Historic Artcraft Theatre, Franklin Indiana
Images Cinema, Williamstown Massachusetts
Lincoln Theatre, Damariscotta, Maine
McEnamins, Portland Oregon
New Parkway Theatre, Oakland California
Normal Theatre, Normal Illinois
The Nightlight, Akron Ohio
West Point Community Theatre, West Point Nebraska
Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Wilton New Hampshire
What is an interesting sidebar is that when a local movie economy shows diversity and moves away from a reliance on the major circuit, a movie economy blooms in a manner which is both innovative and derived from the community it serves. I can point to the example of Portland Oregon which has a dynamic and vital movie going culture, with theatres such as the Roxy and The McEnamins Chain betray a hidden potential in a market where the majors do not hold sway, When cinematic free enterprise is allowed to take hold some pretty interesting things can evolve in a movie economy. I think Portland shows that the three major circuits do not provide any benefits to this industry, in fact they do harm.
In drilling down with the numbers generated on per screen basis, we come up with some very telling results. I took a title which first had release in the 70’s and discovered that its re-release did far more substantial numbers in independent movie theatres than it did on circuit screens. Where a major circuit did on average 30-40 admissions per screening, the independent did on average 230 admissions per screening. These numbers are significant and more than telling. What is happening is that the circuits are being abandoned, in favor of a movie experience which is more community orientated. Other factors are;
An advance schedule which allows audiences to plan
A price point which is accessible to most in the community
Allowing the community a sense of ownership over the theatre
Concessions that are not over priced
Community is the greatest commodity movie going has and it is imperative that it be used in order invigorate movie going. When it is utilized properly it is an amazing thing to watch.
Yesterday I snuck away from my office to go watch Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, I cynically thought, well it’s going to be a pretty empty house. I was wrong…on a Friday afternoon 60 people came to see a still very funny made in 1948. In December at the miracle that is The Historic Artcraft Theatre, thousand will converge and watch movies like A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas and other favorites. It is America talking to itself, reflecting what it holds dear and what makes it special.
From this small Indiana city and other locations across the country, people are abandoning the circuits and re-discovering the art of American movie going. This is a global trend if Luna Cinemas in the UK and the pan Atlantic The Rooftop Cinema is any indication.
Have a great week and go to an independent movie theatre. We need more George Bailey and less George Lucas.
