What’s past is truly prologue. The business of motion picture exhibition is changing and changing more rapidly than we are even perceiving. I know that within my own perception things have changed. I am now concerned about who has sat in the seat prior to me. I take a look at the staff at restaurants to see if they are wearing masks. States are making the wearing of masks mandatory in public. This of course can put a real crimp in your popcorn action. I have to confess that I am an addict and nothing in my mind is better than movie popcorn. I miss it.
AMC’s loveable maven of public pronouncements President and CEO Adam Aron said this week that while employees will be required to wear masks, AMC would not enforce the practice for their patrons amid the ongoing novel pandemic, as they do “not want to be drawn into a political controversy.”
“We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask-wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary,” he extolled. “We think that the vast majority of AMC guests will be wearing masks. When I go to an AMC feature, I will certainly be wearing a mask and leading by example.” The decision drew a slew of backlash on Twitter, with people responding with shout-outs like “NOT requiring masks is political” and “Disease prevention is not political.”
I would have simply stated, “As engaged citizens, AMC will conform to local laws.” I have to tell you, I really hope Adam sticks around…he makes writing about exhibition pretty easy.
Although sometimes my writings express a deep concern for the state of affairs of the business of exhibition, I have always and still believe deeply in movie going. It is not going away. I see so many businesses and groups moving towards implementing some form of large screen experience. It is staggering to think that “JAWS” the movies that started the summer blockbuster explosion only rolled out to 900 screens and still was a massive success. I think in short order we are going to have 900 drive-in screens.
The business of exhibition has faced problems on a massive scale before this pandemic hit us.
In 1918, a flu, titled the Spanish Flu (but probably originated in Kansas), arose across the USA. This flu seemed to originate with returning World Ⅰ soldiers. The Nation was solely focused on the war effort.
Although aware of the rampaging flu, the Mayor of Philadelphia was adamant, for political reasons, that The Liberty Loan parade would still take place. Six weeks after that parade, 12,000 Philadelphians lay dead from influenza. In just 10 months, 670,000 people died in the U.S. Globally fatalities were between 50 and 100 million.
Politicians were at best reticent to take proactive measures to limit the pandemics. New York City public health commissioner Royal Copeland loudly boasted to members of the press, “I’m keeping my theatres in as good condition as my wife keeps our home.” In various newspapers a banner was run that stated, “Schools and Theatres Here Not to Be Closed.” A week later they were all closed. The Minneapolis Morning Tribune in its edition on Sunday, Oct. 13, 1918 reported that “theatres were packed last night with patrons who took advantage of their last chance to see a performance until the ban is lifted. Long lines of men and women waited in front of the motion picture and vaudeville theaters during the early hours of the evening.”
In Philadelphia, The Evening Bulletin stated that by closing for two weeks, “Loss to Theatres by Closing, $200,000.” This is $3.5 million in today’s currency. Frank A. McDonald, president of the Theatre Owners Association which was the precursor to NATO, and 25 of his colleagues attended a city council session in Los Angeles sporting what were called influenza masks and as a local paper tells us “appealed not to open theatres, but rather to close up everything else as tight as the theatres… He deplored the fact that department stores, cafeterias, parks, and other places where people still gather, were allowed to be open, while churches, schools, and theatres were closed.” The theater owners sued the city. The case was dropped after the city allowed the theaters to open. This started the habit of theater owners flexing their political and legal muscles.
Politicians directed the view of the public away from the impact of the pandemic and focused their gaze on the global conflict at hand. World War Ⅰ ceased its horror on November 11th 1918. The Spanish Flu continued until the summer of 1919 when it began to die out. The returning troops and the increased economic activity brought on by the profits of war created a sense of optimism which swept the memory of 670,000 American dead under the carpet.
In 1918, the top grossing movie was entitled “Mickey” starring comedienne Mabel Normand, it grossed in 1918 dollars $8,000,000. The top grossing movie in 1919 was “The Miracle Man” starring Lon Chaney which grossed $3,000,000. In October of 1919, The Capitol Movie Palace was opened with capacity for an audience of 4000. The age of the grand movie palaces were brought upon us by Spanish Flu and by the end of World War Ⅰ, Things began to really change.
The Pandemic we are suffering through a hundred years later in bringing about change as well. The whole concept of movie going is being re-defined and re-shaped. Those that are in the business of exhibition should start re-defining their outlook.
Alamo Drafthouse said today it will require patrons to wear face masks upon reopening its theaters. I have an idea for a mask/popcorn bucket combination. Like I said things change.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tale-two-movie-pandemics-william-dever/
