Alice In Wonderland - Exhibitors threaten boycott

[Dame Hedwig]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/...derland-burton

I'm not sure here, are they saying they make the most profit in the final four weeks of exhibition? That can't be right. I doubt it will happen but I hope Disney stick to their guns, it would be nice to see Odeon spanked by a studio, if only to make up for their appalling lack of support for foreign language films.

[Roberto]

I'm for it, i like that they are closing the gap between cinema and blu-ray, because i want to watch Avatar again but seeing in the cinema is way too expensive

[H Dot]

I'm all for films being released sooner rather than later on dvd after their cinema release that way I can watch a film in peace at home without having stupid kids talking their way through them as is the case with my local cinema.

[aprout]

Outside of mega-hits like Avatar*, when does a film ever get a 4 month theatrical run?

* yes I know it hasn't yet, but it probably will last that long

[Takis]

Originally Posted by H Dot

I'm all for films being released sooner rather than later on dvd after their cinema release that way I can watch a film in peace at home without having stupid kids talking their way through them as is the case with my local cinema.

And don't forget the chavs.....

[jester]

Great News! If the cinemas want the business they should up their game.

[Shingster]

Are people actually siding with Disney on this?

[jester]

Looks like it I guess they want to watch it at home sooner.

Can see why as well when you look at the average experience of going to the cinema.

[Mr Dan]

Best news I've heard for a while.
Cinema sucks these days and I just wait for a home release.

[johnsy]

I can't understand why the cinemas are so worried... it's a 3D release (and 2D as well) so that alone will surely get a few people along on the basis of the reaction when I was in the local Cineworld and they showed the 3D trailer. Quite a few ooo's and aah's from assorted popcorn munchers. The DVD release 12 weeks after it opens won't impact that one little bit.

[Richie]

Originally Posted by johnsy

I can't understand why the cinemas are so worried... it's a 3D release (and 2D as well) so that alone will surely get a few people along on the basis of the reaction when I was in the local Cineworld and they showed the 3D trailer. Quite a few ooo's and aah's from assorted popcorn munchers. The DVD release 12 weeks after it opens won't impact that one little bit.

Indeed.
The fact that the film was advertised in 3D before 'Avatar' and millions saw that will certainly help the theatrical release. I had no intention of seeing it at the cinema until I saw the trailer in 3D.

[zantarous]

I just saw Avatar tonight and agree that 3D trailer might actually make me go to see this now. I can't see how Disney can stick to their guns on this one, if it gets pulled from 95% of the screens, the IMAX will rake it in, but Disney will lose a lot of potential cash.

I am all for it though, if I don't go to see a film in the first month of release chances are something else will be out to tempt me instead.

[Shingster]

The cinemas are worried because they won't be earning any significant money from ticket sales until the 4th week of release and beyond, it's all very well that Disney want to rush through to a home video release, but they're screwing the cinemas over in the process. If this practice becomes common place then ticket and concessionary sales are going to sky rocket even more than they have done in recent years.

[zantarous]

But they still have 12 weeks where they show the film, most cinemas round here won't even keep a film on that long.

[Cockeye]

Just been chatting to my sister about this. She's gutted as she couldn't wait for this and was gonna drag me along with her too.

The thing is, 3D films hang around in the cinema for much longer than 2D films - at least they seem to around here. We are lucky enough to have multiple 3D screens in Norwich (4, I think - but I'm not 100% on that) and some films seem to hang around for MONTHS. Even Coraline stuck around for about three months in 3D (disappeared in 2D after a few weeks) so I can kinda see both points of view.

I am not the cinema chains biggest fan, however, so I am gonna remain neutral. I am fairly confident the dispute will be resolved anyway.

[cliff homewood]

Well the Odeon stuck to its guns lat time with Rambo I believe it was. When you know they hardly get any money at all from the first week of sales, it all goes to the distributor, and the longer the films on for the percentage that goes to the distributor goes down im on the cinemas side. Its disgraceful that they hardly make any money from the films but get their revenue from the popcorn and drinks and stuff. Especially considering I never buy drinks and stuff there but bring my own in because its so dear, and the Odeon lets you do that. It's only the ice cream that tempts, mmm, lovely ice cream.

[tomos]

Originally Posted by Shingster

The cinemas are worried because they won't be earning any significant money from ticket sales until the 4th week of release and beyond, it's all very well that Disney want to rush through to a home video release, but they're screwing the cinemas over in the process. If this practice becomes common place then ticket and concessionary sales are going to sky rocket even more than they have done in recent years.

doubt it. less people would go. i dont go to my odeon unless a movie comes out that i really want to see and it's not on in the FACT here. the FACT is far cheaper and i've never had chav problems there. no one using mobiles etc.

if cinemas want more people to go, how about having ushers present that kick noisy, texting people out so everyone else can enjoy the damn film. mobile phone jammers wouldn't be the worst thing in the world there either

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by zantarous

But they still have 12 weeks where they show the film, most cinemas round here won't even keep a film on that long.

As mentioned this is a 3D film, chains play them longer than regular films and they seem to still bring in a significant amount of viewers (at least as far as the cinema is concerned) in those later weeks.

Originally Posted by tomos

doubt it. less people would go.

And yet they increase ticket prices by a pound every 1-2yrs and 2009 was a record year for cinema attendance. I do believe that we will eventually reach a saturation point where the price of a cinema ticket is so high that people will simply stay at home and wait for the DVD/BD, but we're a few quid away from that yet!

[cliff homewood]

mobile phone jammers good idea, except for those on call in emergencies. I thought if they're too tight to pay to have ushers in the cinema they should set up a text message service where if your auditorium is noisy you text a certain number to get them to send someone in to keep an eye.

[tomos]

if you're on call - don't go.