It should come as no surprise that I am a massive film fan… I am writing this film blog.
I am especially fond of the great theatrical experience of seeing a film in the dark with strangers.
To a true cinephile, a cinema is like a church.
I have amazing memories of going to see films as a child the pomp and circumstance of going to the ticket kiosk for a ticket, then going to the concessions stand and buying fresh warm popcorn then having a staff member check your ticket in the specific auditorium you were going to see the film in and even pointing you to your seat.
I also have memories of audiences clapping at the end of films!
Am I misremembering?
Is that all rose-tinted nostalgia?
I don’t know but what I do know is many contemporary film fans find the cinema-going experience underwhelming in 2024.
This was my favorite cinema growing up... It is now a gym.
The decline in the cinema experience is so multi-faceted and for so many reasons it is tricky to pin down a route cause.
But here is a rant anyway!
Some people point their finger at mainstream Hollywood for churning out so many terrible films that are all superheros, reboots and sequels. I think there is some merit in that.
When a good film is made and then marketed in a fresh way it can get people into theaters look at the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon but people flocked go to see "Deadpool & Wolverine" which is a superhero sequel so who knows.
With Netflix replacing physical media rentals then Prime Video being a success movie studios for some reason really resented the likes of Netflix making money and being a success so instead of making films, giving them a theatrical release then giving them a premium digital rental then licencing the film to Netflix and letting Netflix pay the studio money... studios decided to spend millions and millions of dollars launching their own streaming service that will become a financial millstone around their neck because people can not afford to pay for 6 streaming services a month.
This has led to major studios making films that should be in theaters but putting them on streaming and cultivating an ecosystem where people know films will be on streaming sooner rather than later so why bother going to the cinema.
We did have a very real and dangerous global pandemic that did not help the theatrical film industry.
It is also incredible how good and affordable home entertainment equipment is now. You can have an amazing movie-watching experience from the comfort of your own home on your sofa... this leads me to my next point.
OTHER PEOPLE! We seem to have had a societal shift so many people do not feel the need to adhere to any kind of social etiquette or show respect to any kind of rules when in a movie theater.
Apparently attention spans are shrinking and people find all their entertainment watching makeup tutorials on TikTok or whatever. Hollywood is combating this by making films that are really really long and wondering why they are not popular.
Taking all that into account I still feel the fundamental problem with the modern multiplex-type experience is the same thing that plagues all modern businesses,
rampant neo-liberal capitalism.
All the big chains are run by CEOs and boards that do not give a monkeys about anything except getting dividends paid out.
They crave customers money but only focus on maximising profits by having minimal staff who are expected to be everywhere at once and don’t have time to do everything that needs to be done, especially cleaning.
These companies simply do not invest in their buildings and facilities.
The multi-plex I frequent sports tatty paint and worn-out carpet, broken and uncomfortable seats in front of screens with marks and creases, sound systems with damaged speakers that rattle and buzz and they have no premium screens such as IMAX.
Falling standards and minimum staffing levels soon becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of decline. Greedy bosses taking any profits and squirreling them away in a tax haven does not let a business thrive. There used to be a kind of business person who would asset strip a business, run down and sell off what they can to make profit with no regards for the longevity of the business but over the last 10/15 years this seems to be the standard operating procedure for big business. It is shameful and dystopian.
This is all a bit of a rant about the present what about the future…
This is a no-brainer but I feel there will need to be fewer big cinemas.
one multi-plex for every 250’000 of a city's population and these cinemas will need to be new or completely renovated premises with a minimum of one IMAX screen in addition to 8 other screens of various capacities all with premium seating and excellent sound systems that are well maintained.
I cannot stress this bit enough... clearly displayed house rules!
In addition we will need helpful human staff who are also trained to enforce the house rules.
because as it stands If you are unlucky enough to be in a screening with rowdy teens talking, messing on their phones and running in and out… there is no staff, security or management to intervene and enforce any rules or remove them… so you just have to not have a good time for your money.
The modern cinema industry must be geared to get people off their sofas and out of their homes to come and "experience" the latest films not just "see them."
It has to be all about service, environment, comfort and experience.
Also... we can put a robot on Mars but we can't make a good touchscreen device to dispense movie tickets… apparently!!
Side Note.
I know 4DX is a thing but I hate it!
It turns films into amusement park rides and if people want to make amusement park ride films… like Aquaman or whatever and people want to spend their money seeing them… fine!
The flip side of the cinema business is the proper indie/arthouse cinemas showing smaller films the type of films that win awards and even sometimes have subtitles!
The kind of cinema that has fun film festivals and shows classic movies.
What we see all over the world is these can only exist away from the big shiny business models of greedy CEOs.
These cinemas need to be run by a charitable trust with a mix of paid employees and volunteers.
By having a “non-profit” status they can fundraise and apply for grants to maintain and run the facility.
Unfortunately, this is the only way the cinema experience I enjoy the most will continue into the future.
Smaller clean auditoriums with sofas and side tables a boutique cinema experience that I have no problem leaving my flat for.
I do draw the line at drink and food service in the screens! that is a step too far.
I hear stories of people having hot pizzas covered in onions served to them and stinking the place out in some posh cinemas in America... No Thank You!
Being able to bring in a nice coffee or a cold cider would do me just fine.
If you read my blog you may have noticed that at the bottom of pretty much every blog post I have a link to belmontcinema.co.uk
The Belmont Cinema was the only Indie/Arthouse cinema in Aberdeen and it closed in October 2022 when its parent company in Edinburgh ceased trading.
Pretty much immediately after the closure a small team of individuals got together to pursue getting the cinema open again.
The group has formulated "a viable strategy for the future" which transforms the cinema into a center for Film, Arts, Culture, Education and Community.
Their plan involves a complete high-end refurbishment
The Belmont Community Cinema group have been working with the award-winning companies Tinto Architecture and FortyTwo Studio (who I hope are doing this pro bono)
to completely redesign the cinemas decor and aesthetic.
concept art work of the entrance way, screen one and new concessions counter.
Here are the designs for the revamped Cafe/Bar which is on the basement level and the plan for the top floor education & filmmaking suite.
Spokes people have said a lot of things that really impress me. It seems they want to have a membership scheme so you can be a card carrying member, they want to put on film festivals and have a repertory schedule where they show older films and classics.
All stuff I am very keen on indeed.
The Belmont Community Cinema are currently fundraising to reach their goal of £2 million.
They have raised £519,000 towards the project from a mix of grant funding from trusts, organisations, individual donations, community groups and local companies.
They have applied for and are waiting to hear about a further £600,000 from government funds.
They have also applied for numerous funding grants and are very keen to attract corporate sponsorship.
It would obviously be amazing to see the place operating some time in 2025 but I don't know how likely that is... but the sooner the better.
As usual I will sign off by saying, If you read my blog and enjoy it please consider making a donation to the The Belmont Community Cinema fund.
This facility being open again will bring me so much joy.
