Dear Moviegoers,
Every week and weekend, I scour the broad places and the outer edges of various news aggregators, using terms like "cinema," "movie theaters," and more, to find the latest stories in the world of moviegoing - the practice of going to the movies, of running exhibitions, of changing technologies, and of general trends. If it fits my script, I'll bookmark it.
These posts/newsletters are part of the slight shift, or, rather, kindly additions to the content here at Moviegoing with Bill. Tales of triumph and tribulation go beyond what's on the screen, spilling into the projection booth and outward to the business and the patronage.
This, I hope, will become a blog and newsletter for advocacy and inspiration. More movie theaters, more crowds, more joy.
And so, with that out of the way, what did I find to share for this week?
There are whole TikTok hashtags for moviegoing, from memes and "challenges" to reviews and enthusiastic experiences- don't you know? While I, personally, am not hip or mechanically inclined to use that platform, I do peek in from time to time (using Google as a buffer, of course). And, from what I find, the kids are doing alright.
Chris Gardner, writing for the Hollywood Reporter, provided a brief from UCLA's Center for Scholars and Storytellers that, among other things, highlighted how young people prefer going to the movies more than staying at home, for the third year straight.
According to this Teens and Screens Report:
"seeing a new movie in theaters topped the charts as the most preferred weekend outing, ranking above playing a new video game, going to a live music show, streaming a film on their own device, bingeing a new show and going to a live sporting event."
In the report itself, however, there is a caveat that states, "if geography and money were not constraints."
Writing for the student publication Express out of Sacramento, Lisette Arnold, whose first moviegoing experience was a film featuring the musical group One Direction (I'm old), found in a few interviews that, while it's a popular outing, moviegoing is more of a "rare treat" they find:
“I understand that they need to stay afloat but surely they would get more customers if the prices dropped a little, which would hopefully increase profit for them.”
Is it the buzz and word of mouth on social media and across college campuses that'll keep young adults in cinema seats? I'd be willing to bet that TikTok is a fun, but small factor.
I recall a scene from Doc Hollywood where the people of a very small American town gathered for a showing of an old black-and-white film. The auditorium was a collection of stadium seats, set in front of a screen that adorned a wall, in what was an oddly outdoor venue. It appeared as a makeshift screening in a dilapidated building, perhaps a former cinema.
I might be incorrect in this recollection, but if that scene took place, then it's what I think of when I imagine moviegoing in rural areas.
For the Honolulu Civil Beat, Ross Melnick wrote of the lack of movie theaters - cinema deserts - across Hawaii:
"Hawaiʻi once had hundreds of movie theaters across its eight largest islands; today, there are less than two dozen commercial movie houses remaining across the entire state. Nearly all are located in the main cities of each island and more than half are on the island of Oʻahu. Even on Hawaiʻi’s more populous islands such as Maui and Hawaiʻi, rural movie houses have almost entirely vanished."
The article goes on to endorse the proposed SCREEN Act, supported by moviegoing advocacy group Cinema United, which looks to “help revitalize the Main Streets and commercial districts" where movie theaters operate.
“Supporting Cinema Renewal, Enhancement, and Enriching Neighborhoods." - SCREEN. I like that.
It ties the agricultural boom in mid-20th-century Hawaii to the growth of movie theaters across the state's small towns and rural areas, and the widening gap between cinema venues with the burst bubble of this boom around the 1980s and onward. As noted in the piece:
"Theatrical moviegoing fosters community, care and concern for others in a public space, and the ability to focus, something that may hold long-term benefits for educational environments and for both parents and teachers. The construction, renovation, and/or operation of movie theaters in rural towns would also generate much needed employment and drive foot traffic to local, surrounding businesses."
What will come of the SCREEN Act after the midterms? We'll see.
Man, if only I had the money and the courage to start a microcinema...
Business Insider hosted a diary entry of sorts from a former Netflix employee turned theater owner, Jianne Soriano, where he explains his decision to, after moving to Japan for work, stay and open a cinema:
"When the cinema first opened, the elderly residents seemed cautious. After a preview, they told me they were impressed to see the place cleaned up and put back into use. It's important for me to have screenings that kids and families can come to and enjoy the space."
It's a quaint article and a lovely tale.
I wish for more.
Until next time, folks.