News and Features

This section looks at news relating specifically to cinemas, the cinema and movie industry over the last month, which has been of interest or you may have missed.

There seems to be a number of bad stories coming out this month. With AOL Time Warner, Vivendi Universal and Film Four. But there is some good news in regards to cinema advertising.

AOL Time Warner has been having a hard time of it in recent weeks, what with changes in executives, accounting and financial problems. Some of the changes include Jeff Bewkes being put in charge of AOL Time Warner’s entire entertainment portfolio (Warner Bros & New Line Cinema). Stories for AOL Time Warner, seem to be continuing to run this month.  

It hasn’t been a good time for Universal’s parent company Vivendi Universal with the potential for Canal Plus division to be broken up. The story continues to run and run and run. A general search on any news, film or finance site will give the latest details. I have put the link below to the press release information of their website, but there are plenty of stories available. 
 http://www.vivendiuniversal.com/vu2/en/_home/home.cfm

After a number of months of speculation the news has been announced that Film Four is no longer going to exist as a separate entity within the Channel 4 empire. Instead it is to come under the Drama department and be making lower budget films, much like when Channel 4 first started twenty years ago.

While other sectors of the media have been suffering from low revenue from advertising, it seems that cinema advertising is the opposite. The amount of revenue received via cinema advertising has continued to increase.

The BFI has announced plans that they are planning to close the National Film Theatre for a short period in order to do some minor refurbishments. Full details can be found at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/showing/nft/renew/index.html

The US may soon have a digital cinema circuit for the struggling foreign films to have access to the American marketplace. Screen daily has the full story on line: http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9054

Screen Daily also ran a story of some new research which reveals the real value of cinema food sales in cinemas, something which many would not be surprised to hear. The global value of the concessions is $4.5bn and this is expected to rise meaning that exhibitors will (and do) make more money from than they do from showing the movies themselves. Read the story now at: http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9060

Russian is set to get its first 3D Imax this autumn. Read the story now at: http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9081

But despite some of this bad news, there is some good. According to Screen Daily the UK July box office was the best for 31 years, the highest since 1971. There are now rumours that the total attendance could be another record breaker. The story can be found at http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9194

Site of the Month

Cinema of the Month

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Travels with Fred

UGC PASS AND ME

On the morning of the 14^th July, which was a Sunday, I had a thought.

UGC had just reduced their UGC any time pass from £19.99 to £12.99 a month (minimum period of 12 months).

Well to be honest, I had been thinking about this for a few days. Should I buy one. I ummed and aarrd for about 2 minutes.

I set off to UGC West India Quay which is part of the Canary Warf development in London’s docklands.

I was amazed to find a thriving office community was in place, together with a Wetherspoons, which can only be a bonus.

I entered the cinema. I asked for a form for a UGC pass..

I filled in the form. A pass was issued and I paid the first month’s instalment.

West India Quay is a basic Multiplex with no masking.

I have also watched movies at the following

UGC TROCODERO

UGC HAYMARKET

UGC FULHAM ROAD

I now have seen 15 movies in a single month; I always buy a drink and popcorn, so UGC get their money back from me.

Below is my league table of best sound

Best sound

1 Haymarket

2 Trocodero (6 out of 7 screens are SR only)

3 West India Quay

4 Fulham Road

I have really enjoyed visiting these UGC cinemas. I have seen films that normally I would not have gone to see.

I like the UGC style of presentation. I don’t like the idea of no masking, but one can live with it.

I love the UGC Haymarket and the Trocodero. They feel like proper cinemas, you feel the occasion.

West India Quay

Is a standard Multiplex

Fulham Road

Sorry, I did not like Fulham Road.

Films I have seen:

• Minority Report

• Kissing Jessica Stein

• Unfaithful

• Amen

• Goldmember

• Birthday Girl

• Sunshine State

• Girl from Paris

• Amadeus

• Lost in La Mancha

• Lucky and Amazing

• IvansXtc

• La Spagnola

• Lavender Hill Mob

• Passport to Pimlico

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Up and Coming Releases

Thanks to Keith Shankster for allowing us to use this list:

To get a review for these films, then visit http://www.phase9.net

Find out when these movies are on near you by using one of the following links:

BBCi Films Section: http://www.bbc.co.uk/film

Scoot: http://www.scoot.co.uk

Odeon: http://www.odeon.co.uk

Credits

Editor: Peter J. Knight

Sub Editor: Lisa Baron

Content written by Peter J. Knight

Cinema of the Month information by Steve Grimley

Cinema Release by Keith Shankster

News Stories compiled by: Peter J. Knight

Travels with Fred by: Fred Fullerton

Contacts