Films that actually appeal to me enough to make me want to make the effort to go to the cinema. Possibly an age thing. I used to go to the cinema a lot, but during the last decade I've hardly bothered with it. Typically, I'll go and see one film per year.
Oddly, the only 2016 release that I'm really looking forward to is the upcoming cinema re-release of Terminator 2, which I've already seen a dozen times. I'm too young to have seen it on the big screen in 1991 and it's one of my all time favourites, but that should tell you how much of a dire state Hollywood is in right now.
I've already seen 3 films this year, but only decided on seeing them very close to their release dates and haven't 'looked forward' to them as such. Those were:
* Deadpool
* The Martian (IMAX re-release for £3 - who could say no to that? )
* Son of Saul
I see it as being down to the over-saturation of CGI super hero blockbusters, which are getting really boring really quickly.
Hmmm, remember when cinemas would show old films again? I remember watching "Empire Strikes Back" back at the Regal Cinema in Deal, Kent, a year after I had seen "Return of the Jedi" there.
I also remember a similar thing with "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" - about year after it was released on cinema, I finally got to view it.
I suppose that won't happen nowadays - what with release patterns - going fairly quickly to Netlfix, DVD, Blu Ray, etc.
As for cinema etiquette - I don't remember any of the cinema staff opening the doors during performances or walking at the back of the auditorium(that's happened to me recently).
People don't seem to be that good in cinemas these days. I even had someone answer their mobile phone on me - although they did say : "I'm in the cinema, I'll call you back." Doh! Turn it off in the first place.
I'll tell you what I miss - those big lush curtains they used to have in front of the screen (and the way they used to start projecting the film (with the opening BBFC board) with them still closed...
Since Blurays and big screen flat TVs have come out, there is nothing I miss about the Cinema.
The only good thing about Cinemas now a days is the fact a film comes out first but with them coming out within 3 months now of being shown it is not that big a wait.
Thought about doing a new thread for this but I guess it fits in here: Who remembers the days when you'd frequently get a short alongside the main feature?
One I particularly remember was Late Flowering Love, a star-studded compilation of John Betjemen poems, which according to IMDb played alongside the 1981 release of Raiders of the Lost Ark (which sounds about right). Doesn't seem to be on YouTube sadly. I also remember something called The Cure, with Patrick Mower trying to give up smoking (although I don't remember much beyond him).
Does anybody have any further info or a list of notable shorts? And when and why did they disappear?
PS. In the mid-80s there was, on a different note, something called the Blue II Video Show - pop videos sponsored by Gillette. You certainly got your money's worth in the "olden days"!
I saw Apocalypse Now with the support feature......Daffy Duck. (Salisbury in the 80s)
Personally, sitting in the dark with strangers in a third place, with a screen image bigger than life is the essence of the cinematic experience, and domestic Blu-DVD ray can never replicate that....
Does anybody have any further info or a list of notable shorts? And when and why did they disappear?
PS. In the mid-80s there was, on a different note, something called the Blue II Video Show - pop videos sponsored by Gillette. You certainly got your money's worth in the "olden days"!
I can't find anything about 'The Cure' but the BFI and BBFC websites carry some info about the Gillette pop videos.
The only films that seem to carry shorts these days are those by Disney and Pixar (the last preceding short film I remember seeing was called 'Feast', which played before Big Hero 6).
I can't find anything about 'The Cure' but the BFI and BBFC websites carry some info about the Gillette pop videos.
The only films that seem to carry shorts these days are those by Disney and Pixar (the last preceding short film I remember seeing was called 'Feast', which played before Big Hero 6).
Yes, you're right, Disney/Pixar films generally have shorts, although they're also made by Disney/Pixar. You never seem to get unrelated/random shorts made by other companies any more.
Thanks for the Blue II info
Another buried memory: Who remembers the charity ads for the Variety Club, where you got a commercial with Morecambe and Wise followed by a "live" collection in the cinema, passing a tin round...?
Thought about doing a new thread for this but I guess it fits in here: Who remembers the days when you'd frequently get a short alongside the main feature?
One I particularly remember was Late Flowering Love, a star-studded compilation of John Betjemen poems, which according to IMDb played alongside the 1981 release of Raiders of the Lost Ark (which sounds about right). Doesn't seem to be on YouTube sadly. I also remember something called The Cure, with Patrick Mower trying to give up smoking (although I don't remember much beyond him).
Does anybody have any further info or a list of notable shorts? And when and why did they disappear?
PS. In the mid-80s there was, on a different note, something called the Blue II Video Show - pop videos sponsored by Gillette. You certainly got your money's worth in the "olden days"!
I vaguely remember them. The one before "Return of the Jedi" was a short cartoon about fish eating one another. A bigger fish comes along and eats a smaller fish - you get the picture?
Seemed to have stopped around the mid 1980s. I remember watching "Star Trek III : The Search for Spock" in 1984 - and there was none then. Just adverts, and then the main feature.
I remember watching "Rollercoaster Rabbit" (a Roger Rabbit short) in the cinema, can't remember what movie followed though. Might have been Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989) or something else.
Did you complain? As I said in my previous post, it's seriously worth it; you usually get a refund/free ticket no questions asked...
Yes. The Manager made it out to be all my fault. I told him by his logic, the entire cinema could be over run with badly behaved children. I told him that I won't be back.
Yes. The Manager made it out to be all my fault. I told him by his logic, the entire cinema could be over run with badly behaved children. I told him that I won't be back.
I remember watching "Rollercoaster Rabbit" (a Roger Rabbit short) in the cinema, can't remember what movie followed though. Might have been Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989) or something else.
I think that was 'Tummy Trouble', well it was when I saw HISTK.
I miss that moment we used to get when the projectionist "snapped" the image into focus and it looked so sharp. I'm sure the picture quality used to be better. Of course it could just be my eyesight getting worse, but I've been to a few supposedly superior cinemas like the Vue in Westfield London or the Everyman in Leeds where the picture looked soft compared with the "olden days" Not all films but Spectre, for example, wasn't pin-sharp.
I did think the Leeds Everyman was a terrific cinema, though. I only went on Friday and I miss it already.
I just miss the days where the glare of a smartphone didn't distract you from watching the movie.
This. it's amazing how many people are incapable of leaving their phone alone for a couple of hours. Mine gets switched off as soon as the film starts.
This. it's amazing how many people are incapable of leaving their phone alone for a couple of hours. Mine gets switched off as soon as the film starts.
What do they have these days in the way of ads to tell you to switch off? I miss the old Orange mobile ones with Steve Furst and the other bloke, ruining classic films with famous Hollywood stars
During my most recent trip I noticed that the BBFC certificate symbols in the corners of the adverts aren't there any more (apart from for the odd charity ad). It's a tiny difference that shouldn't matter much but I still miss them
There's stuff that's more noticeable, like the blaring Carlton intro with the branding rod. That made me jump out of my seat more times than I'd like to admit , and the Pearl and Dean logo with the film reels running across the screen that got the whole audience singing along (they still operate my local Broadway so the music's still in the intro but it's just not the same).
It's those little things like the jitter and the specks of dirt of 35 mm film that all added up to make it such a unique experience. I appreciate digital projection because it's cleaner and more convenient, but in my mind it's now just like watching a giant TV. And don't even get me started on etiquette
What do you miss most?
this but I was 19 20 back then, and I loved the vibe, that this, in a darkened cinema, evoked, lived a lot of that romantic, mental stuff, in the years to come of course
I remember a short with Richard O'Brien called "The Contraption" in which he's building what turns out to be a huge mousetrap. He eventually inserts his head into it. The End.
I can't remember the main feature but this little gem is unforgettable.
I remember a short with Richard O'Brien called "The Contraption" in which he's building what turns out to be a huge mousetrap. He eventually inserts his head into it. The End.
I can't remember the main feature but this little gem is unforgettable.
Would be good if some enterprising distributor would release some of these forgotten shorts on DVD. Otherwise they're just kind of disappearing into the ether forever.
There was a short film starring a very young Rowan Atkinson (and just about any famous comedian of the day) that showed with Yellowbeard in 1983 - it was called Dead on Time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XID0DjBsaU
Would be good if some enterprising distributor would release some of these forgotten shorts on DVD. Otherwise they're just kind of disappearing into the ether forever.
It's a good idea but negotiating the rights from multiple owners would be a nightmare.
reasonable ticket prices and food that doesn't cost the earth!
I haven't bought any food at a cinema in ages out of principle. I wouldn't mind having some popcorn now and again but it doesn't even occur to me now to even look at the price.
They have this slightly odd set up now at Vue that you can buy a bottle of soft drink from a vending machine by the screens for about £2.40 but if you buy a diluted soft drink at a counter it's more like £4.
I haven't bought any food at a cinema in ages out of principle. I wouldn't mind having some popcorn now and again but it doesn't even occur to me now to even look at the price.
They have this slightly odd set up now at Vue that you can buy a bottle of soft drink from a vending machine by the screens for about £2.40 but if you buy a diluted soft drink at a counter it's more like £4.
The profit margin on popcorn and post-mix drinks is obscene, something above 95%. Cinemas make huge profits on these items, which sometimes makes up for the horrendous rentals that film distributors demand. It was not unknown in the past for the distributor to demand 100% of the box office take, leaving the cinema to cover its costs from ancillary sales.
The profit margin on popcorn and post-mix drinks is obscene, something above 95%. Cinemas make huge profits on these items, which sometimes makes up for the horrendous rentals that film distributors demand. It was not unknown in the past for the distributor to demand 100% of the box office take, leaving the cinema to cover its costs from ancillary sales.
It's sad really. That's the only reason food is so expensive at cinemas - it's the only way they make money. Although I'm surprised people even still buy anything when any nearby supermarket can offer you a drink/sweet deal for a third of the price.
Comments
Oddly, the only 2016 release that I'm really looking forward to is the upcoming cinema re-release of Terminator 2, which I've already seen a dozen times. I'm too young to have seen it on the big screen in 1991 and it's one of my all time favourites, but that should tell you how much of a dire state Hollywood is in right now.
I've already seen 3 films this year, but only decided on seeing them very close to their release dates and haven't 'looked forward' to them as such. Those were:
* Deadpool
* The Martian (IMAX re-release for £3 - who could say no to that?
* Son of Saul
I see it as being down to the over-saturation of CGI super hero blockbusters, which are getting really boring really quickly.
I also remember a similar thing with "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" - about year after it was released on cinema, I finally got to view it.
I suppose that won't happen nowadays - what with release patterns - going fairly quickly to Netlfix, DVD, Blu Ray, etc.
As for cinema etiquette - I don't remember any of the cinema staff opening the doors during performances or walking at the back of the auditorium(that's happened to me recently).
People don't seem to be that good in cinemas these days. I even had someone answer their mobile phone on me - although they did say : "I'm in the cinema, I'll call you back." Doh! Turn it off in the first place.
I suppose I miss the whirring of the projector.
The only good thing about Cinemas now a days is the fact a film comes out first but with them coming out within 3 months now of being shown it is not that big a wait.
One I particularly remember was Late Flowering Love, a star-studded compilation of John Betjemen poems, which according to IMDb played alongside the 1981 release of Raiders of the Lost Ark (which sounds about right). Doesn't seem to be on YouTube sadly. I also remember something called The Cure, with Patrick Mower trying to give up smoking (although I don't remember much beyond him).
Does anybody have any further info or a list of notable shorts? And when and why did they disappear?
PS. In the mid-80s there was, on a different note, something called the Blue II Video Show - pop videos sponsored by Gillette. You certainly got your money's worth in the "olden days"!
Personally, sitting in the dark with strangers in a third place, with a screen image bigger than life is the essence of the cinematic experience, and domestic Blu-DVD ray can never replicate that....
I can't find anything about 'The Cure' but the BFI and BBFC websites carry some info about the Gillette pop videos.
The only films that seem to carry shorts these days are those by Disney and Pixar (the last preceding short film I remember seeing was called 'Feast', which played before Big Hero 6).
I found The Cure:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7072d66d
Yes, you're right, Disney/Pixar films generally have shorts, although they're also made by Disney/Pixar. You never seem to get unrelated/random shorts made by other companies any more.
Thanks for the Blue II info
Another buried memory: Who remembers the charity ads for the Variety Club, where you got a commercial with Morecambe and Wise followed by a "live" collection in the cinema, passing a tin round...?
I vaguely remember them. The one before "Return of the Jedi" was a short cartoon about fish eating one another. A bigger fish comes along and eats a smaller fish - you get the picture?
Seemed to have stopped around the mid 1980s. I remember watching "Star Trek III : The Search for Spock" in 1984 - and there was none then. Just adverts, and then the main feature.
Yes. The Manager made it out to be all my fault. I told him by his logic, the entire cinema could be over run with badly behaved children. I told him that I won't be back.
Shame
I did think the Leeds Everyman was a terrific cinema, though. I only went on Friday and I miss it already.
This. it's amazing how many people are incapable of leaving their phone alone for a couple of hours. Mine gets switched off as soon as the film starts.
What do they have these days in the way of ads to tell you to switch off? I miss the old Orange mobile ones with Steve Furst and the other bloke, ruining classic films with famous Hollywood stars
this but I was 19 20 back then, and I loved the vibe, that this, in a darkened cinema, evoked, lived a lot of that romantic, mental stuff, in the years to come of course
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9gQ3N2qv-k
and this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWnTWNDPTJo
I can't remember the main feature but this little gem is unforgettable.
Sounds great
http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-the-contraption-1977/
Would be good if some enterprising distributor would release some of these forgotten shorts on DVD. Otherwise they're just kind of disappearing into the ether forever.
It's a good idea but negotiating the rights from multiple owners would be a nightmare.
I haven't bought any food at a cinema in ages out of principle. I wouldn't mind having some popcorn now and again but it doesn't even occur to me now to even look at the price.
They have this slightly odd set up now at Vue that you can buy a bottle of soft drink from a vending machine by the screens for about £2.40 but if you buy a diluted soft drink at a counter it's more like £4.
The profit margin on popcorn and post-mix drinks is obscene, something above 95%. Cinemas make huge profits on these items, which sometimes makes up for the horrendous rentals that film distributors demand. It was not unknown in the past for the distributor to demand 100% of the box office take, leaving the cinema to cover its costs from ancillary sales.
It's sad really. That's the only reason food is so expensive at cinemas - it's the only way they make money. Although I'm surprised people even still buy anything when any nearby supermarket can offer you a drink/sweet deal for a third of the price.