| Tapioca | 11-24-2010 09:23 AM |
Tinseltown sold to Cineplex
Say goodbye to cheap matinees, free parking, the Asian film festival, and off-the-cuff movies: Quote:
Film buffs bemoan Tinseltown takeover
MARSHA LEDERMAN
VANCOUVER— From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010 10:55PM EST
Last updated Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010 10:57PM EST
Word that Vancouver’s Tinseltown theatre is being taken over by Cineplex Entertainment, revealed by The Globe and Mail earlier this week, has the local film community buzzing. But the advance reviews are hardly raves, as those who study and consume film fret over the possibility of losing one of the few art house venues in the city.
“They were all discouraged by the news, or a number of them were,” said Colin Browne, who led a discussion about the sale with his fourth-year screenwriting students on Tuesday at Simon Fraser University’s school for the contemporary arts.
“They thought ‘Oh, we’ll get the regular fare at Cineplex. It will shrink the number of films that will be exhibited to the regular Cineplex fare.’ They were worried about that. They like the way Tinseltown mixes it up.”
With Cinemark, the current owner of Tinseltown, out of the picture (and out of Canada with this sale), the operation will be renamed Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas. Pat Marshall, vice-president of communications and investor relations for Cineplex Entertainment, said the change of ownership – and name – would take effect on Friday.
“As part of the acquisition, we will review all elements of the theatre operation and we’ll make whatever change is necessary,” Ms. Marshall said, adding that staff have been offered – and have accepted – jobs with Cineplex.
Ms. Marshall said it was unclear whether pricing will change. The difference in cost for an adult ticket in the evening is minimal, but Cinemark offers discounts for matinees and also free parking for patrons during the film. The Cineplex-owned Scotiabank Theatre, a few blocks away, does not.
When asked whether the long-standing practice of showing less mainstream art films would continue at the theatres, Ms. Marshall was non-committal.
“I think we’ll take a look at a number of different elements in terms of programming,” she said, adding that Cineplex is looking at adding digital projectors and 3-D systems. “I think you’ll see a much expanded array of both technology and film offerings.”
Tom Charity, who programs the Vancity Theatre and also reviews films for CNN.com, called the sale cause for concern.
“I think [Tinseltown’s] booking has been really quite courageous and very diverse. ... They’ve shown a much wider range of films than you see at the Scotiabank, for example. They’ve been open to showing Canadian films and even subtitled films and they’ve been very open to the community to renting the theatre out to local festivals. And that may or may not change. The proof will be in the pudding. But if we look at what happens at the Scotiabank, that type of thing doesn’t happen very much.”
Brian McIlroy, a film studies professor at the University of British Columbia, agreed.
“Cineplex is likely to think long and hard about the variety – or the risk-taking – that Tinseltown has offered in the past.”
Barbara Lee, founder and president of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, which is staged at Tinseltown, said she’s been told nothing will change.
“I’m hoping that they’ll be as supportive to our film festival as they have been in the past.”
While Prof. Browne has some concerns, he was also able to see some good news in the development. “It’s kind of heartening for someone who likes to go to the theatre to imagine that there will still be theatres. This is more heartening than Tinseltown saying we can’t make a go of it and closing down. That would make me sad.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1811033/
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