Niche versus mass market: big just isn’t better at the cinema

Chris Murray laments the demise of independent cinemas and the rise of generic shopping centre multiplexes with their get ‘em in, bang ‘em out culture.

Punters visit the cinema for an exciting communal experience, not the ease of parking.
As the multiplex struggles to keep the candy bar traffic flowing, automated cogs pump out digital images and the passionate few who strive to make their independent exhibition houses a cultural beacon (The Ritz, The Astor, Chauvel and so on) face impending doom. It’s an education problem, to be honest.
Kids these days have no idea what it means to sit in a cinema where the environment is part of the experience. Moviegoers of past generations were spoilt and didn’t know it. They had choice with unique cinemas specialising in various genres and programming. Today it’s just a shopping mall with seemingly no celebratory effort. Get ‘em in and bang ‘em out.

They don’t even bother to use curtains anymore. ‘Who cares, we’ve got their money and they will take what they’re given.’

Franchised exhibition, as a creative business, is lacking the gusto and inventive passion that smaller independent venues offer. As a result they’re all clambering for the next big thing to keep punters from illegally downloading or just waiting a few months for the DVD. The small guys have known and acted on this all along ironically due to the back-room blanket deals that have shut out mainstream product from independents for decades.

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