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Author Topic: UK cinemas threaten Alice in Wonderland boycott John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-21-2010 05:38 PM                     Ezydvd's AVATAR page Sucks.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-21-2010 08:33 PM                        quote: Sam Cat With 3d tv's coming out shortly cinemas may not be able to hang onto their audience in the future as well. I'm not so sure about that. A 3-D movie demands more of your "attention" than a regular TV show to get the full effects. When you watch 3-D in a theatre, the lights are off, and the screen is the only thing your attention is on. In most people's houses, the TV screen is much smaller, there is other stuff in the room visible if the lights are on, and people aren't expected to "be quiet" as much, so you have more distractions. The screen doesn't fill as much of your field of vision. I personally think 3-D will be a MUCH less satisfying experience in the home. Besides the jury is still out as to whether 3-D will be a continuing force, or something people will tire of eventually.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-22-2010 07:48 AM                     The studios need to be doing the opposite and encouraging higher box office grosses. The reason that DVD sales are dropping have nothing to do with theatrical windows. Somehow a couple of years after DVD became available, the studios convinced people to buy every movie they wanted to watch. It took a few years but finally people realized that there is no reason to spend $15 - $25 (more for blu-ray) to own the vast majority of movies. How many movies (other than kids TV/Babysitter movies) are people going to watch more than 3 times. Forget Netflix and Redbox, even at regular Blockbuster rates you could rent 3 times for the cost of purchase. With Netflix and Redbox out there it makes no sense to buy any DVD or Blu-Ray except of the very rare extremely good movie like "The Dark Knight". I also don't understand this ridiculous concept that there are "slow DVD sales" time periods where they can't release the DVDs. The reason for the slow sales periods are due to the titles that are typically available in those time periods. If good titles are released people will buy them in the same quantities they would at another time of the year. The only exception to this is the Holiday shopping season. Since people are buying gifts they will buy more DVDs/Blu-Rays in early December.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2010 01:29 PM                        It's all because they have these overpriced "suits" who have to justify their jobs, so they have to come up with some "fixable" reason for the DVD sales decline, which will allow them to take some action to fix the "problem." Since they can't do anything about rentals, they move on to the next thing, even if it means screwing with some other segment of the business. I am still amazed that film companies haven't figured out SOME way to get a piece of the DVD rental pie. It just seems dumb that they sell a DVD to a store for $15 or less, and the store rents it hundreds of times at $2 a night or whatever. Stores should have to submit "boxoffice reports" and pay a fee for each title that's out of the store. Then you'd see the filmco's profits go back up. Of course that model would never work for the stores, I guess. Meanwhile the theatres pay 60% or more for LESS content.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-22-2010 02:06 PM                     Maybe they are looking at the rental equation wrong. Instead of a "buy only" window they should have a rental only window but during that window they charge a lot more for the disks or take a 50%+ cut of each rental (with a minimum rental price or for legal reasons I guess their cut would have to have the minimum). I guess by law once they go on sale for $15, a rental outfit can just buy the disks and do whatever they want with them.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-22-2010 02:12 PM                        wow, I always assumed the stores had to pay a percentage to the film co. thats nuts!  |  IP: Logged Todd McCracken Master Film Handler Posts: 263 From: Northridge, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 02-22-2010 03:05 PM                    Yeah, that would be in line with the old video store days where the firs 60 or so days of release for home market was a very expensive "rental window" release. When my brother used to run a video store clients would freak when he slapped down a 200$ charge for a lost tape in first week of release, and they would not believe that's what the store actually paid though often it was.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 02-22-2010 03:13 PM                     Alice in Wonderland will not be shown in Odeon cinemas Mia Wasikowska in Alice in Wonderland Mia Wasikowska plays a teenage Alice in Tim Burton's 3D film Tim Burton's new film version of Alice in Wonderland will not be screened at Odeon cinemas in the UK, Ireland and Italy, the cinema chain has confirmed. The move is in response to the Disney studio's plan to reduce the period in which it can only be shown in cinemas from the standard 17 weeks. The plan would allow Disney to release the film on DVD at the end of May. Odeon said it would "set a new benchmark, leading to a 12-week window becoming rapidly standard". Cineworld cinemas will show the movie, however, after reaching an independent agreement with the Disney studio. The Vue chain is also understood to have reached an agreement with Disney, details of which are due to be announced shortly. Odeon's decision will not affect the film's Royal premiere on Thursday, which is coincidentally set to take place at the Odeon Leicester Square in central London. Tim Burton talks about his experimentation with his latest film, Alice in Wonderland Nor will it affect its plans to show the film in Spain, Germany, Portugal and Austria - territories where Disney intends to observe the normal DVD release window. Starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland sees the novel's heroine return as a teenager to the magical kingdom for more surreal adventures. Inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll, the film also stars Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Britain's Matt Lucas. The Odeon & UCI Cinema Group is Britain's largest cinema chain with more than 100 sites nationwide. Cineworld and Vue are the second and third biggest. Together they represent just under two-thirds of all cinema screens in the UK. 'Need for exceptions' It is the amount of time that separates a film coming out in cinemas and its release on DVD that is at the centre in this dispute. In the UK, the window for theatrical release is 17 weeks. In the case of Alice in Wonderland, Disney wants to reduce that to 12. TOP FIVE UK AND IRELAND CINEMA CHAINS Odeon - 107 sites/834 screens Cineworld - 74 sites/758 screens Vue - 63 sites/608 screens National Amusements - 21 sites/274 screens Ward Anderson - 24 sites/206 screens Source: UK Film Council Disney told the BBC that one of the main reasons for the decision was to bring the film to customers more quickly, thereby helping to beat piracy. It said if a cinema stopped showing a film before the 17 week exclusivity period, the audience did not have a legitimate way to see the movie - potentially leading to piracy. It said it had agreed to take this approach with a limited amount of movies every year in certain countries. Bob Chapek, Disney's president of distribution, has said the company remains "committed" to theatrical windows. However, he believes there is a "need for exceptions to accommodate a shortened time-frame on a case-by-case basis". Odeon, though, believes such a move will damage not just its business but that of all cinemas in the UK. "The negative impact on cinema attendance that such a reduction in the window will have will threaten the continued existence of many cinemas, especially the smaller and medium-sized cinemas." Odeon also highlights the additional costs the chain has incurred making its screens suitable for 3D movies. "Odeon/UCI has invested considerable sums of money, especially in the UK, over the past 12 months to install digital projection systems in its cinemas," it said. Opposition "The proposed reduction in the window on a high-profile 3D title like Alice in Wonderland undermines the investment made." Disney also faces opposition in Belgium, the Netherlands and the US over its plans for this title. Anne Hathaway in Alice in Wonderland Anne Hathaway co-stars in the film alongside Johnny Depp It is not the first time, however, it has attempted to make overtures in this area. Last year, the company attempted to reduce the theatrical window of Up, the hit Pixar movie named best animated feature at the Baftas on Sunday. In that instance it dropped its plans after UK exhibitors threatened not to screen another of its titles, A Christmas Carol, later in the year. Neither is Disney the only studio to have faced opposition over theatrical exclusivity from UK cinema chains. In 2007, Odeon and Vue removed Ben Stiller comedy Night at the Museum from their cinemas after 20th Century Fox shortened its theatrical window to 13 weeks. The Cinema Exhibitors' Association, the body representing the interests of around 90% of UK cinema operators, has not commented on this latest case. Speaking "in general terms", though, it said it "strongly" supported the maintenance of "a clear and exclusive window between a film's theatrical release and its release on other platforms". "The CEA believes maintenance of the window will ensure that audiences continue to enjoy the widest possible range of films in their intended environment, the cinema theatre." LINK  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-25-2010 09:43 AM                     It looks like the boycott threat between UK cinemas and Disney has ended as of Wednesday.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-25-2010 12:18 PM                     I've got an idea. How about in return for only a 12 week theatrical window, the film rental is a 45% aggregate? For a 16 week window it goes to normal. Or maybe negotiate a scale that the longer the exclusive window, the higher the film rental. Honestly probably the best compromise would be something like: -14 week exclusive theatrical window -followed by 4 week theatrical/high price PPV/VOD (like $40 per view) -followed by 4 week DVD/Blu-ray on sale with $5-$6 PPV/VOD -followed by open for Netflix/Redbox and low priced digital download. Even Avatar with the best legs in a very long time will be mostly played out after 14 weeks. Nothing will play 6 or 7 months like Titanic or Jurassic Park anymore with the mega wide releases even if the theatrical window went back to a year or more.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 02-25-2010 12:43 PM                     Now Odeon are in. So that's everyone. ----------------- The ODEON & UCI Cinema group is pleased to announce that following detailed negotiations with the Walt Disney Company Ltd an enduring agreement has been reached encompassing all the different aspects of both companies' commercial relationship. ODEON is pleased to announce that it will now be showing "Alice in Wonderland" beginning March 5th in its cinemas in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Austria. As a result of this agreement, ODEON is pleased to confirm that it will be able to continue with its plans for significant investment in new cinemas, in digital technology in 3D capability and the other exciting developments designed for the increased enjoyment of all its customers. ------------------------------ link  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-26-2010 05:13 AM                        So much for United We Stand.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-26-2010 10:45 AM                        I want to know what Disney had to "give" in order to get that deal. Or was it more along the lines of, "You will play Alice with the 12 week window, or else we will do the same thing with Toy Story 3."  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-26-2010 02:30 PM                     quote: Mike Blakesley I want to know what Disney had to "give" in order to get that deal. Or was it more along the lines of, "You will play Alice with the 12 week window, or else we will do the same thing with Toy Story 3." Forget that, it was probably more like "You will play Alice with the 12 week window or else you won't play Toy Story 3 period".  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-26-2010 07:55 PM                     Distributors want to avoid releasing a tentpole to Cinemas or DVD in Europe (and Asia but less so) during the World Cup which will make a massive dent in to the exhibition and homevid markets this summer. In Europe the games are every day almost at 5pm and 8pm, and most people will be at home or in the pub or a bar watching them. My guess is the closest thing you have in the USA is the Super Bowl but it doesn't hit you maybe three or four times in two weeks like England playing will to us. This is just to provide you guys with some context to the topic and not to comment on it which wouldn't be appropriate in my position, even though it has been resolved.  |  IP: Logged

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