As for the seemingly always pending UA bankrupcy - as it continues to be rumored and not happening - it strikes me as more and more of a ploy to get out of many bad leases and less than stellar locations. From what I hear, they seem to be paying their bills just fine at the locations where they are doing well. Of course that number of properties continues to dwindle.

One final note about Landmark - the company has survived more than a few owners with shaky finances - including The Samuel Goldwyn Company and Heritage Entertainment - Landmark is a unique company with good theatres and strong business in a profitable niche. I personally don't think Silver's bankruptcy will endanger Landmark's long-term survival. Landmark is the key to Silver's return to financial health.
 

Unlike the mainstream multiplex scene, the art house market is very under-screened. Few mainstream first run theaters want to play indie film product. So that just leaves a handful of theaters in larger cities to play those movies. The rest of us living in smaller cities often wind up having to wait until the DVD is released.

DVD, I believe, is making a negative impact on the 2nd run business. We have one bargain house here in Lawton (the Vaska Theater). Since theatrical releases go by so quickly and it seems like the films are out on video sooner than ever, few people want to pay $2 a ticket to watch a film in a theater that can only afford to show films with moderate projection quality and mono sound --especially when they can just wait a couple weeks and see the show in a better way on DVD.

Independent films are much harder to come by. A lot of people (provided they know about the movie even being at the theater) will try to get there quick to see it before it leaves. But often, through little marketing, most indie films get ignored at the box office. A friend mine jokes about how him and I were the only people in Lawton to see "The Usual Suspects" in its original theatrical release. We bring up those jokes when someone mentions seeing the film on video, how incredible it was and then adding, "it is too bad films like that never come to Lawton!" We holler back in response, "they do!" You just have to look for them.
 

Good. At least somebody has some sense. That is the key problem with all these bankrupt chains. Seeking protection of the bankruptcy court is an all-too-familiar ploy of executives to fend off the dogs and keep themselves in power in order they may continue to rape&pillage & line their pockets.

I strongly suspect the bankruptcy judges in charge of these cases lack knowledge of exhibition and what is going on. Hope to provide some input to them at some point, but I'm very busy. Time presses. gotta go now.

 

Story here