Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: New Cinema Industry Entrant

This is topic New Cinema Industry Entrant in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Peter Berrett (Member # 672) on 05-27-2001, 07:26 AM:

Hi all

This is of interest to Australian readers but overseas readers may also find this of some interest.

Here in Melbourne Australia, our cinema exhibition industry is dominated by two large groups - Village Roadshow and Hoyts, and to a lesser extent Palace cinemas and some independants.

How surprised I was to see an advertisment in todays Melbourne Sunday Herald-Sun advertsing a new cinema compelx close to where I live.

The ad read as follows:

"Reading Cinemas
Movies have never looked this GOOD!
Get the full picture on FIRST CLASS (TM)
Mega Wall to Wall Screens
Opening June 7th 2001
Cnr Kimberley Dr & Maroondah Hwy Chirnside Park, beside Chirnside Shopping Centre
http://www.readingcinemas.com.au "

Their web site does not specify what standard of cinema they offer but they certainly look to be a big multinational. They also seem to have an arthouse arm which is good.

Hopefully the competition will be good for the cinema going public.

What are other reader's experiences of this cinema chain?

cheers Peter

Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 05-27-2001, 09:38 AM:

Reading Cinemas is connected with City Cinemas in NYC and some theatres in Puerto Rico. Corporate Hqs for the financials is in Reading, PA. (home of the Reading Railroad on your Monopoly Board) but much of the operations oversight comes from a long time theatre vet at City Cinemas.

If Reading is opening up locations in Oz, expect others to follow. Reading is generally (IMO) conservative and tight with purse strings, and not the type of company to take extraordinary chances.

Hoyt's reputation in the northeast US has been spat upon by many writers in this and other forums. I don't have personal experience with the company, but if the posts are even half true, a little competition in Oz could be a good thing.

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 05-27-2001, 09:41 PM:

Hi Peter

I don't really know too much about Reading's but I do know that they have a cinema in Geelong (called Waurn Ponds or something like that), they have been trying to open one at Burwood for ages and have land reserved for a new cinema in Frankston. I think nationally they have over 100 screens.

Cheers Paul

Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 05-28-2001, 09:56 PM:

Peter I currently work for Readings at Warnponds here in Geelong which is a 8 screen complex.They are an U.S based company and known here in Australia as Readings Entertainment Australia.They have 10 cinema complexe's In Australia in NSW,VIC,WA and QLD,and are expanding through out other parts of Australia.They have taken over the cinema complex at Maitland recently and the new complex at chirnside park is set to open June7.They screen both mainstream and art movies at all their complexes which gives patrons more choice.Readings use the best projection equipment available including Kinoton projectors and platters which in my opinion are the best your money can buy.They put a lot of thought into thier cinemas which are well fitted out and comfortable.They also research where they build next which these day's is a wise thing.

Stephen

Posted by Peter Berrett (Member # 672) on 05-29-2001, 02:47 AM:

Thanks for your comments

I had a closer look at the Readings web site and found details of their premium product which involves small theatrettes with 28 recliners per theatrette and wall to wall screens. It looks good. If they just had footrubs it'd be perfect.

I had heard about the failed Burwood proposal. I was disappointed because there are not that many arthouse theatres around and few in the eastern suburbs where I live. Hopefully Readings will set aside some sessions for foreign content in their new cinema complex which would be nice. I did look at Waurn Ponds's session times but didn't see any foreign content there however.

The increased competition will be great for Melbourne. Interestingly an article in today's paper suggested that there now was an oversupply of theatres in Melbourne which should I hope lead to lower prices and more innovation. In some ways consumers have limited choice in that foreign films are not shown all that much here. That is surprising as I think there is a large sector of the Melbourne public who are from an ethnic background or who would go to foreign films.

Village & Hoyts have done a good job servicing the cinema going public thus far (although neither chain has yet serviced the drive-in theatre going public of the eastern suburbs of Melbourne - we badly need a drive-in over here) but a new entrant should shake things up a bit which should be of benefit to the public. The article I saw also mentioned that some live tv events may be shown at these cinemas using digital technology
http://www.theage.com.au/business/2001/05/29/FFXYVAG49NC.html

cheers Peter

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 05-29-2001, 10:44 PM:

Peter

If you live in the eastern suburbs you should come to the cinema I work at.
www.waverleycinema.com.au/~wcinema

Paul

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 06-02-2001, 12:45 PM:

Reading Cinemas has ties to the Angelika Film Center (NYC) as well as City Cinemas. Reading also has a 12-screen stadium theater in New Jersey that opened for Star Wars Episode 1 and is now the No. 1 theater in its market.

As a result of a corporate restructuring Reading is now owned by Citadel Cinemas and moved its HQ to Los Angeles.

Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-20-2002, 10:11 PM:

Well here in NZ "Reading Cinemas"are about to open their New Complex in Wellington City where at the moment Hoyts and Village Force Dominate the scene , for a small City like this it makes for a lot of cinemas in a small area, with about 90 screens in Auckland (population just over 1 million)there does not seem to be any room here for a New Player and with the prospect of New Screens going up in the Westfield Shopping Towns abit of an over Kill , BUT the thing that that new arrival is talking about is quality and a movie experience is promised , by the looks of the brief TV tour it looks Awesome it boasts the largest screen and seating in NZ and sound to match with Armchair seating of the highest Luxury it truly has quality to burn , also with quality bar were you able to have a drink and take that drink with you to the Best seats in the House (Lazy Boy Arm Chairs)I think if were in Wellington , I know where I would be seeing my movies.

Posted by Brad Haven (Member # 954) on 03-21-2002, 12:21 AM:

hi peter,
Readings have been in west. australia for a few years now and have quite a bad reputation for the way that they train their projectionists. Our company took on a couple of their young projectionists as they were despatate to get out, one of the things that i remember finding strange was that they were not allowed to touch the focus knob as it was set by the chief only?. i have seen a couple of films at a Readings cinema and found the experience was mildly acceptable. i might be wrong but i thought i remember them saying that they used christie equipment (maybe just perth?).
i also dont recall any arthouse being screened, possibly some crossover titles but certainly not foreign or smaller indie films.
PLEASE NOTE that this is my findings of Readings cinemas in belmont west oz! .

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 03-21-2002, 12:37 AM:

Wellington Readings opened in the last few days.

Have had no reliable reports re quality, but whatever it is it should be a vast improvement on standards currently being accepted in the windy town.

Previously if you wanted a good cinema experience in the Wgtn metro area your only option was the Embassy.

Hopefully this will lift the presentation bar.

P.S. Word around the campfire is that Readings plan to open 12 screens in Christchurch.
Any confirmation of this?

Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 03-21-2002, 12:53 AM:

Brad, I work for Readings here in Victoria and can say that our projectionist's are trained well useing a in house training manual and trained by a experienced projectionst like myself who has been in the industry for 33 years.We do not use Christie projectors at any Readings location only with one exception at a location which is a partneship with with Readings and another operator here in Vic,the Christies were allready there when they became partners.We use Kinoton projectors and platters at all other readings sites which are the best money can buy in my opinion.

Posted by Brad Haven (Member # 954) on 03-21-2002, 10:27 AM:

as i said stephen, these comments were directed at the belmont location in west oz and the information given to me, was given to me by projectionists that came from belmont readings. they told me they used christie ,maybe that indicated their level of training by not knowing which projectors they were using.i have been careful not to generalize because i do understand that each location is different regardless of company standards.

to you and all at readings in victoria.

Posted by Stan Gunn (Member # 554) on 03-26-2002, 04:51 AM:

I personally feel that in Melbourne or Aust for that matter, we have far to many screens,
over the past few years Hoyts and Village well more so Village have been obsessed with building more screens and buying up cinemas in country districts.I feel that half the screens could be shut down and there would be still ample left for the product we get down here.

Pretty soon the wheels are going to fall off someones little red wagon,I have my ideas, time will tell, As for Readings, I feel it will give the others something to think about.

Palace is 50% owned by Village,Village owned by Warner Bros and Greater union who is now owned by Atlab,and Hoyts by a bundle of others.

My personal veiw is the industry in AUST is in a big mess.

Anyway you could hardly call Readings a NEW entrant in Aust cinema.
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Posted by Peter Berrett (Member # 672) on 03-26-2002, 08:14 PM:

Recently I went to a late night session at Readings in Croydon here in Melbourne.

I was quite impressed with the layout of the cinema. The cinemas themselves have a floor that curves downward and then upward towards the screen (ie like there is a dip in the middle of the floor). I found the presentation good and seating comfortable. The standard of the cinema is a cut above your average concrete box cinema.

Even so I don't know that I will go there all that often. I have a preference for a cinema with real atmosphere and for me that means either the Village Rivoli or the Palace Balwyn. These are both art deco style cinemas. The Rivoli is quite ornate and has recently gone through a multi-million refurbishment. It is a stunning complex but still retains the atmosphere it had when my mother went there as a girl. It also shows a good mix of mainstream and arthouse product.

Generally these days I visit the Balwyn cinema. It still has the little twinking lights in the ceiling and the old fashioned candy bar. It is like stepping back in time 30 years. The Palace movie club is worth joining too as it offers good value.

Before my daughter was born my wife and I would also occasionally visit the Palace Cameo Cinema in Belgrave. I like this cinema also as it is an old cinema that has been turned into a complex of 3 cinemas. its fun having pancakes at the Cameo Coffee Pot before the movie.

I wish that cinema complex companies such as Village and Hoyts could realise that for many patrons seeing a movie is more than just seeing a film. Cinema architecture today is largely designed to minimise costs and provide greater choice for patrons. However choice is only one element in the product mix. I believe that if someone built a art-deco style cinema complex with multiple cinemas in the far eastern suburbs of Melbourne that showed a mixture of mainstream and arthouse product it would be highly successful.

cheers Peter