RIP Alamo Drafthouse

[Skanky Vamp]

The movie chain as you, me, we, knew it is dead. Sony bought them out. Now Alamo Drafthouse will be the 'premier location to see your favorite Sony movies'

Joy.

 

[Kendar]

I live in Austin and remember when it opened in 1997. Was a lot of fun and I've seen a huge number of movies there.

I don get a chuckle over one line in the press release...

"Sony said it will continue to welcome content from all studios and distributors at the dine-in theaters."

Of course they will. But I notice they didn't say that Sony would make it financially easy for those studios and distributors to do so.

 

[NotASlayer]

It is so difficult for cinemas to make a profit these days that I doubt Sony would stop showing films from other companies. You might as well just throw money on a bonfire at that point, so it would be very stupid of them.

Okay, that does not rule it out.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

It is so difficult for cinemas to make a profit these days

Partly because the studios demand so much money from the theaters. Having a studio own the theater might remedy that. That's how it was in the olden days, all the studios had their own theater chain. If you want to see this movie, you can only go to this theater. They should do that again.

 

[Kendar]

Partly because the studios demand so much money from the theaters. Having a studio own the theater might remedy that. That's how it was in the olden days, all the studios had their own theater chain. If you want to see this movie, you can only go to this theater. They should do that again.

Yeah, this is kind of the big issue. Many years ago studios owned their own theaters, and (for the most part) showed only their movies. It was decided that this violated the vertical monopoly laws, and they were told they can't.

This is getting revisited because of streaming. Streaming companies can technically show their own content and aren't required to show anyone else's. Studios kicked up a fit and now it looks like they'll be allowed to own their on theaters again. (Sony isn't actually covered under the original law which is why they seem to be jumping out early).

 

[NotASlayer]

I think studios owning their own chains may be a little before my time!

I confess to being uncertain whether concentrating more and more parts of the media into fewer and fewer companies is a good idea. Especially when said companies appear to have more interest in milking existing IPs to death than creating new ones.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Especially when said companies appear to have more interest in milking existing IPs to death than creating new ones.

Said companies only milk existing IPs to death because when they do release something original more often than not it fails to make money.

 

[NotASlayer]

Perhaps the problem is how they create the new IPs? A lack of creativity?

Maybe they should take bigger risks on stranger things but spend less money doing so. Scatter far and wide with new things.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Perhaps the problem is how they create the new IPs? A lack of creativity?

Maybe they should take bigger risks on stranger things but spend less money doing so. Scatter far and wide with new things.

I think it's a problem with the audience and their tastes have changed. The audience in general wants familiarity more than something new. They don't want to wait and invest in new things. They want that instant gratification of knowing about the characters, etc.

 

[NotASlayer]

Although given that media derived from existing IPs seems to be performing more poorly than it used to, that perhaps suggests that familiarity is not the draw it used to be. Or simply that the lack of originality is affecting existing IPs too.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Although given that media derived from existing IPs seems to be performing more poorly than it used to, that perhaps suggests that familiarity is not the draw it used to be. Or simply that the lack of originality is affecting existing IPs too.

Or more people than ever are watching youtube and doing things other than going to movies. The audience tastes have changed. Especially when in mere weeks it will be on streaming whereas it would be at least a year before it hit movie channels.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

There's a guy I know called Osbourne who laughed at the original post, when the tears in his eyes dried up he wanted to know if he could take a leak at the Alamo?