INTERMISSION: Ipswich Film Theatre
As this blog space is usually reserved for film reviews and not essays on the buildings in which they are shown, this is something of a diversion, but one that needs to be heard. A great many of those films featured on this page have been shown at the Ipswich Film Theatre (a former member of the BFI) within the town's Corn Exchange. The IFT offers a diverse selection of thoughtful, artistic and sometimes provocative films that have the additional benefit of quality over commercialism.
Or used to, until the spring of 2007.
The newly elected Conservative council has decreed that the IFT is not making enough of a profit to warrant its previous status as an "arthouse" cinema, and that the venue should be more viable towards commercially-oriented fare. In truth, the rumblings of change had been threatening for a while, with admission prices steadily rising and the arrival in the late 1990s of a Virgin Multiplex (now Cineworld) which has also decided to show foreign films (that they are more at liberty to do, being a much larger company)
to try and snatch away from the IFT's audience.
Goya's Ghosts, the last film I saw at the old IFT.
Step forward Hollywood Cinemas, a locally-based cinema chain who have - to their credit - revived the community spirit of cinemagoing in many rural parts of East Anglia, and who were the successful bidders to own the Ipswich Film Theatre.
It would be nice to report that their initiative has allowed the IFT to prosper and grow into bigger and better things, but the quality of films now on display is on the whole, pretty much the same as in the average multiplex. So instead of weekends watching The Seventh Seal, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Downfall, 21 Grams, Vera Drake, Winged Migration, Spirited Away, The Pianist, Mrs Henderson Presents, Rabbit Proof Fence, and many others, we now have The Simpsons Movie, Ratatouille, The Golden Compass and Transformers. The blockbusters are all very well, but the "cultural" films are elbowed onto out-of-the-way dates in the middle of the week when it is that much harder to find an audience.
One of the last films on the old IFT programme was appropriately, a film on the life of Edith Piaf, singing "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien." Equally appropriately, the first film I saw at the venue was also French, Louis Malle's superb childhood war memoir Au Revoir les Enfants. Watching such films opened my eyes to a form of cinema that demonstrates how the medium can inform and entertain.
Quality matters.
It is a general reflection on the state of cinema today that the dumbest of films from America can be seen at practically any cinema in the world, and yet films made with an intelligent viewpoint are given next to no chance to be seen at all. This suits the distributors and the production companies (who can shovel the film out onto DVD soon enough) just fine, but cheats cinema audiences.
Outside of London, such outlets need to be kept alive – Cinema City in Norwich still keeps the flag flying for intelligent, foreign-based films, but being a local in Colchester, this makes it almost as far for me to travel – if not further – than London.
Whether or not the Hollywood IFT can continue in this vein is open to doubt, especially with the Cineworld drumming up continued big business – including the acquisition of more foreign films than the IFT can manage. They are fighting a losing battle I fear, not only to retain their original integrity, but also in trying to compete with commercial cinema, for which a cosy venue like theirs is not really suited. Vive la difference!
Or used to, until the spring of 2007.
The newly elected Conservative council has decreed that the IFT is not making enough of a profit to warrant its previous status as an "arthouse" cinema, and that the venue should be more viable towards commercially-oriented fare. In truth, the rumblings of change had been threatening for a while, with admission prices steadily rising and the arrival in the late 1990s of a Virgin Multiplex (now Cineworld) which has also decided to show foreign films (that they are more at liberty to do, being a much larger company)
to try and snatch away from the IFT's audience.Goya's Ghosts, the last film I saw at the old IFT.
Step forward Hollywood Cinemas, a locally-based cinema chain who have - to their credit - revived the community spirit of cinemagoing in many rural parts of East Anglia, and who were the successful bidders to own the Ipswich Film Theatre.
It would be nice to report that their initiative has allowed the IFT to prosper and grow into bigger and better things, but the quality of films now on display is on the whole, pretty much the same as in the average multiplex. So instead of weekends watching The Seventh Seal, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Downfall, 21 Grams, Vera Drake, Winged Migration, Spirited Away, The Pianist, Mrs Henderson Presents, Rabbit Proof Fence, and many others, we now have The Simpsons Movie, Ratatouille, The Golden Compass and Transformers. The blockbusters are all very well, but the "cultural" films are elbowed onto out-of-the-way dates in the middle of the week when it is that much harder to find an audience.
One of the last films on the old IFT programme was appropriately, a film on the life of Edith Piaf, singing "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien." Equally appropriately, the first film I saw at the venue was also French, Louis Malle's superb childhood war memoir Au Revoir les Enfants. Watching such films opened my eyes to a form of cinema that demonstrates how the medium can inform and entertain.
Quality matters.
It is a general reflection on the state of cinema today that the dumbest of films from America can be seen at practically any cinema in the world, and yet films made with an intelligent viewpoint are given next to no chance to be seen at all. This suits the distributors and the production companies (who can shovel the film out onto DVD soon enough) just fine, but cheats cinema audiences.
Outside of London, such outlets need to be kept alive – Cinema City in Norwich still keeps the flag flying for intelligent, foreign-based films, but being a local in Colchester, this makes it almost as far for me to travel – if not further – than London.
Whether or not the Hollywood IFT can continue in this vein is open to doubt, especially with the Cineworld drumming up continued big business – including the acquisition of more foreign films than the IFT can manage. They are fighting a losing battle I fear, not only to retain their original integrity, but also in trying to compete with commercial cinema, for which a cosy venue like theirs is not really suited. Vive la difference!
posted by Joe at 5:54 PM
7 Comments:
yes,a very sad state of affiars,all told.
there's an independant cinema down the road from us on canvey that seems do get the right balance... or at least it used to.
I agree with your comments Joe. It is a shame that some of the more interesting, non-mainstream films do not get a wider showing. I have often been disappointed at not getting to see a film at my local Cineworld, because unless its a big blockbuster, it seems to last little more than a week. Do you think it is an inevitable decline or can something be done about it?
I am also unhappy regarding the issues you raise. As a general film fan, it makes me sad that all cinemas seem to show the same thing - basically, blockbusters. I've always liked the idea of cinemas showing not just smaller independent or foreign films, but also older films so audiences can re-discover these on the big screen. I do hope that the Hollywood chain (who run Great Yarmouth's only remaining cinema!) can turn this around and show a more varied output across all of thier sites. However, you have to understand this is a cinema "business", so they have to get the box office numbers to keep open...especially in today's economic climate where it is far cheaper to watch a film on DVD at home. For the most part, high budget commercial films have a guaranteed audience. It is of greater risk to only show non commercial fare. What the Hollywood has to do is create a balance between art-house and blockbuster; ultimately that should create a successful cinema business and a happy repeat audience.
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In fairness to the Hollywood IFT, they have lately tried to show some of the more interesting mainstream films such as Brad Pitt's 'The Assassination of Jesse James..."
Much of the problem lies with distributors, who would much rather show a blockbuster that has a full house one week and then empty the next, than a more interesting film that does steady business in both weeks.
Certain films such as 'Atonement' and 'Notes on a Scandal' received a big release last year, but by and large multiplexes only really show these films at their discretion.
There's also a genuine difference in atmosphere when you go to a BFI or independent cinema, a true love of film. Local authorities need to have the confidence to ALLOW minority interest art cinemas to continue, without constantly reviewing the bottom line.
Across the board (not just cinema), loads of local arts initiatives are being undercut - possibly because of Lottery Grant pressure with the 2012 Olympics.
By the way Jamie, I think I've been to that cinema you mentioned, the 'Movie Starr' in Canvey Island: a pleasant little multiplex, although none of the screens has the real 'big' screen feel that IFT1 has.
Joe
The inevitable has happened. The borough council closed the cinema on October 1st.
The news for 2010 is more encouraging. The IFT is now back after the demise of the Hollywood. This article explains some of the detail:
http://www.ipswich-arts.org.uk/2008/images_october2009_p5.php
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