Hollywood, like the music buisness, is <a href="http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=5411930">hurting</a>, but its always interesting to get a glimpse into what may lie ahead. (Calling Rory Stark...)
With the conundrum Stephen Soderbergh's <i>Bubble</i> and its simultaneous theatrical and DVD release is getting, I believe more and more theaters will format their major motion pictures for <a href="http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/cmp/imax_pop.html">IMAX</a>.
Simultaneous releases are such a good idea for so many reasons:
-Puts the pirates right out of business
-allows sleep and time deprived parents unable to make it to the theater a way to see the latest and greatest
-Gives cimema fans in non urban areas (i.e. Monson)the opportunity to see limited release films before some excruciating 6 month "window", after which the studios wouls just have to drop more $$$ to promote the film again - better to kill two birds with one stone.
Having said all that, I am a big believer in the cinematic experience. No one can reach me or ask me to do dishes or ask me to subscribe to the Springfield Republican, I can see it on a huge screen with ultra tight sound and picture. - IMAX pretty much nails this, no? I saw <i>Batman Begins</i> and <i>Attack of the Clones</i> on IMAX and both were much better in that format than in someones living room a year later after everyone on the planet has already dissected it to death.
Maybe I just really really want to see <i>V for Vendetta</i> on IMAX.
another .02 from NP
V for Vendetta doesn't look like crap.
Given that the 'V for Vendetta' trailers have been great, we should get a decent film, but big budget producers have fucked up this sort of thing before. At least it a new story, instead of a remake of a remake.
I'm a huge Soderberg fan. He shoots his films himself (almost unheard of since the 70's, credited as "Peter Andrews"), and he has undeniable cinematic range: Erin Brockovich (human spirit film), Traffic (photographic masterpiece), Out of Sight (awkward love story), Ocean's 11/12 (popcorn flicks), etc.
His 'Bubble' thing should be good, and <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0479559/">this new Spaulding Gray piece</a> should be weird.
It's like velvet Elvis paintings: Yeah, some are OK, but no one is breaking new ground.
Their bigger problem is that they put out crap. Same thing with the US auto. industry. Is Ford/GM/Chrysler failing because their workers get paid 10X the global rate for assembly work? Or because they continue to loose market share to Asian manufacturers?
That being said, simultaneous releases like "Bubble" sound like a good idea. The mainstream music and movie industries are not necessarily known for quality product. Sure, we had the golden era of movie making in the late 60s and 70s, but is Bruckheimer any different than DeMille? If these industries can learn to use the new distribution channels instead of foolishly fighting them, they'll be fine.