A cinema for ED?

[Jeremy]

Ingrid - sorry to hear that, it must be disheartening when you've put in so much work.

Perhaps the problem is the choice of film - good (great?) though it is, most people have seen it at least once. Maybe a less well known British/Euro indie film would go down well? I went to a couple of film nights at the EDT put on by a (presumably) different group, and they were sold out. So there is a market for it.

[IngridB]

Thanks for the comments Jeremy. If you went to films at the EDT in the last 9 months, it is the same group - The Bigger Picture. And we have been sold out on many occasions since we started in May 2012. Perhaps American Beauty is a bad choice. Our others are less well known and more idiosyncratic. http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/

We are always open to suggestions. After all we want to put on what people want to see!

[LucyC]

Yes amazing idea!!!

Something independent and showing quality films. The Ritzy is one of my faves. Something similar would be grand

[MXC]

I heard the Mag pub might be available. That would be a great site for a cinema as its a big building. obv would need planning permission for change of use.

[Sue]

IngridB Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks for the comments Jeremy. If you went to

> films at the EDT in the last 9 months, it is the

> same group - The Bigger Picture. And we have been

> sold out on many occasions since we started in May

> 2012. Perhaps American Beauty is a bad choice.

> Our others are less well known and more

> idiosyncratic. http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/

> We are always open to suggestions. After all we

> want to put on what people want to see!

xxxxxxx

I agree with Jeremy.

I greatly enjoyed the evening you had when you showed Basquiat and had Stik there, but I've seen American Beauty several times and have the DVD as well.

Edited to correct my spelling of Stik's name!

[IngridB]

Well keep an eye out for what we have planned for the next 6 months. There are fliers all over East Dulwich, always some in the EDT and you can buy tickets there and through our website.

The next film is Red Sorghum on 20 Feb. http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/#/red-sorghum/4560557487

[Dan G]

you can't beat the peckham plex for value and choice when it comes to the big hollywood blockbusters but a smaller, picture house style cinema in east dulwich showing indy films would be an excellent addition to the high street.

focus on comfort - fewer and more comfortable seats, more leg room etc would give the place a usp and offer something i think people would be prepared to pay a little extra for.

[IngridB]

Thanks for this input Dan. Have you been to any of our screenings? There are big comfy sofas with lots of leg room but not enough for everyone. The experienced ones are coming early to bag them. There are ordinary chairs (with cushions) that you can move around for comfort. There are small tables with candles everywhere so you can eat and drink during the performance as well as before and afterwards.

Our tickets are ?7 and we give our profits to local charities which people like to know.

Perhaps we should search for more sofas. We found one free one and the EDT were happy to accept it.

We have learned about having too many people and have cut our max down from 70 to 50.

Keep the suggestions coming, thanks!

[kimling]

i would use it.... would pop in for a quick film rather than having to drive to surrey quays...

[Jayne B]

Fantastic idea

[bloke]

How about the old Southwark Council building next to East dulwich pool on Goose Green? Good sized venue, decent parking and a short walk for many local residents.

[giggirl]

Off topic but I saw Argo last night and it was mostly brilliant. I didn't like the contrived suspenseful ending when they were going through airport security but otherwise it's a cracking movie. Alan Arkin always a joy to watch.

[MarkE]

giggirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Off topic but I saw Argo last night and it was

> mostly brilliant. I didn't like the contrived

> suspenseful ending when they were going through

> airport security but otherwise it's a cracking

> movie. Alan Arkin always a joy to watch.

Yeah, thought it was great (not really knowing the background to the story before going in). I still enjoy saying "Argo f**k yourself" when picking up the phone.

Is there a good movies-related thread in The Lounge at all?

[StraferJack]

here you go MarkE

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,69333,987914#msg-987914

[MarkE]

Magic, ta.

[Jemmarc]

Great idea. We usually travel to the Ritzy or even the Curzon. Forest Hill Wetherspoons would be a great venue. Forest Hill generally seems have a lot going on recently, pop-ups etc, but I am between ED and FH so either works for me.

[LDNchamp]

Any one know of any further progress with this?

A small electric type cinema would be amazing

[treehugger]

I don't understand this: people keep on asking for a small Indie-type cinema and IngridB keeps on telling us that ED has one already, but that people aren't using it. She has asked for people to recommend films. It sounds great and is cheap - why not use it????

[Penguin68]

I think the issue may be that the Bigger Picture 'shows' only once a month - so it isn't really a picture house but an occasional film club (without the requirement of membership).

People want the convenience of having a regular cinema available, but not the bother of actually going (having said that, most of the Big Picture nights are sold-out, or close to).

It's a great facility for ED, but it isn't a local Ritzy (nor does it pretend to be one). Its film choice is pleasantly eclectic (and it isn't wed to particular styles or genres, so over a season there's very likely to be several films you might want to see) - but it shows each film only on one night - so you have to plan round it rather than having some spare time and going to the flics on the off-chance.

If there was a regular local cinema, it would still offer some real value to the community, by showing films independently chosen, but it isn't a substitute for a regular cinema.

But complaining there's nothing available and not making use of what actually is available is slightly perverse.

[StraferJack]

Several different strands to this debate now

Treehugger: a once a month film club in a room above a pub is often a lovely thing and long may it continue. But a local indie-cinema it isn?t. And a recent film choice just wasn?t that popular for whatever reason. One film a month means all eggs in one basket use-wise

What people seem to be saying they want is something like a smaller Ritzy ? dedicated cinema, open regularly, new films weekly yadda yadda

As I and others have said, people will say they want something like that, but there doesn?t appear to be the footfall or location in this area

But then woodrot comes along with another thread and says he has knowledge of exactly that happening

We?ll see

[StraferJack]

cross-posted with Penguin..soz for any overlap

[Penguin68]

No probs.. great minds etc. ...

[baggycat]

From one of the many young families here in ED, the problem of going to the cinema isn't so much distance (we go to Peckhamplex or Greenwich Picturehouse) but more the issue of getting childcare. If you could somehow have a creche attached (which perhaps ran independently as well, which is well needed) or indeed a mini kids cinema creche e.g. you could leave them to watch a film whilst parents watched another one, I think you would be on to even more of a winner. The other thing ED is missing is a regular live music/comedy venue. The Hideaway in Streathham does well, one would be brilliant in ED. Maybe a venue that included all of these things depending on time of day and day of week. Paradiso used to run films above the Mag but they seem to have stopped so maybe that's a business case you want to study for the feasibility of actually making money. Also look at how the Tivoli independent cinema in Wimborne, Dorset did it. They are a huge success story, a brilliant local theatre rescued from the brink.

Good luck. can we all come to the opening??? ;o)

[Dun]

Wetherspoons in FH would be fab building to reinstate as cinema. Go regularly to Ritzy & Greenwich but would prefer somewhere more local. looking forward to hearing more!

[treehugger]

Thanks StraferJack and Penguin68. That makes sense.

I still have doubts, that with the Ritzy and Peckhamplex just a bus ride away, the likelihood of a similar cinema being a viable business proposition in ED is slight, particularly as there is no appropriate space. Not sure that telling Wetherspoons in FH to move out would work - and that is, again, a bus ride away.