Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

  1. #1
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup

    Exclamation Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Are you, like me looking forward to Tim Burton's latest opus "Alice in Wonderland"? Due to be released to cinema's on 5th March the title Disney hope to be the latest & greatest 3D blockbuster may well be missing from the line-up in up-to 40% of the UK's cinema's.

    The problem has arisen because Disney, for reasons best known to themselves are releasing the film to retail DVD 5 weeks early. In a radical change to form the film will be available to buy in just 12 weeks, instead of the industry standard 17. This has caused the UK's two biggest Cinema chains Vue & Odeon to throw their toys out of the pram & threaten to boycott the movie altogether. However, all is not roses as Cineworld, the 3rd biggest player in the cinema market have refused to join in the protest, angering the boycott leaders a great deal.

    Disney's explanation is that it believes it can cut down significantly on illegal copies of the movie making it into the public domain if the film is released earlier & the advertising & movie hype is still fresh in the minds of the buying public.

    Disney has attempted to appease the powerful cine chains by offering to extend the release period to a week & have made assurances that the practice will only apply to a few major releases per year.
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  2. #2
    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    19,874
    Thanks
    630
    Thanked
    965 times in 816 posts
    • Funkstar's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz)
      • Memory:
      • 8GB OCZ PC2-6400C5 800MHz Quad Channel
      • Storage:
      • 650GB Western Digital Caviar Blue
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 512MB ATI Radeon HD4550
      • PSU:
      • Antec 350W 80+ Efficient PSU
      • Case:
      • Antec NSK1480 Slim Mini Desktop Case
      • Operating System:
      • Vista Ultimate 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 + 2408 monitors
      • Internet:
      • Zen 8mb

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    And now they get more media coverage than they could possibly buy!

    And none of it is about the film itself, all the news stations are just showing the trailer which will obviously show the film in it's best light. I don't think they could have hoped for better exposure.

  3. #3
    finding nemo staffsMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    11,498
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked
    794 times in 741 posts
    • staffsMike's system
      • Motherboard:
      • evga 680i
      • CPU:
      • e6600
      • Memory:
      • geil ultra pc6400
      • Storage:
      • WD 320gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • leadtek 8800 GTS 640mb
      • PSU:
      • ocz gameXstream 700w
      • Case:
      • akasa eclipse
      • Monitor(s):
      • dell 2007wfp and Lg L194WT
      • Internet:
      • pipex homecall

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    I did read this, although it said Vue were going to show it afterall (when and where I read it). It was just odeon causing trouble.

    I never use odeon anyway, hate their cinemas lol

  4. #4
    Senior[ish] Member Singh400's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    2,933
    Thanks
    136
    Thanked
    310 times in 247 posts

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    They haven't thought this through. Releasing it to DVD/BR quicker. Only makes it easy for the warez groups. They all have someone in the factories where they pack DVD/BR so someone somewhere will definitely slip out a copy - and then BAM it is pirated quicker.

    If anything they should have extended the time it is shown at the cinemas and then delayed the DVD/BR release by 5 or so weeks.

  5. #5
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    14,276
    Thanks
    292
    Thanked
    837 times in 473 posts

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Alice? Alice!? Who the oh wait I remember now.

    I don't really see how this scrap is in the interest of the film-viewer. Disney's reasoning seems weak, and I can see the cinema chains' point, but they really do seem to be overreacting a bit.
    PHP Code:
    $s = new signature();
    $s->sarcasm()->intellect()->font('Courier New')->display(); 

  6. #6
    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    19,874
    Thanks
    630
    Thanked
    965 times in 816 posts
    • Funkstar's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz)
      • Memory:
      • 8GB OCZ PC2-6400C5 800MHz Quad Channel
      • Storage:
      • 650GB Western Digital Caviar Blue
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 512MB ATI Radeon HD4550
      • PSU:
      • Antec 350W 80+ Efficient PSU
      • Case:
      • Antec NSK1480 Slim Mini Desktop Case
      • Operating System:
      • Vista Ultimate 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 + 2408 monitors
      • Internet:
      • Zen 8mb

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Thinking about this a bit more, don't cinemas have something virtually no-one can have at home?

    3D anyone?

    So if they start arguing that if the DVD/BD is released too quickly no-one will go to the cinema, then surely the implication is that 3D really isn't as big a deal to most people as they would like us to think.

  7. #7
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Quote Originally Posted by Funkstar View Post
    Thinking about this a bit more, don't cinemas have something virtually no-one can have at home?

    3D anyone?

    So if they start arguing that if the DVD/BD is released too quickly no-one will go to the cinema, then surely the implication is that 3D really isn't as big a deal to most people as they would like us to think.
    3D TV's & 3D BluRay out this year
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  8. #8
    Geek in training
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    653
    Thanks
    212
    Thanked
    47 times in 31 posts

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Quote Originally Posted by Funkstar View Post
    Thinking about this a bit more, don't cinemas have something virtually no-one can have at home?

    3D anyone?

    So if they start arguing that if the DVD/BD is released too quickly no-one will go to the cinema, then surely the implication is that 3D really isn't as big a deal to most people as they would like us to think.
    From what I read (and heard) the investment these chains have made for 3D and updating the relating tech, is the reason they're kicking off.

    They want to maintain the period of showing, to maxmise the profit potential.

    Their point is belittled somewhat by the general knowledge that most blockbuster films make their money within the first 10 weeks, sloping off towards 12, with the 17th week being 'stragglers'.

    I'm not sure of the exaxct figures, but avatar was used as an example.

    What I'm not sure of is, are Disney doing this just for the one film, or do they intend to do this herewith for all future film releases?

  9. #9
    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    19,874
    Thanks
    630
    Thanked
    965 times in 816 posts
    • Funkstar's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz)
      • Memory:
      • 8GB OCZ PC2-6400C5 800MHz Quad Channel
      • Storage:
      • 650GB Western Digital Caviar Blue
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 512MB ATI Radeon HD4550
      • PSU:
      • Antec 350W 80+ Efficient PSU
      • Case:
      • Antec NSK1480 Slim Mini Desktop Case
      • Operating System:
      • Vista Ultimate 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 + 2408 monitors
      • Internet:
      • Zen 8mb

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Quote Originally Posted by 0iD View Post
    3D TV's & 3D BluRay out this year
    But at what premium over standard sets.

    Remember, many people have not long upgraded to HD sets, now they are being asked again to upgrade for 3D. BD players will also need to be upgraded.

    As it stands people baulk at the lack of HD content available, and the cost of that content. Are many people really going to throw down for 3D which will have even less content available?

    Then you have to remember that Freeview HD will need DVB-T2 tuners in TVs and set top boxes, so there's another upgrade once that starts to filter into line ups.

    Quote Originally Posted by eshrules View Post
    From what I read (and heard) the investment these chains have made for 3D and updating the relating tech, is the reason they're kicking off.
    For once I think I'm taking Disney's side on this. Yes cinemas have spent big to get 3D, so maximise on that, and instead of refusing to show potentially one of the largest grossing 3D films after Avatar, persuade people that you are the best way to see it. And in reality, the cinema is the only way to see it for the foreseeable future.

  10. #10
    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    17,164
    Thanks
    803
    Thanked
    2,152 times in 1,408 posts

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Quote Originally Posted by eshrules View Post
    From what I read (and heard) the investment these chains have made for 3D and updating the relating tech, is the reason they're kicking off.

    They want to maintain the period of showing, to maxmise the profit potential.
    The problem with business is sometimes you have to have a lot of faith in others wanting to have some mutual help with you.

    Now at the moment business borrowing money is hard (the converts market is lookin' good atm ) so both the cinema and disney are facing high costs there. The cinema has just spent a lot of money upgrading for 3d stuff, they need to make a good return on that because they also know that the stuff they bought will be out of date before long.

    Disney need to recoupe the money spent on making the film ASAP every day they haven't made millions their subject to the debt servicing, even if they've paid the debt just not the profit, it costs money the longer they wait.

    However given the cost is higher for the cinema it would seam that they are a been a bit unfair and fairplay to them having the balls to say no to disney. Thou they are probably going to reach a last minuite deal.

    Disney needs to remember they make a lot of money from cinemas and need to keep em on side.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

  11. #11
    HEXUS.Metal Knoxville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Down In A Hole
    Posts
    9,388
    Thanks
    484
    Thanked
    442 times in 255 posts
    • Knoxville's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Intel X58
      • CPU:
      • Intel i7 920
      • Memory:
      • 2GB DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 1TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATi HD3450
      • PSU:
      • Generic
      • Case:
      • Cheap and nasty
      • Operating System:
      • Vista 64
      • Monitor(s):
      • 24" LG LCD
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 20mb

    Re: Cinema chains & Disney fall out over Alice

    Honestly, I don't care. It's a Tim Burton film which means it'll be a slightly "darker" (if you're twelve) take on a story I already know like the back of my hand just like every other film he's put out since 1996 that hasn't been stop frame animation. They could release it on 3D BD tommorow and I'd still rather read the book.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Alice in Chains back with new track
    By CaseyV9 in forum Movies, TV, Music and Books
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 27-08-2009, 08:40 AM
  2. Free Cinema Screening of The Last King of Scotland 9/1/07
    By npk2005 in forum Retail Therapy and Bargains
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 04-01-2007, 06:35 PM
  3. Free Screening of Starter For Ten (1/11/06)
    By npk2005 in forum Retail Therapy and Bargains
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 26-10-2006, 01:55 PM
  4. More Free Cinema Tickets!
    By npk2005 in forum Retail Therapy and Bargains
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 31-03-2006, 01:26 PM
  5. Disney to acquire Pixar for US$7.4 billion
    By Bob Crabtree in forum HEXUS News
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 26-01-2006, 09:48 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •