{"id":4071,"date":"2011-10-26T10:00:12","date_gmt":"2011-10-26T16:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=4071"},"modified":"2014-09-06T14:53:12","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T20:53:12","slug":"cineaste-4-all-hallows-peeve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=4071","title":{"rendered":"“Cineaste” #4: All Hallows Peeve"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Double Life of a Cin\u00e9aste\u201d
\nThinking Over a Spooky Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our columnist mulls projection options for the drive-in and the state of a supposedly beloved genre<\/p>\n

by Tyler Tharpe<\/em><\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Double Life of a Cin\u00e9aste\u201d follows contributor Tyler Tharpe as he balances the business of running a drive-in theater in the Midwest with the long and arduous process of filmmaking.<\/em><\/p>\n

As I gear up for my fourth year of \u201cOctober Frights\u201d at the Centerbrook Drive-in<\/strong>, I\u2019m left with the desire to play some old horror classics. Wouldn\u2019t the originals \u2013 and, it irks me that we have<\/em> to preface a mention of every horror classic these days by stating, \u201cthe original\u201d \u2013 of HALLOWEEN, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE<\/strong>, and THE EVIL DEAD<\/strong> make for a great line-up?<\/p>\n

The main problem is it\u2019s just too expensive to run these movies, but it seems the customers in my market actually don\u2019t care much about the classics. Last year, I attempted to run the original (dammit!) NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD<\/strong> on Halloween<\/strong> weekend. I rented it from a local collector who had just purchased an original 35mm print through Ebay<\/strong>. It arrived the day before I wanted to run it and he didn\u2019t have time to check it over. So I picked it up, hoping the print was good enough to run, and drove it down to the theater the next day.<\/p>\n

As it turned out, the print was in such bad shape I couldn\u2019t run it. With so many tears and splices, attempting to run it could have cost me a film wrap and a stripped projector gear as well as free passes at the gate to disappointed customers on the way out. The only people who seemed to care that night were a nice couple who drove all the way up from Kentucky<\/strong> to see it. I felt horrible, of course, so I gave them some free popcorn and drinks. Luckily, a local film collector happened to be in the audience and he brought along a 20 minute reel of classic horror movie trailers, so I ran that after my line-up of current horror releases PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2<\/strong> and Wes Craven<\/strong>\u2019s MY SOUL TO TAKE<\/strong>. Everyone seemed pretty happy.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why doesn\u2019t my central Indiana<\/strong> market care about the horror classics? The Centerbrook is about 20 minutes from Indianapolis<\/strong>. I get some customers from Indy, but the bulk of my audience comes from the rural areas around the drive-in. Basically, if they haven\u2019t heard of the film, they aren\u2019t coming, so the bigger the marketing campaign behind a certain film, the better it will play in my market.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That\u2019s obviously true for almost all markets, but some smaller markets can get away with running more obscure films \u2013 heavily artistic communities like Austin, TX<\/strong>, with the Alamo Drafthouse<\/strong>, and Albuquerque, NM<\/strong>, with the Guild Cinema<\/strong>, as well as large markets like Los Angeles, New York<\/strong>, and even Chicago<\/strong> with its Music Box Theatre<\/strong>. Sure, everyone\u2019s heard of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD<\/strong>, but \u2026 I don\u2019t know<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I think there\u2019s also a stigma attached to horror films in these parts. Not everyone likes horror; recently, a customer waiting in line at the concession stand addressed this very thing with his wife by saying, \u201cSure, you and I like horror, but not everyone does.\u201d I\u2019ve played current horror movies here before, even in the middle of my busy summer months \u2013 THE RUINS, DRAG ME TO HELL<\/strong>, and INSIDIOUS<\/strong>, to name a few \u2013 but I always run the horror film last.<\/p>\n

This year, I did<\/em> attempt to open a brand-new horror film, Craven\u2019s SCREAM 4<\/strong>, and it grossed very dismal numbers. Given that the weather wasn\u2019t spectacular, distributor The Weinstein Company<\/strong> didn\u2019t even make back the cost of the print (about $1,500) with their 50% take of the film\u2019s two-week run. Ouch<\/em>. I always feel bad when that happens. They were nice enough to give me a chance to run SCREAM 4<\/strong> and it bombed. From that moment on I decided, \u201cNo more openings of horror films.\u201d I need to stick with Pixar, Marvel Studios<\/strong>, and anything starring Robert Downey, Jr.<\/strong>, or Johnny Depp<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Back to the expense problem with running horror classics from 35mm prints, most studios charge a flat fee of $250 to $350 to play them and shipping per title costs $150 or more. That could mean a total cost up to $500 for running each classic. And it sucks if it rains; I\u2019m out all that money. On a new release film, the studio picks up the majority of the shipping cost and I pay them a percentage of ticket sales. If it rains, I\u2019m not out the cost of shipping and flat rental fees as with the classics.<\/p>\n

Also, it can prove to be quite hard to track down the current copyright holder of a certain film, even a major classic like HALLOWEEN<\/strong>. One year, my booker looked specifically for that and gave up without success.<\/p>\n

When I (reluctantly) convert to digital projection in a few years, the cost of running a classic will come down dramatically. The studios will allow you to run movies from a Blu-ray disc, so there will be little to no shipping cost on an item that weighs just a few pounds. The flat rental fee will still be intact but I have a feeling you can negotiate most of these fees down a bit.<\/p>\n

I also will be in a position to run my own films, finally<\/em>. Everyone always comments to me, \u201cHey, you\u2019re a filmmaker who owns a drive-in. You can run your own films!\u201d The main problem is that I don\u2019t have 35mm release prints, since I finished them on video even though I shot both features on film. So, yes, I can start running them when I\u2019m equipped with a digital projector.<\/p>\n

But it all goes back to the idea, \u201cHas my market heard<\/em> of these films?\u201d Most people who are not horror film fanatics will not have heard of FREAK<\/strong> or RETURN IN RED<\/strong>, so I probably have to play these last. Plus, I\u2019m too modest to step up and say, \u201cHey, check out these horror films made by the drive-in owner himself!\u201d I couldn\u2019t live up to that announcement. If and when I do run my own movies, I will run them as I do any other movie I pick up. I\u2019ll just throw it on the schedule and hope for the best.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

So<\/em> \u2026 In the next few years, I\u2019ll finally be equipped with digital projection that gives me the freedom to run more obscure films during \u201cOctober Frights.\u201d My first film in this case will probably be ERASERHEAD<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Personally, the problem for me then will be running films from Blu-ray. I can\u2019t bring myself to pay money to see a film projected off a Blu-ray. I can watch a Blu-ray at home. I want to see the highest quality version of something if I\u2019m going to pay for it, and that would be 35mm film. I\u2019m certain the Alamo Drafthouse doesn\u2019t try to pull the old Blu-ray switcheroo. An Austin audience wouldn\u2019t have it.<\/p>\n

The Landmark<\/strong> here in Indianapolis is showing \u201cmidnight\u201d movies this month and they happen to be running John Carpenter<\/strong>\u2019s THE THING<\/strong>. I\u2019ve never seen that on the big screen. I was planning on ducking out of the drive-in early that Saturday night to check it out, but I called ahead and found out they were running it from Blu-ray. No thanks!<\/p>\n

I think I\u2019d better hold on to my old 35mm projector, even when it becomes obsolete, because I may have to start collecting 35mm prints of my favorite films. That way I\u2019ll have something optimal to offer in the way of the viewing experience that hardcore film fanatics like me demand.<\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Prior \u201cCin\u00e9aste\u201d<\/a> | Next \u201cCin\u00e9aste\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

Tyler Tharpe is an Indianapolis resident who has a B.A. in Telecommunications with an emphasis on film from Ball State University. He is currently an independent filmmaker and drive-in theater owner\/operator who can be reached at <\/em>tylertharpe [at] yahoo [dot] com<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Double Life of a Cin\u00e9aste\u201d no. 4 \u00a9 2011 Tyler Tharpe.
\nNIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD<\/strong> artwork \u00a9 Continental Releasing<\/strong>
\nSCREAM 4<\/strong> artwork \u00a9 Dimension Films<\/strong>
\nTHE THING<\/strong> artwork \u00a9 Universal Pictures
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

CUBlog edit \u00a9 2011 Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n

Click to follow the making of PHANTOM COMPANION<\/strong> on Facebook<\/strong>!<\/a><\/p>\n

Click to see what\u2019s playing at the Centerbrook Drive-in!<\/a><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Back to the fore, MacTharpe\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Visit the Column Index<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Return to Home Page<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this edition of \u201cThe Double Life of a Cin\u00e9aste,\u201d author Tyler Tharpe expresses wonderment at the lack of respect horror movie classics seem to receive in his market, while bemoaning technological “advances” in his line of work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[217,594,31,26],"tags":[823,822,821,820,819],"class_list":["post-4071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-column-du-c-u","category-double-life-of-a-cineaste","category-the-old-school","category-theatres-venues","tag-digital-projection","tag-movie-rentals","tag-night-of-the-living-dead","tag-scream-4","tag-wes-craven"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4071\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}