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Author Topic: Intermission in King Kong Ian Bailey Master Film Handler Posts: 317 From: Nambucca Heads, Australia Registered: Jun 2003 posted 12-12-2005 03:22 AM                     Anyone considering putting an intermission in KK.If so any hints on where would be a good spot.I was going to put it in between Reel 5 and reel 6 but it doesn't look like a complete scene change to me and I'm sure I won't have time to preview it. BTW we received our print complete in one delivery except for the DTS discs which haven't arrived as yet  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-12-2005 05:09 AM                        In the good ole USofA, the studio's master contracts specifically forbid that sort of "tampering." We have to run the film in its entirety without alteration of any kind and from beginning to end. Adding intermissions (which theatres would LOVE to do do to increase concessions sales) is specifically cited as breach of contract. With TITANIC, supposedely the word went out that Cameron would refuese to allow any intermission, although I heard that lots of theatres, especially Drive-ins, had strange mechanical failures rather consistantly during the course of the run and surprisingly, usually at the same point in the film almost every night. In some foreign markets this doesn't seem to be quite as verboten as it is here. In India, for example, American films are shipped with markings as to where to take the intermission; the American distributors know that intermissions will be taken no matter what they say. Seems in their cinema culture, every film, no matter how long or short, has an intermission. What I can't understand, why does an intermission ruin the "artistic integrety" (Cameron's claim) of his film only in the US, but over-seas it doesn't. If it doesn't hurt the film on an entire continent, how come it hurts us? I say, check your master contract and see if you are or are not legally bound not to take a break in the middle of the film. If it doesn't strictly forbit it, then do your audience a favor and TAKE the intermission wherever you want. I sure as hell wished the theartres I saw LOTR titles in would have been brave enough to give me and my bladder an intermission - as I recall, I actually could have used two.  |  IP: Logged Mike Baer Film Handler Posts: 51 From: Winterthur, Switzerland Registered: Dec 2002 posted 12-12-2005 06:37 AM                        In Switzerland we make also an intermission in every movie (except some arthouse films).I don't think it ruins the "artistic integrity". Especially for King Kong we receive Reel 4 splitted in 4a and 4b.There will be an intermission sign at the end of reel 4a (after 113 Min.according to UIP).According to our Distributor this is the place P.Jackson wanted an intermission.  |  IP: Logged William Valdes Film Handler Posts: 37 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Sep 2004 posted 12-12-2005 04:57 PM                     I don't think adding intermissions would necessarily compromise the artistic integrity of a film but it can be annoying for those wanting to just watch the whole film start to finish without interruption. I personally think that if you add an intermission during the film, the audience should at least be aware of it when they buy their tickets.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-12-2005 04:58 PM                     frank said "In the good ole USofA, the studio's master contracts specifically forbid that sort of "tampering." We have to run the film in its entirety without alteration of any kind and from beginning to end. Adding intermissions (which theatres would LOVE to do do to increase concessions sales) is specifically cited as breach of contract. With TITANIC, supposedely the word went out that Cameron would refuese to allow any intermission, although I heard that lots of theatres, especially Drive-ins, had strange mechanical failures rather consistantly during the course of the run and surprisingly, usually at the same point in the film almost every night" Many theatres around the world use a Tower as there transport and they are limited to the number of reels that they will hold and as such intermissions are allowed  |  IP: Logged Ian Bailey Master Film Handler Posts: 317 From: Nambucca Heads, Australia Registered: Jun 2003 posted 12-12-2005 05:06 PM                     I put an intermission in LOTR and had nothing but positive feedback from the customers and a positive effect on Candy Bar sales. How am I going to work out where 113 minutes in is located? With the size of the reels we received I doubt very much it is in the middle of reel 4(possibly somewhere in reel 6)  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 12-12-2005 05:20 PM                        End of reel 5 is 99:56. End of reel 6 is 121:25.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-12-2005 05:38 PM                        quote: What I can't understand, why does an intermission ruin the "artistic integrety" (Cameron's claim) of his film only in the US, Movie directors and studio people don't care about artistic integrity. If they did, they would never release their movies on DVD, where they're often stopped and started multiple times during the "presentation."  |  IP: Logged Ian Bailey Master Film Handler Posts: 317 From: Nambucca Heads, Australia Registered: Jun 2003 posted 12-12-2005 06:37 PM                     Thanks Daryl I owe you a beer But you will have to come down here to get it Let me know before you leave and I'll put some on ice!!!!  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 12-12-2005 06:51 PM                     They should wise up & see the entrance & entracte for what they really are nowadays... advertising space!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-12-2005 11:37 PM                     I worked in one theatre where the manager made us put intermissions in any feature to come in out theatre - to drive up concession sales. But home office found out about this and really raised the roof all over that manager since the film studios found out about this due to a blind checher and climbed all over the theatre company and threatened to immediately cut films rentals entirely if this practice does continue. Obviously the next day, the intermission practice was abolished. Film companies: you play the ball game THEIR WAY and that's the only way. They can be a nasty breed to tangle with if you cross their paths. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 12-13-2005 01:22 AM                     To quote Mike Blakesley: Movie directors and studio people don't care about artistic integrity. If they did, they would never release their movies on DVD, where they're often stopped and started multiple times during the "presentation." If the movie companies _wanted_ to do this, they could with (in DVD speak) User Operation Prohibit, so you would be locked out of your DVD players fast-forward and re-wind controls. The movie companies also know it would generate _alot_ of bad press. Back on subject: I used to work at a cinema with film towers and, naturally, we had to put intermissions in some films. We all knew it was purely for technical reasons, and when we moved to the current site (platters) intermissions became a thing of the past. Some of our customers _still_ ask, 6 years on, if there will be an intermission. Alex.  |  IP: Logged Jean-Pierre Van Hoof Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Enschede, Ov, Netherlands Registered: Dec 2003 posted 12-13-2005 08:02 AM                        quote: What I can't understand, why does an intermission ruin the "artistic integrity" (Cameron's claim) of his film only in the US, but over-seas it doesn't. Just my 0.02 eurocent. We are selling soda,s in 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 Liters and what ruins "artistic integrity" more I think is the fact that people tend to go to the toilets blocking someone else their view because holding up for about 2 1/2 hours without intermission is all most impossible ;-) We make an intermission at all of our movies and it depends on how many reels it has. (6 reels split at 3-3, 7 at 3-4 etc) We even get intermission trailers from the movie companies showing some sort of commercial by a large dutch brewery that sponsors a large Dutch cinema festival.(Rotterdam Cinema Festival i believe it is)  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-13-2005 12:25 PM                        We just got the new "Sound of Music" DVD at home. That movie is 157 minutes long, and IT has an intermission! 3 hours is just too long to sit without a break. Why don't the powers-that-be realize that, in the name of "artistic integrity," people ARE going to miss part of their precious movie (or sit there in misery) because of bodily needs. NATO should forget about the failed "trailer volume initiative" and come up with a resolution that any movie over 2'30" must have an intermission.  |  IP: Logged Jim Latendorf Film Handler Posts: 4 From: Sacramento, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2005 posted 12-13-2005 06:15 PM                     Back in the days where going to the movies was an event, all of the major features (Ben Hur, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Mad Mad World, etc.) had intermissions. It allowed folks to stretch their legs, go to the bathroom and, even smoke in the lobby. I'm showing my age now, but there was a sign above the entrance to auditorium that flashed "CURTAIN" to let everybody know the movie was about to resume and to give them time to return to their seats. Ah, curtains. Those things that hung in front of the screen. Who wants to look at a blank white screen when the feature is not running. What's wrong with intermissions ??  |  IP: Logged

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