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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Intermissions in 2017
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Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 09-04-2017 08:39 AM
Having visited quite a lot of cinemas over the last decades in several roles, one thing that keeps intriguing me is something as simple as the Intermission.
The times where an intermission is a technologically necessity have long since passed (maybe with the exception of selected extra-long 15/70 runs), also with a few exceptions, Hollywood hasn't released features with intermissions for decades now.
Still, the intermission isn't dead yet. In Indian cinema, the intermission is still a part of almost every Bollywood release for example.
While most multiplex operations have eliminated the intermission entirely, seemingly to pack more shows into the same auditorium and to avoid patrons jumping shows, there are still many cinemas around this globe inserting intermissions into the features they show. This seems to be primarily rooted into local customs and expectations of the local patronage.
So, I was wondering, why not do a little "questionnaire", to get some idea of what the status of the intermission is in 2017. Below some of the questions I have, in a somewhat random order. Feel free to answer or ask new ones.
* Do you have intermissions?
* Did you have intermissions at one time but stopped with the habit? And why did you stop?
* Do you show intermissions for all shows? If not, what are the criteria?
* Why do you have intermissions? Is it, for example, because it's a local habit?
* What do you think about intermissions? Does it for example unnecessarily disrupt the movie? Or does it help to keep the room silent, because people can go to the toilet and have a little chat about the movie, without disturbing anywone?
* Does it help your bottom line, as in, do you sell more concessions?
* Since most movies don't come with an intermission and most also not with an advice for an optional intermission, how do you determine the best time to start an intermission?
* What do you think is a good duration for an intermission?
* Do you close the curtains during an intermission?
* Do your customers expect you to have an intermission in the show?
* Have people ever asked if your shows have intermissions?
* Have people complained about your shows (not) having intermissions?
* Have you ever checked your contracts with the studios and what they have to say about intermissions?
Well, I could go on for a while, but let's not do that. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.
Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 09-04-2017 03:07 PM
In the US, the exhibitor's Master License Agreement with each studio will state something like:
quote: I can't believe this was published to the internet
Exhibitor shall exhibit the Picture without alteration or intermission, on the Screen Auditorium identified in the Booking Confirmation on consecutive days on each performance of every day stated herein from the actual hour of the opening of the theatre to the actual hour of the theatre closing.
quote: Thank you Wikileaks
Licensee may not, without Licensor's prior written consent, add or interpolate material to, edit or eliminate material from, or in any way alter, or authorize any third party to alter, any Materials. All Material shall be exhibited in its entirety, in its original continuity of subject and in the identical form in which each such copy is delivered to Licensee and/or otherwise legally obtained.
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Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 09-04-2017 06:05 PM
It's interesting to read those passages in the master contracts. Similar clauses are in the master contracts I've seen around here, yet there are quite a few theaters around that do insert intermissions. Seemingly, the studios don't really mind you doing it. I've never heard about a studio filing an informal or formal complaint or even going so far as threatening with legal action or contract termination.
In several cinemas, even multiplexes in the Netherlands and Germany there are intermissions for extra long features (e.g. anything in excess of ~140 minutes). I guess most people are grateful for that. Also, it's a great way to make up for the extra length of the movie with some additional concession sales.
For normal features, intermissions are almost extinct around here, but there are the occasional anomalies.
In the southern part of the Netherlands and the eastern part of Belgium, almost all cinemas, even most of the international chains do have intermissions in all their movies. It's a pretty localized habit and "foreigners", even those from a mere 70 miles away are often pretty bemused by the phenomenon.
About 20 years ago, most small town cinemas I visited in Great Brittan still had intermissions in all shows, although they were already gone by then in the big cities.
quote: Mike Blakesley
In the film days, I knew one operator who owned three single-screen theaters who had an intermission in every movie. He would just run the first three reels and put the intermission after the third reel. He said his patrons loved it.
It was common practice around here in the 35mm days to put an intermission after the third reel, or in some rare cases after the second or fourth.
At least most reel transitions also do coincide with some kind of scene change in the movie. While the timing could still be hit and miss, it was generally acceptable.
Once the transition to digital was made, they didn't really have such a pointer, so ever since, the timing of the intermission is a real hit and miss.
There is one local chain that really beats it all in this regard. They simply hit pause on all their screens simultaneously via a remote trigger. No matter if it's in the middle of an intense car chase scene and the wheels of the car being chased don't even touch the ground yet.
quote: Mike Blakesley
I can't even remember the last current-release movie we had that had an intermission in it.... all intermissions we've had lately have been in old movies, like most recently "The Cowboys" and in past years, "Gone with the Wind," "Ben-Hur" and "The Ten Commandments."
Apparently, there is a version of The Hateful Eight with an intermission. I'm not sure if it was ever released as a DCP though. I also remember the 2005 version of King Kong having a version with an intermission. Also, the 3D 15/70 re-release of Titanic (1997) had an intermission, also partly due to technical constraints.
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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 09-05-2017 10:34 AM
We have them of course at the drive-in, as every night is a double or triple feature. I realize that's not quite the question here, you're contemplating doing it in the middle of one film, but for sure it helps concession sales greatly. Depends on the films of course, if you have a program which holds more of the family audience for a second film, that bumps it quite a lot, but just anecdotally from me looking at the "percaps" after the first show starts and then after the second, I'd say we bump up 20-25% by having it.
The mythical "Paradiso" in NZ apparently does an intermission every movie where fresh cookies are served. I have a staffer who spent a season in that town, and she claims there's hardly a patron who doesn't buy during the intermission there.
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 09-05-2017 05:59 PM
On the topic of recent-ish films with intermissions, Gods and Generals comes to mind--there was an actual intermission reel with a title card that was supposed to stay on screen during the intermission.
Otherwise, Hateful Eight, of course. I believe that there was a rumor that there would be one in LOTR-Return of the King, but it was not released that way, at least in the US.
I know that this wasn't part of the original question, but drive-ins typically do an intermission between features. Usually, they have some trailers, a short, and a countdown clock. Most drive-in intermissions that I have seen run for about twenty minutes.
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