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We are living through a period of great uncertainty with the COVID-19 virus disrupting all our lives. There has already been much discussion about what it might mean for cinemas and film-goers. As at Monday March 23, New Zealand cinemas remain open and I remain optimistic that we will return to some state of normality. But who knows when. I feel a peronal loss as I will have to suspend my cinema-going until it becomes once more possible. This is after suspending,as President of the Hamilton Film Society, future weekly screenings for our members. But it does mean that I will have more time to bring this site up-to-date. There are numerous opportunities to sustain an interest in film culture. One such great opportunity is provided by the Rialto Channel in New Zealand (Sky39), who are screening the Mark Cousin's series Women Make Film as well as Agnes on Varda through April 2020. Links here: https://www.rialtochannel.co.nz/Reel-Women-Leading-Female-Directors Screens on Friday April 3 @ 8.30pm https://www.rialtochannel.co.nz/Films/type/View/Women-Make-Film-Episode-1 First episode screens Wednesday April 1 @ 8.30pm
2 Comments
Tony Rigden
22/4/2020 10:20:56 pm
As an ex part time projectionist in the 1970s I have retained an interest in the industry. Not withstanding the effects of the coronavirus, I think the biggest challenge to cinema is the merging of what was once 2 distinct technologies. Cinema relied on an electro/mechanical/chemical technology that right from day one produced good quality results suitable for large or even very large screens. Television, which is a purely electronic technology, up until now, has not been capable of high quality suitable for large screens. As a result, up until now, television has always been for the sitting room and where you don't mind a small low quality picture and sound. The cinema has been for where you want an experience with large screen and special high quality sound. Now, the 2 technologies are converging. The electro/mechanical/chemical system has gone and the electronic system is as capable of producing the same quality results as the old electro/mechanical/chemical always did. What with home theater becoming cheaper, offering the same quality picture and sound as the cinema and Hollywood considering steaming directly to home theater, the traditional cinema comes under threat. Where it will all go, I am not entirely sure. Currently there is a slight margin of quality between a good cinema and a home theater but I am sure with time, that margin will get smaller.
Geoff Lealand
29/4/2020 11:05:25 am
Thanks for this, Tony. I have been neglecting my site for the past few weeks--as with many aspects of life, it does seem to be very much a wait-and-see situation. Nevertheless, there has been minimal attention been paid to the plight of cinemas around New Zealand and I have been endeavouring to remedy this. Have you read the article that Business Stuff journalist Tony Wall wrote a week or so back? Leave a Reply. |
AuthorGeoff Lealand was an Assoc Prof in Screen and Media Studies at the University of Waikato from 1992 to 2017. Now retired (not a word he favours), he writes social history, maintains this site, its Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as going to the cinema at least twice weekly. Archives
September 2020
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