When the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, it did a huge number on economies around the world. No industry was safe. Retail, construction, restaurants, hotels, and even trains and planes were affected. Even the film industry got slammed. Movies that were expected to be released in 2020 had to either be pushed back until the pandemic subsided or they were released on streaming services. For the movie theater industry, it was cataclysmic. With no new movies being released and the pandemic running rampant, theaters were forced to close their doors for months and months. A lot of smaller movie theaters had to close permanently because they weren’t bringing in ANY money, whatsoever. Even when theaters started opening back up in September of 2020, people were hesitant to go back and rightfully so. But with proper safety protocols and social distancing regulations, movie theaters started to seeing business again. But with no new movie being released, what could they put in theaters to bring people back? Older movies. Yeah. It was in October that I got to see the best Star Wars movie in theaters: Empire Strikes Back. It was a movie that I’d never seen on the big screen. Well, another movie that I never saw on the big screen because it was before my time was Jaws. I’ve always loved this movie. It came out in 1975, so it’s older than me. But seeing it on the big screen for the first time was awesome. When I was in London a few years back for the Fighting Film Festival, I got to see Enter The Dragon on the silver screen.
See, movie theaters were bringing back huge blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame to the big screen, despite them being released on home video. It was a way to signal to audiences that they were coming back. Did it work? Yes, it did. Now, certain events have been happening over the years that allowed people to go see older movies in theaters. Fathom Events tend to do that a lot, even though those are far more limited releases, and each theater chain has their pick of what movies they can show, provided that the movie studios are in agreement. As I said above, I got to see Jaws in 3D today and it was awesome, but it wasn’t the only older movie playing. At other theaters during Fathom Events, movies like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan got to have another go at the big screen. It may have had something to do with today being National Cinema Day where tickets are 3 dollars across the board, but I noticed some movies being played at a nearby Megaplex Theater: Grease, starring John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John and The Blob. Not the 1988 remake mind you, but the original Steve McQueen monster movie from 1958. They’re going back to the 50s!! That’s awesome!
I really like this trend. Let’s be honest: August was not the greatest month for theatrically-released movies. Most of them ended up on streaming like Prey. I hadn’t been to the theaters since I saw Thor: Love and Thunder, and that was not a particularly good movie. From a business standpoint, it makes sense why movie theaters would screen older movies. It brings in money. Not as much as you would expect, but more than you would think. But in my opinion, it’s a chance for older generations to relive those moments that they experienced so long ago. At the same time, it’s a chance for younger audiences to experience films that our parents and grandparents grew up with, creating a whole new generation of fans. It’s a win-win situation if there ever was one. Sure, some of these older movies I have in my collection, but I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to see these movies in theaters, either again or for the first time. While I’m not saying that the older movies should take priority over the new stuff that’s coming, but I think it’s a great way to say “thank you” to movie fans of all generations while bringing in new blood. This is why I love movies. It’s an experience that can bring people together, especially in times of uncertainty. What would I want to see in theaters for the first time? Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-hur(The Charlton Heston film),The Ten Commandments. All the old-school epics. SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! I would like to say Happy National Cinema Day. For 3 bucks a ticket, now’s the best time to get out to the movies. The only thing I ask is that you be respectful of other people in the theater so you all can enjoy the film.