BRATTLEBORO — What is going on with movies at the Latchis?
That is a question we've been asked, and one that deserves an answer.
On one hand, we hear concern that the movie mix has changed in favor of commercial fare. On the other, families who never found the types of movies they wanted at the Latchis are happy to see them here, where the surroundings are historic and the popcorn is fairly priced.
Here is the backstory on what is going on.
With four movie screens serving Brattleboro where there used to be 10, the landscape has changed. As much as we are aware that core moviegoers depend on the Latchis for a certain type of movie, we are committed to the community as a whole.
While niche films, award contenders, and independent films will always be part of our list, the selections will ebb and flow.
During times like summer blockbuster season and the holidays, we are glad to show the crowd pleasers that used to be shown at the old multiplex. During the winter months, we stock up on Oscar-nominated films.
We appreciate the excitement and anticipation that both types of movies bring to this end of Main Street.
The Latchis is also unique in that movies share screen time with the Metropolitan Opera's “Met Live in HD” opera broadcasts and a growing roster of Live at the Latchis special events.
These commitments can limit our opportunity to pick up certain films if we can't guarantee an uninterrupted run, and is a choice we make as a cultural hub for the region. Striking a balance between art and commercial films and between any films and special events is a very big challenge.
One solution to the limits of four screens is a new 4 p.m. weekend slot that theater manager Darren Goldsmith will fill with art and independent films that might not make it to our market any other way.
The “Theatre Manager's Picks” program was gaining ground before Irene's flooding closed the theater for six weeks. Darren hopes to get a series of them back on the schedule before long.
Brattflicks is the work of a committee that looks for films with themes or particular interest. A sing-along version of The Sound of Music, Gideon Freudmann's extraordinary live cello composition for Metropolis, and offbeat favorites such as Stop Making Sense are a few examples of this special film programming.
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The movie distribution business is changing in a significant way. There is tremendous pressure on all movie theaters to convert from 35 mm film to digital projection. This shift has been going on for a few years, but push is now coming to shove.
What this means for Brattleboro is twofold. Fewer 35 mm prints are being produced. Where 1,000 prints used to be in circulation, studios might now produce only 300, so our chance of getting some movies on opening weekend is less likely.
And with movies going to DVD, Netflix, and other modes so much sooner these days, we have to carefully consider bringing in a film that might have gone by us on the first pass.
It will cost Latchis Arts an estimated $65,000 per screen to convert to digital projection. The good news is that, once converted, we should have access to most films without delay. The movie will be stored on a hard drive in digital form, which the studios can reproduce in almost unlimited quantities.
However, we now have losses from Tropical Storm Irene to add to the mix.
Before Irene, Latchis Corporation was in the process of planning to invest $260,000 in digital conversion. Instead, we now must pay for repairs and deal with loss of revenue from being closed as a result of the flooding.
While we are in the position to continue business as usual, unusual spending is another story. The digital discussion is ongoing, but the date for conversion is farther away.
On average, 65 percent of each ticket sold is returned to the movie studios. Maximizing ticket sales to help us get back on our feet and move into the future is an important reality. While we continue our commitment to high-quality movies, it is no secret that one good blockbuster can bring in more revenue than any two art films.
Our ideal is to have it all: big-volume movies that perform over a long run, enthusiastic attendance at art and independent film screenings, exciting special events programming.
And at the heart of it, our ideal is to have your support as we strive to serve the whole community.