Cinema Attendance Notes

Cinema Attendance:
There was a gradual decline in the 1950s, before a dramatic drop throughout the 60s and 70s.
Why did the cinema decline so rapidly in 1960s, 70s and 80s?
- Growth of TV Ownership. People could watch films or other television for free.
- With growth of car ownership, people had greater choice of less traditional entertainment.
After 1970s, the growth of VHS and video rental, nearly killed the cinema industry. It now became fashionable to stay at home, rent the movie of your choice and save the money of going to the cinema.


Since 1984, Cinema attendance has grown so strongly because:
- change in culture preferences: people like the opportunity to get out of the house and enjoying a film without distractions
- even though the price of the cinema has increased above inflation, demand has continued to rise due to rising incomes.
- growth of the multiplex cinemas which are easily accessible by car and also offer a wider choice of films.
- new technology such as digital screens and 3D screens have offered new dimension
- cinemas have benefited from the growth in the movie market as DVD sales and online films have grown even faster than cinema attendance.

More notes on Cinemas and the movie market:
- the three major UK exhibitors cineworld, odeon UCI, and Vue account for over 70% of the total box office receipts and 60% of screens.
- the rest of the market is smaller multiplex operators and independent, non-multiplex cinemas (less than 5 screens)
- greatest earning film is Skyfall (over £100m) beating Avatar into number 2, and Toy Story 3 in third.

Cinema Attendance (cont):
- During the 1930s and 40s cinema was popular because there was no TV, internet or games consoles.
- they went as escapism from the war and hear news about it.
- high employment also played a role.
- late 40s/early 50s attendance began to fall due to television ownership

Skyfall lifts cinema attendance in 2012:
- ticket admissions were up 24 per cent in october and 36 per cent in november, as Skyfall became the first film to rake in more than £100m at UK cinemas