Any discussion of the film that has begun will end. halls gasp. Whether it’s a multiplex, neighborhood cinemas, or even Ideal and Astor, two historic cinemas in the center that are in danger of closing.

However, not so long ago, Astor was shown “Gene Dillman” from Premiere Nights. A “difficult” film that follows the routine of a housewife for three and a half hours in a feminist light and released in 1975 However, the demand was so great that one screening turned into four, and many people entered the hall of the Koray Gallery to see her film. Sandal Ackerman.

Of course, it helped that not so long ago this film was named the greatest film of all time by the main film magazine. “Sight and Sound”. But this is not the only film of the past that has recently achieved such success in theaters. Successful screenings have recently followed from Premiere Evenings. “Evil Idol” (1980) from Martin Scorsese, her “Intensity” (1995) from Michael Mann, while its also followed “Dracula” (1992) from Francis Ford Coppola.

At the same time, thousands of viewers chose to relive the experience of Middle-earth through its trilogy. “Lord of the Rings” from Peter Jackson which was shown in the context “Epic Movie Nights” from village cinemas, Let’s not forget that in recent years Akis Kapranos through “Midnight Express” created an informal “movie club” that shows everything from 70s cult horror films to anime and Cassavetes films, always strictly after midnight and always with a large crowd.

With all of the above, one can only wonder: Will the cinema of the past revive and finally save theaters?

Film as an event

The post-pandemic period has been an objectively challenging period for movie theaters as they have had to recover in an uncertain environment for every activity. The bailiffs had to findn a way to draw people back into the room.

For Goat Luke, art director of “Premier Evenings”, so it was “recommend an event. Spectators want to belong to the event. In this case, the event is not the selection of any movie and its screening. It’s about choosing a weighty film and giving viewers the opportunity to build a community for one night,” he explains.

Indeed, all of the above examples of screenings are different from “simple” screenings of films in cinemas. They are special, unique, the viewer knows that he will have to watch a certain film, which he does not easily have the opportunity to see on the big screen, and he will share his experience with other viewers, they will experience emotions together.

For one younger audience, which, as Lukas Katsikas confirms, strong presence in these special screenings hosted by Premiere Nights, it is an opportunity to learn about cinema. But even for those who know and love cinema, “event screenings” can offer something new: whether digital Restored Copy, or, as in the case of Intensity, a teasing film version. In fact, Michael Mann’s film was shown on “final edition” her, that is, edited by the director himself and presented in the form in which he claims that he would shoot it today.

outside emotional connection with a movie that can make you want to come back to the cinema, even if it’s a movie that is often shown on TV or available by subscription, quality of experience (hall characteristics, sound, resolution) is a key attraction, as notes Andreas Alysandratos, director of marketing at Village Cinemas. But, of course, and way of conveying these views: “That is, if you managed to include them in the “mandatory” walk or even in the “city chatter”. The first screenings of Epic Movie Nights at Village Cinemas went in that direction,” he says. Indeed, approx. 40,000 tickets cut by “Lord” but the repeat viewings that will follow due to the high demand confirm this.

And if The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular film franchises, then the same cannot be said for the films of the Midnight Express program. OUR Akis Kapranos he made a “confusing” program that worked only in his head “and, as he himself admits, “a ‘job’ person would tell you that these steps would inevitably lead the whole project to disaster.”

And yet, at this year’s Midnight Express winter screenings, which took place not in the center, but in Piraeus, “not a single pin fell,” as the organization’s mastermind says. “So there are viewers who know that we are not playing them, who know that they will see the films they like in the best quality and discover others that they will never forget – that’s why they follow us. . But ‘Midnight Express’ also exists because of that audience, so it’s the perfect relationship.” turns out.

Opening cinema

Someone who decides to go to a “special screening”, even if he is not a “hardened” movie fan, thereby gradually acquires film culture, what will make him go to the cinema easier and more often tomorrow, the day after tomorrow?

As Lukas Katsikas says, today an infinite amount of information can it ends up making it harder for the younger generation to find what they want – unlike the elders, who knew that they would read their favorite film critic in such and such a newspaper, constantly discovering something new and interesting for themselves.

Thus, special screenings such as those that have taken place, but also follow from the aforementioned enterprises, as well as from events such as Athens Open Air Film Festival which bases its program mainly on films of the past, are a kind of screening, a discreet suggestion for those who want to discover cinema and don’t know where to start.

Simply put, the success of special screenings of Premiere Nights, Epic Movie Nights, and Midnight Express seems to answer a need that the public has, but so far no one has bothered to ask and take care of it in an organized way.

Lukas Katsikas also comments: the queue that starts at the Ideal in Panepistimi and turns towards Harilaou Trikoupi, – the most shaky answer to the question of whether people want to go to the theater.