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Screen time
By Fang Zhuojun |
January 10, 2009, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TIANSHAN Cinema has survived the test of time and evolved during the past 30 years to meet the needs of its increasingly sophisticated customers. Flexibility has been the key, writes Fang Zhuojun
At the mention of cinemas, you may recall the touching film "Cinema Paradiso," which was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and released in 1988. The Oscar winning film told the heart-warming stories of projectionist Alfredo and his apprentice Toto together with their beloved Cinema Paradiso.
Just like Cinema Paradiso, Tianshan Cinema in western Shanghai went through difficult times confronted by a market-driven economy.
Founded in October, 1979, Tianshan Cinema was the first professional cinema in Shanghai after the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976). Growing from a small cinema to an enterprise with box-office revenue surpassing tens of millions of yuan in the last few years, Tianshan Cinema has its own story of development.
Tianshan Cinema is relatively old compared with modern and popular cinemas such as Yonghua Cinema (opened in 2003) in Xujiahui area and Studio City (opened in 1999) on Nanjing Road. Most local cinemas as old as Tianshan have gone out of business and been turned into a supermarket or shopping mall.
The key in its ability to survive is flexibility, says Lu Guiming, manager of Tianshan Cinema.
"The key to success is to always follow the market principle," says Lu. "As the country adapted to a market economy, so should the cultural industry."
Although the cinema is state-owned property, it is run independently with no subsidies from the government, which means it had to fight to survive.
The early 1980s was a good time for cinemas as people were hungry for entertainment after the "cultural revolution." Cinemas were considered suitable for both friends and couples. About 29.3 billion visits were paid to the country's cinemas in 1979 compared to 130 million in 2007, according to Lu.
"I spent most of the time watching movies in the cinema with my boyfriend (now he is my husband) when we were twenty something in the early 1980s," says 50-year-old Su Jiefen. "We did not have much choice like the young generation today. There was no karaoke, no ballrooms, no DVDs, no computers, even no private television sets."
However, passion for movies declined in the late 1980s with the increasing popularity of TV and other forms of entertainment.
Local cinemas started to evolve in the 1990s as revenue from tickets was no longer enough to cover costs. Supporting facilities including a ballroom, a video game room and cafe provided more things for people to do and more revenue sources for cinema owners.
"In the 1990s, with the increasing production of films, people wanted more choices when they came to the cinema, and the one screen complex was no longer good enough," says Lu. "We took the opportunity to expand the number of screens to three. Now it has seven."
"The interior decoration and equipment was upgraded with the change of viewing habits," says Shi Chuan, a professor in film studies at Shanghai University. "Nowadays, picking a movie is more like selecting dishes from a menu."
Of course, picture and sound quality have improved as have the comfort of modern cinemas. Digital surround sound and plush seats are available in cinemas now compared to the benches or stools people had to sit on back in the 1980s.
Some VIP areas are even equipped with a multifunctional sofa, allowing people to kick their feet up and really relax while watching a movie. A call button provides instant service from a waiter.
Standing within the bustling central business district of Changning District, Tianshan Cinema will celebrate its 30th birthday this year. More technology and advanced equipment will be introduced. And 3D, 4D and IMAX screens will soon be available at Tianshan Cinema.
At the mention of cinemas, you may recall the touching film "Cinema Paradiso," which was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and released in 1988. The Oscar winning film told the heart-warming stories of projectionist Alfredo and his apprentice Toto together with their beloved Cinema Paradiso.
Just like Cinema Paradiso, Tianshan Cinema in western Shanghai went through difficult times confronted by a market-driven economy.
Founded in October, 1979, Tianshan Cinema was the first professional cinema in Shanghai after the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976). Growing from a small cinema to an enterprise with box-office revenue surpassing tens of millions of yuan in the last few years, Tianshan Cinema has its own story of development.
Tianshan Cinema is relatively old compared with modern and popular cinemas such as Yonghua Cinema (opened in 2003) in Xujiahui area and Studio City (opened in 1999) on Nanjing Road. Most local cinemas as old as Tianshan have gone out of business and been turned into a supermarket or shopping mall.
The key in its ability to survive is flexibility, says Lu Guiming, manager of Tianshan Cinema.
"The key to success is to always follow the market principle," says Lu. "As the country adapted to a market economy, so should the cultural industry."
Although the cinema is state-owned property, it is run independently with no subsidies from the government, which means it had to fight to survive.
The early 1980s was a good time for cinemas as people were hungry for entertainment after the "cultural revolution." Cinemas were considered suitable for both friends and couples. About 29.3 billion visits were paid to the country's cinemas in 1979 compared to 130 million in 2007, according to Lu.
"I spent most of the time watching movies in the cinema with my boyfriend (now he is my husband) when we were twenty something in the early 1980s," says 50-year-old Su Jiefen. "We did not have much choice like the young generation today. There was no karaoke, no ballrooms, no DVDs, no computers, even no private television sets."
However, passion for movies declined in the late 1980s with the increasing popularity of TV and other forms of entertainment.
Local cinemas started to evolve in the 1990s as revenue from tickets was no longer enough to cover costs. Supporting facilities including a ballroom, a video game room and cafe provided more things for people to do and more revenue sources for cinema owners.
"In the 1990s, with the increasing production of films, people wanted more choices when they came to the cinema, and the one screen complex was no longer good enough," says Lu. "We took the opportunity to expand the number of screens to three. Now it has seven."
"The interior decoration and equipment was upgraded with the change of viewing habits," says Shi Chuan, a professor in film studies at Shanghai University. "Nowadays, picking a movie is more like selecting dishes from a menu."
Of course, picture and sound quality have improved as have the comfort of modern cinemas. Digital surround sound and plush seats are available in cinemas now compared to the benches or stools people had to sit on back in the 1980s.
Some VIP areas are even equipped with a multifunctional sofa, allowing people to kick their feet up and really relax while watching a movie. A call button provides instant service from a waiter.
Standing within the bustling central business district of Changning District, Tianshan Cinema will celebrate its 30th birthday this year. More technology and advanced equipment will be introduced. And 3D, 4D and IMAX screens will soon be available at Tianshan Cinema.
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