Is it time to bring back the interval in cinemas?

[SpookyFrank]

There's one problem with using a mobile phone app in the cinema. And that's that if I see someone's phone screen lighting up in the corner of my eye while I'm trying to watch a movie, that person will find themselves unable to get up and take a piss on account of having had their legs very quietly broken.

 

[DotCommunist]

The objection to intervals for long films (2.5 hours +) has little to do with cineastes wanting "full immersion" or film-makers being arrogant about their artistic vision as Dot assumes. It's primarily driven by studios and theatres getting in enough screenings in one day.

When Hollywood does something, artistic integrity is almost never the motivation, profit is.

two years ago me would have argued the point but these days I have caught onto looking at cultural product in terms of its production, reproduction and distribution. Its a fascinating look at how capital shapes art. Eventually it all reduces to bums on seats. Have you seen 'Los Angeles Plays Itself'? Only tangentially related but I think its one you'd enjoy, there's some really good bits regarding hollywood blacklisting and some proper in depth looks at buildings etc.

 

[Reno]

two years ago me would have argued the point but these days I have caught onto looking at cultural product in terms of its production, reproduction and distribution. Its a fascinating look at how capital shapes art. Eventually it all reduces to bums on seats. Have you seen 'Los Angeles Plays Itself'? Only tangentially related but I think its one you'd enjoy, there's some really good bits regarding hollywood blacklisting and some proper in depth looks at buildings etc.

Los Angeles Plays Itself is fantastic, I even have it on Blu-ray. It's probably my favourite documentary about film ever made.

I first saw it at the BFI and there was an interval because it's a long film.

 

[DotCommunist]

yes I had a snack break inbetween. And a jazz ciggy and a slash. The interval. It must return or else people like me will just keep robbing films from the internet

 

[Reno]

I'm fine with no intervals for films under 2.5 hours, it's other people who keep me out of cinemas. That's why I have a projector, so I can play cinema at home. I still go see films at festivals and at the BFI, where audiences are well behaved.

 

[Sue]

Most films are too long these days -- I very often sit there thinking it would be a better film if they'd cut out a good 20 or 30 minutes. So if the films were a bit tighter/shorter, there'd be no need for an interval.

(Obviously some films merit a two hours plus running time but so many really, really don't.)

 

[bluesheep]

I'm half Italian and I know the intervals in the cinema from Milan and from Rome.

In my opinion intervals are fine for films over two hours... But if the films are shorter, they can disturb.

 

[SpookyFrank]

If they're gonna sell you a two pint cup of fizzy sugar-flavoured caffeine they should really give you a five minute break to take a slash at some point.

And if they're worried about running times they could just cut out some of three weeks of adverts they show before every movie.

 

[Reno]

And if they're worried about running times they could just cut out some of three weeks of adverts they show before every movie.

They could if they want to replace one loss of revenue with another.

 

[SpookyFrank]

They could if they want to replace one loss of revenue with another.

If only they could somehow charge for admission to the film.

 

[miss direct]

We have a break in Turkey. First time I was really confused. Good for a quick Wee.

 

[campanula]

Mmm, I don't go to the cinema because I just can't manage sitting still for more than an hour. If it was an entralling film, I could hang on for 90minutes but those 2-3 hours marathons are unbearable. And the no-smoking and terrifying volume of sound was an absolute joy-killer.
Back in the 70s (and also 60s), I worked as an usherette and did ice-cream sales during the film ('dark sales') and also during the intermission...although a popular option was to whip to the Painted Wagon next door for a swift pint. Once a month or so, the ABC used to have a mild porn night with some anodyne tripe such as Emmanuelle (which was a cinematic masterpiece compared to Confessions of.... or 'The Other Cinderella'). I guiltlessly added 10p to the price of every item for sale (Kia-ora!) - since most people assumed they were going to be ripped off, I was never challenged...plus most of the male punters were distracted.
My low point occurred some weeks after a neighbour offed himself in my shed, with a whopping great shotgun. I had wandered down the garden to get a watering can and was confronted with a vision of surreal gore and anatomical dissolution. Anyway, I was relatively staunch and calm about it all - I thought. The Deerhunter was showing for the first time - and I happened to be out, doing a dark sale during the Russian Roulette scene. I had a complete and utter mental crap-out - ice-creams all over the floor, foetal position with hands over my eyes, unable to breathe, shaking uncontrollably...a horrible, horrible experience.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

I tend to bring a cushion along nowadays to stop my arse going compleatly numb.

really helped during Batman v Superman. In a pinch i could also use it to smother myself.

 

[Tankus]

no

 

[Reno]

If only they could somehow charge for admission to the film.

I'm not speaking for the cinemas, just exlaining why it won't happen. Mind, cinemas make most of their money from anything but ticket sales as most of that gets absorbed by the costs for the rights to show the films.

 

[tim]

Italian Cinemas still had intervals in the 90's and roofs that opened. I used to go to an odd little cinema in Rome called "il Pasquino" that showed English language films a few months after their first release. 50 minutes of Hollywood mediocrity followed by a ten minute opportunity to eat a choc ice under the stars. One night there was a sudden storm and the roof mechanism got jammed, so we got soaked. The Swedish woman working in the box office, rather like Mark Commode in the BBC news channel advert, would always give you a personal review of the film when you tried to buy a ticket.

 

[8ball]

I think they should release a version with the interval and a version without the interval to keep everyone happy.
Like they do with 3D vs 2D.

More easily done with something like Deadpool since he can just announce the interval himself, but I'm sure it can be done for most films.

You just need a bit of a lull, or just make sure one of the boring bits is in a convenient spot. This will be easiest in films like Gladiator, where you could put the interval in the middle of a fight with a tiger, or in fact anywhere.

It should be long enough to buy and drink a pint. Not necessarily at the cinema, but within sensible walking distance. You can't keep everyone waiting while you traipse across town to some pretentious fucking picobrewery or whatever these arsetrumpets are buying a tenth of a pint for a pony at these days.

They should also bring back having a little film before the proper film.

 

[Reno]

I think they should release a version with the interval and a version without the interval to keep everyone happy.
Like they do with 3D vs 2D.

More easily done with something like Deadpool since he can just announce the interval himself, but I'm sure it can be done for most films.

You just need a bit of a lull, or just make sure one of the boring bits is in a convenient spot. This will be easiest in films like Gladiator, where you could put the interval in the middle of a fight with a tiger, or in fact anywhere.

It should be long enough to buy and drink a pint. Not necessarily at the cinema, but within sensible walking distance. You can't keep everyone waiting while you traipse across town to some pretentious fucking picobrewery or whatever these arsetrumpets are buying a tenth of a pint for a pony at these days.

They should also bring back having a little film before the proper film.

I can just see cinema managers happily calculating sensible walking distance to various pubs, bar waiting times and how long each patron will take to drink a pint to make your dream come true. Lets not even consider that the only incentive for cinemas to have an interval was to make money from the food and drink they sell.

Have you ever tried going to the pub after the film ? Works a treat ! Added bonus: You don't have to go for a piss again during the film, presumably requiring yet another interval.

 

[8ball]

I can just see cinema managers happily calculating sensible walking distance to various pubs, bar waiting times and how long each patron will take to drink a pint to make your dream come true. Lets not even consider that the only incentive for cinemas to have an interval was to make money from the food and drink they sell..

I bet you're a hoot at parties.

 

[Reno]

I bet you're a hoot at parties.

I am until someone makes a daft suggestion.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Los Angeles Plays Itself is fantastic, I even have it on Blu-ray. It's probably my favourite documentary about film ever made.

I first saw it at the BFI and there was an interval because it's a long film.

Thanks for the recommendation (and DotCommunist) - that looks right up my street.

 

[chandlerp]

The Woolton Picturehouse in Liverpool still has intervals and a little old lady selling ice creams at the front during it. It's ace.

 

[The Octagon]

Maybe this is just specific to my local cinema, but what would really help is if the toilets weren't friggin miles away from the screen in most cases, why not build small loos next to each screen, possibly even with the sound still being pumped in, you'd miss a lot less.

In fact, they could be beneath the screen steps and have a small tinted window to look out of and view the film as you slash / poop.

 

[Reno]

Maybe this is just specific to my local cinema, but what would really help is if the toilets weren't friggin miles away from the screen in most cases, why not build small loos next to each screen, possibly even with the sound still being pumped in, you'd miss a lot less.

In fact, they could be beneath the screen steps and have a small tinted window to look out of and view the film as you slash / poop.

That's another rubbish thing about multiplexes which are like rabbit warrens. I remember single screen cinemas used to have sensibly located loos, like behind the back row.

 

[spanglechick]

More loos has staffing implications. Two sets of loos, albeit with more capacity, takes less cleaning and security monitoring than ten sets of single-capacity loos.

Not to mention the extra building costs, piping plumbing and waste to all parts of the building.

 

[Sirena]

I miss cinema double bills

Remember in the early 80's, that the cinema in Central Croydon (the Odeon? It was the one near McDonalds anyway) had a fire exit with a broken lock - you could jimmy that open, walk in, and - hey presto! - free viewings ahoy! [/QU

The Repeal of the Films Act 1960 by the Thatcher Govt in 1985 was probably the last nail in coffin for B-pictures.

Very roughly, a series of successive acts since the 1920s meant that in order to market films in the UK/British Empire, the US (really just Hollywood) film companies had to either finance or co-produce films in the UK and its territories according to a fairly strict formula for production and quota system for distribution/showing. Which meant that many of the B-Films were how they met the requirements of the act.

The year the act was repealed was very nearly the end of the British film industry - The number of films produced was the fewest in decades and many companies/studios either closed or were forced to merge.

I didn't know that.

I'm a great fan of b movies and not a fan of over-long Hollywood self-indulgent epics.

I think a 60-75 minute b film, a break, then the 90-120 minute main film would be perfect.

 

[hot air baboon]

...I'll support it if we can have Pearl & Dean adverts aswell...

 

[Reno]

The Repeal of the Films Act 1960 by the Thatcher Govt in 1985 was probably the last nail in coffin for B-pictures.

Very roughly, a series of successive acts since the 1920s meant that in order to market films in the UK/British Empire, the US (really just Hollywood) film companies had to either finance or co-produce films in the UK and its territories according to a fairly strict formula for production and quota system for distribution/showing. Which meant that many of the B-Films were how they met the requirements of the act.

The year the act was repealed was very nearly the end of the British film industry - The number of films produced was the fewest in decades and many companies/studios either closed or were forced to merge.

While the repeal of the Films Act in 1985 was indeed very damaging to the British film industry, it hit all of British film production. The B-movie as a supporting feature to an A-movie had already gone out of fashion by the 80s, so that was not the reason for the end of the B-picture. They still showed double features in the 80s but they usually were something like two gory horror films or two older James Bond films. British 80s low budget films like Hellraiser or Paperhouse got money from US studios and that's been the case for a lot of commercial British films ever since.

 

[rubbershoes]

The Woolton Picturehouse in Liverpool still has intervals and a little old lady selling ice creams at the front during it. It's ace.

The Wellesley cinema in Wellington does as well. Maybe it's the same person .

 

[Reno]

Are these intervals for really long films or for any film?