Will Bell Lightbox kill indie cinemas in Toronto?

[Dusty Ayres]

Just in time for the Toronto International Film Festival:

http://www.blogto.com/upload/2010/08/2010826-bell-lightbox.jpg
As the city gears up for the 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival and the grand opening of the Bell Lightbox this September, much attention has been focused on the changing face of local film exhibition.
With its impressive facilities and a mandate to screen first-run films, retrospectives and specialty programming, the Bell Lightbox has been positioned by the Festival Group as a much-needed locus for film culture within the city, as well as an opportunity to bridge the gap between commercial multiplexes and artist-run centers.
Still, there has been some cynicism as to whether the new facilities will ultimately shift attention away from some of the more venerable independent theaters in the city by offering up a state-of-the-art venue to house smaller festivals and screen non-blockbuster fare. While this obviously has yet to be seen, a look back at the history of film exhibition in Toronto reveals that the city has always had an ever-evolving and rather complicated relationship with the medium.

Will Bell Lightbox kill indie cinemas in Toronto?

 

[auntiehill]

Um....OK.... and?

 

[sojourner]

What do you think Dusty?

 

[Dusty Ayres]

What do you think Dusty?

Basically, I think that the writer of the article is being alarmist, and that this might be actually better for Toronto and the the festival, seeing as it needed this theater due to the closings of the Uptown, Eglington & York theaters. Also, it'll probably be better than the Carlton, which was (and is) a crappy multiplex to boot with small screens. The other theaters shouldn't worry, and neither should fans of independent/art/foreign movies, since this place will show those, and only those, movies.

 

[sidious618]

What do you think Dusty?

Basically, I think that the writer of the article is being alarmist, and that this might be actually better for Toronto and the the festival, seeing as it needed this theater due to the closings of the Uptown, Eglington & York theaters. Also, it'll probably be better than the Carlton, which was (and is) a crappy multiplex to boot with small screens. The other theaters shouldn't worry, and neither should fans of independent/art/foreign movies, since this place will show those, and only those, movies.

Why don't you put your opinion in your first post so we have something to discuss? Your threads will get more replies and be taken more seriously if you do that instead of just posting a link.

 

[cultcross]

As the image location is the same domain as the link, I'm willing to bet that image is hotlinked. Please don't do it, it's against board policy and it makes T'Bonz cry. Tears of rage.

Furthermore, it's been noted that on multiple occasions, you've posted nothing more than a copy-paste article as a new thread. Neroon has spoken about it with you before, please do not do it again - if it's in this forum it will incur an infraction for spamming. Quite apart form the rather limited thread potential, it is a little plagiarising of the source site.

Comments to PM

 

[Daneel]

Well, in an effort to discuss the original topic of the thread... I hope not. I've grown rather fond of the Bloor Cinema, and I've been meaning to check out the Underground for a while.

I am somewhat intrigued by the Bell Lightbox, though. I'd like to see what it has to offer Toronto moviegoers. It doesn't look like any of the shows I'm seeing at the festival are playing at that venue, however, so I guess it'll have to wait until later.

BTW, any other Toronto area BBSers planning to take in a few screenings at the TIFF?

 

[firehawk12]

Naw, now that I can somewhat afford it, I'm not in town anymore. I really don't think it'll have any effect on the other cinemas though... at the moment, it just seems to be a more upscale Cinematheque. If anything, it'll cater to even more "elite"/upscale events that wouldn't have made it to the Bloor anyway.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

As I said above, this place is mainly intended for the Festival to screen most of the pictures at, rather than have to use the Scotiabank Theater, the Varsity, and the Elgin all of the time, and is also a replacement for the now town down Uptown Theater that housed most of TIFF's gala premieres.

EDIT: I will be going tomorrow night (Sunday) the the free premiere/gala opening of the Lightbox, just to check it out.