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April 08, 2007
Indie Theater Plays Grindhouse 8 Blocks From The Clinton
This is how one ends up going down the toilet.
I didn’t want to write a word about Nikki Finke’s blog entry on The Clinton Theater in Portland, Oregon not being able to get Grindhouse. It seemed like a non-story in the first place, primarily built on an e-mail from the disgruntled manager of The Clinton. A reader of this blog posted a link, I read it, and rolled my eyes. But more discussion ensued and so I looked into the issue further.
My first instinct was to take the e-mail on face value. Of course a studio releasing a film on over 2500 screens would give precedence to a major chain, responsible for probably more than a quarter of the screens their wide release would be on, over a local grindhouse. And indeed, Regal had 15 of the 20 screens with Grindhouse on them in Portland this weekend.
But it’s not that simple.
A simple look at the theaters in Portland via Fandango would show that one of those five non-Regal theaters is, in fact, an independent, one-screen stand-alone theater, the CineMagic, which has been operating under a variety of names since 1914. And as coincidence would have, CineMagic is less than a mile away from The Clinton. (Here is the Cinema Treasures entry for the CineMagic and here for The Clinton.)
In other words, Weinstein Co did choose a true indie house in that part of Portland… it just wasn’t The Clinton.
VS 
It's probably no small issue that The Clinton seats 240 and CineMagic seats 420. If you were expecting a crowd and because of a long running time had limited screenings, which one would you choose? (I don't even know if The Clinton, famous for running Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday at Midnight would give up that screening during a Grindhouse run. If not, the late show on Saturday would be 8:15 at latest.)
Now I can’t personally vouch for one theater over the other. I’m sure The Oregonian’s Shawn Levy will kick in with some insight on this at some point. But as is often my issue with other journalists, the lack of simple reporting to complete the story is extremely bothersome.
Maybe The Clinton would have turned out to be a far superior choice for the booking for some reason. Maybe not. But you don’t know if you don’t ask the questions. And you don’t ask the questions if you just accept e-mails from strangers and make a few calls so you can call out the players by name in a blog entry, even if you clearly don’t know the full story.
Of course, my sense here is that the real target here was to write something negative about The Weinstein Co and to self-aggrandize by appearing to wag one's finger at a powerful company. Perhaps I am being harsh.
And now, there is someone out there who will do thier personal best to make my choice to actually do the reporting on this, when they chose not to, painful. The argument will be that I just wanted to attack her instead of just behaving like a journalist and doing the (very minor) investigating. She has also taken to accusing me absurdly of misogyny... yet another reason why I try to stay away from these irritating little attack pieces by irritating little attack writers.
But someone owes the CineMagic and The Weinstein Co an apology... and it isn't me.
Posted by poland at April 8, 2007 10:56 PM
Comments
I wonder if the CineMagic had more than 10 people at any one showing of the movie. I think The Clinton should be happy they didn't waste their screen on Grindhouse.
Posted by: EDouglas ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 9, 2007 04:38 AM
After this weekend's attendence numbers maybe the Clinton should be relieved that they didn't get Grindhouse.
Posted by: Krazy Eyes at April 9, 2007 08:01 AM
Playing Devil's Advocate again, I should point out the obvious, that every cinema has its own personality, and what works in one theatre might not work in another. That said, and all other things assumed equal, my educated guess is that the snub of the Clinton was indeed probably a matter of capacity.
Posted by: Cadavra at April 9, 2007 09:46 AM
As a Portlander who lives smack dab inbetween the two theaters, I'd have to say that Cadavra & David have it right, capacity was probably an issue. CineMagic tends to play higher profile movies just for that reason I'm sure. The Clinton tends to play more eclectic movies that won't always draw big crowds.
Also what I'm sure played into it was that CineMagic is located at a big intersection on a major street. The amount of foot and car traffic going by CineMagic is probably 5 if not 10 times greater than the Clintons. But I will say this, the seats at CineMagic are the most unGodly uncomfortable things I've ever sat in, and even the thought of 3+ hours in those make me cringe.
All that aside, Poland's point is right, Finke didn't do her homework. Even for someone not living here a little internet leg work revealed a whole other aspect to the story. It's just lazy journalism or fitting the story to your bias.
Posted by: seymourgrant at April 9, 2007 10:05 AM
Just when I thought I could take a slow week away from the keyboard....
http://blog.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2007/04/squeaky_wheel_gets_the_ink.html
Shawn Levy
Posted by: drgogol at April 9, 2007 10:11 AM
Maybe the Weinsteins stayed away from the Clinton because Sonstein had already booked David Cox-Arquette's craptacular "The Tripper" in to his theatre on April 20. Would you book your movie into a junky little theatre that was going to bump your film no matter what after two weeks for a David Cox-Arquette movie?
Anyway, why are we shocked that Nikki the Fink screwed up yet another story? She ignored that the Weinsteins let the New Beverly Theatre in Los Angeles (as close as we have to a grindhouse in the City of Angels) to screen the film on 4/5, weeks before they agreed to let any other theatre show it a night early, and she ignored the film was playing in another indie theatre in the same booking zone in Portland. Clearly, whatever Nikki the Fink knows about the exhibition industry, she's read about in books or seen firsthand when she goes to press screenings and stands in the snack bar line for her free popcorn and soda. Perhaps gleaned a few tidbits from listening in on other people's conversations while standing in line at the snack bar.
Most curiously is why Harvey is even talking to the woman who obviously has a dagger with his name laser-etched on the blade.
Posted by: Edward Havens at April 9, 2007 04:29 PM
Kudos, Poland.
I almost read that Finke piece because I am an admitted sucker for "little guy gets screwed" stories. Still of two minds about her in general. Her lapses are pretty bad, but then again very few LA based reporters dare to have her "Fuck you, I DON'T have a script to sell" attitude when it comes to the industry.
Again, nice job on the quick fact-check (see, I can praise as easily and sincerly as I give shit ;-) )
Posted by: RoyBatty at April 9, 2007 06:44 PM
I think you should stop playing Devils Advocate and try to become a better reporter.
The Cinemagic seats 280, not 420.
The Cinemagic is known ad a Bollywood/2nd Run theater.
The Clinton has got some street cred, and plays a lot of Classic Grindhouse shit.
Dan Halsted who runs the Grindhouse Film Festival was also unable to get a print at the Hollywood.
So you have the Weinstein Company giving the film to the Cinemagic because of a booker they know, and not to the Grindhouse Theater, or the Grindhouse Film Festival dude.
It's the attention to details, that make films like Grindhouse crossover.
It was a good piece that Finke wrote, and there was a lot more to it then your short sighted Devils Advocate attitude.
But hey, you are just a blogger right?
Homo
Posted by: homo69 at April 11, 2007 02:50 PM
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