People of all ages flooded cinema’s across the UK to watch the re-release of Back to the Future which begs the question: Why are cinema’s not releasing old movies more often?
Anything that usually follows an older person saying “back in my day” is, more often than not, the clearest indication that what they are about to say is complete drivel.
However, on the rare occasion it’s not painful to the ears, it’s when they are talking about going to the cinema as a child.
I’ll often hear people reminisce about when they first saw a T-Rex wreak havoc in Jurassic Park. Or when E.T. made little Elliot fly into the sky as he and his friends were being chased by government agents. Or when they first saw Michael J. Fox’s undeniably charming Marty McFly zip off into the past to escape the terrorists in the DeLorean.
That’s not me saying I haven’t been treated to my own fair share of iconic, jaw-dropping films in my time, but I can’t help but feel jealous that I haven’t been able to catch some of the classic masterpieces on the big screen.
For obvious reasons, people like me in their 20s never got the chance to watch these films in their prime. However, I did watch Disney’s Mars Needs Moms, which I would imagine that I was one of a small group of people to do so. Who’s the real winner?
It is the 40th anniversary of Robert Zemeckis’s sci-fi masterpiece Back to the Future, and it has gotten a wide re-release in the UK, and I was determined not to miss it. Especially considering I had never watched it before. Admittedly, it’s ludicrous that I call myself a film fan and it has taken 21 years for me to watch the film, but that’s another ridiculous story for another day.
I wasn’t the only person enticed by the prospect of seeing Christopher Lloyd’s undeniable portrayal of Doc Brown in all its glory. It had attracted a wide range of film lovers.
There were older people, who I imagine were looking to relive the classic. People my age, who clamoured for the chance to watch these films as intended, also filled up the room. More wholesomely, parents bringing their kids to have them watch what was most likely a formative film growing up for them filled the rest of the seats.
It was a fantastic atmosphere. To my surprise, even the kids were enjoying it. They didn’t just get bored and restless after ten minutes, but instead were engaging with the film. I don’t want to assume on behalf of these families, but I’d guess if they were watching at home, these kids would have been scrolling TikTok before Marty’s band even had their audition.
Which lies in the beauty of having this film released back into cinemas. Not only do parents get to share the experience they once had with their kids, but younger people in general are able to appreciate the spectacle of these films and how they were supposed to be seen.
How better to watch the DeLorean than by it zipping past on the big screen and the noise of it ripping through time piercing your ears? There is no way I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if I had to watch it at home on streaming, where pivotal moments are undercut by an advert about whether Kevin the Carrot will make it back in time for his wedding (Although I am hooked).
Amidst cinema attendance being at an all-time low, I believe they are sitting on a gold mine. Why are cinemas across the UK not re-releasing old films all year round which are not tied to a film’s anniversary? It seems like a no-brainer.
I’m sure countless people would love the chance to relive their childhood and watch these films on the big screen again. At the very least, I know people like me would love the chance to experience a wide range of classics at the cinema.
After all, Back to the Future made $5.2 million on its return to the cinema internationally. There is clearly a market for such.
It’s no surprise that Prince Charles Cinema in London has kept up its revenue throughout the uncertainty. The model of having old films, babe, clearly has an opportunity to work.
If given the chance, people will go and watch these films; I’m sure of it. Especially if it’s local. We can’t expect people to have to live in the UK’s major cities to enjoy such.
The thinking behind Prince Charles Cinema should be adopted across the country. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not proclaiming to be a mastermind when it comes to the inner workings of cinema screenings, but do we really need 12 showings of Zootopia 2 and 17 of Wicked: For Good a day? Can we not spare a few of those for an older film?
Why not save a few rooms so that people can watch Harry and Sally fall in love at the start of Autumn? Let people in the summer watch Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing on a sweltering hot day.
I’m not asking for much. It could be as simple as starting off with one weekend a month you dedicate to old releases. Or, just have them constantly available throughout the week. It doesn’t have to be a complicated ordeal. I’m not expecting a Mission Impossible-type mission to get this to work.
We shouldn’t be punishing people for not being alive when these films were being released. They should not be missing out on seeing actors and directors at the peak of their powers on the big screen just because at the time their parents were only just undergoing puberty.
Let younger people be able to see the films the way they were intended, and I’m sure cinema’s pockets will start to fill out more. The newest filmmakers and industry workers are waiting to be inspired, and watching the films that this industry was built on could be the spark they need. Let’s do as the film says and bring these classics back to the future.
