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IN THE heydays of the cinema scene in Singapore during the 1950s, grand old theatres like the New Alhambra, Capitol, Cathay, Majestic and the like, ruled as patrons queued to watch Hollywood releases as well as local productions from Cathay-Keris Films and Shaw Brothers studios.
In the 1960s and 1970s, with the advent of television, watching a movie in a cinema auditorium was a social event that many families looked forward to. Things changed in the 1980s. With the introduction of the video player and rise of the video rental stores, consumers could watch movies in the comfort of their home for a fraction of the cost of a ticket.
Cinema attendance fell. As technology caught up, laser discs and video compact discs offered affordable and better picture quality than video tapes. Several of the older one-auditorium cinema halls closed as attendances plummeted.
To fight back, a new concept, the cineplex or cinema multiplex was introduced. Instead of showing just one movie, operators could exhibit more movies in different smaller halls within the complex.
Things have since changed. From about 10 million in the late 1990s, cinema attendance was 13,563,000 in 2001. In 2006 that figure leapt to 15,588,000. Cinema operators Golden Village, Eng Wah, Cathay, and Shaw dominate the local scene.
The Eng Wah Group, founded in the 1940s, is listed on the main board of the Stock Exchange of Singapore. It operates 26 cinema screen halls with a capacity of over 5,300 seats. It is the first cinema operator in Singapore and in the world to launch the world's first full 2K (2000 lines resolution) Digital Cinema in its cineplexes in May 2004, and is still the operator with the highest number of 2K digital screens in Singapore.
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Golden Village operates 73 screens in Singapore and has a 50 per cent market share. Its managing director Kenneth Tan says there are three reasons for the resurgence in cinema-goers in the Singapore: "First is the emergence of interest in the arts and culture. This is partly due to the opening of the Esplanade some five years ago and the resultant number of world-class acts coming to our shores. This led to an increase in the variety of movies being brought to Singapore, which is a reflection of the macro surge in artistic works.
"Next, censorship of films in Singapore has become progressively a lot more liberal. But perhaps more significant is the increase in cinema infrastructure--more cinema screens equals more variety of movies. These are the main reasons why the cinema industry has reached a new peak in Singapore. In 2006, the box office takings for Singapore was S$126 million--a figure not to be scoffed at."
But the industry is not without its challenges. Geographically, Singapore is relatively small. In developing new multiplexes, there is always the question of "cannibalisation" as the new halls attract existing customers. But most important is the high cost of real estate in the country.
"To do something iconic, you do require a fair bit of space. Real estate costs are prohibitive in most instances, and most cinema operators lease their complexes from developers. Costs across the board are higher. Unlike a supermarket where all you need is space for racks, chillers, and freezers, a cinema multiplex will need acoustic walls, seats, and projection systems. These don't come cheap," explains Tan.
Cineplexes are successful because they have transplanted the one-stop-shopping concept into the cinema domain. The cineplex offers a wider range of movies.
Tan says there has been a major shift in the way patrons choose their movies: "Previously the cinema outing was pre-planned with the choice of movie made at the outset. Today, people come to the cineplex and then choose what they would like to see. This is particularly true of the teens and young adults below the age of thirty."
"The locus of the decision-making has shifted to the cinema premises itself. These people would have a inkling of what movies are available and then on reaching the multiplex look at what movies are playing at what time, and in which auditorium--the bigger one or smaller ones--before plunking for their choice," adds Tan.
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The multiplex can cater to a broader spectrum of audiences. The core group of moviegoers are between 15 and 28 years of age. These people patronise cineplexes at least once a week in groups and usually watch anything and everything in terms of movie genres. But increasingly, older patrons are also visiting cineplexes.
New Trend
Local movies are attracting older patrons who may not have been to a cinema in years. Some are visiting a multiplex for the first time. Tan says that the movie 881 has attracted patrons who say they have not been to a cinema theatre in 20 years.
By offering more variety and services like Gold Class facilities, Golden Village attracts adults who do not want to go to ordinary cinema theatres as they don't wish to jostle with the crowd or want more privacy.
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Golden Village offers a cluster of four Gold Class Cinemas, which promise the luxury movie viewing with a private lounge and plush electronic recliner seats comparable to First Class airline seats.
The organisation's Vivo City operations set a new benchmark for multiplexes in Singapore by introducing a sophisticated club ambiance, with five-star food and beverage including a wine list, and a private dining room. The scheme offers a concierge-style service for the audience. Each Gold Class cinema seat is equipped with call buttons for fast and discreet service.
Tan is convinced that there is a demand for local movies. While conceding that not all local productions are created equal, Tan describes the revival of interest in the local cinema as a production of three phases.
In phase one, in the early 1990s, Singapore productions were supported regardless of their quality. If it was a local production, people would watch it to "fly the flag".
In phase two, between 1999 to about 2001, when the industry turned out three or four movies a year, the audience became ultra critical. They would think "this is a Singapore movie, I will go in and nitpick". They would compare it to Hollywood films in terms of plot, production values, and acting.
"Now in phase three, people watch the movie without prejudice. They compare it to other films but on an equal footing. So if it is good, it is because it stands up to other international offerings," says Tan.
He predicts better things ahead for homegrown productions: "This year alone there have been Just follow Law, 881, the animation movie Legend of the Sea, among some 10 Singapore-made movies hitting the big screen. That's probably the highest output the local industry has had over the last 20 years. That's a fair reflection of the interest levels for local movies. I'm certain that there is an increasing demand for Singapore films outside the country."
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Discerning Audience
The local cinema goer has become more discerning. They want more in terms of cinema facilities and service. People expect top notch seats, surround sound, and projection systems. People are also a lot more "venturesome".
Tan explains: "Some come to watch Spiderman at 7 pm and then stay to watch a French film that is playing at 9 pm. From documentaries to art films, more diverse and eclectic tastes are being catered to. We've had Brazilian film festivals and even movies from Romania. While the number of patrons may not be as huge as that for a Harry Potter movie, people are prepared to watch non-mainstream productions."
The biggest change in the distributorship of movies in Singapore has seen the shift from exclusive release rights from certain cinema chains to general distribution. This coupled with a much larger number of distribution companies and consequently number of films has meant that patrons have a much greater choice.
These are the major reasons why Golden Village is in what Tan describes as "active development" mode to develop more cinema sites in Singapore. They require suitable developments in the "right areas" and Tan says that his organisation has alerted property and mall developments of their interest.
The Golden Village cineplex in Vivo City is the most recent multiplex development in Singapore in the last seven years. The previous big project was at Great World. "Vivo City has boosted our profile as something that big had not been tried out in the Singapore scene. While I don't see us building another large complex, I do think one or two projects with between six to eight screens would be about right," says Tan.
He is also trying to woo more corporate clients for block ticket sales and premium services for cinema patrons. A movie club with previews and events catering to the patron's personal genre preferences is in the works.
The advent of digital projection while exciting still has yet to catch on. Tan says the equipment and the hiring cost of digital versions of movies are significantly higher. Besides this, movie makers get a cut of the receipts in cinema halls, so cinema owners face a double-whammy in terms of increased costs in using digital projection.
Tan explains: "The range of movies on digital format is still not wide enough. For instance, even a recent blockbuster like Peter Jackson's King Kong was not available in digital format. So there is yet to be enough content to justify the outlay."
He reckons that the 35-mm format will still prove popular. He does not see it being replaced any time soon.
Tan doesn't see the revival of interest in cinema flagging. He scoffs at the idea of home theatre systems replacing the cinema. He believes that the two are mutually exclusive.
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