Business

The power of people

Twice now, in rapid succession, I’ve had the unusual experience of being the only person (or half of the only party) to go to a film showing at my local cinema. One of these was perhaps understandable: the special screening to mark the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show wasn’t quite as big a cultural event in KwaZulu-Natal as it was in the UK, or even Joburg. Wicked: Part Two, on the other hand, should have attracted a few more fans of Oz-based shenanigans. It was, according to Box Office Mojo, the 10th-highest grossing film of the year locally.

The experience of sitting in an otherwise empty theatre is depressing. It doesn’t feel like a special performance just for you. The empty auditorium is chilly and a bit sad, and the picture and sound quality, and snacks, are, in my opinion, better in front of the TV at home. The magic of the movies is the communal event, from start to finish. Unless you are an unredeemable agoraphobe, or a critic, a presentation for one is not just deflating, you have to drive home afterwards, too. How common is the experience? The outlook for local movie houses isn’t great. Post-Covid and Disney/Marvel’s success in sucking all art from blockbuster releases, box office returns in South Africa are barely a third of what they were in 2019, and falling.