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Small local theatres thrive in recession

While other industries are suffering from America’s economic depression, the movie theater business, including independent theaters in the Boston area, such as the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Somerville Theatre, continue to see positive growth.

National Association of Theatre Owners spokesman Patrick Corcoran said attendance went up at movie theaters in the last five of the seven recession years in recent American history.

‘When people are worried about the economy and they are cutting back on things, they don’t necessarily cut things out,’ Corcoran said. ‘Movie theaters have been the least expensive form of entertainment.’

The number of moviegoers in 2008 surpassed the 2007 total, with the box office setting a new record of $9.79 billion in revenues, Corcoran said.

‘One of the things that Wall Street was worried about was that 2007 was a record at the box office, and that 2008 might not keep up,’ Corcoran said.

Coolidge Corner Theatre Office Manager Chris Kriofske said business is better than expected because much of the theater’s success is dependent on what films are showing.

Slumdog Millionaire, an Oscar-nominated film currently playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, is an example of how quality films have tremendously helped the independent, non-profit theater going, Krioske said.

‘We are at a point where we would love to bring in more movies, but Slumdog Millionaire and Milk are doing so well that we will keep running those for a while,’ Kriofske said.

‘There have been other factors that have contributed to less attendance, but it is not so much [only] the economy,’ Kriofske said.

The major concerns that face small theaters are advances in technology such as home theater systems, which replicate the experience of the big screen, Kriofske said.

However, technology will never replace the experience of going to the movies, he said.

‘As long as there are movies out there that people want to see, they will go to the local movie theater,’ Kriofske said.

Movie theaters are not completely immune to the economic downturn, Somerville Theatre Manager Joshua Martino said.

‘Things seem to have slowed down,’ Martino said. ‘With the movie industry, it’s tough because they have their slow and their fast seasons. I would say it’s relatively slow right now.’

Small theaters can have slow seasons because of their location, Corcoran said.

‘There are local conditions of a local business, such as demographic changes or population changes, that will cause suffering regardless of the economy,’ Corcoran said.

Martino said theaters that cater to their area can survive by becoming community centers for entertainment.

‘ ‘We are kind of in between art and a regular theatre,’ Martino said.

Coolidge Corner Theatre hosts special events in order to attract new customers, Kriofske said.

‘Special events bring in extra revenue to the theatre and keep people interested,’ Kriofske said.

However many allowances theaters make, at the end of the day, they rely on the product they carry, Corcoran said.

‘Only time will tell for this year,’ Corcoran said. ‘You never really know until the next movie comes out.’

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