fall film series
ruralcritic
sounds like they are seriously considering having another fall film
series this year.
I'm encouraged because I wasn't sure they were going to have a fall
film series this year. Attendance has been poor since Trans-Lux
Cinemas, owner of the Fox Cinema in Laramie began to actively compete
with the Wyo in the art film market.
In past years, there was a kind of gentlemen's handshake agreement
between the Wyo and Trans-Lux that Trans-Lux would not interfere with
the film series. That agreement went out the window a couple of years
ago as Trans-Lux started cherry-picking art film titles like "Pan's
Labyrinth," "Volver" and "Thank You for Smoking."
Due to a deed restriction on the Wyo property the Fox can run any film
prior to it being shown at the Wyo. The Wyo must wait for months after
a film's release before showing it, due to the deed restriction which
is meant to diminish the competitiveness of the Wyo Theatre.
A very ill-informed letter to the Editor in the Boomerang last year
blamed the Wyo Theatre for the decline in the success of the annual
film series and even suggested the two theaters cooperate, a very
naive, anti-capitalistic and idealistic suggestion indeed. The letter
basically gave everyone an excuse not to attend any film series in
Laramie, and to feel good about themselves while doing so. The letter
was a devastating blow to the film series, a series its authors said
they supported.
My own fear is that if Trans-Lux succeeds in driving the Wyo Theatre
out of business, a very real possibility by the way, Trans-Lux will
stop showing most art films because most art films are not profitable
without carefully planned and executed promotional schemes. Most
theaters don't bother promoting films anymore, except for minimal
newspaper advertisements. They instead rely on national television ad
campaigns which typically promote high profile comedies and big budget
action films, but are not used to promote art films, including
documentary or foreign films, staples of the film series..
Right now, Trans-Lux does show art films in Laramie, as does the Wyo,
and so do the Laramie Film Society and some UW organizations. As a
result, we probably have the best selection of films in the state, and
one of the best slates of films of any comparably-sized city in the
nation. However, this is a very tenuous situation, which could be
reversed very quickly should the Wyo cease operation or cease its film
series.
Robert Roten
Laramie Film Society
Philip White
Phil