Los Angeles Times (January 20)
The digital revolution “could mean lights out for many of the nation’s 368 surviving drive-ins.” At their peak, over 4,000 drive-ins accounted for a quarter of U.S. movie screens. Today, it’s less than 2% and the future does not look bright. Due to cost, “Hollywood is expected to stop distributing 35-millimeter film prints to all U.S. theaters later this year.” That would save studios about $1,300 on making and shipping each 35-mm print, but going digital cost theaters money. Most indoor theaters “have already converted to digital projectors, but 90% of drive-ins have not, according to an industry trade group. Conversion costs of $70,000 or more per screen could be too expensive for many drive-ins.”
Tags: Digital revolution, Drive-ins, Hollywood, Movie screen, U.S.
