The invention of television was considered a major threat to the film industry — why would people go to the theatre to watch a movie when they could be entertained in their own living rooms? But audiences kept going to cinemas because it’s not just about the content, but the experience. The same is true today. In spite of the endless amount of stories available for streaming on any number of devices, people still head to their local theatre to catch the latest big budget spectacle, awards-worthy performance or genre offering.
The Great Digital Film Festival gives movie lovers another reason to go to the cinema: to see their favourite, previously released movies on the big screen (again). Fans may no longer be contending with worn out VHS tapes, but repeat viewings of a high-def Blu-ray still doesn’t replace the feeling of watching one of your all-time favourite movies as it was originally presented in a room full of people who also “get it.” Perhaps you never had the opportunity to see it in theatres; or maybe you want to recreate the experience of seeing it larger-than-life with state-of-the-art surround sound. For the seventh year, Cineplex is making that possible by showing an assortment of pop culture classics in select theatres across Canada from February 5 – 11, 2016.
“Canadians have such a deep bond with their favourite movies and I think that’s why the festival has been so successful over the years,” said Brad LaDouceur, vice president of event cinema at Cineplex Entertainment. “We’ve made an effort to find out what our guests want to see on the big screen and offer them a memorable week of movies at the affordable price of $6.99 per film.”
Audiences can celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jack Burton’s defeat of Lo Pan; reunite with the original ghost-busting team before the release of the new movie; sit in awe of the great Goblin King; find out what made Christian Slater “so cool”; and pull their browncoat gear out from the back of the closet.
This year’s lineup includes:
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Dirty Harry (1971)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Ghostbusters (1984)
Inception (2010)
Labyrinth (1986)
Looper (2012)
Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Runaway Train (1985)
Serenity (2005)
Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
The Thing (1982)
True Romance (1993)
In addition to costing less than a regular trip to the movies, you can reap the rewards of a 10 per cent discount when buying tickets for two, three or four films, and a 15 per cent discount when purchasing tickets to more than five films. More information, including the schedule and list of participating theatres, can be found on Cineplex’s website.
