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The shadow theater in Kowloon City Plaza, Hong Kong, was operated on August 26. On the last night of business, the cinema said farewell to the surrounding city of Kowloon City.EssenceThis is the sixth movie theater in Hong Kong in 2024.

The other five cinemas that have graduated include the "Cinema City" theater of Mong Kok Langham, Presidential Theater, MCL Haiyi Theater, Jiuzhang Xinghuanghui, Kai Tak Jiahe Cinema.one.

Some audiences are specially dressed as the characters in the movie, and come to make a final farewell to the Shadow theater.A viewer who dressed as the corner of the "Tornado" (Gu Tianle) in the Kowloon City Town told reporters that learning that this was the last day of the movie theater, and it was rare to buy a "supporting field"."This movie has been watched for the third time."

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The feeling of the closing of the cinema, he said that it was like the last situation of the Jiulong City. "It can't stay, there are some things, and there is no way to affect that big trend, because there are too many things involved, (too much involved, (too much, (too many things involved, (too much.Including) rent, venue use, government planning, etc. ".

Box office decline

After the Hong Kong Cultural and Sports and Tourism Administration, Yang Runxiong issued an announcement in the Film Theater, was asked if the government would have support measures, saying that the business could not be determined from a theater.The number of theater seats is roughly maintained, and even increased, and it has been seen that the theater opened in the near future.

According to information on the website of the Hong Kong Theater Chamber of Commerce, as of August 2024, there were 58 conventional cinemas, 282 screens, and a total of 41,898 seats.

During the new crown epidemic, Hong Kong cinema was ordered to suspend business due to epidemic prevention measures. After reopening, it also needs to comply with a number of strict epidemic prevention regulations. In 2021Found.It was not until 2023 that the Hong Kong government comprehensively relaxed epidemic prevention measures, but last year, the box office still decreased by 25.48%compared with the level before the epidemic.

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Tan Yinuo, assistant professor of the Department of Visual Research of Lingnan University, said in an interview that the operating income of the cinema was mainly the box office and the income other than the box office, and the income outside the box office was mainly the Valley Valley and the snack department.Tan Yinuo said that in the past, 9 Chengdu was dominated by Hollywood movies, and the weakness of Hollywood (Hollywood) movies after the epidemic also directly led to a decrease in box office revenue.There are large -selling movies every quarter, and many box office may not be 100 million.

According to Hong Kong Box Office Co., Ltd.'s box office figures in the first half of 2024, the total revenue of Chinese and Western box office revenue was approximately HK $ 640 million, down more than 17%from 770 million in the same period last year.In terms of overall performance, the cumulative box office only exceeded 100 million siege cities in Kowloon City, but the overall Hong Kong movie box office is higher than non -Hong Kong movies. The other four of the five rankings exceed 20 million box office; while Hollywood movie ranking is the highest.Han Zhan: Chapter 2, Godzilla X King Kong: The new empire box office is 35 million and 25 million, respectively.The total revenue of the summer vacation in 2024 was HK $ 270 million, a decrease of about 18.22%from 330 million in the same period last year.

In 2023, when Hong Kong's box office revenue was about 1.4 billion throughout the year, when Hong Kong box office Co., Ltd. announced the data, it said that the number was backward back to the level of 2011.Compared with 1.9 billion in 2019 before the epidemic, it fell 25.48%.Hong Kong Box Office Co., Ltd. said that the box office income of the film industry in that year was "very unsatisfactory". It believes that the factors involved include the increase in citizens' foreign travel, the stagnation of shooting during the epidemic, and the changes in citizen consumption models.

Tian Qiwen, a spokesman for Hong Kong filmmakers, said in an interview that he had "no response" when he came to the sixth theater.As early as the "UA Cinema Line", he thought that the red light was on.In April this year, when the "Presidential Theater", which was located in Causeway Bay and a history of nearly sixty years, graduated, Tian Qiwen had said that it was a "severe alarm" for the industry.In an interview, he pointed out that the "Presidential Theater" is the property of the operator's own, but still chooses to close. "Others can be said to be a lease issue, but this is his own place."

Tian Qiwen said that the cinema is the "cold and summer watch" that reflects the economy. To explore the trend of the film industry, you cannot just watch the goal or a single movie. "It depends on the entire ecological chain, because it will affect the prosperity of the industry."He pointed out that the number of seats in the cinema will affect the situation of a movie back. "Theater determines how much your recycling (cost) is, and the box office income also affects how much money can a movie sell overseas, so I graduated to me.It is very common. "

Tian Qiwen also believes that the decline in the box office will have an impact on the Hong Kong film industry. Among them, the income of the box office will affect the intention of investors to start a movie. Whether the audience will watch it is a key factor.Tian Qiwen said that there seems to be a good response to 20 million box office in Hong Kong movies today, "but the production cost of a set of movies may have exceeded 10 million."

Narrow theme

After the epidemic, the performance of Hollywood movies, which was regarded as "box office" in the past, was not as good as before.

In the first half of the box office in Hong Kong, except for the two highest -ranked foreign language films, the rest of the box office of non -Hong Kong films failed to exceed 20 million box office.Among the 143 films released together, 22 are Hong Kong movies and 121 are non -Hong Kong movies.Tian Qiwen pointed out that Hong Kong films have basic audience support. "Hong Kong people will support Hong Kong movies. The problem is that we are enough to fight."

In addition to Hong Kong, Hollywood movies also face similar situations in mainland China.According to data from the National Film Bureau of China, the total box office of the film in 2023 was 54.915 billion, of which 83.77%of Chinese domestic films accounted for 83.77%, and the top ten box office rankings were domestic films.

Tian Qiwen believes that the audience's intention to enter the field is also related to the narrowing of movie creation and the subject matter. "The audience is not not watching movies, but to choose what movies to watch." He said that whether it is Hong Kong movies orForeign language films are facing the bottle neck that is not diversified enough, and it is difficult to cause topical discussions.I really want to watch a movie, and I can't find it after the Marvel era. "

Change of consumer habits

Tan Yino said that the current situation faced by the film and theater industry is related to the entire environment, especially in recent years.The industry is also in a weak state in recent years, and it is presented through the consumption model. According to government information, the private consumption expenditure in the second quarter of 2024 decreases slight"

From the perspective of the data of immigration, most of the immigrants are mainly middle -class and high -spending families. "Families are important in the box office of movies.In addition to the trend of immigration, Tan Yino believes that the consumption power is weak and the consumption of consumption in the north will also be the original.One of the reason, "People start to explore to watch movies on the mainland's cinemas. Some are not unique movies in Hong Kong. The fare in the mainland may be half cheaper." He believes that if you use family as a unit, you will lose from the Hong Kong box office to the box office.In terms of situation, "That number is considerable."

Ms. Liang, the audience, said that she still likes to go to the cinema to watch movies. "Whether it is the audio or screen experience, the movie she likes will go to the cinema two to three times."More people have chosen to watch movies on the streaming platform, but her own movie viewing habits have not changed much. She has been watching about three or four sets of movies in the cinema in the past month, but she observes the reduction of the audience of physical theaters., "There are fewer than before, sometimes there are only two or three audiences one."

On the other hand, this year's news of the closure of the cinema closure this year, it is inevitable. "Sometimes it is possible to find that the cinema near the home is closed, it is a pity, and there is no choice. You may go out to go out in a more lively area., For example, Mang "

Ms. Su (a pseudonym) who worked in the chain theater line told reporters that she has worked in the cinema for more than two years and also felt the change in the number of audiences. "The cinema I work now is like a dead place, and some may be like some of them.There are only one or two audiences in the game, and some sessions or even no one buy tickets, then it will be stopped. "She refers to the preferential days and there are usually more customers on weekends, but the flow of people on weekdays is relatively rare." Of courseI think the location is also related.

Yuan Yanwen, the chairman of the Hong Kong Theater Chamber of Commerce and the general manager of the Emperor Film Group, when he attended the press conference of the "Hong Kong Theater Day" in April this year, was asked if the Hong Kong people's north consumption would affect the Hong Kong box office.The experience and culture of the land viewing are very different. It is very convenient to watch movies in Hong Kong. It emphasizes that it is optimistic about the future of Hong Kong cinemas and believes that Hong Kong has its own advantages.

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Tian Qiwen believes that the decline in the box office involves different factors. The consumption in the north is only one of them. For the cinema, operating costs, audiences' choices of movies, and movie costs are all related factors. In addition to rent, box office income also needs to follow up with the box office income also needs to follow up.The film owner and the owner will be linked.He pointed out that the habits after the epidemic changed the ecology of the entire movie. "The restaurants were closed early at night. When they could not go out before, people were used to watching the streaming platform at home."

In the past, most movie theaters in Hong Kong will have midnight and night venues. However, the economic recovery of the night after the epidemic is not as expected. Last year, the Hong Kong government launched a series of "Hong Kong Night" series of activities.For example, Broadway Theater has launched discounts such as HK $ 50 in the evening and 35 yuan at midnight.At that time, the Sing Tao Daily reported that there were zero ticket purchase in multiple midnight venues. In addition, some citizens also said that they needed to "turn off the bus" after completing the media interview, so the attractiveness of the discount was not great.

Self -rescue of the movie theater?

The decline in the number of movie theaters in Hong Kong has happened before the epidemic.

During the peak period, the number of Hong Kong cinemas was 119 in 1993, and the number of seats was as high as 121,885.After investigation, the number of cinemas and seats has basically declined since 1993, but it has risen slightly since 2022.Compared with the peak period, the number of cinemas now decreases by about 51%.

In order to encourage the audience to return to the cinema after the epidemic, with the government funding, the Hong Kong Theater Chamber of Commerce held the "Hong Kong Theater Day" in 2023 and 2024.30 yuan, recorded 222,000 and 203,000, respectively.

Tan Yinuo believes that "Hong Kong Theater Day" is a one -time activity, which is a direct funding nature and it is difficult to bring long -term results.In terms of film industry, he pointed out that the government has provided funding at the level of production in the past, but it is difficult to carry out in the screening part., Not only do you have to do a good job of screening, but also the audience. "

In the long run, he believes that it should be promoted to the film culture and cultivate the next generation of audiences to spend.Tan Yinuo's refers to some foreign film policies, such as French policies for tax reduction and exemption of cinemas, holding educational activities or special activities, etc.

The "Cinema City" theater, known as "the most expensive rent in Hong Kong" and is located in Mong Kok Langfa Palace, after the end of the year in July this year, then took over by the Broadway House Line.The cinema, including the Broadway Cinema, MCL Cinema Line, Jiahe Cinema Line, Emperor's Cinema, etc., is still in operation. "At present, it seems that it seems that individual merchants can not support it. This wave may not be bad.The weakness is not what happened in recent years.