(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, January 16, 2013 ) London, U.K -- One cannot really blame Pierre Gauthier if he decides that he should send a personal thank you to the NFL commissioner, Gary Bettman.
Anyone who found their way by the Odeon during the holidays likely also came within an earshot of the Cineplex theater's gregarious, old-school showman who was busy welcoming thousands of moviegoers. Many of those customers were suffering from hockey withdrawals thanks to the season's lockout.
It is a common sight in Hollywood during the height of the business season, but this year saw booming business surely surpassed expectations for the local theater operators. The lines on Yates Street were made even more remarkable when you take the time to consider the sheer number of viewing alternatives that exist today.
While there are still many a reason to show up to the theater to take in a flick, the Odeon manager states that the NHL lockout is certainly one of the most obvious contributors this year.
“There was no hockey and that made a big difference,” Gauthier said. “It was bad for the bars and great for us.”
The Odeon's largest draw came from Oscar favorite Lincoln, which has been played alongside the other Oscar front-runners, Life of Pi, Les Miserables, and Django Unchained, and darkhorse for the award Silver Linings Playbook.
“They came in droves” stated Gauthier, speaking of moviegoers. His theater, just like its surrounding neighborhood of Empire Capitol 6, attracted a large volume of visitors who stay within the downtown area to see out holiday diversions. “They’d have a good experience and come back.”
“We just set the table. We don’t serve the steak,” adds Cineplex Entertainment vice-president Pat Marshall, echoing chief executive officer Ellis Jacob’s declaration that “the studios” serve the steak.
Box-office blockbusters such as the Batman flick “The Dark Knight Rises”, and The Hunger Games were huge hits with those who sought out big-screen distractions. It was not just the tentpole pictures, however, as smaller films such as Argo, Magic Might also had strong goings, according to Marshall.
“I had a list of 10 movies I had to see that I still need to see,” she said. “It hasn’t been like that for some time.”
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