More on Meigaza

[Abe-Nornes]

Considering the recent discussions about the closing of theaters like
Namikiza, this is an article worth reading. Has anyone been to these
theaters?  ---amn

Shibuya theaters vie for movie lovers

Yomiuri Shimbun

A "mini" war is being waged on the battleground of Shibuya, Tokyo. While
movie theaters in general are fighting video rental outlets to keep their
audiences, Tokyo's youth mecca is experiencing a boom of new, highly
competitive small theaters that are fighting a cutthroat battle for
moviegoers. By July, eight theaters with a total of 12 screens will be
operating within a 10-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station.

These "mini-theaters," with seating for 100-300, show artistic or quirky
films that appeal to young people looking for something off the beaten track
of Hollywood blockbusters.

These theaters started to spring up, primarily in Tokyo, in the 1980s, when
an international array of films began to catch on in an increasingly
responsive Japanese market.

Shibuya has by far the greatest number of these theaters in Tokyo and the
number continues to grow. In April, Shibuya Cinema Society opened on the
rapidly redeveloping Dogenzaka street, and Cine Quinto will open in July on
Koen-dori.

Shibuya's image as a youthful, trendsetting area has contributed to the
birth of these theaters. Home to the annual Tokyo International Film
Festival, Shibuya now rivals Ginza as Tokyo's hottest movie spot.
Trainspotting, a 1996 British film first played in Shibuya, is believed to
have set Japan's ongoing British movie boom in motion.

While hundreds of major theaters across the country often show the same
Hollywood mega-hit, each mini-theater usually offers a different movie. This
means that the competition for movie lovers is getting more fierce, and so
is the competition to obtain quality films.

"I don't think there are too many mini-theaters here, considering the number
of people coming to Shibuya and the fact that an increasing variety of
movies are being produced," Kikuo Fukuju of Shibuya Cinema Society said.

Shibuya Cinema Society plans to hold retrospective showings featuring works
by such acclaimed directors as Keisuke Kinoshita and Akira Kurosawa, as well
as new domestic and foreign films. The lineup makes the theater a cross
between the conventional mini-theaters and what is known as meigaza, which
specializes in classics and highbrow features.

The theater tries to attract audiences by setting aside women-only seats and
offering memberships. Its long-term plans include offering all-night movie
marathons every day.

Others are more skeptical. "There used to be audiences who would come to see
a film just because it was playing at a mini-theater," said Mitsuhiro Rai,
president of long-established Cinema Rise. "That can no longer be expected,
considering the increasing number of small theaters. It is important that
each theater emphasizes its characteristics more than ever."