Alamo Drafthouse is joining major circuits such as AMC Theatres, Mexico’s Cinépolis, and Canada’s Cineplex to launch its own VOD platform. The Texas-based dine-in circuit partnered with ScreenPlus and Vista for its new Alamo On Demand service. The platform will feature a library of titles from studios like Lionsgate, Magnolia, NEON, and Sony Pictures Classics for digital rental or purchase. The circuit already offers DVD rentals at select locations.
“I’ll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and Executive Chairman. “Alamo Drafthouse had been promoting Portrait of a Lady on Fire to our guests for months. We love people to see films in the cinema first and foremost, but the reality is not everyone can always make the time for every movie they want to see. This platform allows us to give folks who missed Portrait of a Lady on Fire in cinemas another chance to see it, which is simply an extension of our enthusiasm and support for the film. Alamo On Demand helps us to continue the conversation past the theatrical window and recommend movies we love to our community. And in these shuttered days and beyond, these rentals and purchases help support your neighborhood theater.”
Alamo Drafthouse worked with cinema management platform Vista Cinema to integrate all of the circuit’s backend systems, including its loyalty program, to the streaming service. Alamo Drafthouse is planning to have future purchases on Alamo on Demand to contribute loyalty program credits for consumers. This would allow discounted digital rentals and purchases following a theatrical ticket purchase.
“Every title on the platform has a champion on the Alamo programming team,” says Sarah Pitre, Alamo Drafthouse’s Senior Director of Programming and Promotions. “Alamo On Demand is a curated library, with each film nominated and personally recommended by a programmer.”
Alamo Drafthouse will be taking a curatorial approach to its selection of streaming titles. This includes extensions of existing programming series such as Weird Wednesday, Champagne Cinema, Afternoon Tea, and selections from the Fantastic Fest film festival.
“Many of us learned about movies thanks to the staff picks at our local video stores. That’s the spirit of what we’re trying to do with Alamo On Demand,” says Henri Mazza, Alamo Drafthouse Vice President of Content, Sponsorship, and Events. “Even though we can’t gather in theaters right now, our programmers will still be curating new and classic films for our nationwide community of fellow movie lovers, and hosting conversations online as well.”
Alamo envisions the service to act as a promotional extension of its theatrical arm, offering repertory titles related to upcoming new releases at its theaters. It is currently engaging in talks with other distributors to add more titles to its streaming catalog over the coming months.
“We’re thrilled to have Alamo Drafthouse on board, and looking to seeing the reaction from fans and the community”, says Leon Newnham, CEO of Vista Cinema.
Current and Upcoming Alamo On Demand Partners and Titles
● Lionsgate’s ARKANSAS, APOCALYPSE NOW FINAL CUT, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, LA LA LAND, A SIMPLE FAVOR, KNIVES OUT, and DIRTY DANCING.
● NEON’s Academy Award Best Picture Winner PARASITE and PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, as well as the documentary premiere of SPACESHIP EARTH.
● An exclusive premiere of the new documentary KATE NASH: UNDERESTIMATE THE GIRL, which will include a livestream Q&A and performance by Kate Nash.
● Magnolia Pictures’ RBG, SKATE KITCHEN and RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS.
● Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s music documentary JUNUN.
● Severin Films and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s modern masterpiece SANTA SANGRE.
● Well Go USA’s 2018 South Korean masterpiece BURNING, starring Steven Yeun and considered by many to be one of the best films of the 2010s.
● Drafthouse Films’ entire catalog, including Academy Award nominees THE ACT OF KILLING, THE LOOK OF SILENCE, and BULLHEAD, as well as the acclaimed Riz Ahmed breakthrough film FOUR LIONS.
● A “movie riffing” screening of the rediscovered cult classic ROAR from the renowned comedy collective Master Pancake Theater.
● Shout! Factory’s Ramones-starring classic ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL.
● A wealth of restored genre films from American Genre Film Archive like Ed Wood’s TAKE IT OUT IN TRADE and NINJA ZOMBIE.
● Family programming like the New York International Children’s Film Festival’s KID FLICKS ONE AND TWO, two programs of award-winning and audience favorite family shorts from the NYICFF 2019 festival, and the 50th anniversary restoration of Harry Nilsson’s THE POINT.
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