Vouchers offered to Cineworld as base theater closes

  • Published
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom --  The Army and Air Force Exchange Service-run RAF Alconbury Theater hasn't changed much since it opened at its current location in 1960, however in the last 53 years; the movie industry has changed dramatically.

It is because of the cost of keeping up with those changes that the 423rd Force Support Squadron began working with Cineworld to offer a discounted movie-rate at Cineworlds throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland to personnel stationed at RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth when the RAF Alconbury Theater closes its doors for good after the March 3 showing of "The Hobbit."

"We worked through several options to continue offering movie services to our customers," said Maj. Joseph Thomas, 423rd FSS commander. "This discount is a great way to use the local community resources while we continue working initiatives that allow our community to save costs."

The discounted movie rate is open to eligible members, and will be available through the RAF Alconbury Information, Tickets and Tours office, New York Pizza and Deli at RAF Molesworth and other 423rd FSS locations on both RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth beginning Feb. 22. The cost is £6 per ticket and will be in the form of a voucher good for non-3D showings.

"Once purchased, vouchers will be good until December 2013 and are not tied to a specific show time or cinema title," said Thomas.

For small-theaters, like the RAF Alconbury Theater and 60 other theaters that are closing at installations overseas and in the continental United States, the problem is the sudden switch from 35 mm film, an industry standard since about 1910, to digital - a format that's cheaper for both studios and distributors, and doesn't scratch like traditional film.

"It would cost approximately $140,000 to upgrade the projection system to digital, an upgrade that is necessary since Hollywood will stop distributing films in the 35 mm format," said Penny Madison, AAFES United Kingdom general manager. "We had to prioritize which theaters to upgrade, and viewership numbers at RAF Alconbury meant we couldn't recoup our upgrade expenses."

Film studio 20th Century Fox has said it will phase out 35 mm film altogether by the end of 2013, and other production companies are expected to follow suit. Traditional film is expected to vanish over the next few years.

At this time, AAFES has no plans to offer ticket presales for the RAF Mildenhall Theater at the RAF Alconbury Exchange.