Multiplex Cinemas - extract 3 Reasons

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1. Technological
2. Social
3. Economic

Students own research:

1. Put smaller cinemas out of business
2. Success of a few led to expansion in the 1980s
3. 1984 Multiplexes got people back into the cinema from big gradual decline low cinema attendance (Trend Home Video VCR)
4. Milton Keynes first multiplex in UK 1984/5
5. Rotate screens of the biggest films: release the biggest on the main screen then onto smaller for a longer run

What factors led to the decline of town or city centre cinemas in the late 1970's and early 1980's?

Introduction
A combination of factors led to the decline in town and city centre cinemas but there are three main pointers: technological, economical and social reasons.

Teenagers have disposable income so have money to spend with friend through a socialising environment such as cinemas and due to the multiplex cinemas being built in shopping centres that are easily accessible through the motorway and have more attractions such as restaurants, arcades  and shops mean that a day outing can be planned around the entertainment available.

The development of VFX that was first displayed in Star Wars led to the making of the Industrial Light and Magic company founded by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. 

Multiplex cinemas replace flea pits due to the beneficial income because of the variety of films that will be advertised meaning a greater audience is brought to increase their revenue. 

Production

Spectacle films are now being produced due to VFX and the formulaic value that they know will sell to the audience- Star Wars was produced in 1975 which changed the course of cinema down this avenue leading to more films such as E.T that conformed to the science fiction genre which was now a huge hit with the teenage audience. However due to the mass of the teenage audience that brought in majority of the ratings, it also brought in new types of films such as the disco era that was brought about making films such as Saturday night fever in 1977 which was to reassure the fact they would continue bringing this audience in.

Distribution 

Piracy meant that American film studios were getting less revenue from the blockbusters being churned out which means they cannot afford to take a risk with a new creative idea for a film meaning the same formulaic films year in year out are being produced. This meant that American film studios had to cooperate with the new consuming preference of the audiences through the internet which led to the creation of Netflix and hulu so that people could watch movies online but still get money out of the audiences.

Exhibition
People were intrigued by the new all around better experience in the multiplex cinemas that they would pay slightly more money for, in comparison to the dilapidated flea pits. Due to the fact they were located in a shopping centre meant there were many more things to do within walking distance of the cinema- this meant people went on a 'day out', taking it for granted rather than saving up and treating it as a special occasion like the older generations usually do. this meant that the american film studios were making many films to keep the revenue and ratings flowing into the cinema.