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‘Bubble’ will be in theaters, on DVD, cable
Steven Soderbergh is the Oscar-winning director behind movies like Traffic, Erin Brockovich, and Ocean’s Eleven. He came to the attention of the moviegoing public more than 15 years ago with the breakout indie, Sex, Lies and Videotape. His newest movie is Bubble, and it will be released in theaters, on DVD, and show on cable before the end of the month. With so many options, will you see it? And if so, how?
This release is good news for indie-film buffs in Dayton, because there are no plans for Bubble to make it to the Gem City theatrically. The closest it will come is a one-time, members-only screening at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Center on February 1, a day after its January 31 DVD release. The movie will open in select theaters around the country (including Cleveland) in regular engagements on January 27.
Bubble will also air on cable that day. HDNet Movies — channel 763 on Time Warner Cable in Dayton, channel 78 on DirecTV, and channel 9423 on Dish Network — will show the movie at 9:30 p.m. (As you might have guessed from the name, the network is only available as part of these providers’ high-definition packages.)
How is this happening and why?
Well, Mr. Soderbergh told the good folks at Wired last month, “Name any big-title movie that’s come out in the last four years. It has been available in all formats on the day of release. It’s called piracy. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, Ocean’s Eleven, and Ocean’s Twelve — I saw them on Canal Street on opening day. Simultaneous release is already here. We’re just trying to gain control over it.”
According to the Associated Press, Bubble is the first of six movies that Soderbergh will shoot and release this way. He’s doing it in collaboration with Todd Wagner and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. They own Magnolia Pictures, which will release Bubble theatrically; Landmark Theatres, which will show it theatrically; HDNet Movies, the cable provider that will show it the same day; and Magnolia Home Entertainment, which will release it on DVD a few days later.
The movie cost $1.6 million, was shot in HD, and stars non-professional actors. (The movie’s star, Debbie Doebereiner, is a 47-year-old mother and grandmother who was working at KFC when she was cast.) So Bubble will probably turn a profit, but not an especially large one: It’s in the vein of Soderbergh’s other experimental movies, like Schizopolis (maybe the weirdest movie ever) and Full Frontal (where Julia Roberts had to do her own makeup). For that reason, I wonder if this is the best test of this release model. Even if it got a straight theatrical release — big chains like Regal, National Amusements and AMC won’t book the movie, because they’re threatened by the simultaneous cable/DVD release — I doubt it would attract a large audience. What we need is a movie like next year’s Spider-Man 3 to get a simultaneous release to really see what this could do for the business.
‘Bubble’ Bursts Traditional Movie Methods [AP via DDN]
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Movies
Comments
By mark
January 18, 2006 1:30 AM | Link to this
I like this idea of Soderbergh’s. I will probably go the DVD route when it comes out. Dayton’s own Robert Pollard wrote the soundtrack, too.By Barb =:)
January 18, 2006 8:16 AM | Link to this
I think this is a brilliant way to release a movie and I hope this is the way things go in the future. Some movies are worth seeing on the big screen, some are not…to me at least. Even if I don’t want to see a movie at a theater doesn’t mean I don’t want to see it. I would just rather watch some in the comfort of my own home where I can adjust the volume, pause, rewind and just have more control over it. Plus, my popcorn isn’t $6 and I don’t have people around me talking through it. Why make a consumer wait to see your film if they prefer to watch it at home? I judge movies by “want to see in a theater” and “wait until DVD.” If I determine to see it on DVD, nothing will change my mind. The theaters won’t lose money from me if they release the film on DVD at the same time. I had no intention of seeing it in a theater anyhow. But if I see it on DVD and really like it, I may decide I want to see it in a theater to get the full effect. Through the waiting period that many people go through before release on DVD, they may lose interest or forget about the film. The film companies could be making money several ways at once doing multi-platform simultaneous releases rather than the staggered schedule they have now. Theaters obviously won’t like it, but maybe a little competition from other formats will actually lower ticket prices. Competition is good for consumers.By Colleen
January 18, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this
As usual, DDN has no respect for hometown songwriter/musician, Robert Pollard. Maybe, Zach McGhee’s mentor is Ron Rollins. I will be sure to catch the movie on cable. Can’t wait to see it and also hear the soundtrack by a Dayton native and all around good fellow.