...beginning with King Kong

...beginning it with King Kong

LAHORE - Film is considered to be the most powerful medium in the world. For the last two decades, however, Pakistan's film and cinema industries have failed to evolve and develop with the changing times and the result is that scores of film theatres have closed in recent years. Now attempts are being made to revive the cinema industry in Pakistan by introducing the same world-class movie going experience by exhibiting the latest Hollywood movies coinciding with the international releases. The first such movie to make it to Pakistan is King Kong, which premiered in Lahore on Thursday and would be exhibited in cinemas across the country on Friday (today).

The premiere held at the Plaza cinema proved to be a success as it attracted a number of socialites and elite of the city including some well-known models and people from the corporate world, who had come with their families. Interestingly grownups outnumbered the kids and teenagers. No person related to the Pakistan film industry could be seen.

Three-time winner of the Academy Award director Peter Jackson made motion picture history with his 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. His latest presentation 'King Kong' is already creating ripples across the globe by continuing reign on the box office. It is considered his cinematic vision to one of screen's most enduring classics.

The movie has a lot of scary scenes that can send creeps even among the grownups. The kids sitting near the scribe were clutching each other or their parents - with the perfect sound effects booming across the big cinema hall. Jackson refashions the tragic beauty-and-the-beast love story - infusing the spectacle of the tale with propulsive action and poignant humanity. King Kong magic would charm movie lovers. The special visual effects by Jackson no doubt make it a flick not to be missed if the opportunity is there. Bringing in the dinosaurs and all the fearful creatures man can imagine Jackson has adrenalised the original story with fast action perhaps never before witnessed on the silver screen.

Exhibition company Cinepax plans to bring new Hollywood blockbusters to Pakistan as well as build new cineplexes with an attempt to change the cinema culture by bringing it at par with the European and UAE standards. "We are of the firm belief that film exhibition industry can bounce back if the viewers are provided with clean and modern facilities in good neighbourhoods. We intend to build state of the art movie theatres in major cities, which will lure the large section of English speaking urban people back to cinemas," maintained CEO of Cinepax Arif Baigmohamed while talking to The Nation Plus Metro on Thursday. He disclosed that the company would start about 100 screens in the next four years time, which means building of about 18 cineplexes. "With a budget of $20 million we hope to bring the change here. We are building up the cineplexes in collaboration with real estate companies. They would be build in various shopping malls. A Toronto based company is designing these theatres that will have capacity of 200 or 250 people," he said. In the fall of 2006 the first Cineplex would start functioning at the Jinnah Park, Rawalpindi. This would be followed with the opening of another at MM Alam Road, Lahore.

Arif was of the view that their project would also be beneficial for the local film industry. "I believe they would start producing quality films to cater to the large clientele we hope to build.

"We would continue to exhibit latest Hollywood movies in the existing cinemas. We have an arrangement with top 10 studios and the films would be exhibited within one month of the US release. This step is necessary to fight the piracy. "When we would be offering the latest movies on the big screen, people would stop watching the pirated CDs of these films," he said.