Cinemas reflect socio-economic gap among Jakarta residents
Cinemas reflect socio-economic gap among Jakarta residents
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As if the contrast between high-rise buildings and riverbank
slums were not enough to indicate the social gap among Jakartans,
different kinds of movie theater across the capital provide more
than just favorite flicks.
A crowd slowly began to gather around a cinema building that
accommodates two movie theaters, in Senen, Central Jakarta, as
the first show time was at 2 p.m.
No women were seen on Saturday in the queue, but here and
there some approached, offering escort services.
"Here to watch a movie, handsome? Why watch alone? Why not buy
me a ticket too so we can watch together?" asked one of the women
to a man who was among the first in line when the counter opened.
With a ticket price of Rp 5,000 (59 U.S. cents) for the Mulia
Agung upper-floor cinema and a cheaper ticket of Rp 3,000 for the
lower-floor Grand cinema, people can watch uncensored, indecent
films, as well as those from yesteryear.
But not all of the movies screened were bad, as the cinemas
have also shown the recent Indonesian pop-teen flick Eiffel ...
I'm in Love, Zhang Yimou's critically acclaimed Hero, Sofia
Coppola's The Virgin Suicides and From The Queen to The Chief
Executive, a movie about a human rights group seeking justice for
prisoners during Britain's 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Beijing.
In the darkened auditorium, in various places, couples could
be seen whispering and giggling, while others slouched in the
worn-out, imitation leather seats, even putting their feet on the
back of the seats in front of them.
The distinctive smell of kretek (clove) cigarettes, mixed with
the reeking, stale air and smoke blurring the screen, plus the
whirring of the exhaust fans, made it almost impossible to enjoy
the movie.
And though the cinemas managed to attract an audience of 20
people to each screening that day, a ticket seller acknowledged
that business was quite difficult nowadays, even on weekends.
"The number of moviegoers is small if we don't have any new
movies to screen," he said.
Apparently, it is more the cheap tickets than the movies
themselves that attract the audience.
"I came here to have some fun -- to watch some movies to pass
a long Saturday night," said Wawan, from Bekasi, who was watching
others playing arcade games in the cinema lobby as they waited
for their movie to start.
"Why should I spend more than Rp 20,000 on one movie? I barely
have enough to watch movies once a week at this cinema," he said,
referring to the nearby cinema in Atrium Plaza, which sells
tickets at Rp 22,500.
For some Jakartans, paying even more than that is no big deal,
as can be seen from the large number of moviegoers at the flashy
Studio XXI cinema at Plaza Indonesia Entertainment Xenter (EX),
Central Jakarta, on a Saturday night, although the building is
still under construction.
The Studio XXI, like the Senayan Premiere 21 and Pasaraya
Grande MPX Boutique Theater, both in South Jakarta, is the newest
cinema of its kind in town, providing premium services for
moviegoers, at a premium price.
"I think paying Rp 60,000 per person is fair, considering the
value-added, movie-watching experience we receive," said Ivan, a
student living in Menteng, Central Jakarta, who was watching Mona
Lisa Smile with his girlfriend.
By paying Rp 60,000 per ticket, the audience can enjoy suede-
covered upholstered seats with wide armrests, equipped with cup
holders, and state-of-the-art screening and digital stereo audio
technologies, after sampling the delights of the cinema's
luxurious lobby -- equipped with a cafe -- similar to that of a
five-star hotel.
Meanwhile, for Rp 125,000, moviegoers may enjoy even more:
fully reclining individual seats, with coffee tables at the sides
to place drinks, including a fine selection of wine, plus premier
movies as a bonus.
These "boutique" cinemas have inevitably created a new market
segment in city moviegoers.
"I prefer going to such cinemas because they are much less
crowded than regular cinemas," said Rommy, a young professional
from Kemang, South Jakarta, who was checking out the new cinema
with his friends that night.
In comparing these "boutique" cinemas with the one in Senen,
one could not possibly avoid noticing the stark contrast between
the two -- for the city's cinemas now reflect the social gap that
exists between its citizens.