Atlanta: 3rd Tier Movie Town
When Did Atlanta become a 3rd tier movie city? How came it to be this way?
For those wondering about this, movies often roll out across various cities over time. The first tier cities are New York and Los Angeles. Many films open in these two cities that never even reach the rest of the country. If they do, they open in select cities. Those cities seem to be Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston. They seem to get many movies about a week after New York and L.A.
Atlanta seemed at one point to be one of those cities. Then, somehow, we were dropped off the map. What happened?
I first noticed this with ‘Fahrenheit 9/11‘. It arrived at Atlanta’s doorstep as it opened nationwide. We were no longer in the film vanguard. Now, it’s happening again with ‘Melinda and Melinda’. Chicago has this movie. Boston and Seattle do too. At the moment, Atlanta is not even on the radar. Fandango.com can’t even tell me when it’s going to open.
Woody Allen, who wrote and directed the movie, may not be as popular here as he is in New York, but surely he’s as popular here as he is in say Seattle… or Portland.
At what point did film distributors decide that Atlantans could not sustain anything more than the biggest blockbusters without excessive lead in time? What led them to this decision?
Fortunately, if it comes nowhere else, eventually, this movie is likely to show up at Cinefest, at Georgia State University. I’d just like to see it at the Buckhead Backlot.
April 4th, 2005 at 10:25 am
It’s….Alive!
April 13th, 2005 at 10:28 pm
no kidding, right? not fair…
December 2nd, 2005 at 3:51 am
Thanks to Yahoo!, your blog is recieving extra attention at the moment.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20051202.html
I had to comment.
I recall when I was living in Atlanta there were a few times when Atlanta was among the “select cities” for new movie releases.
In particular, I recall this to be true for “Chicago”. I saw it as soon as it opened and friendsd I knew in other cities had to wait several more weeks for the same privlidge.
So it does occur in Atlanta, I guess just not as often as places like Chicago or Boston.
December 2nd, 2005 at 7:50 am
Ha, Robert is “disgruntled”.
December 2nd, 2005 at 12:17 pm
detroit has the same reputation with movies…3rd tier…it’s bull…but i am also bias, i believe detroit needs to be a front runner in all aspects…love my city
December 2nd, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Maybe it’s because of the current and persistent image of Atlanta that spawned that gawdawful new “Brand Atlanta” marketing debacle, including the wildly inappropriate “theme song” called “The ATL”. Now more than ever, the world will see Atlanta in terms of a very narrow segment of the population: the young, urban, hip-hoppers. If I were an outsider trying to decide on cities in which to screen new and emerging films, I probably wouldn’t pick Atlanta first, either. It’s been a very long time since we had a strong, supported arts community like that of other cities of comparable size. Sometimes I think we are lucky to even get independent films at the Tara or Garden Hills - you sure as hell won’t catch them at your average Regal Googleplex.
It’s going to take more than an acquarium - no matter how fantastic it is - to convince the rest of the world that Atlanta is a city of many different cultures and interests, and that we do have plenty of avid arts supporters of all ages - including those who love independent movies.
December 2nd, 2005 at 1:18 pm
You should be living somewhere else.
December 2nd, 2005 at 1:24 pm
I think 3rd tier status is appropriate for Atlanta. While you are the cultural center of “the south” that isn’t saying much. All of the aforementioned cities are just more interested in culture and the arts. Not to be a dick, but it is true. Either start a legitimate art scene or move to a city that can offer more to your interests.
December 2nd, 2005 at 5:22 pm
Where is Atlanta?
December 2nd, 2005 at 11:27 pm
You should try living in Australia - some movies are released on DVD by the time they premiere in Australian cinemas!
December 4th, 2005 at 8:40 am
Perhaps it is related to population? All of the cities you mentioned are considerably larger than Atlanta. I’m not sure if this would apply if suburbs were factored in, but in terms of actual city population it seems like a reasonable explanation.
December 4th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
The truth is that movie openings are related to hockey. Wherever there is a NHL hockey team, it is classified as a 1st or 2nd tier movie city.
December 4th, 2005 at 8:03 pm
Your point is taken and I feel the same way?
Er, other than the fish business, traffic, and airports, in which ways is Atlanta a first-tier city?
-D-
January 29th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Sage,
Atlanta DOES have an NHL team. Seattle doesn’t. San Francisco doesn’t, unless you’re counting San Jose.