Barbie and Oppenheimer help cinemas in Pa. recover from pandemic closures
CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- Big ticket movies and creative events continue to help locally-run cinemas recover from shutdowns after the start of the pandemic, just in time for more challenges in the movie industry.
"You start wondering, 'Are we going to survive?'" said Jennifer Carlson, Executive Director of The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville.
That question weighed heavily on her as the start of the COVID pandemic kept fans out of cinema seats. Still, she had a long legacy to continue.
"Built-in 1902, opened in 1903. We've seen the flu epidemic of 1918. We've been through World Wars; The Great Depression. So, thankfully we are still surviving," she said.
That is because of virtual screenings, then in-person events shared online. Programming Director Bob Trate said fans recreated the famous "Run-Out Scene" from the 1958 horror classic The Blob.
"We had people who were tuning in from Scotland and in Canada, that were able to experience what Blobfest was for the first time," he said.
Trate credited huge titles like Oppenheimer and Barbie for recovery three years in the making.
"I would say things started to feel more back-to-normal the last couple of months," Trate said.
Events Director Drew Boardman organized Barbie parties.
"They all wore hot pink, and we had specialty drinks, and it's just a really great chance to build community around something," Boardman said.
Just as things are headed in the right direction, the theater is facing ongoing writers' and actors' strikes.
That means some big movie releases could be delayed and theaters will continue to be creative to bring customers in.