PriyankaNEW YORK — A decade ago, Jennifer Kent’s horror masterpiece “The Babadook” made a modest debut in just two cinemas. This month, the film returns to theaters in a grand fashion, screening across 500 locations. Reflecting on this journey, Kent, speaking from her home in Australia, expresses a mix of disbelief and pride: “It’s strange, but in a wonderful way. I can’t quite believe it’s been 10 years already. But it’s fantastic to go back and be a part of it. Considering that it only released on such a small number of screens, I feel proud that it’s still enduring.”
“The Babadook,” with its haunting narrative about the trials of parenthood, has not only left an indelible mark on horror cinema but has also become a beacon for innovative storytelling in the genre. Its success is part of a broader trend this year, where numerous films are making anniversary runs in theaters. A quick glance at movie theater marquees reveals not just new releases but a revival of beloved classics.
In an era where home streaming is just a few clicks away, the resurgence of older films on the big screen is remarkable. Repertory cinema, once a niche domain for arthouse enthusiasts, has now found its place in multiplexes nationwide.
This phenomenon isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s also about box office success. In just two weeks, the 2009 stop-motion film “Coraline” by Laika Studios grossed over $25 million, a staggering achievement for a film 15 years old. Similarly, earlier this year, Disney’s re-release of “Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace” raked in $19.4 million globally.
This fall promises even more anniversary releases, including “Shaun of the Dead,” “Paris, Texas,” “Whiplash,” “Hoop Dreams,” and “Interstellar.” While the return of restored classics like “Seven Samurai” and “The Conversation” isn’t new, the wide re-release of relatively recent movies and the enthusiastic audience response is a fresh and exciting development in moviegoing.
“The Babadook,” which gained cult status through widespread acclaim—even receiving praise from legendary director William Friedkin—might very well surpass the $1 million it earned in North America a decade ago. Nicole Weis, vice president of distribution for IFC, explains, “It has grown a new fan base. The majority of the fans didn’t see it theatrically. This strategy of bringing it back was so people could see a film they’ve fallen in love with as they should, as it was intended to be, on the big screen.”
The theatrical landscape hasn’t fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, partly because there aren’t enough new movies to fill theaters. The number of films released nationwide has decreased for various reasons, including last year’s prolonged work stoppages that significantly altered this year’s movie calendar.
To address this shortage, the nation’s three largest theater chains—AMC, Regal, and Cinemark—formed Fathom Events in 2005. This initiative distributes live broadcasts of events like the Metropolitan Opera and special features such as the annual Studio Ghibli Fest, which revives classics from the Japanese anime studio. Their release of “Coraline,” including 3D screenings, set new records for Fathom.
Ray Nutt, chief executive of Fathom, notes, “The interest in classic movies has really gone up. This year we’ll see a 75% increase year over year in this category.” Initially targeting quiet days like Mondays and Tuesdays, Fathom now schedules screenings across weekends. Earlier this year, their run of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy over Saturday-Sunday-Monday was a major hit. Upcoming classics include anniversary showings of “Rear Window,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Mean Girls,” and “The Fifth Element.”
Nutt humorously comments on the evolving definition of a classic movie: “It used to be something like 50 years or whatever, and now we’re talking about ‘Coraline’ at 15.”
While some streaming services tend to bury older films on their home pages, the relevance of a movie’s age is shifting. Classics like “Titanic” and newer hits like “The Equalizer” have both topped Netflix’s most-watched lists this summer. The choice between watching “Jaws” on your couch or experiencing it on a big screen with an audience highlights how the theater experience is about more than just newness—it’s about immersion and shared excitement.
Mark Anastasio, program director of Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts, observed the enduring appeal of older films when reopening post-pandemic. With few new releases available, older films filled the gap—and interest never waned. “We’ve got six screens here. It used to be that once or twice a week we’d run an older film at 7 p.m. And we’ve now increased our repertory offerings so that we’re showing an older movie every single night of the week, including Saturday and Sunday nights. And the demand is there.”
Anastasio has since found opportunities to program more creatively, diving deeper into filmmaker catalogues with consistent audience turnout. Recent successes include packed houses for Spike Lee’s “Inside Man” in 35mm and William Friedkin’s 1977 thriller “Sorcerer.” Upcoming plans at Coolidge include three weeks of 70mm screenings (“Lawrence of Arabia,” “Inception”) and a “Schlock and Awe” series featuring William Castle films with original gimmicks like buzz seats during “The Tingler.”
This trend isn’t confined to urban arthouses; it’s expanding to screens traditionally reserved for first-run movies. Some of this shift is out of necessity due to fewer films being widely distributed. Jeremy Boviard, general manager of Moviehouse in Millerton, New York, notes: “There’s about 20-30% fewer films being majorly distributed now than there were just five years ago. There’s definitely more holes in certain programming weekends.”
In conclusion, as theaters navigate the evolving landscape post-pandemic and with fewer new releases available, they are increasingly turning to beloved classics to draw audiences. This trend speaks volumes about the timeless appeal of many films and highlights how the communal experience of cinema can bring even older stories back to life on the big screen.
