Downtown San Jose theaters can now screen top movies

By Glenn Lovell, Mercury News

The choice of movies at Camera 12, downtown San Jose's newest multiplex, is apparently about to expand -- and the theater's co-owner says it's the result of the reversal of a 40-year-old booking practice that gave preferential treatment to the Century Theatres on Winchester Boulevard.

Century CEO Ray Syufy did not return repeated phone calls, but as proof of the change, Camera 12 co-owner Jack NyBlom pointed to ``The Manchurian Candidate'' and the Mel Gibson-produced ``Paparazzi,'' both now playing at Camera 12 and at the Century domes on Winchester. NyBlom said ``A Shark's Tale,'' ``Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow'' and other top films will be playing both downtown and on Winchester Boulevard soon.

Until now, an agreement between Century and studio bookers kept movies that played the Winchester theaters off-limits to theaters downtown, five miles away.

``We're just thrilled,'' said NyBlom, who just weeks ago feared that the Century's monopoly on big titles would hurt his ability to compete. ``Now, with the playing field leveled, you'll see real competition. It's the public that really benefits: They'll have a choice of where to see movies.''

NyBlom said he learned from a Paramount booker that the Winchester Centuries no longer would demand exclusivity on the top releases. The practice, known as ``clearance'' in the movie industry, was blamed for the UA Pavilion's demise downtown and has cost the Camera 12 such titles as ``Fahrenheit 9/11'' and ``Spider-Man 2.'' The non-exclusivity change also would apply to Century's new CinéArts at Santana Row, which specializes in independent and art films, once the Camera Cinemas' bread and butter.

At the urging of state Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose, who had received complaints from Camera Cinemas management, the state Attorney General's Office began investigating -- ``from an antitrust perspective'' -- the booking practices in July.

``Our investigation is ongoing,'' said Tom Dresslar, a spokesman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer. ``But if the clearance practice has ceased, the attorney general would consider that a positive development for the market and for consumers.''
Contact Glenn Lovell at glovell@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5639.

Posted on Fri, Sep. 03, 2004