Wednesday 8th December 2010 – Curzon Artificial Eye (CAE), owner of the Curzon Cinemas chain, is proud to announce the launch of Curzon On Demand, a Film on Demand service offering day and date releases of independent, art house and world cinema films in High Definition to both the UK and Ireland from Wednesday 8th December.Curzon On Demand uses the latest technology to deliver a cinema experience in the home or on the move. The site provides greater access to theatrically released films, giving audiences unable to visit cinemas the opportunity to see such films. Curzon On Demand will give people freedom to experience films however and whenever they choose - on their television, mobile phone, laptop, in or out of the home – all in High Definition. Never before has such access been available for lovers of cinema.
The Curzon On Demand service will launch with Mathieu Amalric’s burlesque comedy On Tour, winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2010, and the powerful British drama In Our Name, available at the same time as their theatrical releases from 10th December 2010.
Curzon On Demand is unique amongst On Demand services in that the website will operate as another Curzon cinema. Films will be programmed specifically for the site, in line with their cinema releases. Curzon On Demand also plans to offer films available exclusively online, online premieres and special events such as talent Q&As.
Philip Knatchbull, Chief Executive of Curzon Artificial Eye, comments: “With Curzon On Demand we are now able to offer film lovers their own cinema experience at home, or wherever they like - they can watch films at the same time they’re released in the cinemas. It’s a totally new service that has never been provided before by a UK cinema operator, and we can use the technology to provide our audiences with a whole range of benefits - films programmed specifically for the site, private screenings and premieres, as well as special events with actors and directors – this really is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to be at the centre of bringing independent film to the widest possible audience by use of the latest technology.”
The Curzon online team has worked closely with a few key companies to develop Curzon On Demand and the whole new Curzon online presence. The site was designed by Winkreative and built by dotAgency. Curzon On Demand was developed with the support of the MEDIA Programme of the European Union. Films are being encoded by Re:Fine Group, while HD video streaming is provided by Brightcove Inc. The new Curzon website is hosted by KCP Web services.
Maurus Fraser, Design Director, Winkreative who designed the site, adds: “Curzon on Demand has been crafted to be the ideal online companion to the established, independent and ultimately satisfying Curzon cinema experience. Winkreative designed the Curzon on Demand service to allow online visitors access to to the curated and intelligent film selection the Curzon brand is famous for. The experience is centered around the Curzon visitor - from the use of a black background for optimal film viewing, to the intuitive navigation, delivering some of the most desirable and rich content online”.
Skip Fidura, Managing Director of dotAgency who built the site, adds: "The Curzon On Demand site represents a watershed moment in the way we consume online media. It's a bold move, underpinned by technology that really pushes the boundaries of what is possible online. To deliver a fresh new web experience like no other, we have focused on usability to ensure visitors can navigate and use the site quickly and easily. By linking a number of data sources, including movie information and booking options, we have also ensured Curzon is providing value added content that will keep film enthusiasts coming back for more."
Curzon On Demand offers many advantages:
- Quality of delivery – HD quality picture and sound
- All films are available to the customer for 7 days following purchase, allowing the film to be watched several times, at a later date or in stages
- Membership benefits
- Curzon Cineaste membership now includes two free films from Curzon On Demand, as well as two free cinema tickets and discounts on all films on demand, cinema tickets, DVDs, merchandise, and other special benefits. Curzon Cineaste membership is available for £50 per year.
- Curzon Auteur membership now includes all films for free on Curzon On Demand as well as two free tickets to every performance, including films, events and operas at all Curzon Cinemas as well as discounts on DVDs, merchandise and other special benefits. Curzon Auteur membership is available for £700 per year.
- The Quality Cinema Experience – day and date releases, special programming, access to films not always available in cinemas outside London or Dublin or that only have a limited theatrical release.
- Through the site, visitors can also order tickets for the Curzon Cinemas and purchase membership. The site also features an online store for DVDs and Blu-rays, and will soon include film posters and other film merchandise.
Find out more at www.curzonondemand.com ~ www.curzoncinemas.com ~ www.hmvcurzon.com ~ www.curzonae.com ~ www.artificial-eye.com
About In Our Name
In Our Name directed by Brian Welsh and starring Joanne Froggatt, follows Suzy a British soldier, born and bred, but fitting back into civilian life after fighting in Iraq isn't easy. Haunted by the responsibility she feels for the death of an Iraqi child, she becomes obsessed with the safety of her own daughter, feeling the need to protect her against a threat that doesn't seem to exist. As Suzy's paranoia builds, her behaviour becomes more and more erratic, until finally, she puts her own child in serious danger.
About On Tour
On Tour, directed by and starring, Mathieu Amalric, follows Joachim, a former Parisian television producer who has left everything behind to start a new life in America. He returns with a team of burlesque strip-tease performers whom Joachim has fed fantasies of a touring France. Travelling from port to port, the curvaceous showgirls invent an extravagant fantasy world of warmth and hedonism, despite the constant round of impersonal hotels with their endless elevator music and the lack of money. But their dream of a tour culminating in a last grand show in Paris goes up in smoke when Joachim is betrayed by an old friend and loses the theatre where they were due to perform, and a return journey to the capital violently reopens old wounds.
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