In case you haven't already noticed, new things are afoot at Grand Cinemas. Alex Ritman queues up for a soft drink and popcorn to find out what's happening at the Emirates chain
So, what exactly is going on?
Well, Grand Cinemas, which has 13 sites across the UAE and has been around for as long as most local film buffs can remember, is going through a big rebranding exercise.
Gone is the bold gold capitalised lettering, in is a cooler, fresher look - a big G followed by "grand cinemas" in lower case. But it's not simply about a change in font, as the chief executive officer Jean Ramia explains.
"We thought that part of the new innovation of rebranding and the new look of Grand Cinemas, it's not just the look and feel, it's the experience by itself, it's the attitude of the staff, it's the surprising experience we'll be giving customers."
'Surprising experience'? You mean pins on seats?
No. According to Ramia, there will be activities taking place onsite, plus prizes and giveaways. There will also be new uniforms, new food counters, interactive kiosks where people can watch trailers and give feedback on films, and stalls selling merchandise related to movies. "Some of our key sites are being fully renovated."
Will I still have to spend ages queueing up for my popcorn/hotdog/nachos/all of the above?
Hopefully not, with an innovative new idea seeing the food stall to the left side of the ticket counter so you just move from one to the other. This has already been introduced at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai.
Dubai, Dubai, Dubai. When will they open more cinemas in Abu Dhabi?
Very soon, as it turns out. A new flagship site is due in the new Central Market complex in the heart of Abu Dhabi (December), a 15-screen multiplex is coming to Yas Mall (end of 2013) and there will be another opening in the forthcoming Deerfields Town Square mall in Al Bahia district (January 2013). The Abu Dhabi Mall cinema is also getting a full renovation.
Is this all to make up for the recent price hikes?
Oh come on. "We didn't increase the price by one dirham in 12 years, whereas the cost of everything else, such as water or electricity, increased," explains Ramia, who adds that as digital films have been introduced, they've had to invest in new projectors, at a cost of around US$70,000 (Dh257,124) each. "So if you have 108 screens, that's $7 million."
OK, OK. So what else is going on as part of the renovations apart from snazzier lobbies?
In the actual screens, seats are being renovated (3,000 have already been done at the giant Cineplex near Garhoud Bridge in Dubai), which will mean more leg space. "All the renovations are expected to be done by the end of Ramadan," says Ramia.
Finally, will there be any new innovations to shut the kids up who insist on talking throughout?
Alas no, but help is at hand. "If you ask the ushers, they will come and talk to the customers, irrespective of their nationalities." Rather you than me.
aritman@thenational.ae
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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MEFCC information
Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
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Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
