MOVIEPASS, MOVIECRASH
US, 2024, 96 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Muta'Ali.
A documentary which will be of interest to moviegoers.
There are all kinds of financial incentives to entice audiences to come to the movies, special low prices on a particular day, membership of exhibition companies for discounts…
This film is about a plan set up by two African-American businessmen/idealists, Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt. The plan was for subscribers to invest $9.60 a month and receive a pass which enabled them to see a film of a day anywhere, anytime. They acted on their plan, Spikes having a background in movie business and promotion.
However, it needed many subscribers. Two white businessmen became interested, Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, practically taking over the company, then ousting the founders, claiming that they originated the idea and company, all kinds of business schemes and extravagant promotion events, and the failure of the company, the rest of Lowe and Farnsworth. The documentary ends with the information about their trials and ongoing appeals, the fate of the two founders, the publication of Spikes’ book, the getting control again of MoviePass but the question of whether it could be financially viable, financially successful.
Which means then that this is a story of venture capitalism, risk-taking, exploitation, the vanity of the venture capitalists, investing in quite a number of companies, failures but reinvestment, extravagant lifestyles until they are caught up with.
The film relies on documentary footage of the time, the moviegoers, news items about the capitalists…
And talking heads, especially Stacy Spikes, bespectacled, quiet, convincing in his speaking to camera and recounting the enthusiasm, the hardships, the disillusionment. There are also interviews with Hamet Watt. As regards the exploiters, there are quite some interviews with Mitch Lowe, talking about his intentions, his background, financial faces, the breakup of his marriage, excuses… And then we find out that the interviews were filmed just before the warrant for his arrest.
As regards Ted Farnsworth, no interviews, but plenty of video material with his self-promotion, his contacts, the extravagant shows, enjoying the life of the rich and famous.
Of interest to those who want to explore capitalist ventures, risk-taking, financing. And for those who really would like to have some kind of MoviePass so that they could go or often to the movies they love.
