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289:) at a flat rate. Once Nicholson and Arkoff combined two features into a program, sold as a double bill, with each picture given equal billing in the advertising and backed up with an explosive advertising campaign, theaters were willing to exhibit them on a percentage basis. The exhibitors may have kept a larger share of the box office than the major distributors demanded, but AIP's share of the box office was enough to keep it from going out of business.
165:
running a double feature won out over a higher-priced first-run theatre with only one feature film. The major studios took note of this, and began making their own B features using the technicians and sets of the studio and featuring stars on their way up or on their way down. The major studios also
142:
Theater owners decided they could both attract more customers and save on costs if they offered two movies for the price of one. The tactic worked; audiences considered the cost of a theater ticket good value for several hours of escapist and varied entertainment and the practice became a standard
292:
The double bill was sold on a percentage basis and each feature was given equal billing in newspaper advertisements and promotional materials. Since the trailers and advertising promoted the two titles, exhibitors were discouraged from separating the features in the package. To distributors and
31:
331:
The end of the first-run double feature also saw the end of continuous screenings, an exhibition policy where a theater opened at 10:30 or 11:00 AM and ran the program without breaks until 12:00 midnight. Customers bought tickets and entered the theater at any time during the program.
300:
By the mid-1960s, double features had been mostly abandoned in non–drive-ins in favor of the modern single-feature screening, in which only one feature film is exhibited. However, double bills of popular series that had previously been run as a single feature, such as the
560:
In 2022, Russian cinema launched double features with
American and Russian movies. The first film is a Hollywood blockbuster, it designated as "free pre-feature service". The second film, designated as main feature, is Russian patriotic propaganda movie or
71:
Opera houses staged two operas together for the sake of providing long performance for the audience. This was related to one-act or two-act short operas that were otherwise commercially hard to stage alone. A prominent example is the double-bill of
557:, due in July, would be released as a double feature, though both films are actually "versions" of each other, with differences related to plot points and character designs varying between the version being watched.
342:, reference the practice in their opening song "Science Fiction/Double Feature" and are largely inspired by B movies presented in these showings. The movie itself was and still is often shown as a double feature with
62:
industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which the presentation of one feature film would be followed by various short subject reels.
553:
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exhibitors, it was a substantially different policy than the standard double feature in that it was not a top-billed A feature combined with a minor-billed support feature sold at a flat rate (a
389:
cartoon shorts were created to be shown as preludes to other Disney films, in an effort to revive the viewing of cartoon shorts before major films. Only three were made and the scheme failed.
727:
584:" phenomenon. The two films – which were noted for their tonal and genre contrast – were released on July 21 in the United States and several other countries.
396:
cassettes that contained two films on the same tape (with the second often a sequel to the first) were described as "double features," a practice that was later extended to
96:
The double feature originated in the later 1930s. Though the dominant presentation model, consisting of all or some of the following, continued well into the 1940s:
285:
in the mid-1950s to produce and distribute low-budget features. They discovered exhibitors were only interested in buying their pictures as supporting features (a
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received critical acclaim, it was a complete financial flop in the United States. The films were screened individually in international markets and on DVD.
252:
Following the
Supreme Court ruling of 1948, known as the Paramount Consent Decree, the source for the second feature changed. The second feature could be:
173:
Although the double feature put many short comedy producers out of business, it was the primary source of revenue for smaller
Hollywood studios, such as
131:
With the widespread arrival of sound film in
American theaters in 1929, many independent exhibitors began dropping the then-dominant presentation model.
857:
88:. The two operas have since been frequently performed as a double-bill, a pairing referred to in the operatic world colloquially as "Cav and Pag".
249:, still expected a program of two features. In 1948, nearly two-thirds of the movie houses in the United States were advertising double features.
184:
In 1910, double features were banned in France. The ban was lifted in 1953 but with one of the features having to be more than 10 years old.
814:
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films generally feature a short, for example), but the double feature is now effectively extinct in first-run movie theaters in the U.S.
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226:
24:
815:"'Barbenheimer' Fever: Meet the Film Lovers Turning 'Barbie'-'Oppenheimer' Double Features Into the Movie Event of the Year"
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Without block booking, the studios no longer had an incentive to make their own B-features. But audiences at first-run
221:
613:
764:[Movie theatres started screening new Hollywood features under the pretense of "free pre-feature service"].
507:
More recently, double features of re-released popular films hit the big screen. The first was of the re-release of
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While most cinemas have long discontinued the practice of showing the double feature, it has nostalgic appeal. The
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an older feature re-released from firms that specialised in acquiring and re-releasing older films such as
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790:[Russian movie theatres screen films with no distribution certificates. What is happening?].
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762:"Кинотеатры начали показ голливудских новинок под видом «бесплатного предсеансового обслуживания»"
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In the typical 1930s double bill, the screening began with a variety program consisting of
80:
158:), followed by a short interlude. Lastly, the high-budget main feature (the A movie) ran.
8:
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1109:
1007:
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788:"Российские кинотеатры показывают фильмы без прокатного удостоверения. Что происходит?"
634:
576:
463:
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365:, established in 1936, continues the tradition of the double feature to this day. Many
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674:
History of the
American Cinema: American Cinema in the 1940s. Boom and Bust Volume 6
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houses continue to show two films, usually related in some way, back to back.
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231:
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19:
This article is about film programming. For Susan
Stroman's 2004 ballet, see
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Another recent double feature was the Duel
Project, when Japanese directors
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Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom and
Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram
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154:, a cartoon and/or a short film preceding a low-budget second feature (the
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created competing films to be shown and voted on by the premier audience.
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The double feature arose partly because of a studio practice known as "
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in order to replicate the experience of viewing a double feature in a
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in select theaters. In
February 2011, it was announced that the 14th
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theater in Palo Alto, California, presented simultaneous viewings of
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Short films still occasionally precede the feature presentation (
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in select theaters. The next double feature was a re-release of
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204:, Australia has shown double features since its opening in 1936
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608:. Washington, D.C.: Washington National Opera. p. 196.
216:, in which major Hollywood studios required theaters to buy
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on June 29, 2010, shortly before the midnight screening of
568:
In 2023, many theaters began offering double features for
135:
suffered a downturn in business in the early years of the
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393:
519:
that started on
October 2, 2009, before the release of
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a low-budget feature contracted from a smaller studio.
728:'Toy Story' Re-Release Provides Trip Down Memory Lane
220:
along with the more desirable A-movies. In 1948, the
525:the following year. Both films were distributed in
688:"Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants"
806:
1527:
660:"In Praise of the Double Feature" New York Times
328:were re-released together by the main studios.
256:a major studio re-release of an older feature,
851:
630:"French Decree Allows Dualers After 43 Years"
600:
23:. For the American Horror Story season, see
16:Exhibition of two films for the price of one
346:, a loose follow-up by the same directors.
865:
858:
844:
741:"Twilight/New Moon Combo (one-night-only)"
715:The Dark Crystal + Who Framed Roger Rabbit
181:, that specialized in B movie production.
227:United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.
224:decided that the practice was illegal in
407:
191:
84:first staged on 22 December 1893 by the
29:
1528:
685:
403:
839:
812:
112:One or more live-action comedy shorts
25:American Horror Story: Double Feature
492:, a direct-to-video series features
452:as a double feature under the title
91:
690:. Birch Lane Press. pp. 46–47.
606:Washington National Opera 1956–2006
13:
1161:List of American independent films
14:
1557:
338:, and its 1973 stage predecessor
230:, contributing to the end of the
440:released their individual films
170:featuring recurring characters.
1071:Experimental musical instrument
813:Rubin, Rebecca (17 July 2023).
780:
754:
496:which is a double feature, has
283:American International Pictures
36:American International Pictures
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676:University of California Press
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654:
622:
594:
1:
1515:Social peer-to-peer processes
638:. August 26, 1953. p. 15
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336:The Rocky Horror Picture Show
794:(in Russian). August 2, 2022
768:(in Russian). August 1, 2022
458:, edited together with fake
66:
7:
565:(tickets are sold for it).
538:The Twilight Saga: New Moon
10:
1562:
1536:Film and video terminology
544:The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
187:
115:One or more novelty shorts
18:
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1151:American eccentric cinema
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959:Amateur press association
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379:Following the success of
602:Phillips-Matz, Mary Jane
490:Marvel Animated Features
143:pattern of programming.
1141:Cinema of Transgression
700:p. 124 Doherty, Thomas
462:trailers and 1970s-era
392:During the 1990s, many
382:Who Framed Roger Rabbit
21:Double Feature (ballet)
1457:Independent TV station
1386:Independent soft drink
1352:Open-source video game
866:Independent production
702:Teenagers and Teenpics
429:
205:
51:
47:Planet of the Vampires
1437:Visionary environment
1136:Independent animation
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340:The Rocky Horror Show
243:neighborhood theatres
195:
100:One or more live acts
34:A poster advertising
33:
1449:Independent circuit
1279:Open-source software
1178:Guerrilla filmmaking
717:, September 10, 2009
686:Arkoff, Sam (1992).
672:p.78 Schatz, Thomas
432:In 2007, filmmakers
163:neighborhood theatre
81:Cavalleria rusticana
38:' double feature of
1417:Amateur photography
1110:Amateur pornography
1058:Musical instruments
1038:Tracker (MOD) music
404:In the 21st century
881:Alternative comics
792:journal.tinkoff.ru
730:, October 22, 2009
726:Hartford Informer
498:Hulk vs. Wolverine
470:theater. Although
430:
428:on its two screens
326:spaghetti Westerns
275:James H. Nicholson
222:U.S. Supreme Court
206:
52:
41:Die, Monster, Die!
1523:
1522:
1473:Independent media
1365:
1364:
1284:Software cracking
1246:
1245:
1173:Exploitation film
1079:
1078:
1048:Underground music
996:Open-source label
981:Independent music
886:Alternative manga
743:. Box Office Mojo
527:Disney Digital 3D
483:Yukihiko Tsutsumi
460:exploitation film
434:Quentin Tarantino
247:drive-in theatres
92:Origin and format
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1505:
1452:
1289:Unofficial patch
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1146:Independent film
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648:Internet Archive
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580:as part of the "
438:Robert Rodriguez
316:Man with No Name
279:Samuel Z. Arkoff
137:Great Depression
105:animated cartoon
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1546:Sales promotion
1541:History of film
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1223:Low-budget film
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344:Shock Treatment
313:genre, and the
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232:studio system
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212:," a form of
211:
210:block booking
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1478:Indie design
1432:Outsider art
1396:Microbrewery
1339:
1237:
1129:Professional
1105:Amateur film
1025:
1013:Pirate radio
986:Record label
924:
822:. Retrieved
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126:feature film
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1510:Maker Faire
1451:(wrestling)
1391:Homebrewing
1317:development
1312:Indie games
1304:Video games
1294:Warez scene
1203:'80s–
1100:Home movies
1033:Lo-fi music
954:Small press
932:conventions
766:Fontanka.ru
577:Oppenheimer
522:Toy Story 3
516:Toy Story 2
488:One of the
449:Death Proof
419:Oppenheimer
168:film series
1530:Categories
1504:(magazine)
1322:developers
1188:Golden Age
1166:Mumblecore
747:2011-11-22
588:References
563:short film
472:Grindhouse
468:grindhouse
455:Grindhouse
303:James Bond
1487:DIY ethic
1444:Indie RPG
1427:Naïve art
1412:Indie art
1269:Demoscene
1156:Indiewood
1120:Machinima
926:Doujinshi
913:Minicomic
642:March 15,
510:Toy Story
367:repertory
363:Australia
359:Melbourne
355:St. Kilda
307:Matt Helm
202:Melbourne
124:The main
75:Pagliacci
67:Opera use
1422:Mail art
1357:ROM hack
1334:Fan game
1329:Homebrew
1252:Software
1115:Fan film
991:Netlabel
937:printers
901:business
896:Webcomic
798:July 22,
772:July 22,
604:(2006).
532:Twilight
494:Hulk vs.
385:, three
311:superspy
218:B-movies
179:Monogram
175:Republic
152:newsreel
148:trailers
120:newsreel
1466:General
1213:Z movie
1205:present
1183:B movie
1093:Amateur
1043:Podsafe
1008:Station
908:Webtoon
891:Fanzine
873:Reading
824:18 July
819:Variety
635:Variety
549:Pokémon
295:B movie
287:B-movie
281:formed
261:Realart
188:Decline
156:B movie
1494:Doujin
1376:Drinks
1340:Doujin
1026:Doujin
918:Co-ops
612:
571:Barbie
551:movie
464:snipes
425:Barbie
414:duplex
245:, and
1405:Other
1085:Video
1028:music
1003:Radio
969:Audio
942:shops
374:Pixar
214:tying
166:made
78:with
58:is a
1501:Make
1373:Food
1342:soft
1193:'50s
826:2023
800:2023
774:2023
644:2024
610:ISBN
574:and
535:and
513:and
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446:and
436:and
422:and
398:DVDs
319:and
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277:and
263:and
196:The
177:and
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