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First XXI cineplex closes after 10 years
The pioneering Studio XXI cinema complex located at the Plaza Indonesia Entertainment Xânter (EX) in Central Jakarta closed its doors on Monday after entertaining moviegoers for 10 years
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he pioneering Studio XXI cinema complex located at the Plaza Indonesia Entertainment X'nter (EX) in Central Jakarta closed its doors on Monday after entertaining moviegoers for 10 years.
Even though students are still on break, only a few were in line for tickets on its last day, while a handful of others were playing a racing game in its arcade.
'Too bad, this is my favorite cinema in town,' Hardian Jaya, 30, said on Monday. He said he had no idea that the cinema was going to be closed as he had not seen any signs announcing it.
For him, the cinema had its own significance as the place he went to watch movies when he was a student.
'I will miss this place, especially its very comfortable seats,' he said.
Michael O'Neil, another visitor, said he knew that it was the last day for the studio because a friend had told him.
He added that the shutdown would not inconvenience him because there were plenty of other cinemas around town, including the one in Plaza Indonesia, the high-end shopping mall connected to EX Plaza.
'I heard that it would be shut down but I am not really concerned about that. I will just go to other malls nearby,' said Michael, who was going to watch Transformers: Age of Extinction with his friend.
Established in January 2004 as the first Studio XXI run by Cinema 21, the cineplex had four deluxe theaters and two premiere theaters with
ticket prices ranging from Rp 50,000 to Rp 75,000 (US$4.20'$6.30).
It was Cinema 21's first cineplex with the XXI format, which offers a more premium cinema experience. Studio XXI has more comfortable seating, THX sound and cafes and lounges.
Catherine Keng, corporate secretary for 21 Cinema, said that the closing of the Studio XXI Plaza EX was done to accommodate the planned renovation of the retail center.
'It was the management of Plaza EX that decided to renovate the shopping mall. So it is not our decision to shut the theater down,' she said.
She added that more Studio XXI complexes were emerging in major cities each year. Currently, there are 142 Studio XXI cineplexes with a total of 734 screens throughout the country.
'I do not know yet whether we can establish a new cinema in Plaza EX after it is renovated, but for now the Studio XXI there is closed,' she said. (idb)
