Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – As if the contrast between high-rise buildings and riverbank slums were not enough to indicate the social gap among Jakartans, different kinds of movie theater across the capital provide more than just favorite flicks.
A crowd slowly began to gather around a cinema building that accommodates two movie theaters, in Senen, Central Jakarta, as the first show time was at 2 p.m.
No women were seen on Saturday in the queue, but here and there some approached, offering escort services. "Here to watch a movie, handsome? Why watch alone? Why not buy me a ticket too so we can watch together?" asked one of the women to a man who was among the first in line when the counter opened.
With a ticket price of Rp 5,000 (59 US cents) for the Mulia Agung upper-floor cinema and a cheaper ticket of Rp 3,000 for the lower-floor Grand cinema, people can watch uncensored, indecent films, as well as those from yesteryear. But not all of the movies screened were bad, as the cinemas have also shown the recent Indonesian pop-teen flick Eiffel ... I'm in Love, Zhang Yimou's critically acclaimed Hero, Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides and From The Queen to The Chief Executive, a movie about a human rights group seeking justice for prisoners during Britain's 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Beijing.
In the darkened auditorium, in various places, couples could be seen whispering and giggling, while others slouched in the worn-out, imitation leather seats, even putting their feet on the back of the seats in front of them.
The distinctive smell of kretek (clove) cigarettes, mixed with the reeking, stale air and smoke blurring the screen, plus the whirring of the exhaust fans, made it almost impossible to enjoy the movie.
And though the cinemas managed to attract an audience of 20 people to each screening that day, a ticket seller acknowledged that business was quite difficult nowadays, even on weekends. "The number of moviegoers is small if we don't have any new movies to screen," he said.
Apparently, it is more the cheap tickets than the movies themselves that attract the audience. "I came here to have some fun – to watch some movies to pass a long Saturday night," said Wawan, from Bekasi, who was watching others playing arcade games in the cinema lobby as they waited for their movie to start.
"Why should I spend more than Rp 20,000 on one movie? I barely have enough to watch movies once a week at this cinema," he said, referring to the nearby cinema in Atrium Plaza, which sells tickets at Rp 22,500.
For some Jakartans, paying even more than that is no big deal, as can be seen from the large number of moviegoers at the flashy Studio XXI cinema at Plaza Indonesia Entertainment Xenter (EX), Central Jakarta, on a Saturday night, although the building is still under construction.
The Studio XXI, like the Senayan Premiere 21 and Pasaraya Grande MPX Boutique Theater, both in South Jakarta, is the newest cinema of its kind in town, providing premium services for moviegoers, at a premium price.
"I think paying Rp 60,000 per person is fair, considering the value-added, movie-watching experience we receive," said Ivan, a student living in Menteng, Central Jakarta, who was watching Mona Lisa Smile with his girlfriend.
By paying Rp 60,000 per ticket, the audience can enjoy suede-covered upholstered seats with wide armrests, equipped with cup holders, and state-of-the-art screening and digital stereo audio technologies, after sampling the delights of the cinema's luxurious lobby – equipped with a cafe – similar to that of a five-star hotel.
Meanwhile, for Rp 125,000, moviegoers may enjoy even more: fully reclining individual seats, with coffee tables at the sides to place drinks, including a fine selection of wine, plus premier movies as a bonus. These "boutique" cinemas have inevitably created a new market segment in city moviegoers.
"I prefer going to such cinemas because they are much less crowded than regular cinemas," said Rommy, a young professional from Kemang, South Jakarta, who was checking out the new cinema with his friends that night.
In comparing these "boutique" cinemas with the one in Senen, one could not possibly avoid noticing the stark contrast between the two – for the city's cinemas now reflect the social gap that exists between its citizens.