BBC News | UK | Britons flock to the flicks

The number of people going to the cinema has reached the highest level for 26 years.

The Cinema Advertising Association says 3.2 million people bought cinema tickets in the first three months of 1998 - nearly a million more than the same period last year.

Titanic, the biggest blockbuster of all time, is believed to account for much of the success.

Critics believe its popularity had a knock-on effect, drawing audiences to other films.

The Editor of Screen Finance, Neil McCartney, said: "There is a lot more emphasis on marketing. All the distributors who release films in the UK spend a lot more on these films than they used to.

early cinema
A return to the glory days
"And they get a lot more publicity. If you look at almost any consumer magazine, an awful lot of it is dedicated to film stars."

In the early days, a trip to the movies was the ultimate night out.

But as the leisure industry took off, videos and satellite television enticed people to stay at home.

Now, multiplex cinemas are pulling in the crowds again.

Whether it is the increasing number of British films, like The Full Monty, or just good old fashioned entertainment, a trip to the cinema is now back in fashion.


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