The Bel Air Circuit, more recently known as the Bel Air Digital Circuit, is an exclusive movie distribution service provided by the main Hollywood studios, offered to a group of movie executives, actors, as well as other wealthy individuals, in and around the greater Los Angeles area in the United States.[1][2]

Named after the affluent area of Bel Air in the city of Los Angeles, where a large number of movie executives live, this Hollywood institution has a long history. It was originally set-up by the movie moguls, including Louis B. Mayer and Daryl Zanuck, to allow them to view and critique new releases in the comfort and privacy of their own homes, but was later expanded into an invite-only exclusive service for wealthy patrons who could not go to regular cinemas for whatever reason, or who could simply afford their own home theatres, so chose to view movies this way.[3][4]

Several of Hollywood's A-listers are known to be on one or more of the various studio lists, including actors Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone et al., film directors Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, et al., producers Peter Guber, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Joel Silver, et al., studio executives and investors Peter Chernin, Harvey Weinstein, Tom Rothman, Stephen Schwarzman, et al., along with others both inside and outside the entertainment industry like Lionel Richie, Rupert Murdoch, Barry Manilow, Prince Saud al-Faisal, et al.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Join the Bel-Air Movie Circuit -- for Just $4,000/Month". The Wrap. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  2. ^ Schuker, Lauren (1 March 2012). "Private Screening Rooms: The Best Seat in the House". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  3. ^ Taylor, Richard (2 July 2011). "Click - 2 July 2011". BBC Click. BBC. Event occurs at 00:14:05. Retrieved 4 August 2011. No instead you'll probably be a member of what's known as the Bel Air Circuit. An exclusive club of a few thousand members, named after this exclusive district of LA. And it means you'd have the Studio contacts, and the money, to have theatrical releases delivered directly to your door. But it's not ideal, even then they'll turn-up with a hard-drive, you'll watch the movie and then they'll deliver it straight back to the Studio where it's under lock and key.
  4. ^ Pang, Jason (Founder, Prima Cinema) (2 July 2011). "Click - 2 July 2011". BBC Click. BBC. Event occurs at 00:15:59. Retrieved 4 August 2011. ...But it made sense, when I said you're doing this now anyway, because you send films to the Bel Air Circuit, and this is a small group of people that rarely ever go to the theatres, for whatever reason. Whether their schedules are too busy or they have a private home theatre...and they just want to watch it at home.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "The Bel Air Screening Circuit – Hollywood's Secret Movie Club". One Little Truffle Hunters. The Daily Truffle. 1 March 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2013.


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