Everyone has their own gripe about going to the movies these days.
Sticky seats. Rowdy patrons. Cell phones blaring.
The new culture site Idea Anaconda captures that malaise. The site’s author hasn’t been to a movie theater in months, and his post explains why.
I sadly agree with his assessment. Plus, the time before a movie starts should be for socializing. You can’t talk during a movie – or at least you’re not supposed to. So those precious few minutes before the movie starts can be time to catchup with friends or even talk about your anticipation for the movie itself.
Instead, it’s often commercial-palooza.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m glad you keep hitting this. I get tired of waiting in the lobby with a $10 bag of popcorn and a soft drink for the commercials to be over.
Between the “Your beliefs s*ck!” message films and the flop house theater ambiance it’s actually an effort to get up and go see a movie these days. I’ve missed more than a few good films because of it.
People have to act, K. Start a petition. Pick a particular movie and simply don’t buy tickets to it. Just pick a flick and announce you’re not gonna see it to protest the state of modern movie going. But do it en masse.
Until that happens, we’re helpless as movie fans.
I think the movie going experience reflects the crudity of the current culture. During my visit to Watchmen, people literally chased out a woman with a 3-year-old who wouldn’t stop crying. Not sure which was worse – that he was at the movie to begin with her, or she sat there while he bawled for 20 minutes while she chewed on popcorn and told him to shut up.
That’s vigilante justice at its finest, JFNW.
I agree with your cultural statement, but do we really have to take it?
Crying babies… this one really gets me hot.
I also HATE text messaging during movies, which happens a lot.
We have started trying to go at off times to avoid crowds, which is a shame, because sometimes it’s really fun to watch a movie with a crowd.
Re: JFNW’s comment, perhaps the vigilante reaction is an indicator of the potential for a private club-like theater environment. In other words, if the theater experience is still valuable (to me, an arguable premise), why not fix it by ensuring that the environment matches the expectations of the ardent and more civilized fans? Clubs exist to allow fans of fine dining to enjoy great, civilized meals. Is food more important than cinema?
In other words, price is still the greatest discriminator, and ten bucks doesn’t buy all that much anymore. Personally (if this matters!) I’m saving up for the nifty-est HD home theater I can get… 42″? 49″? Maybe a different house to fit it in!
RonCo … now, that’s a suggestion. Maybe you pay a yearly fee to belong to a local theater that has a zero tolerance policy on cell phones/talking, etc. Movie lovers would pony up in a heartbeat.
And I just started reading about another HDTV format – LED … it’s more enviro friendly! and more $$$
Christian – Let’s do this! Denver can lead the way, instead of one of the ‘cutting edge’ Coastal cities. No need to own a theater either – let the owner take care of the overhead, and he/ she / it can simply sell access to screening times where all of un-serious trolls and their habits are bounced. Only the Beautiful Fillum People are allowed onto The Scene.
(Anschutz’s theaters have been innovators in digital conversions, off-hour conferencing and private events. Mebbe they’d dig this concept.)
I am loving this idea! I like the idea of being a member of a “private club.” But can we put it in North Denver? Maybe I’ll start one up here in Loveland/Ft. Collins.
It seems to me the only way to insure a pleasent viewing experience would be to get together with a group of like minded movie goers, a club if you will, renting out a screen at a theater. I know one of my local theaters allows you to rent the screens.
Heidi – I think the beauty of this is that you could have a ‘club’ anywhere, since the thing hinges on routinely buying/reserving some of a theater owners capacity ( a screening time or timeslot of an interesting film.)
Actually it hinges on a chains or owners level of interest as well.
I would think that if the concept proves out over the long term, an owner might even want to expand it and help market it, assuming it holds potential as a lucrative twist on these midnight premiers that draw the most ravenous fans for sequels like Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.
I’m going to contact a local chain and some individual theaters to sound them out. It might take a week or two, but I’ll report back here or through Mr. Toto.
I’ve complained and asked for my money back many times. One local theater, it was basically ingrained that teenagers were going to show, flick lighters, play with cell phones and chat up in the middle of the movie. Asking for that ticket money back gets attention.
Nothing says “theater experience” like having two skanks climb over seats to sit next to you and hit on ya’.
RonCo, I would be interested to hear what you find out.
I rented a movie theater in FC (Lyric Cinema & Cafe) for my husband’s birthday party last November. I couldn’t afford the evening rental ($800), so I rented it at midnight ($200). They would show anything movie I wanted, so I picked his favorite Indiana Jones movie. It was very fun, but a midnight show for our group of friends was a little late – not because we were tired, but everyone had been partying all evening!!! It was a fun idea and my husband loved it! I could invite as many people as the theater fit and we had all-we-could-eat free popcorn and soda.
I don’t know if they’d do this private showing for a new release. The theater is an independent art house movie theater.
Keep us posted on the feedback you get in Denver.
Successful models exist here in two ‘Coastal Cities’ – the Senator (albeit w/financial ups and downs) in Baltimore and the Avalon in Washington, DC.
It CAN be done.
Keep plugging, T!
~ Dagnabbitt
All – I will try my best to get some info and feedback beginning tomorrow. Bear with me – I’m working a job that has me in the field all day so it could be hit and miss phone tag for a few days before I connect with the right parties.
Dagnabbit – thanks for the encouragement. Good to know it’s working already!
RonCo … please let us know what you find … I’ll write it up as a fresh post and keep this conversation going.
I know movies aren’t “important” in the grand scheme of things, but they are to me and, I imagine, a lot of other folks, too.
Christian – I have no problem arguing for a place in one’s life for good-to-great entertainment, and that could and does include films. I will definitely post anything I find that could be useful.
BTW – Did you see that ‘Brothers at War’ made it to the Springs last weekend? I also liked James Bowman’s review of it at http://spectator.org/archives/2009/03/27/brothers-at-war. He’s add a broader perspective for me on this and other war reporting.
Good tip, Ronco … I hadn’t noticed “Brothers” Colo. debut … hope it makes its way to Denver.
OK. I’ve focused on chains as opposed to indie art house operations (in Denver, I guess that’s Landmark.) Like Heidi mentioned earlier, I’m not sure that they would/could consistently screen first run, well-hyped features that most of us would be curious about.
I’ve compared info re: private screenings (‘auditorium rentals’) from the web sites of AMC, Harkins and Regal (UA.) I spoke with a rep in UA’s Group Sales/ Private screening group, and it seems like the chains all have very similar if not identical practices:
- Private screenings are just that: a prime evening or matinee screening of first run features. Some features are bound by agreements that prevent the theater from using them in private screenings. Private screenings generally are not packaged as film/ concession packages, although concessions could be worked out with individual theater management. Some chains like UA/ Regal may have to tweak the specific auditorium/ screen that could be used for a private screening, depending on the popularity of a feature and the size of the ‘private’ audience (so, you could view a feature in the 77 seat auditorium at UA’s Greenwood Plaza, if it wasn’t the biggest draw the theater had going – or you may have to rent a 100 – 200 seat aud to view a hit. Kinda confusing, but there’s more clarity below.)
- PSA’a, promo’s, commercials, ad nauseam would not be screened (sez UA/Regal), but previews (trailers) will be part of private screenings, since thay are an integral part of the feature; it’s shipped that way to the theater.
- Arrangements and agreements need to be set up at least 1 week in advance (UA/ Regal again). Faxes seem to be a preferred way to do this part of the business, but UA’s Group Sales team emphasizes use of their 800#. No recurring arrangements can be set up (UA and AMC) – each request is processed the same way, with the same lead time requirement.
- Here’s the money shot: auditorium rentals are based on ticket prices and an administrative fee (UA as the example here.) Matinee tix were quoted at $8 per, evenings $10. The seating capacity is the multiplier, and the administrative fee is fixed at $250.- So, reading from left to right, a feature screened in the evening at the 77 seat Greenwood Plaza with admin fee comes to $1020.- (77 x 10 +250)
- A hypothetical 30 member film club could do 6 of these gigs a year (assuming no price increases, and no overhead on the club’s end) if they regularly collected $17 a month from one another. That means a total of $6120 collected for the year, popcorn and jujubees extra.
- I’m not sure what type of business/ partnership structure a club like this would need, and how that structure would hasten and account for all payments to the theater(s), but that’s another discussion. Maybe Paypal could be used?
Talk amongst yourselves.
One other thing. A 30 member club on its own wouldn’t fill a 77 seat theater, but members could bring guests or family (stripped of their cell phones!)
So, I’m thinking that this has a benefit; those looking to impress a date or reward a spouse or friend could help fill the place, add to the social aspect of it, and ‘reduce’ the cost of their ticket to a price close to what they’d have spent on their guest/date if they’d gone to a general public admission screening.
Maybe that other person digs the concept and joins the club. I’m just sayin’…