Everyone's hailing this news like it actually means something:
If you're a moviegoer who hates sitting through the Fandango sack puppets, coming attractions and Inconsiderate Cell Phone Man, here's some really good news. Loews Cineplex Entertainment will begin advertising movie showtimes with a note saying most movies actually start 10 to 15 minutes later because of all those commercials, public service announcements and previews.
The note will start appearing in newspaper and Internet listings for the theater chain beginning next month, said John McCauley, Loews' senior vice president for marketing. Loews owns 200 theaters nationwide.
I hate "The Twenty" (Regal Cinema's excruciating barrage of ads and NBC program previews) and the fact that my $7.50 still doesn't keep me from having to sit through Toyota commercials as much as everyone, but this is pointless. And here's why:
So Loews thinks its helping matters by encouraging people not to show up until the movie actually starts (in other words, after the lights have already dimmed and during or just after the previews)? Marvelous, I can't wait for the legions of conscientious movie consumers standing in the aisles and squinting into the darkness while muttering to each other, "What about up there?" and, "Is there anybody sitting by her?" or, "Do you mind scooting down?"
Yes, Cletus, I do mind scooting down. See, I got here on time, meaning I get to sit wherever I want. If I choose to have an empty seat between myself and the thyroid case spilling over his armrest two seats over, and all that's left for you and your date are two end seats on the third row, well, try showing up early next time instead of plying the little lady with just one more drink in the hopes of getting some theater gropeage.
I admit, I'm spoiled. Most of the movies I see are press or promo screenings. The latter usually consist of a dozen or so people in the theater, and the only drawback is having to listen to a bunch of Pauline Kael wannabes drone on in industryspeak for 20 minutes. The promo screenings are another matter, as they're usually thrown by a radio station and feature loud and pointless trivia contests beforehand. Generally, I can tune it out, but it's occasionally hard to avoid the shrieking and wild gesticulation of the borderline shut-in behind you trying to get their hands on a crappy undersized t-shirt simply because, hey, it's *free*.
The change was a response to complaints from moviegoers, he said.
Yet, McCauley said he thinks few people will arrive later because of the notice.
"We still think people enjoy coming early, getting their popcorn, finding their seats, talking amongst one another," he said.
It's a legitimate complaint. Hell, when we finally went to see Sin City last month, I almost gnawed through my own foot sitting through "The Twenty" (and I'd even missed half of it because I was standing in line for drinks).
But what McCauley is leaving out is the fact that "talking amongst" ourselves is now "yelling at each other" because the goddamn ads are so loud. A better stance for Loews would've been, "Hey, people are already getting reamed at the box office, why are we forcing them to pay for a slew of annoying commercials and crappy entertainment 'news' segments."
Or if they are going to keep the advertisements, how about charging less than $4 for a Coke?
I admit, I'm spoiled. Most of the movies I see are press or porno screenings.
At least, that's how I read it at first.
I consider the previews to be high comedy. I'll probably never see a Wayans movie, but when I see a trailer of one, I get just enough of the movie to mock it without being exposed to toxic doses. I am in favor of sitting through even excruciating previews just for the martyr value alone.
I consider previews an integral part of the moviegoing experience (meaning "theatrical" previews, not promos for Law and Order: Shoplifitng Squad), which is one more reason showing up late is a bad idea.
Well written, Pete. I always chafe at the late arrivals, and this Loews announcement is only enabling them further. I have long since retreated to the farthest row back because at least there won't be anybody kicking my chair from behind, as it always seems like the late arrivals have a homing device for the seats right behind me - regardless of how empty the rest of the theater is.
Hey Mr. Movie Guy,
Why are popcorns and cokes priced in such an odd way, with a $4-$5 base price for "tiny" and then perhaps four $0.25 increments that take you up to "dump truck with free refills"? I googled for this but was overwhelmed with answers to a related but less interesting question, "why are movie popcorns and cokes so expensive?"
Is it that if we get fatter we'll see more movies?
Base prices are so high because theaters need concession prices to make a profit. As long as they can get you to plunk down the initial $3.50, anything beyond that is gravy.
all i want to know is...where do you live that you are seeing movies for $7.50? here in chitown, it's $9-$10!!
i don't know where i found this blog, but i've linked ya, and i'll be coming back...
So it must be that the item itself basically costs them nothing (since they can give you 4x as much for 1.1x the price). I guess there must be two market segments at work here: me, who just wants a small and will still buy it even at the high price, and someone I shall call the Big Guy, who wants a huge but is not willing to pay a much higher price for it. I am subsidizing Big Guy, dammit! Curse you, Lucky Duckyyyyyy!!!!
Am I the only one who still smuggles concessions into the movies? Pfft. Any Coke that costs $4 or more better have some rum or jack daniels in it.
I am so goddamned fed up with being harangued by money grubbers everywhere I go. My family and I NEVER arrive at the theater at the scheduled start-time for the movie to avoid the commoicials. We have this manuever down to a science and we generally manage to secure comfortable seats away from the scary freak shows scattered around the audience.
Now that Loews has made this an exercise in futility, I guess we'll just have to expand the Netflix queue. Besides, the advertisers will eventually become smart enough to avoid the public's anti-ad manuevers and compensate for them.
I second the Chicagoan's comment. You're complaining about 1996 prices from where I'm standing.
I second the Chicagoan's comment. You're complaining about 1996 prices from where I'm standing.
Sorry Jocelyn (and anonymous), adult prices here in Houston are $7.50 or $8 (Friday and Saturday). It's how they make it up to us for the air quality.
I was wondering why movies in Idaho Falls were more expensive than ones in Houston. Air quality has got to be it.
Best job ever: being a projectionist. Run your own movies late at night, invite a couple of friends, cut out the commercials and booze, lots of booze. Totally free.
The thing that really pisses me off about 'The Twenty' is the commercials for bad horror films or TV series- when I take my kids to the movies for the latest pixar flick I don't like having to shield my 6 yr-old's eyes from the making of segment about the latest crime/thriller/serial killer mini-series that's airing on ABC or Fox, explaining that the scary stuff on the screen is just a bullshit commercial. I get enough of that at home with the fucking networks (we can't even watch primetime with the kids in the room anymore because of all of the scary commercials).
Preview selection can get almost as bad as some of these theaters. I took my son to see Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy last friday night (he's a fan of the BBC show) and they played a trailer for Dark Water. Griffin got really anxious and he had to bury his head in my shoulder, and then promptly got incensed once I told him it was a scary movie about... water. "Water isn't scary! That's stupid"