Movie theater experience
 

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Wow, that sounds like an old movie theater we used to go to when we were kids that smelled like someones stuffy old basement.

Most of the larger towns around here have been either putting up new theaters or rejuvinating their old ones with full dts surround and stadium seating. Some of these are REALLY nice. More space between seats to spread your legs out and reclining chairs with cupholders. With the stadium style seating you never have to worry about some tall guy sitting in front of you and blocking your view.

I would think there would be some nice theaters out there in CA.

I gave up on the cinema experience a long time ago. The last movie I saw in the a cinema was Spirited Away. I had downloaded it out of curiosity and was impressed enough that I wanted to see it in good quality. I went to an 11pm showing at an independent cinema that was showing the original (non-disney) version. As it was an independent cinema there weren't that many ads, but that was the only good part. The sound was distorted, the picture quality was so bad they could have been projecting the same rip I downloaded and the movie was constantly interupted by a large group of kids talking because the couldn't or wouldn't read the subtitles.

I haven't been back to a cinema since. I'd much rather watch movies at home. No ads, no interuptions, no food/drink police. The screen is smaller, but being able to stretch out (I'm a big guy and I need leg room) right in the sweet spot while eating/drinking/smoking as I choose more than makes up for it.

If they'd release the DVDs quicker I'd probably watch more movies. As it is I often seen promos for a movie then forget about it only later to see it shown on TV and remembering I wanted to see that ages ago.

The last several flicks I've been to see have been disasters. Whether it's the dumbass 7'10" redneck who HAS to sit directly in front of me, & WON'T remove his cap, the 5-6 infants who are MANDATED by state law seemingly to be in every theater I attend, & who caterwaul the entire picture, or the endless stream of weenybopper kids who whisper & go in an endless stream back & forth the entire picture...We won't even go into the Oh-dear-God-what's-that-on-the-floor, the broken, dirty seats, the hour of commercials-I'm old enuff to remember when you saw maybe 2 or 3 at most "coming attractions", or the usurous rates Carmike or whomever charges nowadays for us to "enjoy" our entertainment. And the DBX, DTS, XYZ or all that hi-falutin sound system stuff? Half the time it's obviously broken, or at least the 18-yr-old running it has no idea how to work it, so he just cranks it up to ear-bleed levels, so he can go back to bangin' the Popcorn Girl...Grrrrrrr....

Don't know where you guys are at, but around here, there are tons of great theatres around. Not great in the old sense of beautiful plaster work and soaring proscenium arches, but rather stadium seating, large screens and great sound systems. A decently modern theatre is to the best home theatre system what a high end audio system is to and AM radio. There is just no comparison. A 60 inch screen? Big deal, compared to a 60 FOOT screen.
On top of it all, I love the communal experience of viewing a movie. Having 500 people screaming or cheering at the same time elevates it to a different level. You can feel the emotional energy of that packed house. Thats why I love seeing movies on opening night. Last two I saw were Hairspray and the latest Harry Potter (in 3D Imax, no less). Yes, I stood in line for both, but I met some great people there.
The commercials don't bother me. I pay for cable every month, and get hours of commercials, so if 10 minutes of commercials help keep a couple of bucks off the ticket price, I'll loose no sleep over it.

Going to a movie used to be an event. The single screen theaters,were,for the most part, part of the experience.The ornate lobbies,the stairs leading to the balconies,the ushers directing you to your seat. I fondly remember going to a Fox theater both in St. Louis and one here in San Diego.They were absolutely marvelous. Even the popcorn seem to have tasted better.
The modern day multi-plex theaters are catered to the masses. Get the most for the least. Movies are aimed at the young and they will go enmasse, no matter what.Bottom line is to make the most money in the first couple of weeks in the theaters and then aim towards the video market.
The last movie I saw in a theater was Bobby. An early show,during the middle of the week. There were less than 10 people seated and yet I was seated close enough to two women who talked constantly throughout the entire movie and none of their conversation was in regards to the movie. I turned and stared at them a couple of times with that look, but it had no effect. This is so commonplace now.Don't even mention the cell phones.
The theater experience is not what it used to be.

OK, I'll chime in here. I don't care for the theater experience these days either.
The last few times I went, we were herded into a shoe box sized theater (Moo!) where the seats were uncomfortable, the sound was too loud and distorted, and the movie was slightly out of focus. The last time I went, a splice joint broke, and it was about 5 minutes before they fixed it. Throw in the driving across town, the parking hassles, $10 a pop plus munchies, and its just not worth it any more.
But that's just my opinion.
Jack

I don't bother going to first run movies anymore because of all the horror stories you all describe.But for old classic films I used to go to the Bagdag theater in Portland,one of the old classic theaters high domed with a balconey.The owners have taken out every other set of seats and put in long tables.They serve BEER and Pizza and NO KIDS ARE ALLOWED,the movie tickets are 2 bucks.Ahhh micro beers.

So what happened when you asked for your money back?

I've rediscovered going to the movies awhile back. The theaters around here are highly competitive for movier goers. Most are newer or have been completely refurbished. Big wide clean and comfy chairs, clean restrooms, and the sound systems are simply awesome. A lot of have stadium type seating so no matter how big the guys head is in front of you, you'll have an unobstructed view.

Hey Andy,

Try the Century 16 in Mountain View or better yet the new Cupertino Square 16 in the old Valco Shopping Center in Cupertino.

The last movie I went to see was Star Wars. The picture quality was horrible, and the surround sound didn't work. When the dvd came out, I was blown
away. I have 4 free movie tickets sitting on my refrigerator door. Maybe I
will try the new theater that jst opened in the next town over.

Caterwaul-The racket the regulation 4-5 infants that are in every theater I've been in the last several years make. Try to imagine what a 18-month-old would sound like if you liberally daubed his ass w/Turpentine, that would be a good approximation...

You guys definitely need to check out some newer theatres. If any of you find your way up to the Toronto area, I can certainly show you what a real theatre is all about.

Great thread here, I'm soaking up the comments, as a partner/owner of the local theatre I'm able to provide feedback to the partners. Our theatre is from 1945, 200 seats, one 55 watt mono amp attached series parallel to a dozen EV and JBL drivers "by me", for those that have experienced Transformer's this week they're in awe what I've done with a single amp. As much as we want to remodel and do the stadium style seats, liquor and dinner, the customers just love it the way it is, old fashioned charm, they're regulars that come back for every movie and live production we do. Eventually we'll go digital surround but I'm holding back knowing that the celluloid days are numbered once everything goes digital, BTW, going all digital is extremely expensive, hardware and film company licensing. Keep the comments going, I'm taking it all in, Dave. :yes:

SLT

Hell, the problem isn't the picture or sound quality, that's often quite good.

It's the other goddam patrons; chattering as though they're at home, smacking away on nachos and slurping on cokes in 55 gallon drums, putzing around with their cell phones and just acting like assholes in general. A major breakdown in civility and the social contract. And when you try to quiet these self-centered louts they act the aggrieved party.

What shows need is what they used to have---ushers with the authority to shitcan people. If I ran a picture show I'd hire an off-duty copper as an usher, then if anybody gave him any monkey business he could pinch them for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

That's what Jam Productions, a rock promoter I used to work as a bouncer for, used to do; thay always had a couple of off-duty coppers around. People that were thrown out were often arrested as a legal CYA (cover your ass) procedure.

I'd patronize a show that had a policy of keeping people in order. As it is I seldom go out to the pictures anymore.

Tom, Very well put, we tell our adult patrons to notify any of the staff members of any disruptive customers, disruptors get one warning and get thrown out the door with no refund if they don't heed the warning. Seldom does it resort to escorting people out, luckily one warning usually does the job. :bash: :whip:

In the past 15-16 yrs., we have been to the theater maybe 5 times. Each time we go, I remember why we quit going. The ticket prices! The drink and snack prices! People talking! Cell phones ringing! Kids kicking the back of my seat! Sound so loud it distorts! Commercials before the movie! It definitely is not worth it.........

The only movie I can think of, that would get us back into the theater, would be "The Hobbit", when and if it's ever made. The only reason we went to the last two, was because my wife's sisters asked us to go with them, and they bought our tickets. Still cost me $10 for two sodas, and a box of pop corn.
Theater? No thanks!

The fatcat heads of studios wanna know why movie attendance is down? They oughta go to a movie theater out in the heartland, w/all the other Joe Blows, & treat themselves to the Experience that Going To A Movie is nowadays...

Even though I work in the CE industry and can buy anything I want at cost or even less, I would rather see a film (digital or otherwise) in a theater. If the theater is poorly run (dirty, indifferent projection & sound, etc.) I don't go back. If it is well run I'll return again & again. If the patrons are noisy I will get up and go get a manager to deal with it. I applaud you on your efforts. I'd likely be a regular at your theater too. Nothing beats a great movie experience.

Same for the Boston area.

I need to drive an hour for the nearest movie house,,if no GA ST troopers I go an avg of 80mph...that the most enjoyable part of the trip.

I miss the movie experience in Buenos Aires, up until the early 80's when there were still many many old fashioned theatres with ushers and gals selling chocolates in their trays. Double features, and stuff, and you would spent minutes looking at all the architectural details of the dome ceiling and balconies.

I dunno man, but when the goals lead as away from such enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere, something is wrong!

BRING BACK CARTOONS!!! One Looney Tunes - Merrie Melodies per show, maybe Tom and Jerry, after the commercials and coming attractions and right before the feature film. Yeah, fat chance!

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I go to the Legends 14 in KCK their main attraction auditorium has an 84 seat VIP balcony area 21 and over only with a full bar and expanded food selection with seat service. It has oversized leather seats, JBL digital surround sound with 42 speakers and the screen is 4 stories high and 87 feet wide tickets are $16, but no kids allowed I think it's worth it. I saw Harry Potter there 7/13 it was great.

My wife and I enjoy going to see a movie in a theatre. Occasionally, there are problems, however, so far, the bad kinds of things mentioned in by many in this thread have not been issues with us. We find the big screen experience is well worth it.

We pipe all the commercials in through the internet ( Web Ads ), there's about 10 minutes of ads run twice before showtime, if the move has any previews, it's usually one about 3 minutes long and they start right at show time, no 20 minutes of previews here, we run local business ads and upcoming previews. Regarding food and drinks, we try to keep it very reasonable and 90% of the customers feel we do it right, with coupon you get 2 adult tickets, 2 small popcorns and two small sodas all for $12, we get our movies 10 - 14 days after release, great comments, Dave. :yes:

So you don't wanna watch any commercials before the movie? No problems. I am sure the theatre would be happy to charge you $15 for the privilege of
not showing them to you. Do you complain to your cable or satellite company because they show you commercials?

Where I go to the theatre, no one forces me to buy any food or drinks. Up to me to pay what they charge, or not get some.

The reality of the movie exhibition business is that they are effectively a snack bar that shows movies, especially for the first few weeks. The distributor gets the money off the ticket. The theatre gets the money from the popcorn.

I guess I am just curious to know what the experience "should be".

..Oh god, old fashioned watching...What happened? (don't fill in the blanks :D)

I live in Washington DC. We have one really fine theatre left: the Uptown. Balcony seating. Older decor. Semi-curved Cinerama screen still in place, serviced with two (non-platter) Century CCs (35 and 70mm compatible) with 5000W lights on them; full Dolby/DTS sound.
I remember seeing "Alien" there at its premiere in '79, in honest-to-god 70mm....holy cow.

Working as a projectionist in college, I was at what was the other great theatre in town, the KB Cinema. I trained with 'Old Sam' on two of the greatest film projectors ever made, the Norelco 5050s. Built like tanks, handled films like surgeons. Why the heck that place had to become a furniture store, I don't know.

When I ran films they started in focus and stayed that way, and the sound was as it should be.:tresbon:

I do like some of the new 'stadium-style' theatres since they give you the good view and sound, but it's the audience that's just deplorable.
Cell phones have broken down so many barriers as far as what was normal civility that even bringing it up today makes people react as if you are abnormal.

And so, right now I am seriously considering a 70-inch HiDef screen for my home film viewing.

However, I do also have 16mm machines at home (along with prints) for the cravings of real film...:thmbsp:

Best,
C.

Im pretty lucky here in Phoenix.Most of the theatres are either fairly new or renovated for stadium style seating and good sound.I go to a family chain here called Harkins Theatres.They are the best.The best food,the best popcorn,and a great selection of drinks.Whats really best about them,though,are all the discount incentives that keep you coming back to their chain.You buy a cup once at the beginning of the year for 4.25,and you can bring it in to get a refill for $1 for the entire year.You can buy a shirt for $20.Wear it and get a free medium popcorn all year long,too.I can also buy discount movie tickets at my work,for 5.50 each.You can see any movie before 6pm,or any movie thats been out 2 weeks or more after 6pm.
Thats why you see my endless posts about new movies here.For a buck any night,I get a popcorn,a soda,and see a movie I bought tickets for at work.In a state of the art theatre.
Cant beat that.
Jimmy

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This reminds me of a town nearby that that actually setup an outdoor theater in a park and ran kids movies throughout the summer. The last one they played was The Princess Bride. I think they charged like $.50 probably to keep it legal. I thought this was a great idea to get the kids out there out of the house. I never went (no kids) but I always thought it would be cool to get a projector and setup a temporary sound system, turn the yard light off and project it on the side of my barn. Invite all the neighbors and friends and I bet it would be the talk of the town. :yes: Well I live in a small town anyway.

Oh yeah and to top it off Looney Tunes before hand would be a great idea!

Whenever I go to a Pixar animated film(Toy Story,Bugs Life,Cars,etc.)they always have a cartoon before the movie.The one before Ratatouie was priceless.
Jimmy

The Cleveland Metroparks are doing a cool gig in Medina Ohio at Ledge Lake pool, a "dive-in movie" usually preceded with cartoons; Dive-In Ohio

:thmbsp:

I, unfortunately, even though I knew it was a bad idea to go at that hour, saw The Simpsons movie at 11:30PM on a Saturday at the mall theater.

More than a few bastards playing musical chairs. Two of said bastards were in front of us talking on their cell phones, putting their legs up in front of us and other people... Then the best part was the obnoxious idiot somewhere upper right who would repeat, very loudly, every frakkin joke and then laugh really obnoxiously.
Talk to a manager? HA! They wont do anything. Babies crying, people being idiots, they wont do anything and they'll even argue with you over giving you a refund or a ticket to use on any movie. I don't want to get up and miss 5-15 minutes+ when there's an issue.

I went to see The Simpsons Movie again as a manatee the next day at around 3PM, all was well. No issues, very nice.

Lesson learned. Movies are meant to be seen only as a manatee.

Many movies are great once, but again, meh. The Simpsons movie was as funny the second time around, that's a sign of a good movie.

I never saw piece of sh*t commercials on the big screen in the 70's and 80's yet they charged semi reasonable prices. So I can't complain that they have them now cuz I might pay $15?:headscrat
Am I watching cable TV or a movie?:dunno:
I paid to see a movie but I am forced to hear & watch commercials when did this bullsh*t begin?:withstpd:
Theaters here are all now new duplexes with stadium reclining seating for the most part and the visual and audio usually are descent.
It's the general public that ruins it! I only go when I get a free promotional pass or free passes from work. Even then I think twice cuz I know what I am instore for.
Last free movie was 'Resurrecting the Champ'. Fool sitting beside me kept fudging with his piece of sh*t cell phone I kid you not every 2 minutes. It had a brightly lit display which blinded me thru half the movie.Doubt he even got half of what was going on in the movie putz! Can't say anything unless you want some bad looks and backlash to go with that.
People behind my kids and I at 'the Transformers' just had to comment on every scene and never shut up thru the whole film:rant::blah:. No one around will say anything to them or give them the big shoosh! besides me because thats normal to do in society today. Were talking adults too not teenage kids here.
People in general today are just idiots and morons. Don't believe me look at MySpace, YouTube,News and the like and tell me it isn't so. The lack of respect is appauling. So I usually stay at home and watch what I like at the volume I like without yapping assclowns around me checking thier cell phone messages or kicking the back of my chair. I can refill my Coca Cola every 15min. or hit the restroom without having to miss any part. Yeah its only 40" screen with no 16:9 widescreen ratio and the sound is not perfect but damnit its perfect for me!:thmbsp:
There I said it...:yes:

On a side note. After I get home from work today on will go the HT the plasma and the SPEC rig. Then I will sit down with an ice cold Coca Cola:beer:. First up will be some Twisted Sister videos, then K19 the Widowmaker then onto Dungeons & Dragons the movie with semi loud volume.
However there will not be any crying babies:cry:, cell phones ringing and being checked, no one narrating the films, or anyone kicking the back of my couch.
How will I ever enjoy any of it?!:sigh::dunno:

Oh, Mark, I'm sure you could find a couple of Booger-Eatin' Moh-Rons who'd yack away on phones, talk, spill Coke all over yr furniture, & traipse back 'n' forth the whole time....Bonus points if they haven't bathed recently, or have problems w/ Intestinal Gas...or have 2 or 3 loud, obnoxious infants/young crumb-crunchers...

You got that right, probably only have to walk across the street in my neighborhood offer to open my home for a movie night and I would have all that you mentioned maybe more. Should make my movie experience more realistic, thanx! I will scope the neighborhood and see what pickins' there is.:para:

"I, unfortunately, even though I knew it was a bad idea to go at that hour, saw The Simpsons movie at 11:30PM on a Saturday at the mall theater."


What, you go to a see a cartoon picture based on a TV show and wonder why the place is full of knotheads?

You just have to ask yourself this one thing: 'Why do I go to the movies/theater and pay $8.25 to begin with?'

For me its to experience something I can't exactly duplicate at home. That is to be totally cosumed by the movie, big picture wise and big sound wise. I want to feel as if I am a third party watching this all unfold right from the sidelines like I am in the movie itself. To escape from my own reality for 90 to 150 minutes. Is this not what you are paying for or am I off here?

How are you going to experience this with 6'.5" Redneck Bubba in the seat in front of you with hat, the Playa Master P next to you constantly checking cell phone messages or Yapper Yolanda 'I never turn my cell phone off no matter what!' ringing in you ear.
Mother of the Year behind you with three or four ten years olds that are allowed to kick the back of your chair throughout the entire picture regardless of your constant looking back and giving the Mother & child your looks of disgust:mad:. How about Row Rouser Rolondo and his three friends that have to hit the restroom or snack bar every ten minutes constantly entering or exiting your row on your side.
Then theres my favorite Annoying Nat(as in the bug) the Narrator :cool:that feels he is superior to anyone else and wants to show his girlfriend and everyone else around him how witty and intelligent he is by critiqueing out loud every scene with his cinematic expertese.
The Cheap Ass Mom that says'I don't need no baby sitter to go to see a movie' I am used to my child screaming loudy:cry: I just block it out they will be fine in the theater everyone will just have to deal, I mean its a child its not their fault.
Just a few of the many!!
I have been at a few showings were the sound is cranked high. Wouldn't matter whos talking behind you cuz they get drowned out. But this is a very rare occasion. Most of the time I feel the sound is way too low.