Restoring luster to the silver screen

[papibear]

From The Christian Science Monitor Blog -

Posted March 09, 2006
Restoring luster to the silver screen
By Weekend staff

Last week we posed this question to our readers: How would you fix the theater-going experience? Boy, did we get an earful.

The background: For three years in a row, movie attendance has dropped, last year by nearly 9 percent. While some of this can be attributed to poor films (we'll save that topic for another day) and the rabbit-like proliferation of Netflix, going to the cinema these days feels like a sequel to "Scary Movie": Ticket and concession prices are sky high, talking during the movies has hit new decibel levels, and finding a seat on opening night is like negotiating a rugby scrum. Even the Monitor's movie critic agrees.

Next week, our entertainment writer, Gloria Goodale, will be attending ShoWest, the annual meeting of US theater owners. We thought it would be enlightening to bring them your comments/questions/suggestions to see how they might improve things. (Hire bouncers to eject the chatterboxes?) Here is some of what you had to say. We'll let you know the owners' responses in a future Monitor story.

The best thing that theater-owners can do is to take back control of their theaters. As it is, managers make little or no effort anymore to control the behavior of the audiences - which means that the movie-going experience deteriorates more every year. Cellphone use during the movie, yelling, talking, screaming infants, and out-of-control teens (and sometimes all of these at once in the same theater!) should not be tolerated. I used to go to the movies one to three times per week. In the past two years that has dwindled to once every couple of months. I can enjoy films far more if I just wait a couple of months until the DVD release and watch them on my big screen in peace.
– Susan Umpleby, Ontario, Calif.

How about these:

1. During the previews, enable voting. Show all possible previews and let viewers choose what looks interesting. Voting could take place by cellphone or special phones inside the theater.
2. Sell an appetizing dinner. Ask fast-food vendors to establish satellite stores in your foyer. Set up tables and chairs, or counters and chairs, and allow folks to enter 20 minutes before the show starts so they can finish eating during the previews and then settle back to enjoy the movie.
3. Alternatively, for those theaters in malls or near good restaurants, simply charge folks a low import tax to bring food in.
4. Provide mandatory courtesy training for all employees.
5. Make theaters available for private screenings of any movie during slack times. Allow smaller or local filmmakers the opportunity to screen their latest work during a slack time. Help them promote the showing.
6. Host a film-lovers club. Give them a theater to meet in monthly.
– Nathan Smith, Komono, Japan

Some ideas from the top of my head:

1. Family Night: Parent(s) pay full and kids pay $1.00 up to a set number.
2. Couples night: Buy one full-price ticket, second is 1/2 price.
3. Grandparent/seniors special: Bring two or more paying kids and grandparents get in free.
4. Group night: Groups of seven or more pay 1/2-price.
– Jim Dilling, Pennsylvania

I have to bring ear plugs to get through the previews and trailers before the feature. I have had people tell me they don't attend movies any more because of the volume.
– Elizabeth Tang, Anaheim, Calif.

More self-service ticket machines, open when the regular box office isn't. Give a discount for using them instead of the live vendor, or for buying well in advance. Make the tickets available more in advance, for that matter.
– Manny Olds, Silver Springs, Md.

1. Remove commercials from the beginning of the movies. I'm already paying a high price to get into the movie and completely insane prices for the snacks and pop. For what reason do they need to put in commercials?
2. Cellphone jammers.
3. Assigned seating.
– Derek, Canada

As digital movie distribution continues to make progress, the ability to manage the number of screens in a theater complex becomes easier. Local management of complexes should be allowed to adjust the number of screens and times showing well-attended films vs. declining films or special-interest films.
– Arthur Knadler, Santa Ana, Calif.

Bring back the old "double billing. Just think of showing the original Boris Karloff Frankenstein before a modern version. (Slight intermission between, of course.) Plus this could generate additional income for the studios and the theater if the old movie was sold on DVD in the lobby after the show.
– Stan Wood, Norfolk, Va.

The projection quality control is very poor. Put more money into projection quality, both image and sound.
- Scott McGraw, Centerville, Mass.

Theaters should go upscale to justify the soaring price of tickets. They should consider offering more options at the concession stands - items like cappuccino, pizza, brats, burgers, gourmet popcorn (like caramel and cinnamon), ice cream, etc. They should go back to having ushers who patrol the aisles and boot out raucous children or patrons immediately.
- Cindy Sheltmire

Sell something besides grease and sugar at the concession stand. Plain club soda, oil-free popcorn, candy without hardened oils would be a good start. Teach customer-service skills to the staff. How about a simple "thank you" at the sales counter? Routine maintenance. Fix the seats that are broken. Wash the restrooms occasionally. Stock paper towels.
- Kevin O'Brien, New Castle, Colo.

Why must quality movies run on one screen and for such a brief amount of time? The adult, college-educated professional with a spouse and two kids that would like see these films cannot just drop everything and head off to the cinema. I understand that these movies don't draw the revenue of yet another "American Pie," but the industry is growing an entire generation of mothers and fathers who, in turn, will teach their children that the movies are not a place to spend their time or money. Give theaters incentives to block out one or two screens on a slow night, like a Tuesday, and run "grown-up" films that are still showing in the cities.
- Chris Pons, Kingston, Penn.

Start the movie on time. If it's 7:30 let it be 7:30 and not the time that you start running 10 minutes of commercials before the feature starts. Become a place again where a men, women, kids and family will want to go and stay the day instead of feeling like a herd of cattle being fed on one movie and then herd them out after it is over.
- Jomo Uhuru-Adafo, Nashville, Tenn.

When I was younger my family frequented two theaters. One had matinee prices on Monday nights, one had matinee prices on Tuesday nights. We definitely utilized them, and I still would if that were an option, because I just can't afford as many movies as I would like right now.
– Chelsea Kearns, Seattle, Wash.

Instead of competing with NetFlix, TV, the Internet, and video games, which tend to be solitary or family experiences, theaters should target schools, community groups, and local companies that want to see special screenings. Attendees should be able to book screen times and seating by Internet or cellphones. Make theaters more of a social place celebrating holidays, rites of passage and big events.
- Sheridan Tatsuno, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Theaters could increase attendance by adding childcare facilities at the larger complexes.
– Mirth White, Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

Perhaps movies should offer the salon atmosphere where you could sit relax and talk about the film you saw or will see. Have a lingering atmosphere. A gathering place for coffee and dessert after the show. More of an exchange atmosphere.
– Barbara, Port Washington, N.Y.

Stephen Humphries and David S. Hauck

I like some of these suggestions and I agree that the onus is largely upon theater owners to increase moviegoing attendance, not the studios (granted, independent theater owners have a bit more leeway than the chains might, but I doubt that the chain corporate headquarters would be against anything that increased business). Naturally the studios and distribution companies shouldn't be getting in the way of the theater owners' ability to increase business (which they often tend to do since they still want to monopolize the entire experience like they once did) and should instead be working in conjunction with theater owners for mutual benefit.

Anyone else have any suggestions that could make theatergoing more enjoyable?

[reapersaurus]

Ya - for the most part, my experience is nothing like what this article describes.
I think it's fashionable nowadays to complain about movie experiences, when the reality is - it was even worse a decade ago, and 2 decades ago (in my experience).

I guess many people just have a huge group of shitty theaters to choose from...?
Where I live, there are 1, 2, or 3 theaters that I know will not be jammed to the gills (because I'm not silly enough to try and go opening weekend and then comp,ain about the crowds) and won't have people making tons of noise in a movie, and are convenient enough and have great picture and sound.

If your local theater is not giving you a worthwhile experience, simply find one that will, and DON'T GO ON OPENING WEEKEND!
What are these people - sheep, that need to see the newest movie out?
They only have my sympathy if they have travelled around a bit, and STILL can't find a good quality theater.

[papibear]

Originally Posted by reapersaurus

Ya - for the most part, my experience is nothing like what this article describes.
I think it's fashionable nowadays to complain about movie experiences, when the reality is - it was even worse a decade ago, and 2 decades ago (in my experience).

I guess many people just have a huge group of shitty theaters to choose from...?
Where I live, there are 1, 2, or 3 theaters that I know will not be jammed to the gills (because I'm not silly enough to try and go opening weekend and then comp,ain about the crowds) and won't have people making tons of noise in a movie, and are convenient enough and have great picture and sound.

If your local theater is not giving you a worthwhile experience, simply find one that will, and DON'T GO ON OPENING WEEKEND!
What are these people - sheep, that need to see the newest movie out?
They only have my sympathy if they have travelled around a bit, and STILL can't find a good quality theater.

OK, and so do you have any suggestions for theater owners that might make moviegoing more enjoyable?

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by papibear

OK, and so do you have any suggestions for theater owners that might make moviegoing more enjoyable?

I honestly don't know the answer to this. For me, and again...for ME, the movie going experience is long gone. The last film I saw was Batman Begins and while it was a failry decent experience, I am much more happy with the home experience after buying the dvd.

I'm not saying my HT is better than the theater performance wise, but I am saying I prefer to watch stuff at home now that I've got my own HT.

I'm very honest when I say this, I like the fact I can watch a film where I can:

1) Have NO annoying conversations/comments heard.
2) Pause the film if I need to take a pee.
3) Hit the rewind if I think I may have missed something.
4) Hit the rewind if I want to see Hale Berry's tits again .
5) Pause the film to make popcorn that not only tastes better but doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.
6) Have a nice ice cold beer.

There are more reasons I'm sure......but for now.....

[plissken99]

I have one, that I think may be stroke of brilliance. Have a 1-5 star rating system for theaters, like Hotels have. Make them have to do a certain amount of stuff to attain the 5 star rating, that would justify the ticket costs, and it would be easy to know the good theaers from the crap holes, which often masquerade as big fancy looking theaters.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by plissken99

I have one, that I think may be stroke of brilliance. Have a 1-5 star rating system for theaters, like Hotels have. Make them have to do a certain amount of stuff to attain the 5 star rating, that would justify the ticket costs, and it would be easy to know the good theaers from the crap holes, which often masquerade as big fancy looking theaters.

Equating Hotels to Theaters is not a good analogy my friend.

However, I will give you a brilliance reward!

[reapersaurus]

Originally Posted by papibear

OK, and so do you have any suggestions for theater owners that might make moviegoing more enjoyable?

Ya - they should go to everyone's house and steal everyone's sweet-ass Home Theaters, so people don't have a very solid projection experience to compare with.
And while they're at it, they should have all the makers of residential projection equipment stop selling their product, or at least make it so un-affordable that people are forced to come to the movie houses for a projection experience.

Until that happens, people with HT's will probably go to the movies less than if they didn't have HT's. When someone spends that much money, they simply have to justify it by watching movies at home, and that makes sense (and cents).

Really the only thing that theater owners can fairly easily do is give their employees more expecations and support to deal with unruly audience members. That is the one place where they alone have the social ability to ask a disruptive person to change their behavior, or else leave.
It goes WAY back to the days of the usher, going up and down the aisle with a flashlight. Not that much money, in the big scheme, and really easy to implement.
I've already begun seeing more of an employee presence IN the theaters when the movie is running lately, on the look-out for disruptive people.

[plissken99]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Equating Hotels to Theaters is not a good analogy my friend.

However, I will give you a brilliance reward!

No it really is. Because there is no set of standards you can impose on every theater owner. If you have a 5 star rating system, it encourages them to have the 4 or 5 star rating, so as to attract more people to it, just as hotels do.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by plissken99

No it really is. Because there is no set of standards you can impose on every theater owner. If you have a 5 star rating system, it encourages them to have the 4 or 5 star rating, so as to attract more people to it, just as hotels do.

Hmmm, I see your point now. Perhaps this is a good idea. At the time of my response I was thinking more of the amount of time spent in a Hotel vs. a Theater and thus didn't think the analogy was that good.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by reapersaurus

Ya - for the most part, my experience is nothing like what this article describes.
I think it's fashionable nowadays to complain about movie experiences, when the reality is - it was even worse a decade ago, and 2 decades ago (in my experience).

I live in a good size city and we have 15 or so theatres in a 50 mile radius. We have one art theatre that rocks, but it makes very little money, so the sound and picture are not very good. All of our other theatres are big multiplexes and they are truly insufferable. I try to go during the day or very late at night, because the crowds are everything you hear about: Loud, obnoxious, cell phone-users with kids screaming and the sound is either too loud or too low and I always need to get up and ask them to FOCUS!!!!!


My ideas for a better movie going experience for the multiplexes:

1. Have fewer seats with wider aisles so people don’t feel so cramped and tramped. Have two armrests for each seat and have the very front row be at least 50 feet back from the screen. In some theatres the very front row seems only to exist to kill epileptics.

2. Have Ushers in the theatre at all times. Have them wave their flashlights at talkers, cell phone-users, etc. Have a 3 strike system for trouble makers. After a while, people will learn.


3. Have pride in film. When you show a film on a dirty projector with a bad bulb and do not focus the screen or adjust the audio, to me, it’s like putting the Mona Lisa in a frame from Wal-Mart. Theatre owners need to remember that film is an art form and should be treated with respect.

4. This one is a fantasy, but cut the damn ads before the film and raise ticket and concession prices. Put up signs if you have to that state that the theatre is doing this to improve your experience. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d pay more for a film if the above ideas were put into action.

I have loved film since I was 1. Part of the reason I got into HT was the decline of theatres. The theatre used to be my church; I lived there. It truly pains me when I see people disrespecting the experience by talking, letting their spawn run wild, etc. I know there are some theatres in LA and NY tat employ some of what I have above, but I think all theatres need a major overhaul if they wish to save the movie going experience. Until I’m rich enough to have a real sized theatre, there will never be an HT that is comparable to a true movie experience.

-PH

[SilentBob]

Well i shall give my opinion from a theater worker and film viewer.

1. Less ads on screen would be great. More and more theaters are upgrading thise old slide projectors to digital projectors for the movie going audience to enjoy their trvia tracks. So why not increase your ads then when people have nothing else to do. Currently mine only runs 2 ads but it changes form week tot week but have noticed less being added with the new company that bought us and newer digital projector sthat fill mor eof the screen.

2. The audience should respect the movie. Ok nothing really for the movie theater itself but more for the people in the audience. You want to complain about someone then come find an usher or manager (we're everywhere) At my theater WE LOVE TO BOOT PEOPLE. Hell i even spy from my booth window and nail some trouble makers during and before the movie begins.

3. Cheapie Tuesday night and matinee pricing. My theater use to have this until about a year ago when we went $9.95 for all shows (were at $13.95 for adult tickets at night) This canceled out the special Tuesday night and matinee show pricing we had. We were bought out a few months ago and now stand at $10.95 a show. Don't know about teh states if that it happeneing with any chains there.

4. Rewards System. I think as a sign of respect the audience should be rewarded for their respect of the cinema with a free movie now and then. A simply card with a bar code to be scanned everytime you see a movie. BlockBuster has a rewards plan where you rent 6 movies a month and you get a free rental on the house. Why not for the movies.

[papibear]

I never understood the on-screen movie trivia thing. As I was growing up, most theaters actually had curtains that were kept closed between shows, and soft music was played through the sound system (usually piano or classic pop tunes, once in a while some enterprising manager would actually have film scores playing; when The Empire Strikes Back first came out one theater blasted the Meco Star Wars album between screenings, which was a fun change of pace and helped get everyone excited). It was always very magical to watch that curtain rise or part as the lights dimmed and the first images flickered onto the screen. Nowadays everyone "gets" to walk into a big naked white screen that suddenly jars to life with explosions and farts, or has this constant lame-o "trivia" thing going on (quick, who played Han Solo in "Star Wars"? Duhhhhh......lemme see....). Blech. No showmanship. No charm. No magic. Just pure mediocrity, insults to my intelligence, and crass hucksterism.

As far as ads, the only ads I was ever conscious of didn't start happening until maybe the late 80s, and those were usually just quick movie-related ads for the L.A. Times' Calendar section, and that was it. Possibly a reminder to shut up and/or report any problems to the theater staff (cell phones weren't an issue then, but even now I'm seeing "turn off the frickin' cell phone" ads at AMC theaters). Then, 2, 3, maybe 4 trailers at most (not 8 or 10), and the movie. Once in a very great while there'd be a short subject like a cartoon before the main show, but it'd be advertised, so it was expected.

If a theater offered:

1. closed curtain between shows, no slide ads, no trivia crap, and play some music (preferably film scores) over the sound system
2. little or no national, regional, or local advertising (unless it's a PSA or movie-related)
3. less trailers
4. a cartoon before every movie (Disney, MGM, Warner Bros.)
5. an occasional short subject (Three Stooges, Little Rascals, Laurel & Hardy, HBO First Look-type "in production" featurettes, etc.)
6. double features
7. finely attired ushers who know what ushering means and do it well
8. reasonably priced concessions (when it costs you $0.14 to make a large popcorn, it shouldn't cost me $5.00 to buy it from you)

I would eagerly pay $15 for a ticket to that theater.

Show me you love the movies and your potential customers, and I'll show you I love your theater.

(I'd also love to see all-night theaters make a comeback, at least in major cities. What could be cooler than going to a 3 am show after the clubs and bars close?)

[reapersaurus]

I'm so glad there's a good theater (or 2 or 3) around me.

I'm surprised SO many theaters are clueless around you guys, since they could probably make scads of money in this competetive environment if they simply did easy things to differentiate themselves from the other theaters, and would get more business.

It's not brain surgery, or difficult to guess what patrons want in a movie theater. Screaming kids and people talking during the movie would be 2 things. No commercials are another. One theater around here has already had the reaction to put up a slide "There are no commercials played before our movies, because people don't like them."

How come your guys' theaters are so non-responsive to public desires?
When they can make $$$ by satisfying those demands, it makes no cents?

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by reapersaurus

How come your guys' theaters are so non-responsive to public desires?
When they can make $$$ by satisfying those demands, it makes no cents?

I honestly don't know. I have, on several occasions, complained about the ads, cell phones, talking, etc and nothing is ever done. I wrote a letter to Regal and Carmike about a year ago and was sent a free movie pass from both with a thank you for your concern letter.

The theatres are eating their own tails with these policies.

-PH

[papibear]

Oh my God, are they actually listening????

Strong Film Lineup Has Theaters Bullish

By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer
Tue Mar 14, 4:20 PM ET

Theater operators who have felt the pinch of a lingering decline in movie business have a ready solution to turn things around: Studios need to make better films.

Last year's 8 percent downturn in movie attendance was a wakeup call that Hollywood cannot rely on tired film formulas amid consumer-technology leaps that offer people more choices on how to spend their money and free time, said guests here at ShoWest, an annual convention of theater owners.

"You take movies like `The Island' and `Stealth,'" said theater owner Ken Hill, referring to two of last summer's high-profile action flops. "People stayed away in record numbers.

"I told my wife somebody could have driven a car into my theater and not hit anybody," said Hill, whose family runs Trinity Theatre in Weaverville, Calif. "When you have a well-crafted, entertaining film that people will want to see, they will come out in record numbers."

Slumping attendance has come with dire predictions that filmgoers were abandoning cinemas in favor of watching DVDs on big-screen home-theater systems or other entertainment options such as video games and portable movie devices.

Yet the industry struck a positive attitude during opening speeches Tuesday at ShoWest, which studios use as a pep rally to fire up theater managers for the busy summer movie season.

The Motion Picture Association of America, the key trade outfit for top studios, is researching movie-goers' habits and attitudes to determine what steps should be taken to keep them coming to theaters, said Dan Glickman, the group's chief.

Ideas under consideration include offering electronic movie tickets over cell phones, incentives for repeat customers and general advertising to promote the cinema business, Glickman said.

"I'm someone who believes the only way to see a movie is in a big theater, on a big screen, with a big bag of popcorn," Glickman told theater owners.

John Fithian, who heads the National Association of Theatre Owners, said his group is looking into ways to cut down on theater hassles. Among them are making pre-show advertising less of an irritant to viewers and curbing rude behavior among audiences, which could include blocking cellular signals to keep people from talking on their phones during movies, he said.

ShoWest organizers said the best way to promote theater business is the movies themselves, and the convention offered highlights of potential blockbusters in the making, including two scenes from Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible III," due out May 5.

Studios also were presenting advance screenings of two of summer's key animated flicks, the talking-auto comedy "Cars," from Disney-Pixar ("Finding Nemo," the "Toy Story" movies) and the animal adventure "Over the Hedge," from DreamWorks (the "Shrek" films, "Madagascar").

Stars and filmmakers of big 2006 movies were being honored at the convention's awards ceremony Thursday, including Natalie Portman of the action tale "V for Vendetta," which opens Friday; Hugh Jackman of "X-Men 3"; "Cars" director John Lasseter; Dakota Fanning of "Charlotte's Web"; Vince Vaughn of last summer's surprise comedy smash "Wedding Crashers," who co-stars with Jennifer Aniston in the romance "The Break-Up"; and Brandon Routh, an unknown who snagged the title role in "Superman Returns."

Joe Masher — general manager of Bow Tie Cinemas, which runs two theaters in Connecticut and Colorado and is opening three more on the East Coast — said the lineup this summer looks as though it could make up for a generally lackluster movie slate in 2005.

"Once the product improves, moviegoing will come back," Masher said. "Moviegoing's a habit. People want to get out of their house and go to the theater. There's nothing like sharing the experience of watching the film on the big screen."

Theaters did solid business the last few months of 2005 and into the opening weeks of 2006, but revenues have trailed off again the past month, with attendance flat so far this year compared to last.

Hollywood went through a similar downturn in the mid-1980s, with critics predicting videotape rentals would kill off cinemas. Yet movie attendance climbed through the 1990s, reaching its highest levels since the late 1950s.

The number of tickets sold slipped to 1.4 billion last year, the lowest since the late 1990s but still among the best sales Hollywood has had in the last four decades.

"I'll tell you what I really think about the box-office decline," said Trinity Theatre owner Hill. "I'm so alarmed by it that I am building a brand-new 11-screen cinema.

"Obviously, I believe in the future of the product," said Hill, whose new multiplex will be in Anderson, Calif., about 10 miles from his Weaverville theater. "As everyone in the business will tell you, the business is cyclical. It has its ups and downs, and I don't think it's as bad as it was in the '80s. You can't complain that it's down now, because business is still good."

[Pirate]

That would rule! I’m a regular at most theatres in my area. Even though the theatre experience pisses me off a lot of the times, I still love going to the theatre and would hate to see it die. I hope this actually happens.

-PH

[Pirate]

Yahoo has got more on this here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060315/...ellphones_dc_3

-PH

[Chris Knight]

Why the need to jam cell phone. They just need to enforce the "no cell phone use" rule. If you are caught on the cell phone during a movie, you are out of there.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by Chris Knight

Why the need to jam cell phone. They just need to enforce the "no cell phone use" rule. If you are caught on the cell phone during a movie, you are out of there.

When was the last time you saw an attentive usher actually in the theater for the duration of the show? A cell phone blocker would simply make the issue a snap. The theater could even advertise the fact that it blocks cell phone signals, so people who hate them could see a movie in peace, and people who can't go for two measly hours without can avoid them.

[plissken99]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

When was the last time you saw an attentive usher actually in the theater for the duration of the show? A cell phone blocker would simply make the issue a snap. The theater could even advertise the fact that it blocks cell phone signals, so people who hate them could see a movie in peace, and people who can't go for two measly hours without can avoid them.

Exactly, people are animals and have no consideration for others, you have to jam their signals.

[Chris Knight]

That article made it seem like they have to go through a lot of legal issues and red tape to even get that off the ground.

Just because ushers don't patrol the theaters doesn't mean that they shouldn't. When I was an usher, my boss was always on my ass to walk the theaters. I realize that times have changed in 16 years, but as long as theaters are making changes they should start with propper training of their staff. It seems that the only thing these "kids" are trained to do is to push me to upgrade my food purchase to the Ultra-Super-Happy-Combo.

I agree, people do have no consideration for others. But if the theater gets a reputation for kicking people out for such things, maybe that will help curb it.

[tomdkat]

Reduce ticket prices to $5 for adults, $1 for kids 10 and under and people will go to the theater in droves.

Peace...