I swear I'm never going to the movies again(cept maybe Imax)

[plissken99]

I hate to start another movie bashing thread, but since I just had a clinching experience today, and I can't find other such threads, here goes.

I went to go see X-Men 3 today, Monday and a 12:30 showing to avoid crowds. This was the first time I'd felt compelled to see something theatrically since Serenity, so more than half a year(amazing, since at one time I was seeing 3 movies every weekend). It was me, a quiet couple a few seats from me, a middle aged woman above me, and... four giggly teenage girls towards the top, I knew this was going to be bad at that moment.

As the previews starting rolling, their giggling increased, and then, to my utter amazement, two of them actually fucking had laser pointers! Well the time for the movie to start was growing close, and their use of the pointers got more frequent. So I did something I've never done(having seen maybe hundreds of movies at the theater), I stood up, turned around and just stared at them until they put the pointers away.

I think I look pretty intimidating as I'm growing a full beard, so that solved that, barely heard a peep out of them after that, guess I'm getting grumpy in my old age. So the movie starts... and the lights didn't get any dimmer than they were for the commercials. I would have gotten up to comlain, but I didn't want to miss any of the movie, so I lived with destroyed black levels. I shit you not, the lights got dim as the end credits came up! Probably the first time that goober in the booth even noticed.

That, and audio was not loud enough to suite me, but I've heard worse at the theater, plus compared to my system it sounded hollow, shrill and bassless. And the PQ was not good. I don't know what the deal was, but it grainy, and several shots appeared out of focus. All that from a THX certified theater .

Far as I'm concerned, bring on the simultanous DVD and theatrical releases! People are a bunch of animals, if 7 other people people in the theater is all it takes to spoil an experience, then to hell with it. DVD is excellent, and with the recent HD-DVD releases, I'm even less inclined to see films theatrically. The only other movie I plan to see this year at the theaters is Superman at the Imax, never have people issues there, and the system is almost as good as mine.

[gachamann]

Sorry to hear about that, Plisk. I had the same type of experience when I watched Fellowship of the Ring the first time. A mom had two little kids like 3 seats down, and the kids kept making a ton of noise and jumped up and down on hard plastic form candy on the floor. I finally asked her to quiet them down in a pretty harsh tone, but by that point I had already missed key scenes, like hearing what Galadriel told Frodo when she turned into the Dark Queen.

Nothing still beats the big screen experience for me, but I wouldn't be opposed at all to the simultaneous DVD release, either.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by plissken99

All that from a THX certified theater .

Report them.

Peace...

[MooglePorn]

I see about 5 movies a year in the theatre now. Mostly for the reasons you stated, but also because there's just not that many great movies I feel the NEED to see.

I went all the way from Harry Potter 4 to Mission: Impossible 3, and both of those I went to for free.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I see about 5 movies a year in the theatre now. Mostly for the reasons you stated, but also because there's just not that many great movies I feel the NEED to see.

You mean that pack of giggling girls with laser pointers hangs out at your theater too?

Peace...

[ganthc]

As much as there is an annoyance factor, there has ALWAYS been disturbances in a movie theater since I have gone to the movies. You learn to tune some of it out. There are new ones, like people texting during the movie and their bright phone screens are right in front of you. But really, the giggling teeny boppers, and the crying/noisy kids have been around forever.

And Hollywood has put out some crappy movies too. I used to go and see them regardless, especially horror films, because I enjoy them.

For me, it's the cost of the movie. The value of a theater ticket has plummeted in my opinion. For $6 an evening, I would probably see 16 times the movies I see now (which averages 4 a year). It's just not worth it for me to spend $10 to see something, unless I really can't wait for dvd. For example, here are the films Hollywood is missing out on me not seeing so far this year:

Silent Hill, The Hills Have Eyes, Hostel, Thank You for Smoking, Poseiden, The Davinci Code, When a Stranger Calls, She's the Man, Slither, MI: 3, The Breakup, Final Destination 3, Ice Age: the Meltdown, Underworld: Evolution, The Omen, Scary Movie 4, Date Movie, American Dreamz, An American Haunting, Inside Man, and United 93.

I list those as an example of what Hollywood misses since they can't give theaters a break so that ticket prices can be $4 for matinee and $6 for evening shows. I would seriously have watched all those movies in theaters if the price was reasonable. I don't think I am the only one that sees things this way.

[SilentBob]

Well i shall first say Good for You at doing what you did with the little shits with the laser pointers behind you. Now i shall answer what went wrong with your showing


Ok so this is how my theater and good chunk of theaters run their lighting system (seems like the same program) Everything now is automatic. We make up, break down and simply thread the movies. Sure we add and remove trailers but other then that our projector system called CineQ takes over from there. We run on a 4 foil system

1st Foil - Opens shutter at start of trailers and slightly dims the lights
2nd Foil - Systems tells us its in the feature, lights dim down to final setting
3rd Foil - System tells us that the film is ending/in credits and lights come on
4th Foil - Tells us the movie is over, shuts shutter and stop the projector

Now for the trailers. Most theaters play the trailers with their Dolby SR track and not the Dolby Digital. (mine does the DD) The Dolby SR is an analog track and isn't as loud, clear and punchie as a DD track. Also the trailers are recorded at a higher vol then the film itself. So the movie and trailers are seperated into to sets on CineQ. We set the vol lower on the trailers and when the movie comes on we up the vol. and allow EX encoding to occur (Trls at about 4-4.5 and the movies are set around 5.5) The trailer volume is set for after the 1st foil is read and the movie volume kicks in for the rest of the showing once the 2nd Foil is read. Now sometimes the foil will lose its shimmer and the foil reader wont read them all the time. So its sounds like in your case the reader never picked up on the 2nd foil on the film. So basically you were stuck with the trailers and the movie in its lower volume setting until the credits came on screen. It picked up on the 3rd foil acting as the 2nd foil (reason why the lights went off) and you wouldn't really notice too much of a difference in the sound because it was simply credit music. THX really doesn't mean anything for a theater anymore except for looking good on paper and $3K a year for the license of each theater. They are in once every year or 2 to look at our EX systems to make sure they are operational. I asked about the theater being able to get THX certified. He basically said the above info and that we were THX quality but no point of shelling out money for something we knew we already had.



Any other questions feel free to ask away

[plissken99]

Yes that did feel good silencing those little brats, never knew why older people hated kids, till I got old. One question, I'm sure you've seen X3, and a number of times if you were the guy running it. Did it look overly soft and grainy in a lot of places? The opening sequence with a young Xavier and Eric in particular. Trying to figure if it was out of focus or not, as the 1st two were razor sharp throughout.

[SilentBob]

I did seem to notice a bit more grain in this movie then the past 2. I know Singer was a big fan of the digital format and wanted to use Lucas and his amazing Epi II camera for the 2nd movie. He never did get that camera but he got a better one then Lucas had in Epi III for Superman Returns. I think he likes/prefers that cleaner digital look for his films. I guess Ratner wanted to make this one look gritty and dirty for it being The Last Stand. Had a very close look to Red Dragon that he did with the muted colours and a bit of grain in the film look. All 3 prints seem to show the same look too from my viewings at work from the booth.

[From a Buick 8]

Originally Posted by ganthc

For me, it's the cost of the movie. The value of a theater ticket has plummeted in my opinion. For $6 an evening, I would probably see 16 times the movies I see now (which averages 4 a year). It's just not worth it for me to spend $10 to see something, unless I really can't wait for dvd. For example, here are the films Hollywood is missing out on me not seeing so far this year:

This is why if there is a movie that i really want to see on the big screen i catch it at one of the 2nd run movie houses. We have a pretty good one where i live. On tuesdays the cost is only $1.50

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by From a Buick 8

This is why if there is a movie that i really want to see on the big screen i catch it at one of the 2nd run movie houses. We have a pretty good one where i live. On tuesdays the cost is only $1.50

I used to go to one in Austin. It was torn down. You're right it was a good deal to see movies there. Sadly, there are none in Northern Virginia.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by SilentBob

Any other questions feel free to ask away

Good info. Thanks!

I do have a few questions I've been meaning to ask you:

1. Is the audio for the film/trailers on discs and if so, what kind?

2. What do the front speakers behind the screen look like (placement, size, etc)?

3. What decides what trailers you show with what film?

4. If everything is automated, why does the screen go out of focus so often (at least at my theatres)?

Thanks

[LeChuck]

I find it sad that people don't want to go to the movies anymore. More and more people are skipping the theater and this is changing the way movies are made. I really enjoy seeing movies in theaters, even with my big screen at home. It is still an entirely different experience. The fact that I get into movies for free definitely allows me to see more movies. In fact, I am not really sure how many movies I would see if it weren't for that. It is just sad that movie theaters are going out of phase.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by LeChuck

It is just sad that movie theaters are going out of phase.

Agreed.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by LeChuck

I find it sad that people don't want to go to the movies anymore. More and more people are skipping the theater and this is changing the way movies are made.

What do you mean by this? Just curious, because I do agree with what you are saying, but I'm not sure on how the movies are being changed based on theater attendance.

[From a Buick 8]

I go to the 2nd run movie house because the experience there is about the same as I get at the 1st run movie house, but the price is much cheaper.

Now that being said, if there was a place where I could go and see a movie, that offered upscale food (at decent prices), tightly controlled movie environment (no screaming kids or teenagers), good picture and sound. I would easily pay $12 to $15 a ticket.

[Astrakan]

Originally Posted by ganthc

What do you mean by this? Just curious, because I do agree with what you are saying, but I'm not sure on how the movies are being changed based on theater attendance.

This is obviously all speculation based on nothing but my own gut, but I'd think it would primarily affect two things:

1. Budget
With declining theater revenues I can see studios clutching the purse strings a little tighter. Additionally, I can also see the allocation of the money they do spend being made differently. Meaning, perhaps they allow for less money to be spent making the movies themselves, and more being spent on advertising.

2. Risk taking
As perhaps an extension of #1, I think riskier projects may have a harder time getting greenlit. Which would result in studios making more sequels and other more generic fare, generally considered to be sure things.

KM

[limacharliewhiskey]

Bad experiences have turned me away from regularly going to theaters anymore. Especially annoying are the people who don't hear their cellphones beeping for about 2 minutes before they realize that it's their phone.

Cost is also a major factor, as cheapest matinees around me are $7.50-$8.00, while regular ticket prices are $10-11. There are second-run theaters that do show movies for $1.50-2.00, but these theaters are in such bad shape with crappy audio systems that a home setup is usually much better.

Now, I will go whenever there's a big movie that I simply cannot wait for to come out on DVD, like Revenge of the Sith last year. I'll also go when I get the free movie coupons that come with DVDs, as I got to see the Da Vinci Code for free last weekend.

But it really does depend on the urgency to see a movie, and if I can wait for a DVD release without stressing about it, I will. Mission: Impossible 3 is a perfect example for me. While I'm interested in seeing it, I don't need to see it this weekend or next. Even the upcoming Superman Returns doesn't give me a urgent need to see it when it comes out. I'm debating a bit on X-Men 3, but since I got another free Moviecash ticket, I'll likely use it on something in the next month.

[NotEd]

Originally Posted by ganthc

I used to go to one in Austin. It was torn down. You're right it was a good deal to see movies there. Sadly, there are none in Northern Virginia.

What about the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse? Sure, it isn't $1.50, but it's still cheaper than some. Plus if it's anything like the one they used to have in Bethesda it's not too bad.

Plus, beer. 'Nuf said.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by NotEd

What about the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse? Sure, it isn't $1.50, but it's still cheaper than some. Plus if it's anything like the one they used to have in Bethesda it's not too bad.

Plus, beer. 'Nuf said.

HA! That's just like the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. They expanded to like 4 locations in Austin because they got so popular, not to mention opening in Houston and San Antonio. I will have to check that out sometime to see if it's just like home.

[SilentBob]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

Good info. Thanks!

I do have a few questions I've been meaning to ask you:

Ok i shall try to answer to the best of my ability (some stuff though varies from theater too theater but thi sis what i know of mine)

1. Is the audio for the film/trailers on discs and if so, what kind?

Well they can be run from both a disc and from the film itself. We do indeed get DTS disc (plain looking cd's. Small movies like Over the Hedge will run on 1 disc and bigger movies like Da Vinci Code will run on 2 discs. Sadly you can't play the sound on a dvd player through your setup) for the trailers but the readers are pretty shitty when it comes to reading them. All ads will run from the film and so will most movie trailers. Some trailers will run from the disc for the DTS sound if the show is being run in DTS. These trailers are the one that the studio supplies with the print and are included with the prints DTS disc(s) IMAX and DLP shows on run from a hardrive that is synced up with the film. DLP being easier to run and IMAX can't miss one frame of film when splicing the reels together or the whole movie will lose its sync.

2. What do the front speakers behind the screen look like (placement, size, etc)?

Well depends on the theater. Bigger theaters will have more speakers and so it changes from house to house. I believe the big theaters we have that seat 366 people has 27 speakers. The speakers and subs are about 5 feet tall by 3.5 feet wide behind the screen. They are above the floor level so they can't be tampered with and are on basically metal like rafters. They might be bigger actually because i don't really go behind the screens too much but my union projectionist has a theater sub in his basement. When the new DTS systems were being installed at the old theater in 1993 for Jurassic Park they replaced the subs and some speakers to get them up to par for the new format quality. So since they were replacing them and the speakers were just to go into storage. He asked and took home one of the 6 theaters old subwoofers. I installed a HTiB system at his house a few months ago and gave me a tour of the house. It was there lying in his basement and its being used for his son's bass guitar. Also depends if the theater is a Dolby Digital (5.1 optional EX encoding), SDDS (8.1 i believe) or Dolby SR (Pro Logic analog like sound) sound format. Mine isn't setup for SDDS but the sound format only last a week or 2 becaus eof its location on the film. Its on the outer edges of the film which rub onto the platter so it slowly destroys the film track.

3. What decides what trailers you show with what film?

Well the studio decides what 2-3 trailers that they want to show with their movie prints.(usually 2 but 3 if two of them are Teaser Trailers) These are the attached trailers we get with the films (attached to the beginning of the 1st reel of the movie) Then after that i really don't know as we are just sent a sheet with the trailer listing with our theater number beside the listed trailer. Pretty sure the competing companies bid on the amount of screens that they want to try and get the trailer seen on. This is where that advertisement cost comes from. Some trailers are later asked to be removed because the film rating is lower then the actually rating given to the movie the trailer is advertising. Some companies that have bought the space will remove the trailer the originally payed for to advertise another trailer of theirs that they want to give soem focus on before a release (District B13 was sent out recently to replace Pulse trailers that were on MI:III. Pulse came off and replace with B13 which was advertised for the week before the movie came out and removed completely)

4. If everything is automated, why does the screen go out of focus so often (at least at my theatres)?

Well the lenses for the film will sometimes vibrate out of focus because of several reasons.

1) the exhaust fans kept on top of the projectors aren't screwed on tight and flesh with the projector tops (or inner piece in the fan is off balance) Cause the projector to shake and lense to blur a bit.

2) the lense is starting to go on the projector. We have a bad Flat lense on our Cinema #2 projector (so we swap it in and out of other projectors if a flat movie plays in the theater) The stuff that holds the lense comes loose from the heat of the bulb and thus can't keep still int he same position.

3) Lense isn't tightly secured. Kind of like number 1 but the lenses are tighten into place n the turret with rings that are tighten with little a knob on the inside of the projector. Now when we swappped the lense for C#2 we had not tighten the lense enough and sure enough the picture was pretty damn blurry.

4) Dirty lense. We have to clean the lenses every now and then and sometimes the oil drops down on the lense clothe that we are cleaning the lense with. Will give a ghosting like effect on screen (especially with anything white on screen) So again a bit of lense cleaner that you use on your glasses and viola its cured.

5) Lazy ass projectionist just wont get off there ass and do any of the above. Thinks because its automated that its fine so no need to check the focus until cpmplained about

[NotEd]

Originally Posted by ganthc

HA! That's just like the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. They expanded to like 4 locations in Austin because they got so popular, not to mention opening in Houston and San Antonio. I will have to check that out sometime to see if it's just like home.

Well, hopefully it's good. I used to go to the Bethesda one (I don't know if they were associated in anyway or not). Toward the end they renamed it the "Bethesda Theater Cafe" before they gutted it a few years back to build hirise above it. The kept the facade but I do not believe the theater itself survived or if it has I've heard no news about it.

The next closest you used to get was the theaters in Mazza Gallerie (Chevy Chase/ Friendship Heights) which had 2 deluxe theaters with full bars and food, although they were more like traditional theaters (no waitstaff, as I recall). They showed 1st run at a premium price, though, as I recall. The theater changed hands a few years ago, so I don't know if that the high end screen still exist.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by NotEd

Well, hopefully it's good. I used to go to the Bethesda one (I don't know if they were associated in anyway or not). Toward the end they renamed it the "Bethesda Theater Cafe" before they gutted it a few years back to build hirise above it. The kept the facade but I do not believe the theater itself survived or if it has I've heard no news about it.

The next closest you used to get was the theaters in Mazza Gallerie (Chevy Chase/ Friendship Heights) which had 2 deluxe theaters with full bars and food, although they were more like traditional theaters (no waitstaff, as I recall). They showed 1st run at a premium price, though, as I recall. The theater changed hands a few years ago, so I don't know if that the high end screen still exist.

That's good to know. I do miss seeing movies in that setting. Sometimes instead of spending 10 bucks on popcorn and a drink, I can get a meal instead. Plus theaters like that tend to not have any kiddos around to contribute to the earlier mentioned distractions.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by SilentBob

Ok i shall try to answer to the best of my ability (some stuff though varies from theater too theater but thi sis what i know of mine)

Great info, Bob! Thanks!