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Topic: AMC Joins The Subscription Service Wars

James Wyrembelski
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 114
From: Beaverton, MI, USA
Registered: Sep 2015

posted 06-25-2018 09:18 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
I've only had one guy ask me about it, and I told him we weren't on their "list."

I wonder what makes them decide to put you on this list. I had no idea we were listed as accepting moviepass until someone happened to mention we were....

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-26-2018 12:38 AM

I dunno, but when it first started I went looking on their site for a way to contact them to get on the list and didn't find anything, and then they started playing their silly little games so I decided we weren't interested anyway. Then the fact that nobody has asked about it made me feel like that was a good decision.

Maybe it has something to do with showtimes being listed on some sites or something? We don't upload our showtimes to anything but our own home-brewed site, but somehow Google seems to pick them up anyway.

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-26-2018 08:05 AM

We were never asked about being on "The List". People just started coming up to the window asking if we took MoviePass. I took their card and said "Let's see" and ran it through to reader. It worked and we got our $10.
Now I just say tell people to be sure to get their money's worth because I don't expect them to be around long.

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Daniel Schulz
Master Film Handler

Posts: 387
From: Los Angeles, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 06-26-2018 02:07 PM

quote: Scott Norwood
I wonder what AMC thinks that its selling point is? On the surface, their option seems to be more expensive and less useful (as the Movie Pass spokesman said).

A major selling point is that unlike with MoviePass (which requires you to be physically at the theater to buy a ticket with the app), AMC will let you purchase in advance, from home, and reserve a seat if it's a showtime with reserved seating. That, coupled with the inclusion of Dolby Cinema and IMAX screens, makes it a pretty compelling offer IMO (assuming of course you live in a market with one or more AMC locations).

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-26-2018 03:23 PM

The only AMC in this town is a discount house (3.99 daytime, 5.99 evening) so they would have to raise their prices to make it worthwhile. Though 3D/Big screen cost more, so if you see enough blockbusters it may be worth it. I don't know if you can use the card on Fathom events, which a prime rate tickets.

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 06-27-2018 08:42 AM

Cinemark has a program as well: $8.99 per month but for only one movie; additional tickets are also $8.99; 20% off concessions.

I don't see why the exhibs feel the need to offer a program at all. Take the MoviePass stockholders' money, so long as MP holds out, and laugh all the way to bank. I don't think anyone is giving MP a cut; if they are it's definitely on the down low.

So unless MP decides to cut off a chain (as they did for a time with a few high profile AMC locations) and thereby steer patrons to the competitors, there is no downside. So long as everyone takes it there is no advantage to them. Maybe people getting tickets sort of free will encourage more concession spending which the exhibs would certainly appreciate.

Now with surcharges looming, this could cause people to shift their viewing away from opening weekend. That will have an effect on the industry and IMHO, for the better since I think far too much attention is given to opening grosses.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-27-2018 01:30 PM

Agreed, moving the emphasis off the opening weekend can have nothing but good results.

Along with the lower price, maybe people like the subscription idea because the charge shows up on the credit card bill along with the Netflix and the Hulu and all the other things, and they're not having to drag a 20 out of their pocket to go to the movies so it "seems free." So in the spirit of "giving people what they want," I can see why exhibs want to start their own program.

I'm just curious how it's working out with the studios, film-rental-wise. Maybe there are some backroom deals we don't know about.

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Mike Rivest
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 185
From: Montréal QC Canada
Registered: Nov 2009

posted 06-28-2018 06:54 PM

Looked at the Fort Worth Star Telegram of December 18th, 1998 and Cinemark offered an Cinepass for $199 for 1999. It offered unlimited movies.

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Mitchell Dvoskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1869
From: West Milford, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 07-09-2018 10:41 AM

A friend of mine tried signing up for AMC's subscription plan, and was not allowed. It seems that while existing AMC Stubs Premium members are allowed to upgrade and use their Stubs card, new signups MUST have a smart phone or they can not use the service. My friend does not have any kind of cell phone, and is so pissed about this that he has vowed never to set foot in an AMC theatre again. Fortunately for him, in this area, AMC has lots of competition.

Personally, I have never tried to sign up for any subscription movie theatre service, I am content to wait for Netflix to send me the Bluray, and don't go out to enough movies to justify the expense, so I can't directly comment on this or any of the other subscription services.

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-09-2018 11:14 AM

The are giving out the brochures at our local AMC, which makes no sense as it is a discount house. But hey, there's a sucker born every minute.
Yes, you need a smart phone and it is linked to your credit/debit card, as opposed to one issued by MoviePass. (I wonder what happens if you try to sign up using and MP Debit card). The allegedly will check your valid photo ID when you get to the theatre.
You have an initial 3-month commitment, but if cancel anytime after that, you can't sign-up again for 6 months. I wonder, also, how easy they make it for you to quit.
Let the complaining begin!

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-09-2018 11:32 AM

So let's see, based on all the complaints, a perfect movie theater subscription would let you:

- Go to as many movies as you want, as many times as you want
- Take a few people with you, such as your family or a friend
- Go to a 3D or premium format movie if you want
- Go to any theater you want, no matter what brand
- Go to any showtime you want
- Spend $20 or less a month plus give you concession discounts
- Give you a backrub while you're waiting for the movie to start

... all while making lots of money for the subscription provider and giving full payment to the studios.

I don't really understand how anybody ever expects anyone to create a subscription plan that meets all those criteria. It seems impossible.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-09-2018 11:41 AM

AMC? I don't know a single soul that wold go see a movie at any AMC Theater! Yes, we have there here in Salt Lake Silly too... Just awful places....

Mark

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 07-09-2018 04:12 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
I dunno, but when it first started I went looking on their site for a way to contact them to get on the list and didn't find anything, and then they started playing their silly little games so I decided we weren't interested anyway. Then the fact that nobody has asked about it made me feel like that was a good decision.

Maybe it has something to do with showtimes being listed on some sites or something? We don't upload our showtimes to anything but our own home-brewed site, but somehow Google seems to pick them up anyway.

I believe they pull their showtimes from CinemaSource... that's what my theaters submit to and our theaters and showtimes are listed in the MoviePass app (most of the time). Not sure what it costs to be listed on CinemaSource, but if there's any competition in your market, it might be worth it. If not, I wouldn't bother.

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Martin Brooks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 900
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 07-11-2018 10:27 PM

From AMC's perspective, they have a lot of empty seats, especially during the week. In the first quarter of this year, they sold only 92 tickets per day per screen. If they're running an average of four shows a day, that's only 23 tickets per show, per screen.

The annual number of movies per capita in the U.S. was only 3.77 in 2017 at an average ticket price of $8.97 for a total of only $33.82. At $20 per month, they get someone to spend $240 even if they never purchase a single concession item.

From a consumer perspective, in locations where AMC dominates (like NYC), it's a pretty good deal. A full price ticket to the Dolby Vision screen is about $25 and so is IMAX and Lie-max. Even if I saw only one movie a month, I'd save money.

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Terry Monohan
Master Film Handler

Posts: 379
From: San Francisco CA USA
Registered: May 2014

posted 07-19-2018 09:30 AM

AMC Metreon Theatres SF has jacked up their prices. I want to go see the new 'Mama Mia' movie this Friday senior matinee and they want for the Dolby Cinema almost $20 per seat plus a $2 service fee. I can go a few blocks away to the Cinemark Century 9 large XD screen and see the same movie for $15 plus $1.50 service fee. with 5 of us going and Iam buying the tickets at the AMC Dolby Cinema price add up. I will be going to the Cinemark Century 9 Friday in San Francisco CA. I think AMC has raised their single ticket prices so you buy into their monthly 3 per week $19.95 deal. At AMC Metreon Dolby Cinema in SF they have major problems all the time with people getting refunds with the movie not coming on the Dolby Cinema screen. I think once AMC finds out they are loosing people to cheaper prices at Cinemark/Century in SF they will lower and adjust their single ticket prices. Many of us don't want to spend a monthly fee as there are not that many good movies playing these days and they keep the good movies for months.

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