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This topic comprises 6 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6
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Author
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Topic: Lost that moviegoing mojo
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 01-12-2009 06:44 PM
quote: Scott Jentsch
Going to a movie theater is not an event. The comparison to McDonalds isn't even appropriate because McDonalds is all about atmosphere and the experience.
I think the comparison of the McDonalds is quite appropriate to use regarding typical multiplex movie theaters.
There is very little, if anything remarkable at all about the McDonalds dining experience. People are getting junk food served to them in paper cartons, paper wrappers and paper cups set on a plastic tray. Servers aren't visiting customer tables to fill half empty drink glasses. It's low cost, get in and get out dining. While the surroundings in most McDonalds locations may be warmly colorful the tables and seats have all the personality of what you would find on a city bus.
Children only look forward to McDonalds based on the company's highly effective marketing campaign, which is often directed at children (not to mention minorities). The kids are thinking about the toys, the playland area and Ronald McDonald. Kids love junk food too, so that's just an added bonus.
Most multiplex theaters fall into the "fast food" area of the out of home entertainment experience, despite the high total costs of visiting the theater. They're not reaching the "fine dining" level of the analogy.
Some movie theaters are delivering a very good movie-going experience. But those theaters are sadly too few and far between. Most theaters merely have the "who cares" fast food packaging ethic when it comes to presenting movies to customers. And that even applies in certain respects to the very derivative movies that are being produced by Hollywood studios. The industry is infected by a bunch of corporate suits who have no real love for that industry. They don't understand the magic behind the movie-going experience or merely don't have any desire to deliver such a product. They're just trying to find ways to make more money, often at the expense of degrading the quality of the product they're selling.
quote: Scott Jentsch
I would disagree on the 200-seat comment. I think that theaters should become smaller, not larger. After all, would you rather have auditoriums that were full or empty if you were a theater owner?
Unless I'm watching a movie in a really high quality private screening room I am totally uninterested in small auditoriums. When the auditorium hardly seems any bigger than my living room I'm left wondering why I even paid the premium to see a movie in such a place. Tiny auditoriums may be good for a theater owner's bottom line, but it sucks in regard to the movie watching experience.
There is something about the sheer scale of watching a movie in a theater equipped with a big screen and seating capacity of over 1000. Look at the auditorium photo of Northpark #1 in Dallas (in the pictures section). I'll pick an auditorium like that over some tiny one every time. It doesn't matter to me if I am the only one in the house. Considering how inconsiderate so many audience members have become, I prefer very light crowds in movie theaters anyway. I rarely ever watch a movie during a peak time.
quote:
Most home theaters are decorated 10x better than most theater auditoriums. Take a look at any of the designs by Theo Kalimirakis, and you'll see what can be done to create unique experiences!
Most "home theaters" are not home theaters at all. That goes for the vast majority, probably 99% or more, of all "home theater" setups. Very few people have a separate movie theater room in their house. I personally know a few millionaires and none of them have dedicated movie theater rooms even though they have very nice homes.
The typical "home theater" is a TV mounted on top of a stereo system cabinet and flanked by some speakers. That's it. Everything is just average living room decor, usually stuff that doesn't have anything to do with a movie going theme. My "home theater" setup falls into that category. I have some nice equipment. But what I really have is just a big HDTV and some other good quality equipment set on a stand in my living room.
Even with that "home theater" fact properly clarified, I will agree a LOT of movie theaters really could be doing much better when it comes to providing a classy atmosphere. Most theaters just have a sort of generic kind of visual feel to them. Sadly, theater executives have some justification in cutting corners in terms of decor. I'm often disgusted by the constant vandalism to seats, arm rests, curtains, screens and other features of the theater. If you spend a fortune putting in great quality seats, you're going to be spending even more money for the steady replacement of those seats.
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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God
Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 01-12-2009 11:48 PM
quote: Bobby Henderson
Sadly, theater executives have some justification in cutting corners in terms of decor. I'm often disgusted by the constant vandalism to seats, arm rests, curtains, screens and other features of the theater. If you spend a fortune putting in great quality seats, you're going to be spending even more money for the steady replacement of those seats.
Bobby, that's one of those "chicken before the egg" type of problems. Theatre execs are reluctant to do fancy decor because of the vandalism problems, but on the other hand a fancy theatre (at least back in the days of the SRO Gateway 5, see my first post) didn't have ANY vandalism issues. Why? Because of the missing elements of today's theatres: a properly trained staff that cared, ushers that actually did their jobs instead of doing each other between shows, and a manager that got off his ass and out of the office and was a visible presence while the theater was open.
And the presence of the luxurious decor seemed to in and of itself discourage vandalism. Except for the worst dregs of society, if it isn't already trashed it seems that no one wanted to trash it.
But if you walk into a theatre (or restroom) that's already in bad shape, would you take extra care not to trash it further or care if you saw someone trashing it? Human nature would tend to be apathetic to someone further destroying something that's already destroyed. But if it was something nice or clean, hopefully at least some people would feel obligated to say something.
I hope the point came across as I'd intended, it's been a long day and I'm really tired. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 01-13-2009 06:09 PM
I guess my "small rooms" comment should have been qualified, and it might have been in my first draft...
The qualifier would be that substantial effort should be placed into designing the auditorium. Fabulous sound and picture, and attention paid to making that auditorium look like someone cared about it when they created it, goes a long way to improving the moviegoing experience, in my opinion.
One of the most impressive operating theaters that I have had the pleasure of attending was McClurg Court #1 in Chicago. The screen was big, the auditorium was big, and even the bathrooms were dramatic (but not in a Disney-esque sort of way). It was not opulent or grandly decorated by any means, but it was a huge step up from the standard stuff.
I've heard plenty of stories about the Northpark in Dallas, but never got there. I toured the now-closed Grand here in Milwaukee several years ago, and my heart ached for what it must have been like to attend a movie there in its heyday.
I'd love to see a grand auditorium, and I think every theater should have at least one. That would be where the big movies open. But it wouldn't bother me in the least to go to a smaller, say 80-100 person theater, if the quality of the presentation was high and the decor wasn't the bland crap that so many theaters consider to be status quo.
If a person of wealth can pay a designer to build a 100,000 home theater space, why can't a commercial movie theater stick an equivalent amount of effort into something that will actually make them money?
It's all about the experience, and theaters (in general) squander the opportunity they are given to provide an impressive movie-going experience.
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 01-13-2009 09:12 PM
I think Warren Theatres is one of the few theater companies going in a positive direction. Unfortunately, it's a small, independent chain with a few theaters in Wichita, KS and a big new one in Moore, OK.
The Moore theater's two largest houses have massive screens, premium seating balconies (for adults only) and the decor throughout the site is very lavish. They have THX and Dolby Digital Cinema in all 14 houses. My only complaint is they don't have film projectors, particularly 70mm capable projectors, in the booths of the largest auditoriums (although they probably could add 70mm without much problem). Of course, that's another chicken versus egg situation. Why install 70mm projectors when Hollywood isn't making 5/70 prints? It seems like the IMAX DMR approach has taken over the niche of 70mm blowup presentation -and that's very threatened by a 2K resolution digital version.
Theaters like Bill Warren is building and the Studio Movie Grill concept represent the future of movie going. The standard stadium seated multiplex concept of the 1990s is now arguably obsolete.
The Moore Warren 14 is attracting great crowds. Plans were on the drawing board to expand the Moore Warren to 20 screens and to also build another Warren location on the north side of Oklahoma City just off the Kilpatrick Turnpike. However, those plans have apparently been put on hold indefinitely. Perhaps if the economy can get out of the toilet we might see Warren do more expansion in a couple or so years.
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Geoff Jones
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 579
From: Broomfield, CO, USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 01-15-2009 07:16 PM
I got a little mojo back last night.
I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark in 35mm on the 78' wide screen at the Continental in Denver with 250 respectful moviegoers. It was a beautiful print. Not perfect, but still beautiful.
There was one big mojo-killing moment, though. At the reel change after the flying wing fight ("Truck, what truck?"), the top quarter of the picture was suddenly at the bottom of the screen.
I called the box-office with my cell phone and said "I'm in Raiders right now. Please tell the projectionist to fix the film."
By the time Indy was riding down the hill on his white horse, it was fixed. (But it happened again at the end credits.)
Afterwards, I asked a manager what happened. He explained that it was a splicing error, and the film arrived so late that they didn't have time to preview it. I didn't ask for it, but he gave me a free pass.
Is this an easy mistake to make? It was pretty disappointing. This sort of thing never happens when you watch DVDs at home. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Bottom line is, if they didn't have time to preview it, they should send someone into the booth every 20 minutes to check the reel change and fix it immediately if there are problems.
Nevertheless, seeing Raiders on a giant screen was awesome. I hope to go back next week for Star Trek II.
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