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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » Cinemark tries to do a nice thing, gets angry response (Page 2)

 
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Author Topic: Cinemark tries to do a nice thing, gets angry response
Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

- posted 01-03-2013 12:56 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Kerry Fleming
Bring in the bulldozers. Tear it down. Replace it with anything but another movie theater. Ease the pain.
How does that "ease the pain?" Why wallow in grief? The only thing that will ease the pain is TIME. And moving on, yes.

There are alot of calls for creating yet another memorial on this spot. If I had a relative die in a way such as this, I think it would be a lot easier for me to "move on" if the place was returned to its former use -- and MADE BETTER -- than if it was just turned into a big empty lot with a memorial on it, that would remind me of the sad occasion every time I drove by the place.

If we decide to bulldoze and make into a "memorial" every place where there is a shooting or an attack of some kind, soon we will have nothing left but a bunch of memorials.

They're talking about permanently closing that school in Connecticut. WHY? The government cannot afford to build a whole new school. Just repaint it and move on. Kids have very short attention spans. They will heal a lot faster if they're not reminded of what happened every single day of their school years.

The people in that theatre that night were moviegoers, having a good time. Do you think THEY would want some kind of memorial reminding everyone for generations of the awful way they died? If they were war heroes, maybe yes. But in this case, I think they would probably want people to keep on enjoying movies in an even better venue. I know I would.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted 01-03-2013 01:20 PM      Profile for Sam D. Chavez   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mike says,

"If we decide to bulldoze and make into a "memorial" every place where there is a shooting or an attack of some kind, soon we will have nothing left but a bunch of memorials."

I know you don't mean to trivialize this mass shooting, but that is how this paragraph sounds to me. This is not just some random convenience store shooting or some drug deal gone wrong.

I do believe this is the first time a mass ambush and shooting has happened in our industry and that in itself would be a reason for Cinemark to show some sensitivity. It's not like they don't have a few thousand other screens.

Also,there may some unintentional irony in your phrasing.

As to others points comparing this to the WTC; No go, as WTC was an attack by a terrorist group, and our rebuilding on the same site is intended to show the USA cannot be humbled or subdued.

I don't believe Cinemark can pull off righteous indignation or national pride as a reason to keep this place open, just crass commercialism.

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

- posted 01-03-2013 03:03 PM      Profile for Robert E. Allen   Email Robert E. Allen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The horror was in no way CineMark's fault. I do not fault them for trying to do SOMETHING. After all, where in this business do we learn what to do if someone breaches an auditorium and shoots up your audience. They are, at best, probably embarrassed that their effort was me with that kind of response by the relatives of the victims. Demolishing the building will not help anyone or change anything.

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Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002

- posted 01-03-2013 04:04 PM      Profile for Lyle Romer   Email Lyle Romer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What's the difference why a tragedy happens or who caused it? If a group of teens is killed in a car accident do you tear up the road? Bulldozing the building is the absoulute wrong thing to do. That sends the message to nutjobs that if they massacre people, not only will they get well known but they'll also permanently shut down a location.

Once again, this is a business. If (God forbid) there was a tragedy at Mike's independent single screen should he be forced to go out of business out of respect for the victims? Just because Cinemark is a large chain that doesn't "need" that locaton doesn't make it any different.

Also, what about the public for whom this is the most convenient location? I don't mean to come of as completely insensitive but the fact is that closing the auditorium or bulldozing the building won't do anything to bring the victims back or make the lives of the families any better.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted 01-03-2013 04:42 PM      Profile for Sam D. Chavez   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Lyle says,

"What's the difference why a tragedy happens or who caused it? If a group of teens is killed in a car accident do you tear up the road? Bulldozing the building is the absoulute wrong thing to do. That sends the message to nutjobs that if they massacre people, not only will they get well known but they'll also permanently shut down a location."

I think it does make a difference who attacked you. It might give you a chance to retaliate if it's an enemy. That's the easy part.

What's if it is a maniac? Wouldn't you want to know who killed your kids and why if possible so it doesn't happen to others?

As to the road analogy; You don't tear up the road on which your children were killed, you improve it and maybe put a little statue marking the spot. It makes the family feel better and that's reason enough I think.

I do realize the murders were not Cinemark's fault. Only being unbelievably insensitive in the way they are handling the re-opening.

About the only thing more insensitive would be to show "Bowling For Columbine" at the grand opening.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

- posted 01-03-2013 05:25 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Sam D. Chavez
You don't tear up the road on which your children were killed, you improve it and maybe put a little statue marking the spot.
Isn't that the exact same thing as making "Theatre 9" into the best possible kind of auditorium so future generations can have fun and enjoy movies there?

quote:
I know you don't mean to trivialize this mass shooting... This is not just some random convenience store shooting or some drug deal gone wrong.
Very true, it's a tragic event to be sure. But, even if it is a random convenience store shooting, or a drug deal gone wrong...just because it wasn't 20 people or a bunch of kids, does that make it less tragic for the families of the victims? NO. That's why I'm basically against this kind of memorial. It does nothing but extend the tragedy for the victims, and it ignores all the other people who are killed every day in far less dramatic ways.

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Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002

- posted 01-03-2013 05:35 PM      Profile for Lyle Romer   Email Lyle Romer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Sam D. Chavez
I think it does make a difference who attacked you. It might give you a chance to retaliate if it's an enemy. That's the easy part.
I was saying "what's the difference" as it applies to what you do with the location of the tragic event afterwards.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted 01-03-2013 07:03 PM      Profile for Sam D. Chavez   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mike says,

"Isn't that the exact same thing as making "Theatre 9" into the best possible kind of auditorium so future generations can have fun and enjoy movies there?"

I don't think it's the same as say a car accident on a road. It might due to a drunk driver, a rollover due to a flat tire or other mishap, or simply fate as perhaps a guy has a stroke and crosses 3 lanes into a head on collision. No less dead for sure and just as big a loss to their loved ones, but...

True evil took place at this location. It was a plotted massacre that could have even been much worse. I don't see how people can enjoy themselves in this spot no matter how nice you make it.

Perhaps moviegoers will vote with their feet and choose not to go there.

I'm glad Lyle posted a reply.

The search for Why is essential to us as humans and is one of what separates us from animals.

That and we're not afraid of vacuum cleaners. [Confused]

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Jeff Kane
Film Handler

Posts: 74
From: corpus christi, tx
Registered: Jun 2011

- posted 01-03-2013 09:45 PM      Profile for Jeff Kane   Email Jeff Kane   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Idiotic move by Cinemark. IMO the right answer? Shutter Theater 9. Drywall over it, make it like it never existed. Have some sort of memorial or remembrance in the building, then reopen and rededicate. Invite the families to THAT if anything, not a freaking movie. Agreed wholeheartedly, perhaps better left alone.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted 01-03-2013 10:12 PM      Profile for Sam D. Chavez   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes to Jeff. The least they can do.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 01-03-2013 11:48 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
OK some of the comments in this thread are driving me absolutely up the wall:

quote: Mike Peterson
It sickens me that they turned #9 into an extreme digital cinema. It almost seems like they are glorifying the massacre by making it state of the art.
quote: Lyle Romer
Inviting the families was a little odd but upgrading and reopening the auditorium is exactly what should have been done.
quote: Mike Blakesley
making "Theatre 9" into the best possible kind of auditorium so future generations can have fun and enjoy movies there?
GAAAHH!! Have you guys ever even been in a Cinemark XD auditorium? It is not "state of the art", it is not an upgrade and it most certainly isn't the best possible auditorium. It makes the moviegoing experience much worse as the only standards they need to meet are their own inept ShittyMark™ standards. This really is an insult to all of the people murdered in that auditorium. They might as well just Tinseltown the place and call it a day.

Here's what I would have done:

-Offer free tickets and concessions FOR LIFE for you and a guest at any CineMark theater anywhere at any time. This would be available to all survivors and immediate family members of the deceased. This includes tickets to regular matinee movies, evening shows on Saturday nights, 3D, IMAX, whatever. No limit on concessions per visit except that they only be given to the passholder and/or their guest.

-Free DVD of Ernest Goes to Jail.

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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

- posted 01-04-2013 10:14 AM      Profile for Scott Jentsch   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Jentsch   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I like Joe's first idea, but I would definitely skip the DVD.

I agree with the fact that Cinemark has remodeled and is reopening the theater. This is a commercial business that needs to get back to its business and supporting the many employees that work there, as well as serve the community (which has said it wants the theater back in operation).

It's a missed opportunity if they did not add some safety measures to the theater during this renovation. Back stairs on a large stadium seating auditorium would make sense to me, and I would certainly hope that emergency exits now have alarms and monitoring on them.

Probably the single-best thing that a theater could do to build customer confidence is the presence of employees in the auditorium. Show people that staff is present by posting an employee at the auditorium doors welcoming people to the show, having a discrete check during the movie from time to time to check on the presentation and for any crowd behavior issues, and then have staff saying goodbye and thanking them for coming when they leave the auditorium. Not only is this good from a showmanship standpoint, it tells people that someone is aware of their comings and goings.

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

- posted 01-04-2013 10:34 AM      Profile for Leo Enticknap   Author's Homepage   Email Leo Enticknap   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This strikes me as essentially a bad judgment call, probably made by some 20-something public relations person who meant well, but didn't stop to think; compounded by his or her bosses, who OK-ed the idea without stopping to think, either. I mean, you shouldn't need the skills of a psychiatrist or the emotional intelligence of a pastor to work out that inviting the relatives of murder victims to a celebratory event at the scene of the crime is unlikely to get a positive response!

It would have been far better to, for example, re-open the place quietly and without fuss, and to offer to donate the opening week's takings to a charity that provides support for the families of murder victims. But having made a blunder like that, all you can really do is to apologise and move on.

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004

- posted 01-04-2013 03:11 PM      Profile for Sam Graham   Author's Homepage   Email Sam Graham   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
SOURCE: Denver Post

quote: Tom Sullvan, father of shooting victim Alex Sullvan
To my neighbors and fellow moviegoers:

Movies have always been a tool to gather my family together. We went to movie theaters to celebrate birthdays, relax on snowy Sunday afternoons, and escape the craziness of everyday.

On July 20, 2012, my son, Alex Sullivan, did just that. He gathered with his friends to celebrate his birthday and watch one of his favorite superheroes. Several months later, we are faced with the reopening of the theater that my son never walked out of and a night of remembrance put on by Cinemark Theaters.

While this will be an extremely difficult time, if you truly knew my son Alex, you would know that he would want me to be there, if only to show that we will not allow anyone to take the joy we shared at theaters across the metro area away from us and help gather the Aurora community together.

Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan and I spoke on the Sunday after the theater shootings (while we waited for President Obama) about the future of that theater. Hogan told me it was not a decision that he would make, but it would be decided by the people of Aurora.

The decision to reopen the theater and hold this night of remembrance was something that the Aurora community asked for, and will be the first step in gathering and rebuilding the Aurora community. If there is anything I can do to help my community all through this difficult time, I will do it.

Although I am firmly in the middle of this and will be until the day I leave this place, this is bigger than me or any one person. A week after the shootings, Gov. John Hickenlooper read the name "Alex Sullivan" to the tens of thousands assembled at the Aurora City and County building, and they shouted back in unison, "We will Remember." Please know that I will never forget that. I won't forget the prayers said for us, the tears shed for us, the cards and letters I read or the overflow of love and caring that was directed to my family by the people of Aurora and beyond.

If I can help just one person though the difficult experience of walking into this theater or any theater, then it will be an effort I have to make. I will never tell anyone what is the right way or wrong way to grieve the loss of a loved one. We all have our own way, but I have found that with each moment of grief I have had since Alex left, I make it up with three moments of happiness and healing for the time I spent with him.

So I ask all to join me, if you can, into a future not as bright as the future would have been had our loved ones been there with us, but a future nonetheless. The seat next to me will be saved for Alex, but I'll have an extra hand if you need something to hold on to.

God bless.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

- posted 01-04-2013 04:21 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Now THAT is one of the best things I've read in a long, long time. This is a man who has made (is making) a real effort to move on. He has reached the "acceptance" part of the grieving process. Everyone gets there at their own pace.

The people who signed the original letter from page 1 are still at the "anger" part of the process. I pray that they will all eventually find peace.

Here's an interesting clip from an article about how some of the original letter-signers are organizing a boycott:

quote:
Caren and Tom Teves, parents of Alexander Teves, 24, who died in the shooting, also signed the letter to Cinemark.

"If the company truly wanted to show a gesture of compassion," Caren Teves said, "it would arrange for a percentage of profits to go to victims and their families."
Hmm, now who's on a quest for profits?

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