It's about time

Brian Huey · February 21st, 2003, 08:00 PM

At the 4th Ave Theater in Anchorage the have lighted stars on the ceiling. Course it isn't used as a movie theater anymore except for occasional snowmachine movie premieres and the like.

Matt Betea · February 21st, 2003, 09:20 PM

yes,
i heard the same thing a couple weeks ago. there was a big stink about companies trying to do away with TIVO because one can easily skip commercials (well i'm sure this is only one of many reasons behind this push). i don't care for it at all. in my opinion it seems like there must be a lack of creativity on the part of advertisers if the only way they can get us "hooked" on their products is by forcing us to view them.

Dylan Couper · February 21st, 2003, 09:21 PM

Robert, I don't know what that's advertising, but I'm buying!
No wait, then I would end up in bed with two men!

I remember when theaters had stars over them, except we called them Drive-Ins. But that's a whole 'nother thread.

Don Bloom · February 21st, 2003, 10:01 PM

Once upon a time my wife and I would take the kiddies to the drive in on Saturday night. Pile into the station wagon put blankets in back for the little angels and off we'd go. We could see 2 movies, have popcorn and a couple of softdrinks get 2 or 3 kids (depends on the year) asleep and even have a little fun ourselves for about what it costs for 1 ticket to the movies today.
Ahhh, the good old days, the moon, the stars, the 'B' movies, the kids fighting or crying in the back, the lucky young lovers next to us, my wife sleeping in the seat next to me, what a memory. Things haven't changed much, she still sleeps in the seat next to me just not at the drive in, in front of the big screen at home. Oh yeah, the kids are grown and gone but now I have a dog. She sleeps too!
Ain't that something!

Ken Tanaka · February 21st, 2003, 10:11 PM

Don,
That absolutely was the life. During the summer, when I got old enough to drive or have friends that drove, we'd go out to the drive-in and just enjoy the warm summer breezes and the b-movies. It was one of the best times of my life. (Since you're also a Chicagoan you may have gone to the same one, which was at Harlem and Irving.)

Zac Stein · February 21st, 2003, 10:27 PM

Robert Knecht Schmidt

Actually you were a little off.

The first movie to clear the theatre and to have strict starting and ending times was Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho (1960). It was an amazing campaign, they had life size cut outs of him pointing at his watch. It also caused the first major existence of booking tickets and HUGE lines around corners. Sure there were lines before, but this had scheduled screenings with lines reaching 4 or 5 blocks.

Zac

Robert Knecht Schmidt · February 22nd, 2003, 12:18 AM

Right, the whole "no patron will be seated after the start of the performance" gimmick that was used to market the film...

This didn't change how movies in general were exhibited, whereas with STAR WARS and the beginning of the blockbuster era (wherein studios and exhibitors alike made all their profits from just one film a year) did usher in the "one ticket, one showing" policy.

Don Bloom · February 22nd, 2003, 07:35 AM

Hey Ken,
Although I had been there as a teen, my wife ,kids and I went to the Sunset on McCormick Blvd (Kedzie). I think they actually considered it Skokie. Not there no more no more. Too bad,wouldn't mind going again.

Glenn Moore III · February 25th, 2003, 09:28 PM

If she's simply suing because she is given the time the commercials start rather than the time the film starts, then she's right(in my mind) because that's a violation of truth in advertisement; but then all the theatres have to do is change their recording to, "trailers begin at..." which diesn't solve much.

If she's suing because she doesn't want commercials, Oh well. She doesn't like it, I don't like it, but that's capitalism.

Who's really to blame may be Hollywood, if they gave the theatre cineplexes at least 10% of the box office collectings, maybe the theatres could earn their living on just concessions and not need the commercials to survive.

Anyway, I think theartes as we know it will be gone in 20 years. I can get a better lux, luminance, and color from a $1500 LCD or DLP projector than I get from most of the theatres around here(about the price of 100 trips to the multiplex if I get pop and popcorn/2 years of yuppie moviegoing/or about 2 month for parents:)) , and my modest home system has more dynamic range and faithful sound than even the best theatre acoustics, except Imax or THX (only because they're multi-channel).

Keith Loh · February 26th, 2003, 10:59 AM

Has anyone had any experience with film clubs? Like book clubs but for film?

Bob Zimmerman · February 27th, 2003, 02:44 AM

There is nothing like the big screen to watch a movie. I don't go as much as i used to, but when there is a movie with a big budget and lots of special effects, and stunts, that's the best way to watch it. The ads suck but after 40 + years of TV ads it is not that big of a deal. I don't like it but!!!!One of the reasons we pay so much for tickets and have to watch mountain dew ads is that you have to pay some actor 20 million a picture.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · February 27th, 2003, 05:32 AM

It's really strange, but Hollywood clamors to keep picture length down to a minimum, mostly for the exhibitor's sake, so that they can cram a maximum number of showings in per day. (Gods and Generals's superlong running time will all but doom it.) This being the goal, you'd think exhibitors who sell ad time may be shooting themselves in the foot when they screen a half hour of ads and trailers in front of every showing of a popular movie, when instead they could pack in and extra screening of the film each day and rake in the box office receipts.

Hopefully they have smart accountants that compute break-even points for such things.

For those that were wondering, it's a commercial for margarine.

John Locke · February 27th, 2003, 06:15 AM

Keith,

Film cafés... screenings in coffeeshops... are catching on over here now. I guess that's along the lines of a film club. How about back there? Are they common over there yet?

Bob Zimmerman · February 27th, 2003, 09:53 AM

I haven't heard of a film cafe. At least not hear in central Illinois. How do they work? New films or old? Indendent films?

Chris Hurd · February 27th, 2003, 12:09 PM

Down here in Texas, there's no such thing as the film cafe. Instead we have the film beer hall. Check out the Alamo Cinema Draft House.

February 21st, 2003, 10:11 PM	#20
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Don, That absolutely was the life. During the summer, when I got old enough to drive or have friends that drove, we'd go out to the drive-in and just enjoy the warm summer breezes and the b-movies. It was one of the best times of my life. (Since you're also a Chicagoan you may have gone to the same one, which was at Harlem and Irving.) __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 22nd, 2003, 12:18 AM	#22
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	Right, the whole "no patron will be seated after the start of the performance" gimmick that was used to market the film... This didn't change how movies in general were exhibited, whereas with STAR WARS and the beginning of the blockbuster era (wherein studios and exhibitors alike made all their profits from just one film a year) did usher in the "one ticket, one showing" policy. __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 25th, 2003, 09:28 PM	#24
Glenn Moore III New Boot Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 18	it's Hollywood's fault If she's simply suing because she is given the time the commercials start rather than the time the film starts, then she's right(in my mind) because that's a violation of truth in advertisement; but then all the theatres have to do is change their recording to, "trailers begin at..." which diesn't solve much. If she's suing because she doesn't want commercials, Oh well. She doesn't like it, I don't like it, but that's capitalism. Who's really to blame may be Hollywood, if they gave the theatre cineplexes at least 10% of the box office collectings, maybe the theatres could earn their living on just concessions and not need the commercials to survive. Anyway, I think theartes as we know it will be gone in 20 years. I can get a better lux, luminance, and color from a $1500 LCD or DLP projector than I get from most of the theatres around here(about the price of 100 trips to the multiplex if I get pop and popcorn/2 years of yuppie moviegoing/or about 2 month for parents:)) , and my modest home system has more dynamic range and faithful sound than even the best theatre acoustics, except Imax or THX (only because they're multi-channel). __________________ -Glenn III

February 26th, 2003, 10:59 AM	#25
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Film clubs Has anyone had any experience with film clubs? Like book clubs but for film? __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 27th, 2003, 05:32 AM	#27
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	It's really strange, but Hollywood clamors to keep picture length down to a minimum, mostly for the exhibitor's sake, so that they can cram a maximum number of showings in per day. (Gods and Generals's superlong running time will all but doom it.) This being the goal, you'd think exhibitors who sell ad time may be shooting themselves in the foot when they screen a half hour of ads and trailers in front of every showing of a popular movie, when instead they could pack in and extra screening of the film each day and rake in the box office receipts. Hopefully they have smart accountants that compute break-even points for such things. For those that were wondering, it's a commercial for margarine. __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 21st, 2003, 08:00 PM	#16
Brian Huey Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Seattle , WA Posts: 184	At the 4th Ave Theater in Anchorage the have lighted stars on the ceiling. Course it isn't used as a movie theater anymore except for occasional snowmachine movie premieres and the like.

February 21st, 2003, 09:20 PM	#17
Matt Betea Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: detroit, mi Posts: 187	yes, i heard the same thing a couple weeks ago. there was a big stink about companies trying to do away with TIVO because one can easily skip commercials (well i'm sure this is only one of many reasons behind this push). i don't care for it at all. in my opinion it seems like there must be a lack of creativity on the part of advertisers if the only way they can get us "hooked" on their products is by forcing us to view them.

February 21st, 2003, 09:21 PM	#18
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Robert, I don't know what that's advertising, but I'm buying! No wait, then I would end up in bed with two men! I remember when theaters had stars over them, except we called them Drive-Ins. But that's a whole 'nother thread.

February 21st, 2003, 10:01 PM	#19
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Once upon a time my wife and I would take the kiddies to the drive in on Saturday night. Pile into the station wagon put blankets in back for the little angels and off we'd go. We could see 2 movies, have popcorn and a couple of softdrinks get 2 or 3 kids (depends on the year) asleep and even have a little fun ourselves for about what it costs for 1 ticket to the movies today. Ahhh, the good old days, the moon, the stars, the 'B' movies, the kids fighting or crying in the back, the lucky young lovers next to us, my wife sleeping in the seat next to me, what a memory. Things haven't changed much, she still sleeps in the seat next to me just not at the drive in, in front of the big screen at home. Oh yeah, the kids are grown and gone but now I have a dog. She sleeps too! Ain't that something!

February 21st, 2003, 10:27 PM	#21
Zac Stein Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 730	Robert Knecht Schmidt Actually you were a little off. The first movie to clear the theatre and to have strict starting and ending times was Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho (1960). It was an amazing campaign, they had life size cut outs of him pointing at his watch. It also caused the first major existence of booking tickets and HUGE lines around corners. Sure there were lines before, but this had scheduled screenings with lines reaching 4 or 5 blocks. Zac

February 22nd, 2003, 07:35 AM	#23
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Hey Ken, Although I had been there as a teen, my wife ,kids and I went to the Sunset on McCormick Blvd (Kedzie). I think they actually considered it Skokie. Not there no more no more. Too bad,wouldn't mind going again.

February 27th, 2003, 02:44 AM	#26
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	There is nothing like the big screen to watch a movie. I don't go as much as i used to, but when there is a movie with a big budget and lots of special effects, and stunts, that's the best way to watch it. The ads suck but after 40 + years of TV ads it is not that big of a deal. I don't like it but!!!!One of the reasons we pay so much for tickets and have to watch mountain dew ads is that you have to pay some actor 20 million a picture.

February 27th, 2003, 06:15 AM	#28
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Keith, Film cafés... screenings in coffeeshops... are catching on over here now. I guess that's along the lines of a film club. How about back there? Are they common over there yet? __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

February 27th, 2003, 09:53 AM	#29
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	I haven't heard of a film cafe. At least not hear in central Illinois. How do they work? New films or old? Indendent films?

February 27th, 2003, 12:09 PM	#30
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Down here in Texas, there's no such thing as the film cafe. Instead we have the film beer hall. Check out the Alamo Cinema Draft House. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!