Movie theaters officially dead

[Guest Lobo]

So the Dutch?

[RoundRobin 828]

Knives Out Lonestar

[atomheartbevo 90054]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/17/business/amc-rental-99-trnd/index.html

Quote

AMC Theatres joins a handful of cinemas letting customers rent out auditoriums for private screenings -- a growing trend due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

AMC allows rentals of up to 20 people. According to its website, rates start at $99, excluding tax, and increase to $349 depending on the movie, the theater's location and any other add-ons like food and drink. AMC's FAQ page lists renting a microphone to greet guests as an extra $100 charge, while more time to enter an auditorium, beyond the standard 15 minutes, will cost another $250.

 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2741]

Do we go back to drive ins?

[RPM 26429]

I, for one, would love to see drive-ins make a comeback.

Edited October 18, 2020 by RPM

[atomheartbevo 90054]

1 hour ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Do we go back to drive ins?

42 minutes ago, RPM said:

I, for one, would love to see drive-ins make a comeback.

This x1000.  Most modern cars have decent sound systems.  We can do this.

Can't believe Walmart is leading the way on this.   I've heard that they may make it a permanent thing.

 

[RPM 26429]

4 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Can't believe Walmart is leading the way on this.   I've heard that they may make it a permanent thing.

They did one at the Roanoke Walmart. I pulled in for gas the morning after and it took a sec to figure out wtf was going on. The screen was pretty small and low to the ground for outdoor. But, good for them giving a fuck and trying.

If you don't have a decent car stereo these days, wtf are you driving?

Edited October 18, 2020 by RPM

[atomheartbevo 90054]

Just now, RPM said:

They did one at the Roanoke Walmart. I pulled in for gas the morning after and it took a sec to figure out wtf they did. The screen was pretty small and low to the ground for outdoor. But, good for them giving a fuck and trying.

What I read is that these were not "fun little things to distract people during the pandemic", but trial runs for actual semi-permanent setups, complete with using Walmart for concessions, and running ads for a few minutes before the screenings.

We'll see.  Walmart is always trying all kinds of ideas to get people's money.

[RPM 26429]

Just now, atomheartbevo said:

What I read is that these were not "fun little things to distract people during the pandemic", but trial runs for actual semi-permanent setups, complete with using Walmart for concessions, and running ads for a few minutes before the screenings.

We'll see.  Walmart is always trying all kinds of ideas to get people's money.

Don't doubt it for a second. According to a few industry rags I've read, Walmart is about to go through a major makeover inside and out. I hope they learned something from the trial run.

[Guest Lobo]

We saw a few drive-in movies with the kids during last Spring at the outbreak of Covid-19.  One of them was in Round Rock and this LED screen was really impressive.  Movie started early for kids but the screen pierced through the sunlight and was as crystal clear as your home TV.  Sound was good in my truck, only cut out once.  Only downside was it was hot at the start of the movie so everybody kept their cars running so it was a bit loud.  After sunset, people started to shut their cars off and roll down windows which was nice.  I'd definitely do something like that again during Spring or Autumn.  Summer is just too hot and the damn sun ain't down until 9:00p, too late to take kids but be a fun date night.  If there had been a Wal-Mart nearby, much as I hate 'em, and they had like a little express checkout off to the side that just sold candy, popcorn, and drinks and I didn't have to navigate the actual store, I'd happily plunk down for some refreshments, maybe a bottle of wine.  

[RPM 26429]

I think a solution could be fixed a/c ducted to each vehicle. It sounds crazy, but before 18 wheelers had apu's there was IdleAire window mount a/c, broadband, power units.

You could duct the lot fairly cheap with PVC and have a central a/c unit.

Edited October 18, 2020 by RPM

[Guest Lobo]

Pos rep for the semi-truck APU reference.  Haven't thought about those in years.  It's been 15 years since I've been in one period.  

csb/ IdleAire was developed in (small) part with UT-Knoxville's transportation/logistics program which some of my family members were involved.  

So we're all agreed then, we're bringing back porno theaters?  

[Pato del Muerto 52877]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

I think a solution could be fixed a/c ducted to each vehicle. It sounds crazy, but before 18 wheelers had apu's there was IdleAire window mount a/c, broadband, power units.

You could duct the lot fairly cheap with PVC and have a central a/c unit.

Maybe a whole hvac for those of us that live where it’s...28 degrees right now?

audio- would it be Bluetooth to the automobile?

[RPM 26429]

5 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Maybe a whole hvac for those of us that live where it’s...28 degrees right now?

audio- would it be Bluetooth to the automobile?

Obviously it could pump warm air, too. It would just need to be a constant temp overall unless you really wanted to complicate things.

FM transmission. 88.3 or what not. Your car stereo (or any FM radio in range) is the audio.

Edited October 18, 2020 by RPM

[Pato del Muerto 52877]

Ah yes. Completely forgot that modulated airwave transmission existed.  

[wild_turkey 3221]

https://www.outletsatsanclemente.com/store/Metropolitan-Theatres/2138981492/
This large theater is being built on what was one of the last open coastal sites in SoCal.  Can't imagine the gut punch this must be for the developers.

Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small
Then we can never get away from the sprawl
Living in the sprawl
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains
And there’s no end in sight

[Guest Lobo]

+rep for Arcade Fire's take on overly-developed coastal space.  They should speak at PREA next year.  

I hope that developer goes bankrupt and ends up on dying in a mudslide.  We can leave a handful of patches of Earth for our children.  It's okay. 

[Michael Knight 13049]

[Js1 85754]

We are doing the JP one on Friday.

[Michael Knight 13049]

WarnerMedia is pushing even more aggressively into streaming by releasing every single movie in 2021 simultaneously on HBO Max.

There are some limitations to the new business model. The movies will only stream on HBO Max for one month before leaving the platform for a period of time. They will also play in theaters, keeping the relationship with movie theater distributors like AMC and Regal. The plan is to run this experiment for one year.

 

https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150605/hbo-max-warner-bros-movies-2021-simultaneous-release-matrix-godzilla-suicide-squad-space-jam?fbclid=IwAR3cQ1zpFtLGOO_mElmOfLaO4NHJeH1wso6MfnT2R4sgiQgHsgZuXDYLe2I

[Drew 2659]

That's interesting. Drive people to purchase HBO Max to see a movie before it leaves the platform OR go pay for the movie.

[DanRydell 799]

Well that sucks. It's too bad movie theaters have to die because Time Warner conducted the worst product rollout since New Coke.

[SimonBolivar 10961]

45 minutes ago, Drew said:

That's interesting. Drive people to purchase HBO Max to see a movie before it leaves the platform OR go pay for the movie.

Once it's in HBO Max it'll be torrent season forever. All hail the VPN.

[Continental Op 3934]

Yeah! Stealing is awesome! 

[High Plains Drifter 11057]

 

In order to make up for lost summer revenue, our local small town theater troupe started showing drive in movies on the weekends during sept and oct, before it got too cold. Mostly family type movies for the kids. I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark one weekend, and ET another.

10 bucks a car, plus they sold concessions.

Zero overhead, as far as i figure.

 

[SimonBolivar 10961]

20 minutes ago, Continental Op said:

Yeah! Stealing is awesome! 

It really is

[usmc0331horn 968]

39 minutes ago, Continental Op said:

Yeah! Stealing is awesome! 

Just for that I think I'm gonna torrent all of the new movies that come to HBO Max and not watch any of them!!!

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4980]

2 hours ago, Drew said:

That's interesting. Drive people to purchase HBO Max to see a movie before it leaves the platform OR go pay for the movie.

They have to get people to subscribe somehow since they screwed up by not allowing it on Fire TV or Roku initially. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by NotActuallyALonghorn

[usmc0331horn 968]

Lol at anyone being mad people rip movies from these greedy ass companies. Hilarious.

[Drew 2659]

I wouldn't say I'm mad at all(I'm not even sure you were talking to me). Do you.

Just not my thing. I'll watch ripped copies of movies that I'm not that interested in.  But for 75% of movies I'd rather just go get the Movie experience.  It pains me that I can't go to the theatre anymore...I really enjoyed it.  Some movies were great to see with big crowds(like scary movies).  Some were better to see when kids were there or it was too busy(like the Discount Tuesday Night showings).  I know it was expensive, but it's worth it to me and the Wife.

 

Now I'll just watch on HBO Max.  Or if it's a movie I really want to see I'll just pay the $20 to watch it on demand.  No real big deal for me not to watch bootleg copies.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, usmc0331horn said:

Lol at anyone being mad people rip movies from these greedy ass companies. Hilarious.

so fucked up to see anyone making a profit...

[Js1 85754]

Oh blow it out your ass Slorch, it’s not an attack on your previous capitalism. Just a bullshit business model

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Oh blow it out your ass Slorch, it’s not an attack on your previous capitalism. Just a bullshit business model

Oh blow it out your ass dude.  Why the fuck do you THINK people are in business?   How dare people endeavor in creating a product and selling it...

 

What an egregious affront to civilization...

Edited December 4, 2020 by slorch

[atomheartbevo 90054]

Here's the thing:  The movie and TV business have desirable products, that happen to be relatively  easy to pirate.  No amount of ridiculous government regulations, laws, civil penalties, etc. will change the fact that their product is still relatively easy to pirate (and easier than 10 years ago, with faster internet connections, better BT clients, VPNs, etc.).  

Speaking of 10 years ago, the quality and size of TV and audio equipment has increased, while the price has dropped drastically, to the point where you can get a damn fine TV for under $600.  Is it the same as a theater?  No, but then again, many movies do not have to be seen in a theater to be enjoyed.

Businesses can do one of two things.

1. Continue to bury their heads in the sand and pretend like it's not happening, while they pay some third party to do various things to reduce piracy ( Big Scary DMCA notices for the ignorant who don't try to hide their connection info, taking down the low-hanging fruit (websites who don't do a good job of piracy), setup fake websites with fake torrents to fuck with people, (including trojans), etc.  There's more than one BT site run by third parties paid for by various studios.
2. Make their products cheap and easy to obtain legally.  Basically the iTunes model.  Or HBO Max.

While it's obviously a money grab (the money HBO rakes in through HBO Max is money they don't have to share with theaters), there's also a pandemic going on, and plenty of people are going to be avoiding theaters, and are looking around to find the latest and greatest movies.  

HBO is doing a smart thing - making these movies cheap and easily available, so that people who are more casual about pirating are going to be like "fuck it, I'll drop the $15 a month and have it in 4K, etc. plus a shit-ton of other HBO content, and I don't have to fuck with PLEX or getting a shitty copy or whatever".

Sucks for the theaters.   But if HBO/WB doesn't pull in a new revenue stream, movies won't be made anyways.

[atomheartbevo 90054]

AMC running out of cash in January, needs $750 million for next year.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/amc-warns-it-may-run-out-of-cash-184746660.html

 

[Slacks 6918]

My family would have to pay $40 for tix, then $40 for concessions.

Then have to miss parts off the movie for a restroom break...

Or we could lay on one of our couches watching one of our 55" 4k TVs, eating and drinking whatever we have in the house our whatever wet went delivered... We can pause and go pee...

The only movies we go to the theater for are Marvel or Star Wars... And I'm ok skipping those, too.

Movie theaters should have been pivoting for years. Once Blockbuster went down, AMC should have pushed a subscription model... They don't make money on showing the movies. They would probably get more concession if they didn't have to charge for every ticket...

[BradInATX 9208]

[wild_turkey 3221]

My family would have to pay $40 for tix, then $40 for concessions.

Which is pretty cheap for 2-3 hours of entertainment outside your home. You can’t go to a live sporting event, concert, golf, bowling, etc. for less than that.

I’m not sure the cost of going to the theaters is a valid criticism. Of course it’s more expensive than watching the same movie at home, but that could be said about almost everything.

[Slacks 6918]

1 hour ago, wild_turkey said:

 

Which is pretty cheap for 2-3 hours of entertainment outside your home. You can’t go to a live sporting event, concert, golf, bowling, etc. for less than that.

I’m not sure the cost of going to the theaters is a valid criticism. Of course it’s more expensive than watching the same movie at home, but that could be said about almost everything.

 

The value of said entertainment in said venue is negligible to me. Watching a movie in a theater is not very entertaining.  Concession at a theater cost more than at a live event... and the movie theater is not "live".  The only thing a theater has over home is that It's big, dark and not always comfortable. (TWSS)

I'm happy to pay more for a live theater production. I would have paid the $200 per ticket to see Hamilton live.  I wouldn't have paid $10 to see it on an AMC screen.

I'm happy to pay far more for a good restaurant... or even an average restaurant... than what it costs to make a meal at home.  Both the experience (not prepping and cooking) and the food flavor (when it's good) make it worth it. 

I'm happy to pay more for a live sporting event even though the view of the event is usually better at home.

I think I just don't care for the venue and the concession, so I'm going to be biased all the way.

[wild_turkey 3221]

Fair enough. I think the screen size and sound quality make the theater experience better for big action movies and that justifies the cost for me. Plus, I watch TV at home almost every weeknight, so if a good movie gets released, I’m ok leaving the house to go see it.

I don’t eat at the theater so concessions for me equals beer or wine, which is marked up but not any more than an average bar or restaurant.

[billfromlaketravis 11605]

Looks bad for the River Oaks Theater in Houston. They haven’t paid rent since March 2020, and their lease expires in a few months. 

[dcbc 14568]

20 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Looks bad for the River Oaks Theater in Houston. They haven’t paid rent since March 2020, and their lease expires in a few months. 

This hurts.  I loved going to see stuff there back in the day.  Caught A Clockwork Orange there during one of the film festivals in the late 90s.

[billfromlaketravis 11605]

22 minutes ago, dcbc said:

This hurts.  I loved going to see stuff there back in the day.  Caught A Clockwork Orange there during one of the film festivals in the late 90s.

The last movie I saw there was The Irishman. Scooted down the street to Romano’s for a slice afterwards. ‘Twas a glorious evening. 

[DCA_HORN 725]

This hurts.  I loved going to see stuff there back in the day.  Caught A Clockwork Orange there during one of the film festivals in the late 90s.

Saw clerks there when it came out. Last time I was there was probably a lebowski quote along.

[Tom 2960]

I saw The Marksman in a theater last weekend.  Liam Neeson plays a guy who is a 65+ year old badass who gets vengence on some bad people.  It's a brand new, never before seen movie formula, but I digress.  

I was the first person to buy a ticket in the theater and bought a seat in the center back row.  Right as the previews were ending, some other guy came in and sat right in front of me.  

Really?  An entire theater of empty seats and you pre-select a seat in front of the only other seat in the theater taken?  During Covid? He also took about 5 minutes into the movie to put away his phone.

This made me surly.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Tom

[mdleast 8388]

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/alamo-drafthouse-bankruptcy-chapter-11-sale-1234920558/

Alamo Drafthouse has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

“The company says that operations will continue as normal and the Chapter 11 process and sale will give it the capital it needs to continue operating as it emerges from a public health crisis that left many of its locations closed for months. The agreement involves “the sale of substantially all its assets.”

“As part of the bankruptcy, Alamo Drafthouse will close down a few underperforming locations and restructure its lease obligations.”

[mdleast 8388]

Well shit. Alamo Ritz will not be reopening.

https://drafthouse.com/news/au-revoir-to-the-ritz

[SimonBolivar 10961]

1 hour ago, mdleast said:

Well shit. Alamo Ritz will not be reopening.

https://drafthouse.com/news/au-revoir-to-the-ritz

Fuck, they better keep Master Pancake going at one of the other locations. I'm not a huge 6th Street fan, but there was something special about leaving the late Master Pancake to a packed 6th.

[Michael Knight 13049]

I liked the idea of the Ritz more than the Ritz itself

[OneOfTheOutOfFocusGuys 2118]

this is very very concerning.  my bet is an immediate decrease in the quality of grub there.