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First they didn't show the Aqua Teens movie last weekend. That made me angry enough. But I figure alright, lots of people think it's just for stoners; I'll just catch it on DVD.
Now they're not showing Hot Fuzz. This was an actual mainstream movie, done by the same guys that made the insanely popular Shawn of the Dead. How can they not show that? Oh, hey, we can't preempt an exruciatingly bad Ice Cube family comedy, so no Hot Fuzz for you!
Movie theaters are horrid. It's bad enough you can't bring your own snacks or drink beer in the theater. Now they're making me wait for DVD for two movies I was really anticipating.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Apr 2007
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while I thought the movie was very well done, I think it's quite a stretch to call Shawn of the Dead "insanely popular."
I'm lucky because within about 5 miles I have at least one movie theater playing just about any movie on earth that is out atm (yay LA).
While that does suck, both of those are definately not your complete "mainstream" movies. If it makes you feel better, back in college the close movie theater had gotten in some spat with Sony and couldn't/wouldn't play anything from them, so we'd have to go across town to see any of those flicks
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by TheGrimace: while I thought the movie was very well done, I think it's quite a stretch to call Shawn of the Dead "insanely popular."
One of the highest-selling XBOX games of all time (Dead Rising) is half based on it (the other half being Dawn of the Dead).
Maybe the "insanely popular" thing is my projection; but the movie is very well-received by everybody I know who watches it.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Apr 2007
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I loved Shaun of the Dead, though I was put off by the dismemberment at the end of the movie. I wasn't aware that it was a zombie movie tradition at the time.
Our theatre isn't showing Hot Fuzz, either. The closest theatre that has it is in the Chicago suburbs. I'm willing to make the drive, but my wife isn't.
Posts: 753 | Registered: Mar 2001
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Hot Fuzz isn't opening very wide. The studio has a plan to "see how it does"; if the screens they're showing it on do well, they'll go wider and release it in more theaters.
It's not the fault of your local movie theater. If the studio doesn't offer them the movie, they can't book it. And that's what is happening in the case of Hot Fuzz.
In the case of Aqua Teen, your local movie theater probably figured that it wasn't going to make them a dime, (and they were right).
(This is a business, after all.)
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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In the case of bringing your own snacks and beer into the theater, as I've explained before -- movie theaters make almost no money from ticket sales. They make their money from snacks.
The movie studios make 91.5 % of the money from ticket sales. Theaters make 8.5%.
The high snack bar prices allow movie theaters to be a profitable business.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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Smaller, independently owned theaters often only choose movies that they think will gross higher and be more popular. While Hot Fuzz seems like a good movie, it may not make as much money as other movies will. The theater in my neighborhood can only show 4 movies at a time, so they only choose the more popular ones. For instance, they have Disturbia playing instead of Hot Fuzz.
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2006
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The movie theater I went to while in high school (an AMC) would let us bring in whatever we wanted. I never actually tried it with popcorn, but I used to bring in candy, In-N-Out, Jamba Juice, and wraps all the time, and no one ever hassled me. They seemed to be doing fine, budget-wise, as well.
Their easy-going policy was part of the reason my friends and I chose to go to that movie theater, rather than one of the slightly closer places. The place was always packed, too.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by TL: In the case of Aqua Teen, your local movie theater probably figured that it wasn't going to make them a dime, (and they were right).
(This is a business, after all.)
Well, apparently they make money off of NO movies, so they might as well have showed it.
I realize it's a business, but this is maybe the one area where I lean against the "bottom line" attitude. Movies are greenlighted nowadays by the marketing departments in most studios based on how a brief marketing brainstorm meeting goes. This is why maybe 90% of movies nowadays are unwatchable.
I'd rather make (or show) good movies than profitable ones. I find it scary, a little, that movies like Fast and the Furious do much better than movies like Shaun of the Dead.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Apr 2007
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They make no money off of movies, perhaps, but they do make money off of concessions. Your logic only works if their theaters are doing nothing else. If their theaters are actively showing other movies which draw more people (and thus concession revenue), then they lose money by showing shows that draw less of a crowd.
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Incidentally, my wife and I drove down to Nashville today and saw Hot Fuzz. It was fantastic--one of the best movies I've seen in recent memory. Maybe THE best, except for 300.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by TL: In the case of bringing your own snacks and beer into the theater, as I've explained before -- movie theaters make almost no money from ticket sales. They make their money from snacks.
The movie studios make 91.5 % of the money from ticket sales. Theaters make 8.5%.
The high snack bar prices allow movie theaters to be a profitable business.
And as many of us have explained before, poor business planning on the part of theatres is not our problem.
On those rare occasions that I actually manage to get to a theatre, I am going to see a movie. I am not going to buy overpriced snacks. If they can get most people to buy 'em (which does seem to be the case), more power to the theatre. But don't try to guilt me into buying them.
I don't often use the snack/beverage machines at work, either. I bring in my own.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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