Right... The experience is an excellent way to spend a couple of hours.
But, my complaint is the movies:
I'm not a fan of the "hero" movies... gobs of money spent on the same good vs evil themes and loads of violence.
One of these every other year is plenty.
Not to be political as it usually turns into a sh... show but I think my observations are both objective and obvious.
The Chinese Communist have a huge influence on content, which bothers me on multiple levels. Not to mention how interesting a good story line about the biggest population on the planet could be but is totally off limits.
And in general, I think there's a lot of "uni-thinking" in LA right now. Lot's of unspoken (and spoken) politically correct rules and themes self imposed on the movie industry. I think it really restrains creativity.
But, my complaint is the movies:
I'm not a fan of the "hero" movies... gobs of money spent on the same good vs evil themes and loads of violence.
One of these every other year is plenty.
Not to be political as it usually turns into a sh... show but I think my observations are both objective and obvious.
The Chinese Communist have a huge influence on content, which bothers me on multiple levels. Not to mention how interesting a good story line about the biggest population on the planet could be but is totally off limits.
And in general, I think there's a lot of "uni-thinking" in LA right now. Lot's of unspoken (and spoken) politically correct rules and themes self imposed on the movie industry. I think it really restrains creativity.
I will chime in here with with this,
Best, most memorable theater experience (film) was seeing “The Exorcist “ when it first came out. Went with friends to San Francisco and saw it amidst a packed house on a huge screen with excellent audio. As you described the entire audience responded as one, on edge and terrified
It was truly memorable, heck it was back in the 70’s but still stands out.
everyone said VHS would kill the cinema but there are more screens around me than ever before. New generations love going to the cinema, just maybe not every week as was the case in the 50s.
All drive-in theaters have closed in our country. That was a very different experience from my childhood which I will always remember.
When it comes to cinemas I also think real estate is at a premium in a shopping mall. If you had to calculate the rent of the cinemas per square foot/meter I think it must be huge, compared to the number of feet it draws. Maybe the shopping malls discount their rent just to draw people to the mall? Competition between shopping malls is becoming more competitive with new ones jumping up and older ones being revamped all the time.
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Never saw that movie but Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells ignited/cultivated my love for music.
I know of a drive in that has tube amplifiers for the pole mounted speakers. They try to go for the old time theme to some point.
The reality is solid state amplifiers may not like driving a mile of speaker wire without getting jittery.
Also the poles and the lines get shorted and some amplifiers die.
The Altec 1570 just grunts and the 811 tubes orange plate a little. They usually run 2-3 amplifers on a screen with some zone switching in case a zone shorts.
The last movie I was in a theater was about two and a half years ago. I got that childhood nostalgia as my shoe stuck in that soda spill on the floor. I do not get that at home. Sound is also better at home.
I remember watching Ray with a small crowd one afternoon. Maybe there were 15 people in the audience. They pulled out the old joke "If you want to be a Ray-Lette you have to let Ray.." I had to exclaim "They did it!" and the whole crowd laughed.
I doubt I will go to too many shows in a theater. It is just too easy to watch at home.
The reality is solid state amplifiers may not like driving a mile of speaker wire without getting jittery.
Also the poles and the lines get shorted and some amplifiers die.
The Altec 1570 just grunts and the 811 tubes orange plate a little. They usually run 2-3 amplifers on a screen with some zone switching in case a zone shorts.
The last movie I was in a theater was about two and a half years ago. I got that childhood nostalgia as my shoe stuck in that soda spill on the floor. I do not get that at home. Sound is also better at home.
I remember watching Ray with a small crowd one afternoon. Maybe there were 15 people in the audience. They pulled out the old joke "If you want to be a Ray-Lette you have to let Ray.." I had to exclaim "They did it!" and the whole crowd laughed.
I doubt I will go to too many shows in a theater. It is just too easy to watch at home.
That's possible in this day in age when everyone wants to milk another buck out of you wherever possible. If not to purchase goods then for a convenient bite to eat before the movie.
Those big boring block style stores are becoming more and more popular here.
When Covid hit my local theater painted one wall outside white,set up a booth in the parking lot and started having drive-ins. They still do it a couple nights a week, in the summer.
They also opened the concession stand to the public and you could get popcorn, etc as a drive up when the theater was closed. Props to them for doing what they can to stay open.
They also opened the concession stand to the public and you could get popcorn, etc as a drive up when the theater was closed. Props to them for doing what they can to stay open.
That's clever! I helped opened a drive-in for the Cherokee resevation summer of 2020. It was packed for awhile because there was nothing else to do during lock down. But interest soon fell off. 🙁
I went off to the Cinema yesterday. A mere £4.99 at the Vue in Portsmouth for the 9.40AM showing:
Nightmare Alley. An homage to Film Noir in peculiar sepia colour and the usual overly loud Dolby 5.1 soundtrack. Got 5 stars in The Guardian review. So my film-buff level. Sat at the back to protect my ears. A mere 5 other paying customers.
But most enjoyable, if a bit long at 2hours 30 minutes. Frankly my backside was starting to go numb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Alley_(2021_film)
I thought Kate Blanchett was wearing too much makeup. Toni Collette, David Strathearn and Willem Dafoe stole the show, IMO.
I like morning cinema. You then stumble out into the daylight with fresh eyes, and discover things like Tigers made of Legobricks. Amazing.
Nightmare Alley. An homage to Film Noir in peculiar sepia colour and the usual overly loud Dolby 5.1 soundtrack. Got 5 stars in The Guardian review. So my film-buff level. Sat at the back to protect my ears. A mere 5 other paying customers.
But most enjoyable, if a bit long at 2hours 30 minutes. Frankly my backside was starting to go numb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Alley_(2021_film)
I thought Kate Blanchett was wearing too much makeup. Toni Collette, David Strathearn and Willem Dafoe stole the show, IMO.
I like morning cinema. You then stumble out into the daylight with fresh eyes, and discover things like Tigers made of Legobricks. Amazing.
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Oh yes, the one thing about the cinima I hate is the seats. I always find myself hunched back with my knees resting on the seat back in front. Only if its empty.
I found out tonight I'm going to a live show this summer, its going to be a good one. The Red Hot Chili's and the Strokes weehoo.
I never use my airline pillow, its all yours.
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Most are gone here, some converted to multiplexes (smaller theaters), or the buildings are razed to the ground, and the cinemas and restaurants shifted to the upper floors in the new construction.
And the theater owners complain of piracy, low footfalls, high rents, they are also not very keen to continue, only some chains which have McDonalds, KFC and so on as part of the services are doing well.
It is no longer financially viable here, a month's subscription to Netflix, good for 1 TV and 1 cell phone, costs the same as a movie ticket.
Add to that travel, car parking shunts, parking fees, stolen fuel, overpriced food, and ear shattering sound levels...
Thanks, I have a decent set up at home, and I can watch anything I like at home.
At my time, in my choice of dress.
No irritating audience members.
I can even watch scenes again and again, or move past boring bits.
Internet and satellite, I have both on two separate displays, so my parents can see their choice and I can see what I like.
Also, I like films in languages the local theaters don't show...that is also an issue.
And the theater owners complain of piracy, low footfalls, high rents, they are also not very keen to continue, only some chains which have McDonalds, KFC and so on as part of the services are doing well.
It is no longer financially viable here, a month's subscription to Netflix, good for 1 TV and 1 cell phone, costs the same as a movie ticket.
Add to that travel, car parking shunts, parking fees, stolen fuel, overpriced food, and ear shattering sound levels...
Thanks, I have a decent set up at home, and I can watch anything I like at home.
At my time, in my choice of dress.
No irritating audience members.
I can even watch scenes again and again, or move past boring bits.
Internet and satellite, I have both on two separate displays, so my parents can see their choice and I can see what I like.
Also, I like films in languages the local theaters don't show...that is also an issue.
There wasn't a single staff member in evidence, as it goes. Even the popcorn and Cola/soda stand was closed.
I could have slipped in without paying.
But a stern warning to sit only in the allocated seat.
There were Security Guards lurking outside, and I suspect an AI Computer watching me.
These are modern times.
I could have slipped in without paying.
But a stern warning to sit only in the allocated seat.
There were Security Guards lurking outside, and I suspect an AI Computer watching me.
These are modern times.
Strange times!
With digital projection, perhaps no staff is needed. Sell popcorn and Cokes from a vending machine, have robot hoovers clean the floors.
With digital projection, perhaps no staff is needed. Sell popcorn and Cokes from a vending machine, have robot hoovers clean the floors.
People vandalized all the screens in a cinima here by destroying the big screens with box cutters. Because they didn't like what was playing.
I wonder what the average cost is for one of those big ciniplex screens. I paid $600 for one. It wasn't even that big.
I wonder what the average cost is for one of those big ciniplex screens. I paid $600 for one. It wasn't even that big.
They caused $4500 in damages roughly. People that pull such stupid stunts never seem to check for cameras first do they? They did it as people were watching the flick as if its nothing ;/ Watch this https://www.insauga.com/vandalism-at-oakville-movie-theatre-under-investigation/
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Not many people know this, but Portsmouth, UK is home to two of the finest Detectives who ever (fictionally) lived.
Inspector Clouseau and Sherlock Holmes.
We can solve this!
Questions arise. What was the Movie the Criminals were so concerned about?
Wisely the Movie-Buff did not directly confront the two Hoodies with blades and facemasks.
Shouldn't be to hard to use other cameras to follow these two Oakland, California Goons home. A question of Police resources.
Gangsters, for sure. Guilty of many other Crimes. This looks like a Protection racket.
Inspector Clouseau and Sherlock Holmes.
We can solve this!
Questions arise. What was the Movie the Criminals were so concerned about?
Wisely the Movie-Buff did not directly confront the two Hoodies with blades and facemasks.
Shouldn't be to hard to use other cameras to follow these two Oakland, California Goons home. A question of Police resources.
Gangsters, for sure. Guilty of many other Crimes. This looks like a Protection racket.
