"But that's not the way we've always done things!" -AMC Seriously though, if you're scared that everyone will watch movies at home instead of your theater as soon as they have the option you...
"But that's not the way we've always done things!"
-AMC
Seriously though, if you're scared that everyone will watch movies at home instead of your theater as soon as they have the option you seriously need to think about what value you are adding. Trying to base your business on peoples lack of option (being forced to see it in theaters) isn't a sustainable business model. It sounds like it's time for AMC to make their product worth the cost/effort for consumers to choose it.
One of the local theatre (Emagine, Michigan) chains here is doing a great job of stepping it up to compete with people streaming at home. Reserved seats, power reclining leather chairs with heated...
One of the local theatre (Emagine, Michigan) chains here is doing a great job of stepping it up to compete with people streaming at home. Reserved seats, power reclining leather chairs with heated seats, beer/cocktails, just a nice experience.
In my city there is a theater called The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. They make it worth your time with a full service restaurant that serves you while you watch the movie. I'm not talking cheap...
In my city there is a theater called The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. They make it worth your time with a full service restaurant that serves you while you watch the movie. I'm not talking cheap hotdogs, They have a delicious menu with high quality food. Also they serve alcohol.
Can second this An AMC opened up about 5 mins down the road from my house about 12-14 years ago and its been my go to for solo movie outings since high school But when I’m going with my friends,...
Can second this
An AMC opened up about 5 mins down the road from my house about 12-14 years ago and its been my go to for solo movie outings since high school
But when I’m going with my friends, or date night, we always go to Alamo.
The food is excellent and their emphasis on “no talking, no cell phones” keeps the audience quiet. You never have to worry about someone’s loud, obnoxious kids.
And Alamo also routinely does showings of older movies and “theme nights”. So it’s a great place to see something like Jaws on the big screen if, like me, you were too young to see it during it’s heyday
My local AMC has a Dine-in option. I've tried it a couple times and the food is expensive and mediocre. Aside from the food quality, I really found having the food service during a movie to be...
My local AMC has a Dine-in option. I've tried it a couple times and the food is expensive and mediocre. Aside from the food quality, I really found having the food service during a movie to be very distracting. I now avoid movie times that are only available in their Dine-In and will wait until I can get the regular assigned seating theater. If the food was better quality like at your Alamo Drafthouse, I might overlook the distraction aspect.
Especially considering that Universal is getting a full share of revenue at home compared to having to give AMC a cut. The chain theatre experience is going to have to evolve or perish if this...
Especially considering that Universal is getting a full share of revenue at home compared to having to give AMC a cut. The chain theatre experience is going to have to evolve or perish if this keeps up.
I think AMC is way overestimating how much power they have. I honestly don’t see theaters being popular 10 years from now unless they can seriously revamp the movie going experience. At the...
I think AMC is way overestimating how much power they have.
I honestly don’t see theaters being popular 10 years from now unless they can seriously revamp the movie going experience. At the moment, it’s merely a larger screen. I don’t think that’s enough to keep people coming back when so much media is available for comparatively little money via the internet.
I agree with you and I'd expand on this a bit to say that AMC and other theaters like them have the advantages of: The larger screen as you mention Better audio that is more engaging Earliest...
I agree with you and I'd expand on this a bit to say that AMC and other theaters like them have the advantages of:
The larger screen as you mention
Better audio that is more engaging
Earliest release timeline for most movies
Large crowd atmosphere that can add to the excitement (and also sometimes detract)
That said, I do still prefer to watch movies at home and I'm willing to wait for their release on bluray and/or UHD even if it means 3 months wait. I probably go out to the movies 3-4 times a year.
For me, it’s always worse to see movies in the theater because everyone else is on their phones or talking and the theater employees don’t do anything to stop it (I can’t blame them - they’re paid...
(and also sometimes detract)
For me, it’s always worse to see movies in the theater because everyone else is on their phones or talking and the theater employees don’t do anything to stop it (I can’t blame them - they’re paid minimum wage and probably treated like crap by a lot of people).
This complaint always perplexes me. I go to the movies 1-2 times a month and I maybe run into this once every two years. Do I just live in an area where people don't behave like worthless pieces...
For me, it’s always worse to see movies in the theater because everyone else is on their phones or talking and the theater employees don’t do anything to stop it
This complaint always perplexes me. I go to the movies 1-2 times a month and I maybe run into this once every two years. Do I just live in an area where people don't behave like worthless pieces of shit when out in public?
Yeah, I'm on the fence about this. We used to go to the movies around once a month or two. We have some of the best movie houses in the world nearby. Some even have 18+ only showings so you don't...
Yeah, I'm on the fence about this. We used to go to the movies around once a month or two. We have some of the best movie houses in the world nearby. Some even have 18+ only showings so you don't have to deal with young kids who might not understand theater etiquette.
It can be a very nice experience. But despite that, there are still major annoyances about going out to the theater: Adults who also don't understand theater etiquette, loud ads before the feature (most places around here don't show ads, but the nearest one does, and unfortunately, that's where we usually go), sticky floors, sometimes the audio is too loud, you can't pause to have a bathroom break, can't rewind to figure out what the person said, can't turn on subtitles halfway in, etc.
I like going from time-to-time, but if I was never able to go to a movie theater again, it wouldn't be the end of the world to me. I love streaming. It's not perfect and my home setup isn't as big or nice as a theater, but it's more than enough for me!
If Universal accepts AMC's threat and has to release everything on VOD or physical I bet it will negatively impact AMC more than Universal and I'd be glad to see that happen. Theaters are terrible...
If Universal accepts AMC's threat and has to release everything on VOD or physical I bet it will negatively impact AMC more than Universal and I'd be glad to see that happen. Theaters are terrible around me. I have to travel 1 hour to get to 1 theater that has 1 Ultrascreen with dream loungers. Any other type of theater within that distance has uncomfortable seating, smaller screen and a mediocre sound system. If I had space and money for a larger TV I would not bother going to the theater for any quality purpose, I only really go now because of the early exclusivity of a few movies I really want to see. And even with those few, they have to play on that 1 screen so I only have 1-2 week window before they move to the other screens and are not worth my time.
IMO the only way I see theaters improving would be opening more high-quality seating/screens like the ultrascreen and offer some sort of on demand refreshments (alcohol too) from your seat, delivered automatically like a vending machine but quietly and with low lighting. Something like a flip up order pad you swipe a card and ID if purchasing alcohol then a conveyor belt or air tube delivers the products.
Honestly, I kind of want the theatrical release system to die. And it's entirely because of chains like AMC and Regal. While they do try harder to clean their theater and provide comfortable...
Honestly, I kind of want the theatrical release system to die. And it's entirely because of chains like AMC and Regal. While they do try harder to clean their theater and provide comfortable seating than independent theaters, they are simply too big and the independent theaters have all essentially gone away or have been forced to become "discount" theaters where they show old blockbusters.
But the real reason why this bothers me is that there are so many small independent movies that get cinematic releases that these theaters just simply don't show. And there are a huge number of them - maybe 5 for every blockbuster release. These movies may not ever get a home or streaming release, and if they do it can be years later.
What a way to sign your own death warrant. I barely go to the movies already, most of them provide a crappy experience: overpriced popcorn, overpriced drinks, assholes loudly speaking during the...
What a way to sign your own death warrant. I barely go to the movies already, most of them provide a crappy experience: overpriced popcorn, overpriced drinks, assholes loudly speaking during the movies, I could go on.
I already have a gorgeous 65" OLED screen at home, it's not exactly IMAX, but the picture quality is great, so I'd rather watch everything in the comfort of my own home.
I went a similar path of having my own dedicated area with a projector and a large screen. The IMAX brand does little for me anyway, I'd much rather be watching movies on my own setup in the...
I went a similar path of having my own dedicated area with a projector and a large screen. The IMAX brand does little for me anyway, I'd much rather be watching movies on my own setup in the comfort of my home like you. I also built mine with Dolby Atmos (and DTS-X) that has four height-based ceiling speaker channels which most theaters don't even have.
"But that's not the way we've always done things!"
-AMC
Seriously though, if you're scared that everyone will watch movies at home instead of your theater as soon as they have the option you seriously need to think about what value you are adding. Trying to base your business on peoples lack of option (being forced to see it in theaters) isn't a sustainable business model. It sounds like it's time for AMC to make their product worth the cost/effort for consumers to choose it.
One of the local theatre (Emagine, Michigan) chains here is doing a great job of stepping it up to compete with people streaming at home. Reserved seats, power reclining leather chairs with heated seats, beer/cocktails, just a nice experience.
In my city there is a theater called The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. They make it worth your time with a full service restaurant that serves you while you watch the movie. I'm not talking cheap hotdogs, They have a delicious menu with high quality food. Also they serve alcohol.
It's the only place my wife and I see movies now.
Can second this
An AMC opened up about 5 mins down the road from my house about 12-14 years ago and its been my go to for solo movie outings since high school
But when I’m going with my friends, or date night, we always go to Alamo.
The food is excellent and their emphasis on “no talking, no cell phones” keeps the audience quiet. You never have to worry about someone’s loud, obnoxious kids.
And Alamo also routinely does showings of older movies and “theme nights”. So it’s a great place to see something like Jaws on the big screen if, like me, you were too young to see it during it’s heyday
My local AMC has a Dine-in option. I've tried it a couple times and the food is expensive and mediocre. Aside from the food quality, I really found having the food service during a movie to be very distracting. I now avoid movie times that are only available in their Dine-In and will wait until I can get the regular assigned seating theater. If the food was better quality like at your Alamo Drafthouse, I might overlook the distraction aspect.
Especially considering that Universal is getting a full share of revenue at home compared to having to give AMC a cut. The chain theatre experience is going to have to evolve or perish if this keeps up.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/28/trolls-world-tour-made-more-money-for-universal-than-trolls.html
I think AMC is way overestimating how much power they have.
I honestly don’t see theaters being popular 10 years from now unless they can seriously revamp the movie going experience. At the moment, it’s merely a larger screen. I don’t think that’s enough to keep people coming back when so much media is available for comparatively little money via the internet.
I agree with you and I'd expand on this a bit to say that AMC and other theaters like them have the advantages of:
The larger screen as you mention
Better audio that is more engaging
Earliest release timeline for most movies
Large crowd atmosphere that can add to the excitement (and also sometimes detract)
That said, I do still prefer to watch movies at home and I'm willing to wait for their release on bluray and/or UHD even if it means 3 months wait. I probably go out to the movies 3-4 times a year.
For me, it’s always worse to see movies in the theater because everyone else is on their phones or talking and the theater employees don’t do anything to stop it (I can’t blame them - they’re paid minimum wage and probably treated like crap by a lot of people).
This complaint always perplexes me. I go to the movies 1-2 times a month and I maybe run into this once every two years. Do I just live in an area where people don't behave like worthless pieces of shit when out in public?
I live in a college town, so yes.
Yeah, I'm on the fence about this. We used to go to the movies around once a month or two. We have some of the best movie houses in the world nearby. Some even have 18+ only showings so you don't have to deal with young kids who might not understand theater etiquette.
It can be a very nice experience. But despite that, there are still major annoyances about going out to the theater: Adults who also don't understand theater etiquette, loud ads before the feature (most places around here don't show ads, but the nearest one does, and unfortunately, that's where we usually go), sticky floors, sometimes the audio is too loud, you can't pause to have a bathroom break, can't rewind to figure out what the person said, can't turn on subtitles halfway in, etc.
I like going from time-to-time, but if I was never able to go to a movie theater again, it wouldn't be the end of the world to me. I love streaming. It's not perfect and my home setup isn't as big or nice as a theater, but it's more than enough for me!
If Universal accepts AMC's threat and has to release everything on VOD or physical I bet it will negatively impact AMC more than Universal and I'd be glad to see that happen. Theaters are terrible around me. I have to travel 1 hour to get to 1 theater that has 1 Ultrascreen with dream loungers. Any other type of theater within that distance has uncomfortable seating, smaller screen and a mediocre sound system. If I had space and money for a larger TV I would not bother going to the theater for any quality purpose, I only really go now because of the early exclusivity of a few movies I really want to see. And even with those few, they have to play on that 1 screen so I only have 1-2 week window before they move to the other screens and are not worth my time.
IMO the only way I see theaters improving would be opening more high-quality seating/screens like the ultrascreen and offer some sort of on demand refreshments (alcohol too) from your seat, delivered automatically like a vending machine but quietly and with low lighting. Something like a flip up order pad you swipe a card and ID if purchasing alcohol then a conveyor belt or air tube delivers the products.
Honestly, I kind of want the theatrical release system to die. And it's entirely because of chains like AMC and Regal. While they do try harder to clean their theater and provide comfortable seating than independent theaters, they are simply too big and the independent theaters have all essentially gone away or have been forced to become "discount" theaters where they show old blockbusters.
But the real reason why this bothers me is that there are so many small independent movies that get cinematic releases that these theaters just simply don't show. And there are a huge number of them - maybe 5 for every blockbuster release. These movies may not ever get a home or streaming release, and if they do it can be years later.
How fast the kiss and makeup is done is dependent on how bad things are going for the theatre owners compared to the production studios.
What a way to sign your own death warrant. I barely go to the movies already, most of them provide a crappy experience: overpriced popcorn, overpriced drinks, assholes loudly speaking during the movies, I could go on.
I already have a gorgeous 65" OLED screen at home, it's not exactly IMAX, but the picture quality is great, so I'd rather watch everything in the comfort of my own home.
I went a similar path of having my own dedicated area with a projector and a large screen. The IMAX brand does little for me anyway, I'd much rather be watching movies on my own setup in the comfort of my home like you. I also built mine with Dolby Atmos (and DTS-X) that has four height-based ceiling speaker channels which most theaters don't even have.