The most expensive movie theater in the US (1 Viewer)

[Ted Todorov]

Prices have hit $12.00 per ticket at the MOMA's Gramercy Theater in NYC. Here is a link so you'll know I'm not making this up.
Gordon Gekko is alive and well, living in New York, and in charge of the MOMA's film department.
Ted

 

[Jason Seaver]

That's not so bad, though - I read it as $12 for all-day admission, which looks like as low as $3/film if you're interested in all of the day's screenings, for boutique selections, and you get a visit to the museum afterward, unless I'm reading it all wrong. The Boston MFA charges $9.50 for a single film and the admission is completely seperate from the galleries, as a comparison.
I mean, sure, higher prices are no fun, but somehow it seems like $12 for up to four or five hard-to-find films is less of a rip-off than the $5.75 relatively unimpressive second-run theaters around here charge.

 

[ThomasC]

I mean, sure, higher prices are no fun, but somehow it seems like $12 for up to four or five hard-to-find films is less of a rip-off than the $5.75 relatively unimpressive second-run theaters around here charge.

$5.75 for a second-run?! dang, the cinemark second-run in columbus goes for as low as 50 cents (all matinees and all day [either tuesday or thursday] for students, and there might be more specials, i forget) and only goes as high as $1.50, and that's only after 6 on fridays and saturdays...one dollar all other nights. screw 10-10-220, spend your dollar on a movie!
oh yeah, and the quality isn't bad at all.

 

[Jason Seaver]

$5.75 for a second-run?!

Yep. To temper it a little, though, it's just as often second-run stuff from the boutique houses as the multiplexes and both of the places have at least one pretty decent screen. It was a bit of a culture shock after moving from Portland, ME with its $1.99 second-run place (and $4 boutique house! and $4.50 dinner & movie place!).

Life in the big city, I guess.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

$12 for all-day? Damn I'd do it! Once a month go in and see like 3 movies!

 

[Jason Seaver]

Um, Jeff, it's a museum film program. They change movies every day and often the films are pretty far off the mainstream, targeting very divergent audiences.

Not that there aren't dates on that schedule when I'd consider doing that, but most of the time it probably would be $12 for one film.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Um, Jeff, it's a museum film program.

I was gonna say, Jeff probably did not see the program listing. These are highly specialized films that only a few would probably take advantage of.

~Edwin

 

[teapot2001]

At ArcLight in LA, it's $14 on a weekend.

~T

 

[Nick_Scott]

It was a bit of a culture shock after moving from Portland, ME with its $1.99 second-run place (and $4 boutique house! and $4.50 dinner & movie place!).

Unfortunetly, the $1.99 and the $4.50 have closed, though the $1.99 place just reopened as a $5 "Mainstream" art house.

 

[Scott L]

So does Arclight show mainstream Hollywood cinema or the ritzy artsy stuff only well-to-do folk care to watch? I pay $5.50 for a student discounted ticket at my local AMC15 (SDDS theater). Buncha riff raff hang outside on the weekends so no artsy stuff here lol.

 

[Seth Paxton]

.50 matinee 2nd runs in Indy too.
Sure we're in the sticks, but at least a hamburger only costs $1 or less. I go to Chicago and pay $25 to park, but I can park for $1 in d/town Indy.
But then NY also has boutiques like this one and gets the very first releases of films.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

The Arclight. Nice theater but I don't know if I would pay that much all the time.

All-reserved seating makes waiting in “hold-out” lines a thing of the past, and there’s no more need to rush to the auditorium to save seats.
The experience in the cinema auditorium is ArcLight’s focal point. Designed with THX consultants leading the way, a cadre of acoustical, lighting, and projection engineers have produced environments that ensure moviegoers see and hear a film at optimum performance levels.
ArcLight Hollywood's 14 new auditoriums begin with a “black box” design aesthetic which favors undistracted viewing over opulence, and feature the best in sight and sound technology, allowing films to be presented as the filmmakers intend and creating an experience for movie lovers unlike any other.
And auditorium comfort levels are unsurpassed. All cinema chairs are 3 inches wider than current megaplex standards, with 6 inches more legroom. Even the retractable armrests are “double-wide”.

~Edwin

 

[Scott L]

Wow! Now that's something we need in the DC area (minus the cost)! "Lawrence of Arabia - 40th Anniversary Release Presented in 70MM." Very cool..
But still for $14 a ticket I'd reserve that place for the better movies. The Moulin Rogue's, Matrix 2's, Dude Where's My Car 3, etc...

 

[Jason Seaver]

Unfortunetly, the $1.99 and the $4.50 have closed, though the $1.99 place just reopened as a $5 "Mainstream" art house.

Yeah, I know - my family still lives there. Did the Nick actually close temporarily, or did it just change formats? Still, my brother really appreciates them running Brotherhood Of The Wolf for a month - he was certain he'd have no chance to see it.
I miss the Keystone, though. Absolutely my favorite place to see a movie - my friends and I loved having a pizza and pitcher delivered to our table while we watched a movie. Cambridge needs a place like that.

 

[Adam_S]

Arclight is indeed amazing, it was only 11$ to see "Lawrence of Arabia" there in 70mm which I consider a bargain. It was easily the best theaterical film experience I've ever had. Unfortunately I won't be going there all the time, they only get about half the first run films, and err on the side or art films it seems, unfortunately they still don't have Punch Drunk Love (so I'm giving up and going to Graumann's if it's not there this weekend), and it doesn't look like they will get Harry Potter (which I would love to see there!). Despite the grandeur of the El Capitan I almost wish I'd paid the extra dollar and seen Spirited Away at Arclight. oh well. probably should see SA again, but money is tight and there are tons of good films coming out.
If you keep reading about arclight you'll find the amazing AFI fest coming up in November (looks to be grand! and the gala premier of Antwone Fisher, fifty bucks a ticket though :frowning: ), and the amazing quality of projection equipment they have. It's a pretty astounding theater, and well worth the price of admission for any above average film.
SIGH! If only my Tuesday's were free, nothing would then keep me from missing the "Meet Me in St Louis" screening.
Adam

 

[Bill Slack]

Well, we may not have cheap movies here. But with the Brattle, Coolidge (for 70mm, especially!), Kendall Square Landmark, and MFA, and (finally!) a few nice mainstream theaters (Boston Common, Fenway, Framingham AMC [with premium cinema, as well]) it's a pretty nice city to catch movies in.

Plus an Omnimax and IMAX. And the IMAX in the city does a really fantastic job (much better than the Science Museum Omni theater at taking care of their prints...)

 

[Eujin]

Bill,

I have to say that I honestly find Boston a mixed bag when it comes to movie-going. Yes, we have pretty decent theaters with a decent selection of movies, but I find the mainstream venues, Boston Common and Fenway, woefully miss the mark when compared to similar venues in New York. I'm more used to it now that I've lived in Boston for over 2 years, but it used to drive me crazy when I first moved here--especially the narrow seating and inconsistent projection and sound quality (it's mainly why I was driven to HT). That said, the premium cinema in Framingham is awesome, albeit at $17 a pop, and I do like the Kendall as well.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Boston could be better, certainly, but it's one whole heck of a lot better than it was two years ago, when the Loews Nickelodeon (now abosrbed back into BU), Cheri (also closed) and Copley Place theaters were the main places.

 

[Ted Todorov]

That's not so bad, though - I read it as $12 for all-day admission, which looks like as low as $3/film if you're interested in all of the day's screenings, for boutique selections, and you get a visit to the museum afterward, unless I'm reading it all wrong.

Visiting the museum afterward is not exactly practical, because the MOMA is now in Long Island City, Queens, which is nowhere near 23rd street. Yes, being able to see more than one screening is a plus, especially if you have time on your hands. Also, Friday's after 4 are "pay what you want." (Tip for out of town museum goers: The Metropolitan Museum of Art is "pay what you want" at all times -- however most visitors don't seem to understand what the "Suggested admission price" clearly marked at the Met's ticket offices means...)

The thread has been very illuminating, I had no idea there was a quasi nationwide trend toward "premium" theaters.

Ironically, the closest thing New York has to a premium theater (in terms of quality) is the Film Society's Walter Reade theater in Lincoln Center and as FS member I pay $5 per ticket (I think it is $9 for the general public). Also, most new chain and indie theaters in Manhattan have excellent facilities.

Ted

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

The new movie theatre at the Grove shopping center in LA was $9.75. Nice theatre but nothing out of the ordinary besides just being new. I guess there is a premium theatre in Hollywood (down a bit from the Mann's Chinese Theatre) that is $17. It was my first time to LA so sorry if I have the locations or names wrong.

Sony at Lincoln Square in NYC was $9 when I lived there 5 years ago. I think at the time that was the highest priced theatre. Imax was $9.50. I'm sure they probably went up by now.