Famous Players' (Canada) Temporary New Pricing System in Victoria....Deal or Sham? (1 Viewer)

[Jason Whyte]

I guess this won't matter much to American residents, but if you're interested in how corporations think they can score a "deal" with the consumer and rip them off instead, read on
Famous Players Corp. believes they have responded to consumer complaint about raising ticket prices, at least in Victoria. I'm not sure if this applies nationwide. (Edit: This seems to be Victoria only)
Here's the existing pricing chart for the Silvercity and Capitol 6, which will apply to all large-scale and regular Famous Players theaters:

Silvercity/Capitol 6:
Evening Adults: $13.25/$10.75
Evening Children: $7.25/$6.25
Matinee Adults, Weekend: $10.00/$8.00
Matinee Children, Weekend: $7.25/$6.25
Matinee Adults, Weekday: $8.00/$6.75
Matinee Children, Weekday: 8.00/$6.75

So now, they think they have an answer to it all. There's a large-sized ad in today's paper exclaiming:
Now Showing! Movies at Silvercity, $9.95 and $7.95 at Capitol 6.
All seats. All day. Every day! (For a limited time only)
Okay. Now stop and read that again. There's a real hitch in there, and I'm not speaking of the "For a limited time only" section. I'm talking about the "All Seats. All Day. Every Day" section.
Let's break it down:
All seats. Before this price change, adults and children paid different prices for seats. Now they're all paying the same amount of money. In essence, kids are paying MORE now, especially for families at kids' screenings on the weekend, where the adult would pay $10 on the old pricing structure anyway. Now they're paying $10, and so are the kids. More money for Famous Players.
All day. This would eliminate discount matinee pricing, which was a draw for many people wanting to save a few dollars in the afternoon (myself included). So you're now paying more in the weekdays, and the exact same amount of money on the weekends, so nothing changes there.
Every day. This would eliminate "cheap tuesday" pricing, which drew a LOT of business for reduced pricing. On tuesday now, you're paying MORE money for the same service. The reduced pricing has been a staple, at least in this city, for the past twenty years. Now it's more.
So there you have it. If you're an adult, this is a deal. If you're a kid, a senior, or in a family, you're now paying more money. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?
Oh, this is for Victoria residence only, if I'm not mistaken. All the rest of you Canadian residents can bask in the glory of ANOTHER 25/50 cent price hike, across the board that Famous Players just added this weekend.
When will this all end? When will the day come that a price hike will go DOWN and realize that lower prices intices more moviegoers? (And yes, I know about all the money studios demand back from the theaters, ) Less is more. And the way that this "test" pricing structure is not a way to go at it.
Regards,
Jason

 

[Francois Caron]

I've stopped paying attention to theater prices years ago. Now I just wait for the DVD release which on average has DROPPED considerably in price (about $5 for regular released, about $10 for special editions) since I started buying them shortly after their introduction.
Look at it this way. A family of four now pays $31.80 for a movie, plus possibly another $30 for snacks for a grand total of $61.80 for one night out and one viewing.
With DVD, you pay, say, $25 for the disc. A six-pack of Orville Redenbacher microwave pop-corn costs about five bucks to the best of my recollection. Add two 2 litre bottles of soft drinks at about $1.50 a bottle. We're now at a total of about $33.00.
For one dollar more than the cost of the tickets alone, you get a ton of snacks and you get to keep the movie afterwards! If you sell the DVD at regular used prices, your "family night at the movies" only cost you $25! A much better deal than spending $62 to go out at the movies.
You're right Jason. The movie industry doesn't get it.

 

[Marc Colella]

More reasons to purchase a DVD instead of going to the theatre.

I can watch the movies and extras as many times as I like in the comfort of my own home.

If I don't like the movie, I can get half my money back by selling it.

Why go to a movie theatre anymore?

 

[Jason Whyte]

It's a different story with my moviegoing (plus my passes, frequenting non FP theaters, friends working there, etc), but I agree for families, just rent the DVD and get some easier and cheaper snacks. You have no idea how many people at work I've turned off from going to the theater based on these prices.
I should jot down some prices for concessions at Silvercity and do some examples of how much a two parent, two child kid can spend on one screening. (With these new prices, it could go even higher than $60!) Should be a killer.
Just to note again, prices have went up another 25/50 cents, and there are reports of tickets going as high as $14.00 by the time Episode 2 is released.
Funny with all the skyrocketing prices, you can still see a matinee at the Cinemark Tinseltown in Vancouver for $5.50. In this day and age! And don't get me started on FP's frequent misframing, bad projection, automation, piss poor sound and rude, loud-as-hell cleaning staff...
Jason

 

[Bill McA]

Yes, the price hikes are quite lamentable, but these SilverCity places ALWAYS seem to packed with people for some odd reason...
There is a SilverCity near me, which I've been to many times, through the use of free passes and invitational screenings. I have never once paid their outrageous ticket prices and never will.
Thankfully, there are still lots of 'regular' 1st run movie houses around in which you can get a ticket for as low as $4.75

plus possibly another $30 for snacks

Sorry, but where exactly is it written that when you watch a movie, you must stuff your face with crap?
Don't you have a kitchen at home?
I never purchase the concession crap and almost never eat in theatres...the only exceptions being events such as film festivals in which case I'll be there the whole day. In those cases, I'll bring a sandwich and a bottle of tap water with me.
Eating in a movie theatre is a totally unheard-of practice in many countries.

 

[Francois Caron]

Sorry, but where exactly is it written that when you watch a movie, you must stuff your face with crap?

You mean that part is OPTIONAL?!? Man I wish you told me that sooner! I must have gained 100 lbs since I got into home theater!

 

[MichaelPe]

Well, this new pricing scheme definitely sucks for people like me. I see most films during Tuesday or matinee shows, and I sometimes watch two films back-to-back. This scheme will be advantageous to the casual weekend audiences, but that's about it.

Movie theaters should adopt a system similar to AMC's. In addition to having special discounts for kids, students, and seniors, they have a MovieWatcher program. This basically consists of a card that gives rewards to frequent customers. I generally get a free popcorn and a free drink once a week, and a free movie pass once a month (in addition to various other perks).

When AMC opened their first theater here last year, all of the other competing theaters lowered their prices as a result. However, all of them have gradually raised them over the year. Now, I make it a point to see almost every movie at the AMC, mainly because they are more customer-oriented than the other chains.

 

[Tim Raffey]

This has been going on in Winnipeg for at least six months (Cineplex Odeon, too, who have the nicest theatre).

FP: $7.95

CO: $6.99

 

[Jeremy Illingworth]

I'm pretty sure first run is still five bucks here, maybe five fifty. The downside is you have to live here.

jeremy