Lawmaker wants ACTUAL movie start time published - proposes legislation. (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

I always knew one day I would find one good thing about living in Connecticut

More here: http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/stat...0,989718.story

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H - it's about friggin time. Go rep...

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

That's why I like Regal/United Artist theatres. The time printed on the ticket is the time the previews start. All ads go before that as part of the "The 2wenty" promos. And since I enjoy and want to see trailers that is the only time I need printed.

Now if only they came up with legislation to ban those Fanta ads.

 

[Lynda-Marie]

Holadem, you lucky dog! A state which might make it a law?

I wonder how many REALLY stupid ads that legislator had to sit through? Or is he an undercover HTF member who decided to run for office and do something about the horrible wait we have to go through to actually SEE a movie?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I don't mind trailers but I agree that their should be no advertisements that aren't either green or red branded after the running time.

But then I remember when they only had movie trivia before the previews, so maybe my perspective's just too broad.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Must be a slow day at the Congressional chambers.

Looks like Rep. Andrew Fleischmann has not have to sit through many filibusters. Maybe, he'll introduce legislation to ban those, as well.

~Edwin

 

[Adam Portrais]

Yeah, it sounds good but I look at it this way; Some dumbass looks at the time on the ticket and underestimates his time and walks in while the movie is in progress. This happens now,, just think of how much more it would happen if they think they can get there later. Now I'm for getting rid of the ads before the trailers but if it means I have to sit through a few of them in order not to have Bozos come in during the first five min. of the film, then bring on the ads. I know what I'm saying may seem harsh but I'm really anal about movie etiquette (no cell phones, talking, arriving on time etc), I mean I get to the theater at the very least a half hour before the movie starts and I still think that people buying tickets at the last min. should be denied the tickets, just because you can't plan your night a little better doesn't mean my night should suck.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Gee, I almost fell out of my chair reading that one!

What happens if they pass this and it is a minute off? I can see the crowd pulling stuff off just to stop the ads for a few minutes!

Sorry! I am for this but I know that it can not work. It doesn't mention anything about getting a good seat. If you show up at the door 2 minutes before it starts (skipping any refreshments) - will you still get a decent seat?

Of course, I can always picture the ad times in the paper. - "1:50 +/- 20 min." Or a blanket phrase on the bottom - "show will begin about 20 min. after scheduled time."

Maybe the judge will be an HTF member!

Glenn

 

[Marvin Richardson]

On a related topic, why in the world don't we have assigned theater at all movie theaters in the US? I love that part of going to IMAX...if only it weren't an hour drive in traffic.

 

[David Williams]

Boy does this ever fit the phrase "Damned if you do, damned if you don't"

On one hand: You have 20 minutes plus of advertisements and trailers.

On the other hand: If this law became commonplace, you'd have Joe Jackass and his fellow compatriots trudging in front of you, obscuring your view at either the beginning of the film or the trailers and generally being climbed over in a semi-darkened theater.

Neither one sounds very appealing. Unless they can put the genie of movie advertising back in the bottle, I don't forsee a workable solution any time soon.

 

[ZackR]

I'll file this under "things that none of the government's business."

I mean really, do they have nothing better to do than propose legislation dealing with accurate movie stop times? I am a big boy and can take care of myself, thank you. If all the commercials at a particular theater annoy me that much, then I'll just skip the movie and wait for the DVD or see it elsewhere. If I want to see the movie at that theater, then I will choose to sit through the commercials. Looks like a choice any competent human being over the age of about 6 would have the intellectual capacity to handle. I don't need moronic legislation so that the government will have the power to hold my hand and make sure I don't have too many commercials. Give me a break.

Honestly, this is just plain dumb to me. Do we really need the government taking care of movie times? I think we can all take care of ourselves...

 

[Brett_B]

Do you mean "seats"?

If that is the case, then you can count me out. I will NEVER pay for an assigned seat. What if you bought a ticket and were seated next to an annoying person? Obviously you wouldn't be able to just get up and choose another seat on your own since they are assigned. Let's not go into getting a seat that is too close for your own standards or too far away. I think I will stick to choosing my own seat location.

 

[ThomasC]

I don't like the idea of assigned seating as well. Theaters in Taiwan have it, and it screwed up the beginning of Spider-Man 2 for me. I bought tickets online, claimed them at the lobby, went to the theater, but it turns out they changed the theater. So, I went to the correct one, sat down, and a few minutes later, a group came in at the beginning of the movie that had the same seating assignments as my group did. The showing was sold out, and the other group eventually had to sit on the stairs for the entire movie.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Who would want assigned seating in a movie theater? Most theaters in this country are multiplexes and each auditorium they have can only hold an average of 100-200 people. Seriously, if you can't make it to a movie on time to get a good seat, don't even go at all if you're going to bitch and moan about not finding a decent seat.

And EVERYBODY knows that when you go see a movie, the film's "start time" is when the previews start (let it be 5-15 minutes worth of previews). And making the ACTUAL start time being published is bullshit, because I don't want to deal with more jerkoffs coming into the theater when the movie is starting or after it has started.

 

[Mark Maltais]

Scew assigned seating and the law should be ammended to "NO FUCKING ADVERTISING PERIOD" at the movies (except previews I don't mind those) I pay 12 bucks to go to the theater and have to sit through 10 minutes of Mazda advertizing? And don't get me started with "Skiddles"! Ban em all, they are almost as bad as forced trailers on DVD's

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

That will never happen. That's how theaters make their money. Just that now, a few theaters (such as the Regal Entertainment Group and Century Theaters) have moved all their advertising to prior to "start time" via digital projection.

 

[Quentin]

The ArcLight in Hollywood (arguably the best theater in the world) has assigned seating. I experienced some snags in the system early on, but it now works like clockwork. Really...it's awesome.

That said, I file this as Zack did...

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Nice to know that the legislature in Connecticut has solved all those other messy problems like crime, unemployment, homelessness, and the like, and thus has the time to tinker at the margins with trivia like this.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Come to think of it, why bother passing a law? Just wait until some yahoo files suit against the theater owners. Then when he rightly loses and appeals the verdict, an appelate court can discover a constitutional right to movies that start on time and create new law from the bench. That, after all, is the American way.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Seth Paxton]

Arclight's assigned seating worked great for us last fall, though we missed the theater by a block and had to come in 5 minutes late (which I thought they wouldn't let us do).

You COULD move if the theater wasn't full, and if it is full and you are sitting next to an annoying person then what do you do?

I think the best way to handle it is to assign prime seating for a bit more, like $1, and then open the rest up for general seating.

They also need to get rid of the ridiculously close seating used to "pack the house". It doesn't make for a good experience and I would rather not go if that is the case. Some theaters will warn you, but plenty of them don't.

In any case, none of these problems or movie start times are the government's business, we live in a financially democratic society. Let the people take care of it by paying for what they want. After all, the appeal of places like the Cinerama or Arclight is that they offer an improved viewing environment. Lots of people won't pay or don't care, but plenty do.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

In my honest opinion, assigned seating in movie theaters across the country would drive numerous theaters to sheer bankruptcy. Who is going to enforce the assigned seating factor? Will there have to be an usher or two assigned to each auditorium to make sure everyone who paid for the assigned seating gets to be placed in their exact seat? And what about those multiplexes that have more than 18 screens?

Sure, I can see it work at venues that have a screen or two, but in a multiplex it's a stupid idea. Just keep the assigned seating to "live" theater where ushers are there simply for the fact to help guide people to their seats and make sure that people stick in their assigned seats.