The all-in-one THE TROUBLE WITH AMC thread (1 Viewer)

[MikeAW]

After last evenings presentation of "The Natural" with those horrid auction pop ups, that was the LAST STRAW!

I've bitten the bullet in recent months, withstanding the inclusion/intrusion of commercial breaks...for TV CD collections, prescription medicines, etc...but last night was too much!

Now old movie appreciators, not able to get TCN, are forcefully subjected to popups at the bottom of the screen !!! Save that for VH1 !

THEY HAVE GONE TOOOOO FAR !

Any thoughts ?

TOO MUCH !

 

[Jack Briggs]

Welcome to the Forum.

And I'm amazed you've stuck with AMC this far.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

I gave up on AMC a while ago. They have cut way back on the number of films shown in widescreen. It used to be that they would show a film in the daytime panned and scanned and then later at night they would present the same film in widescreen. They still show a few films in widescreen but nearly as many.

Thankfully I have TCM and FXM for my classic movie addiction.

 

[David Egan]

It would be interesting to look at the overall national ratings to see how AMC was doing in comparison to stations like USA or TBS which specialize in P/S, edited, time compressed. logoed, interrupted broadcasts of recent films. The fact is that as long as it's in color, most folks don't care what they're looking at and AMC has realized that catering to people who actually love film isn't where the revenue is.

 

[MikeAW]

Unfortunately with only AMC as an old movie outlet in my area, it's either that or NOTHING ! And they do have the Three Stooges, so it's not a total loss.

I will say that FLIX has improved over the last few months carrying the old American International films of "Wild In The Streets", "Bloody Mama", "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry","The
Terror", and other oddball releases like "Look Back In Anger", "Absolute Beginners", "Movie,Movie", "Hi Mom", etc.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Lots. Try some of these earlier threads for starters:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...&highlight=AMC
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...&highlight=AMC
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/001449.html
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...&highlight=AMC

M.

 

[Ricky Cash]

It looks like we are down to 3 channels for movie watching on cable or satelllite.
IFC, Sundance, and Turner Classic. What really troubles me is that HBO hasn't dedicated one channel Signature for example to OAR. That would leave plenty of channels for J6P to watch, and separate it from being just another carbon copy with a few foreign films thrown in.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Once again I say "to hell with AMC!". This one-time oasis for movie-lovers is now the anti-cinema beast. Woe unto the corporate honchos and their programming and advertising minions for destroying a once-great movie network! Die! Burn! Suffer!

And may the same fate never befall TCM.

 

[gregstaten]

There's a great article in today's LA Times Calendar about how AMC has changed, arguably, for the worse. It discusses their move away from uncut, uninterrupted classic films towards edited contemporary films with commercial breaks. Good reading and it echoes some of the threads that have appeared on here from time to time.

No Lookin at You, Kid

-greg

 

[Jack Briggs]

Thanks for the link, Greg--though I don't think it will be accessible in another day or two.

Sad, isn't it? AMC used to be a haven for us, but no more.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Greg,
Thanks for the link to a great article and I found the following excerpts from the article somewhat profound as to the current status of AMC versus that of Turner Classic Movies.

I couldn't say it any better than the above quote.




Crawdaddy

 

[Rob Tomlin]

This forum is great! I was just coming up to my computer to make a post about this article in todays Sunday L.A. Times Calendar section, and somebody already beat me to it!

I thought it was a pretty good article, many truths to it. The best thing about it is that AMC is actually getting some negative press about the terrible changes they have made, while at the same time giving some positive press to TCM!

However, I was very disappointed that this article didn't mention one of the biggest negative changes that AMC has made, which is the fact that they now show pan and scan versions of great movies. This included the great Once Upon A Time in America which is mentioned in the article. I happened upon AMC while this was being shown, and I completely agree with the comment in the article indicating that the movie was virtually "unwatchable"! It wasnt only watchable because of being edited, but because it was pan and scan (although the pan and scan part was, again, not specifically mentioned).

Kudos to L.A Times for this article.

TCM KICKS ASS!

 

[george kaplan]

I can't get the link to work. Was there any mention of the OAR vs. p&s issue?

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I tried the link and it works fine for me!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Great article - thanks for the link.

I'm so mad that I can't get TCM where I live. We have Cablevision of New Jersey, which is conveniently the owner of Rainbow Communications, the "brains" behind AMC! I called Cablevision about TCM and was told, in no uncertain terms, that they will NEVER offer TCM as long as they are the owners of AMC. How 'bout that? Time to start researching the satellite option again...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Don't tell me that Cablevision doesn't have a conflict of interest by owning MSG and AMC, but that's for another discussion.





Crawdaddy

 

[SteveGon]

AMC and TCM were the two reasons I had cable installed. I have long since given up on AMC. What a fall from grace. I realize there may have been a financial impetus behind the changes at AMC, but did they need to go that far?

 

[Jack Briggs]

As an aside, writer Susan King reviews new DVD releases on Thursday mornings for the TImes, in addition to editing (and writing for) the weekly television supplement.

The one minor criticism of her piece I would have has already been mentioned: not mentioning TCM's embracing of OAR presentations as opposed to AMC's selling out with P&S

 

[Nick Graham]

Yikes, wasn't aware that the company that owns AMC also owns IFC......that channel is a good friend to any one who
can access it....wonder if it will be much longer. The question is, how does playing the Omen Trilogy EVERY weekend, along with Predator and Desperately Seeking Susan, attract a broader audience? I mean, my brother and I both call it the Omen channel now....and that wouldn't be half bad (I love The Omen) except for the fact that it is pan and scan. Thank heavens for TCM, who have allowed me to see Raging Bull and Rosemary's Baby for the first time in their OAR. Their Oscar marathons are incredible. Now if only they would snag the rights to another AMC staple, The Deer Hunter, and show it in its OAR as well. AMC's idea for "DVD TV" sounds nifty if they are showing a film you've never seen and can't rent.....but somehow I think the movies will be presented in pan and scan.

 

[Mark Philp]

Interesting article. As I've said in this forum before, I havn't watched AMC said they made their "pact with the devil". As for the new "classics" channel their talking about, if it's only carried on digital, and I assume satellite I don't think it will reach the "old-timers" they say it's aiming for. These are not folks who will upgrade just to get one channel. Needless to say many of those who would really want it are on fixed incomes and can't afford it.