AMC Offers Private Theater Rentals Starting at $99, As Cinemas Continue To Struggle (techcrunch.com) 77
Mega-chain AMC has begun to offer the option through its site, with prices for renting out a theater starting at a surprisingly reasonable $99 (though not in New York, Alaska and Hawaii). Split among ten friends, and you're already paying less than a normal movie ticket. From a report: Attendees can invite as many as 20 people to a screening, which consists of classic titles like Jurassic Park and Halloween-centric fare like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Prices go up from there. New titles like Tenet and The New Mutants, cost up to $349 for a single screening. The former, helmed by blockbuster director Christopher Nolan, was set to be a kind of litmus test for moviegoers' willingness to return to theaters.
Let AMC die (Score:1)
Payback is a bitch (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Payback is a bitch (Score:4, Funny)
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Maybe that's how they'll make this thing profitable: with a 2 drink minimum.
Drink minimum? It better be alcoholic for you to stomach what Hollywoke has been churning out lately.
After all, there's more than an 90% chance that it's either a recycled story, or a sequeled-to-death one. We pay these people? For what exactly?
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It's funny you complain about such, as the box office paydays clearly show that people are enjoying them. Like it or not, the reason Hollywood is producing such stuff is because people like it. If it wasn't making them millions or even billions, they wouldn't continue doing it.
There's nothing really funny, about the continued destruction of creativity and overall intelligence.
Popularity today says far more about the audience, than some shitty recycled sequel. And ticket sales have been on a decline for years now. Those that say the industry is doing great, are doing a great job at selling you that, along with a $5 popcorn and $8 coke (also known as where the revenue actually comes from.)
Texting while driving. Mass narcissism. Social media pressures on young girls strong enoug
Re:Payback is a bitch (Score:5, Insightful)
Pulp exists in all media for as long as history prevails. The mass population loves pulp fiction - it's cheap and satisfies an escapist need (i.e., entertainment).
In fact, it's one of the rarest forms of creativity around - it was pulp, written and created to sell copies and enjoyed for a few years and then discarded, forgotten. That's why they are rare today - people didn't care to save them because their purpose was enjoyment.
"The classics" is but a drop in the bucket of the total creative output of the past.
So I don't think the end of creativity is in sight. Heck, a lot of science fiction was pulp meant to cash in the craze. As were many titles in the romance genre.
Society's not going to degrade. Pulp's made up the vast majority of works released through the ages and promptly forgotten. Heck, the same "it's all about the money" arguments were probably made in the past as well.
Of course, the sad thing is, this kind of trashy material actually gives a lot of insight into how life was in the past.
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Pulp exists in all media for as long as history prevails. The mass population loves pulp fiction - it's cheap and satisfies an escapist need (i.e., entertainment).
It is very popular these days. Thank you for reinforcing my point.
In fact, it's one of the rarest forms of creativity around - it was pulp, written and created to sell copies and enjoyed for a few years and then discarded, forgotten. That's why they are rare today - people didn't care to save them because their purpose was enjoyment.
Um, to give you an idea of just how "rare" that is today, you want to know what we call "pulp fiction"?
Social Media.
And you're right. People don't care. Don't care to be truthful, kind, honest, or transparent. No, it's lies, distortion, manipulation, and bullshit for clicks sake, as society values the Professional Attention Whore, paying them millions. Devolving? Noo...not at all.
"The classics" is but a drop in the bucket of the total creative output of the past.
So I don't think the end of creativity is in sight.
You don't? Hollywood themselves is leaving in droves.
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> Social media pressures on young girls strong enough to cause suicides. Teenagers were committing suicides long before the internet.
True, but it usually wasn't your neighbors 12-year old little girl found hanging in her closet, all because some random prick online decided to make a viral example out of her. You know, just for fucks sake.
And don't you just love it when society rewards Barbie Bullshitter the Instawhore with millions of clicks, likes, views and dollars, all for setting unrealistic expectations as they call themselves "role models"? Yes, I'm certain that has practically zero influence today too.
Sarcasm aside, the suicide
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And yet some people think it's a valid argument when discussing Windows vs macOS.
Hollywoke? it is much more right-wing than left (Score:5, Interesting)
Drink minimum? It better be alcoholic for you to stomach what Hollywoke has been churning out lately.
The executives are publicly liberal, but they all voted for Reagan and were silent during his administration. The actors are mostly publicly liberal as well...they probably believe in the cause too, but the stories are far more conservative than most realize. The messages are all very conservative for all films and propagate conservative values far more than liberal ones.
How many movies are saved by the guy with the gun? Nothing is a greater right wing wank fantasy than the civilized world crumbling down and saved by a regular joe who knows how to use a gun. Most action and horror movies are right wing nutjob wank fodder....the cop who doesn't follow the rules, but saves the day. Is that a liberal fantasy? Not of any I've met...how about the zombie apocalypse genre as well as any other similar society is crumbling fantasy?
It's all about the rogue loser who gets a hold of a gun and saves the day and wins the respect of his family or those around him. NOTHING could be more of a modern American Conservative fantasy...fuck all those educated liberals who thrive in modern society...when shit gets real, it's someone like ME who saves the day, by shooting stuff. The same applies to the Westerns your dads used to cultivate their right wing wank fantasies...the days before society forced them to be politically correct and they survived and thrived with guns and grit.
Sorry, liberals are the ones who figured out how to make it in society. We rely on society and try to better it. By definition, we're collectivists...we believe we succeed or fail in groups. Conservatives are individualists who believe their success is based on their individual merit.
You can complain about "wokeness" because the hero is a woman or a person of color, but they're telling your story, usually about survivalism or rogue individuals saying "fuck you" to society and doing things their way. They're telling conservative legends about the unassuming rogue who saved the day. Even the Karate Kid....how many movies are about the improbable outsider? Some kid washing windows and catching flies with chopsticks for an old man suddenly can beat his peers who have been training much harder for much longer in a school run by a champion with the sole purpose of producing champions? That's a stupid fucking story if you think about it, but most don't because we're so used to it. Every zombie apocalypse movie...no, society won't crumble if the dead walk the earth...we'll just band together and systematically kill them. Society will look largely the same as it always has, just with different emergency procedures and a notable death toll while we figure it out. Cities won't be abandoned. We'll still have police, fire, stores, dentists, doctors, accountants, etc. In a few years, it'll be no different than any country that lives near wildlife that can kill you, like those near lions, tigers, alligators, etc....but that's a pretty dull story.
Instead, we'll have right wing nutjob wankfests where the gun collector is vindicated for his paranoid conspiracies and given the chance to show all who doubted him.
Hollywood may be run by liberals, but they tell conservative stories, not liberal ones.
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You have cause and effect confused. They tell conservative stories not because they're secretly conservative, but because the movie-watching public is more conservative that Hollywood. When Hollywood tries to tell a story that aligns with its beliefs, the movie ends up bombing in the box office because
Nope, just sick of right wing bitching and whining (Score:2)
You have cause and effect confused. They tell conservative stories not because they're secretly conservative, but because the movie-watching public is more conservative that Hollywood.
Not really. I didn't state that they were secretly conservative. I'm really just sick of listening to conservatives insert themselves as the victim in each equation. It's tedious. Most modern right wing theories are pure fantasy and half of them are cultivated by Hollywood.
I don't believe the public is wild about rogue cop movies, marvel movies, and especially zombies. I think it's just what's out there. I've watched many post-apocalyptic science fiction movies in my lifetime...not because I like
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with a 2 drink minimum.
Man, they better be putting toilet holes in the seats too to go with that.
Re:Payback is a bitch (Score:4, Insightful)
Theatres are actually horribly squeezed. For instance, the entire proceeds for every Star Wars film ticket sold in the past 20 years have gone to the studio - even though the theatre has to pay for infrastructure and collection costs, they have actually taken a loss for every ticket sold. They literally pay the studio for the privilege of showing the films.
What they make on popcorn, etc. is the entirety of the profit they get, which is why those items are so expensive.
Don't blame the theatres. Blame the studios.
Re:Payback is a bitch (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't blame the theatres. Blame the studios.
I think I'll blame the people who actually buy snacks and drinks at those inflated prices. They're enablers.
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the entire proceeds for every Star Wars film ticket sold in the past 20 years have gone to the studio - even though the theatre has to pay for infrastructure and collection costs, they have actually taken a loss for every ticket sold.
I own and operate a movie theatre. (Really.)
What you posted here is simply wrong. Disney indeed takes the lion's share of ticket revenue for any of their movies (including Star Wars) but theatres do get to keep a tiny sliver of the ticket revenue.
The
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How many $5 sodas and bags of popcorn you guys been selling recently? Not many? Awww, that's too bad.
Blame the studios more than the cinemas. Their fees consume all of the ticket, leaving concessions as the only route for money. In some cases, the studios demand a cut of the concessions as well.
Misdirected rage - struggling theaters. (Score:3)
I don't think $5 sodas are worth it. However, I know they're not rolling in the dough and have to make money somehow, so yeah...they can't charge the same price as costco does for a meal. Most in my area shut down before the pandemic or were really struggling...pre-COVID. They were pretty dingy and mediocrely maintained.
I know
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maybe if they did need to give up 99% of the gate then the pop can priced at $2-$2.50
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I gotta admit, I chuckled recently when our local theater shut down and they started selling candy and popcorn for people to bring home for movie nights...
Don't know how much they made. They'd only do this on Friday and Saturday nights.
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Wow! 1980's prices. What a deal!
Support Your Local Theaters (Score:5, Informative)
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What local theaters? I don’t know of any that still exist around here.
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Obviously I can't speak for local as it applies to you but here in New Orleans one of the indy theaters is set to expand to a second nine screen location in early November[1] and another has opened up a socially distant 100 seat outside venue[2]. New Orleans is weird though: it's like us to prioritize movie theaters over basic infrastructure.
[1] https://www.nola.com/entertain... [nola.com]
[2] https://www.nola.com/gambit/fi... [nola.com]
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The government is creating theaters for movies?
People should get the government they vote for, good and hard.
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...Reach out to them and see what they may offer.
Uh, while Hollywood has been about as creative as a three-toed sloth lately, churning out recycled story after sequeled movie, we should probably put some rules around this.
Next thing you know, the theatre and the goers, will be the movie.
Re:Support Your Local Theaters (Score:4, Interesting)
I'd encourage everyone to support their small local theaters. They're being hit much harder and don't have the huge money major theater chains have to survive these times. I know many local theaters are also renting their facilities out right now for movies, music, and more. Reach out to them and see what they may offer.
We actually did that this past weekend. My wife's sister's family was having a birthday party for their 7 year old twin girls, and while in the past they've spent a couple hundred dollars renting out a gymnastics place for an hour, they spent $100 to rent out the theater (with large, reclining seats) to watch Hocus Pocus for up to 20 people (only about 15 people or so, just family came). Newer movies were of course pricier, and still had to pay movie theater prices for food, but it was overall a good deal.
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I should follow up, there was also the option to rent the theater, but bring your own DVD. Giving you the opportunity to watch something like 1917, Dunkirk, Braveheart, Titanic, etc in a private theater setting. That almost makes the price tag worth it by itself.
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Re:Support Your Local Theaters (Score:4, Funny)
Oh, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch Urotsukidji: Legend of the Overfiend* on the big screen!
* absolutely NSFW.
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Curious, what does a DVD look like blown up to that size? Is it distracting or ok? Or did you mean "DVD" in the general "up to and including 4k blue ray" sense. I'd probably waste a bunch of the time by nerding out and switching the input a few times to compare sound modes and stuff :)
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One of the locally-owned theaters here has been renting out a parking lot at the local sports complex and doing drive-in Halloween double-feature shows over Fri/Sat nights at $35/carload.. Assuming they're at least breaking even.
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I used to do that, but there aren't any small local movie theaters near me anymore. They're all chains.
Well, I have supported the small local theater that puts on plays, and the larger regional theater that does musical platys, but they're currently shut down. (Funny, I really dislike most movie musicals, but actually watching in person the plays that they're based on can be quite enjoyable, when they're good.)
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The last thing I saw at the movies was The Current War (which I saw just before the pandemic hit and everything shut down). I haven't been back since things re-opened here in Brisbane (mostly because there hasn't been anything on that I want to see) but when I do go back I will continue to do what I have done for years and patronize the little guy (who also happen to have the cheapest tickets while still having reasonably priced candy bar food) instead of the big giant behemoth that dominates cinemas in Bri
Burn Hollywood, burn! (Score:1)
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AMC is never coming back to $10. Chapter 11 in 6 months.
Current guesstimate is closer to three months, unless someone like Disney decides to buy them to provide another venue for their product. The other potential buyer (for at least some theaters) is someone like a Simon Property consortium (which bought JC Penney out of bankruptcy) due to the need to anchor some mall properties (there are a whole set of covenants that would be triggered if certain anchor tenets leave).
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AMC is never coming back to $10. Chapter 11 in 6 months.
They where in the news last week claiming that they will be out of cash before the end of the year. Bankruptcy is sure to happen before then because lawyers need to get paid first.
As Cinemas fail to adapt. (Score:2)
My Church has blocked off every other row, and enforced social distancing within the pews, masks are on nearly all the time except during communion. Before they enter they need to sign paper work stating that they are healthy, and then apply hand sanitizer in front of witness. People breaking the rules are asked to correct themselves or leave.
The Cinemas can do things that will help keep people safe, yes they will mean they cannot fill the theater, as well they will need people to make sure the rules are
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Fluff is not in the first amendment. However, religion and peaceably assembling are. In that order.
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The issue here is not your protest, feel free to exercise your rights, you won't get much of a complaint from me.... However, the non-peaceful riots are tolerated better by authorities than a peaceful church service where people are taking the prescribed precautions save one, limiting the number of people in the room.
The first amendment supports peaceably assembling AND for the freedom to practice one's religion. So the churches who are getting harassed by the local authorities over meeting on Sunday morni
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Three words : Covid church cluster [google.com] Now you try and see if you can find any spikes due to protesting outside in the fresh air... (hint: the studies showed there wasn't..)
Woosh!
Way to miss my point.... I'm not claiming that these churches are not taking a risk, only that their activity is protected by the constitution while rioting is NOT a constitutionally protected activity. Also, if you consider the number of deaths and injuries caused by both, clearly the rioting is more dangerous.
On one hand, people knowingly take a risk to do something they are constitutionally allowed to do, but get harassed by authorities... And the other hand, people out purposely harming people
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You are commenting on an article explicitly detailing the ways cinemas are adapting, by targetting smaller groups of people you trust, instead of traditional crowds of random people.
I'm not sure if you go out anywhere aside from your church, but almost all businesses are enforcing social distancing, requiring contact tracing info, requiring masks and offering free hand sanitizer. Signing a deposition, and requirin
One fatal flaw (Score:2)
They're assuming everyone has ten friends to split the bill. Or even ten people who would want to go to the movie.
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Slashdotters forget that cinema experiences are often had in groups larger than one. They probably went to movies as a kid themselves, with family or friends.
Re: One fatal flaw (Score:1)
They should offer series for hardcore fans (Score:5, Insightful)
What about $1,000 for 3-movie deal of Lord of the Rings extended directors cut back to back for me and my 19 friends? Star Wars 3 day special? Week of Avenger movies? If they can get the decent stuff that actually needs big screen, this could be their new business. Even if I need to order it few weeks in advanced, that's just perfect.
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Also known as BYOSBT.
(sleeping bag and tent)
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A few weeks ago friend of mine called up a regional theater chain that has around 15 screens here in town. They quoted him $75 for stuff like Hocus Pocus (which they already have on hand for Halloween), going up to $200 for a single screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark (which would take a few weeks for them to get). They said they didn't have the rights to do one-off screenings for most of the Disney/Marvel/Star Wars stuff, but that $200 was the most they'd charge for anything.
Honestly, prices like that are
This is just them trying to make sure people (Score:2)
Re:This is just them trying to make sure people (Score:4, Funny)
As a typical Slashdotter, I lost the habit of going outside way before the pandemic.
no time to die (Score:2)
Invite all your friends to see Avatar for free (Score:4, Funny)
It would be worth $99 to me to invite a bunch of friends and then rick-roll them.
LA Theaters (Score:2)
I would love to get Tenet and watch it with 10-20 friends for $149-$349 (Price from the AMC web site), but all the movie theaters in LA are closed so can't do it.
Not going to go to Orange "Corona" Country to watch it there.
Right when I'd planned to go see Tenet... (Score:2)
they stopped showing it during the weekday mornings & early afternoons everywhere near where I lived. ...So, I understand why they stopped offering it.$$ ...But that was also the only way I was willing to go sit in a theater! ;-)
Before that, friends said you could go when the schools (which FBOW are all in-person) were in session and be nearly alone!