Dear Movie Titans: Get Stuffed

[thebobman]

Sunday night I decided that I was gonna take the gf out to see Mr & Mrs Smith (which was fabulous FYI). I never have time to actually go out and see movies in theatres that often so I was looking forward to this as a bit of a treat. Somebody had given me passes, so why not...

We arrived at the theatre with massive line up for Batman Begins. As such we decided to keep the passes for another movie and save time buying a pair of tickets. We used one of those interact-insta-serve ticket machines which, I personally think are fabulous, but clearly eliminates a huge portion of overhead for the company since only cash transactions (and passes) now have to be handled by an actual employee.

Cost of Tickets: $22

Seriously, the cost of the ticket, really doesn't bother me. $11 isn't a whole lotta coin when I think about it. Unless I was say... Buying the movie on DVD... To watch whenever I want, at my own home, on my own time schedule... Hrm, I wonder how much the cost of a DVD is compared to the overhead of a movie theatre... hrrrrrrrm

Dammit, I think I'm gonna get a drink, but I'm not gonna be stupid and buy the huge one, and hell, it's not really a movie without some popcorn, and since we can (oh the BLASPHMEY of it) bring in our own drinks or popcorn, I suppose I'll get a medium of each at the concession. I order both and hand over a twenty, not paying attention to the register. I get back a $5 and some change.

I pause.

"Wait a second... wasn't that a medium popcorn and a medium pepsi?"
"Yes, sir. The medium soft drink is $5 and the Regular Popcorn is $6.25

I stare incredulously at the miniumum wage retail slave for a second, thinking, "this poor bastard.... I've just forked over an hour and half's wages for him for a liter of fountain pop and about the same in volume of popcorn..."

I seeth privately, but shrug, it's not the retail slave's fault. Giving him attitude would be an asshole thing to do since it's far and above out of his control.

We proceed to the theatre and are met with... Oh that's right folks, they're just not for TV anymore: Advertisments

Now, it bugs me constantly that everywhere I look in the public world somebody is trying to cram a burger, a shirt, a fragrance, a car or any number of randomly consumable items down my throat. But that's life, that's the public world. It's an uncontrolled space outside. I don't pay $11 to run around outside. I can appreciate the value of the income for advertising outside. But I'm not bloody well outside. I'm in a theatre I just paid $11 to get into.

Then we get through all the bloody commercials and another retail slave comes out to point out the exits and to remind us NOT TO RECORD THE MOVIE AS VIDEO PIRACY IS A CRIME

You know what? Screw you. Video piracy is a crime. But it's jack-all compared to the highway-robbery you've served me since I stepped foot in your theatre. So far I've paid you $22 for the privilage of using ticket vending machine that cost you virtually nothing to operate. I've had to endure 20 minutes of advertising so that you can try and recoupe the obvious loss you're making at the consession counter hawking $0.05 of sugar & water with a little carbonation and a slap-happy name for $5. And now after all of that, you have the audacity to over-state the painfully obvious after I've seen no less that 4 signs stating identical messages just in case I missed it being printed on my ticket.

You wanna know why people pirate movies? You think its because they're just too damned cheap to see a film in theatres?

Psh. As if.

Maybe it's because you've made a trip to the theatre nothing more than an organized and neatly choreographed 3 hours exercise to thin out my wallet.

You MADE people pirate movies.

Movie piracy is a quiet revolte against the gouging that's elevated since the 80s to the point where it is un-bloody-barable and conciously aggravating to even the most resonable of us.

I don't care about your figures about the higher overhead of larger screens and stadium seating. I know that's bullsh*t. There's no way you can possibly justify all of that unless you're barely breaking even with that enterprise, and I seriously, SERIOULSLY doubt that your take home each evening is anything less that 200% profit.

I support Indie film and art house flick, but I swear to GOD, going to watch a mainstream film is starting to just annoy the F*CK outta me.

[Royal_Phunk]

not that this really changes anything cuz i think theyre just like any other greedy company but famous or whoever doesnt make a dime off of ticket sales.. well where i worked anyways so they charge you up your ass for anything and everything. for 22bux they should do a dance or something or a live show for you as you get your over priced food.

;)

[Grapes]

Was that movie stupid or what? It looks really stupid.

[dj_soo]

don't go to the movies much do you?

[thebobman]

nope, I don't go to the movies that often, by the time I get done with my day the last thing I usually want to do is to drive out somewhere to sit for two hours.

and no, that movie was totally decent. If you have a significant other, I highly recommend it, decently witty, perfectly done action, scathing satire. It won't win any oscars, but it's defientally decent.

[MissBehavior]

Originally Posted by thebobman

nope, I don't go to the movies that often, by the time I get done with my day the last thing I usually want to do is to drive out somewhere to sit for two hours.

and no, that movie was totally decent. If you have a significant other, I highly recommend it, decently witty, perfectly done action, scathing satire. It won't win any oscars, but it's defientally decent.

"Gimme a liter of cola"

[thebobman]

what's a liter?