They Can't Take Time From Our Wallets
Ads upon ads upon pre-show features upon trailers. The old normal, if we want to keep it.
Dear Moviegoers,
“In my country, Colombia, they don't show trailers. They often present a short documentary, maybe 3 minutes, on local artisans or history, then on to the main feature.
In the US, I came to movies late to not have to sit through too-loud previews, now I go on time. It's great.” - @brooksrogers.click
When I went to my first chain AMC Theatres venue, Colonial 18 in the Metro Atlanta area, I slowly, but surely became exposed to lengthy pre-feature presentation advertising.
The multiplex wasn’t a new concept, but growing up, I was used to more regional groups, sometimes of the discount variety (dollar theaters). These had screening rooms where footsteps and popcorn chewing made the bulk of alternative noises for patrons to deal with. Sticky floors? Sometimes. Mildew smell? It happened. Rats? Just once. Noovie? Never.
To see movies without more products being pitched to us was the tradeoff to stale snacks and total convenience. That was the deal with the devil. And it was quaint, if also dirty to say the least.
But, another deal would eventually be made, and without crowds knowing. It would be a deal with the ad wizards. Things would get dirtier, to say the most.
Flash-forward to the present. In a recent article in The Guardian, it was reported that a man from Bangalore sued a theater chain and won. The conflict involved him buying a ticket for a flick, but getting caught in the storm of ill-timed commercials that pushed the showtime by about half an hour. The court stated that “Twenty-five to 30 minutes is a considerable amount of time to sit idle in the theatre and watch unnecessary ads. People with tight schedules do not have time to waste.”
I don’t expect every multiplex to have perfect cleanliness or attitude, but I do prefer some kindness and professionalism. Rarely do I encounter bad behavior or negligence from ushers and clerks, but often the projection booth isn’t manned properly. Sometimes the sound will be out of sync. And more than likely, I’ll have to arrive half an hour early to ensure that I see the start of the film and that I enter a room with light.
We can make reservations for our seats, we can have snacks delivered to us, there are more cup and food holders, and I haven’t seen a rodent in a long time. But having to sit through pop stars trying to sell me lemon-lime sodas and smartphones? Having to watch byte-sized “interviews” with celebrities as conducted by too-nerdy and too-grating goofballs? What a waste.
A waste of my time and, according to a court in India, a waste of my money. Maybe someone should sue here in America. Has it happened already? It had to have, right?
I miss a time when cinema businesses were so desperate for cash that they offered not-so-costly tickets for more movies to watch. A time when escapism wasn’t so price gouged to death.
Maybe the desperation is larger now? Maybe it’s not the multiplex industrial complex so much as it’s a bottom-to-top/follow-the-paper trail greed. Or maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Maybe I just want my dollar to stretch further.
Maybe I just want to see more movies on more big screens, and more times than I can count, with what little time I have on Earth.
Ad wizards can go to hell. I want to deal with the devil.
Sincerely Yours in Moviegoing,
⚜️🍿
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