July 8th, 2005

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Movies
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Why Cinemas Suck, Reason #47

Over the years I’ve offered many reasons why cinemas suck, but here’s another one. Over at SWT, Phillip wrote an email complaining about the “Digital Pre-Show”, which is essentially advertising before the actual advertising and trailers are displayed. I’m sure you’ve all seen it lately–it’s advertising that runs while you’re waiting for the actual movie (which, of course, is just an ad for the DVD) to start. Here’s part of the theatre’s response (with Phillip’s comments thrown in):

Our Digital Pre-Show enables us to project high-quality digital presentations and enhance the level of entertainment we offer to our patrons prior to the beginning of each feature film. [Their "high-quality digital presentation" consists of a regular video playback blown up to the size of the movie screen so that every pixel in the image is about the size of a grapefruit.]

We can now offer the latest news on what is happening in the movie business, all kinds of behind-the-scenes stories such as the making of your favorite movie, movie star interviews which are exclusive to patrons of Empire Theatres, special movie features, movie trivia and much more. [Translation: 20-minutes of mind-numbing advertisements.]

Amen. Is it any wonder that as the home theatre experience improves, fewer people are going to the movies?

Comments: 3 Responses so far

Jeremy Pepper
July 8th, 2005
7:15 pm

Also, why go to the movies when there are now DVD projector systems, and the DVDs seem to come out in 6 weeks after the movie theater?

Although, I do love my trailers.

[Reply]

cee
July 9th, 2005
11:50 am

Have you also noticed how much louder those advertisements are, too? When I complained to the manager, I was told the individual movie house has no control over it because the advertisers wish to have the movie-goer ‘experience’ & ‘feel’ the advertisement, not just see it! We mostly just don’t bother going to movies anymore - not worth either the money or the injury to one’s hearing, IMO, anyway!

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filmgoerjuan
July 9th, 2005
12:05 pm

I went to see (the disappointing) “War of the Worlds” last weekend at the new Paramount downtown. After sitting through the preshow crap, I had to endure fully 30 minutes of ads and trailers before the main feature started. It is an understatement to say that I was annoyed as hell.

But of course, the drop in attendance is all because of movie piracy. Yup. Sure. Tell me another one.

[Reply]

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